District 62 outlines summer programs and fall launch; new staff professional learning planned
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Sign Up Free
Summary
Administrators reviewed summer Title I, ESY, early-learning enrichment, Parent University attendance, and staff professional learning; they previewed August institute days and school start dates for 2025–26.
District 62 leaders on July 21 summarized this summer’s student and family programs and previewed professional learning and calendar items for the 2025–26 school year.
Libby Jeskiewicz, director of multilingual programs, described the Title I summer school run in June at Plainfield and Orchard Place, which served 431 students (incoming kindergarten through incoming eighth grade) over three weeks and added STEM activities to reading, writing and math instruction. Jeskiewicz also summarized Parent University sessions at Forest School (June 9–20) for 24 families, which included adult ESL, summer safety in partnership with local police and fire departments, parenting in the digital age and a field trip to Wagner Farm and one to the Museum of Ice Cream.
Heidi Rudy, director of student services, reported the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) program served 158 students (kindergarten through seventh grade) at Cumberland Elementary and preschool ESY and a summer enrichment program at Westerhold Early Learning Center with 61 preschoolers enrolled.
Assistant Superintendent Amy Segel and other instructional leaders reviewed summer work for staff. Committees prepared for full-day kindergarten transitions; a new position, district professional learning leads, was created to co-plan and co-facilitate professional development; middle-school ELA and social studies teachers prepared for pilot curriculum rollouts; math interventionists worked on tools to monitor progress for struggling students; and principals completed literacy-focused training (LETTERS) and leadership workshops.
The district’s calendar and kickoff events were previewed: Iroquois Community School staff returned July 14 and students had staggered starts mid-July. New teacher orientation is Aug. 11–15; Teacher Leadership Institute Aug. 14; institute days Aug. 18–20 with a keynote from Dr. Jenna Ruffo on inclusive practices; and first day for 10-month schools’ first–eighth graders is Aug. 21 with pre-K and kindergarten starting Aug. 22. Segel also said the district will pilot new middle-school math resources in winter and expand structured literacy professional learning.
Administrators said they will continue family engagement work around literacy and will provide more detailed plans to principals and school communities ahead of the fall start.