La Grange District 102

November 2025 District Newsletter

Over the last month, I have been very fortunate to meet with over 100 D102 families to share information and receive feedback about our strategic plans, goals, celebrations, successes and  D102 Renewal plans. I appreciate all the parents that came to morning coffees at each school building as well as the parents who came to our evening D102 Dialogue.  If you missed this opportunity, but would like to see what was presented, you can always visit our Vision 2030 website or our newly updated Renew D102 website.  Or you can click here to see the slide deck that I used to guide the conversations. And if you have follow up questions, concerns or just want to chat, I am happy to schedule some time to meet personally.  Send me an email at covinoch@sd102.net.  I would love to hear from you!

We had a little bit of snow on Monday to help us remember that we live in the Midwest; unfortunately, I am sure there is a lot more to come.  With that in mind, we are planning to test our emergency communication system on Wednesday of next week (11/19).  Please see the information directly below this message for details. 

Lastly, I want to thank all of our parents and staff members for a successful two days of conferences last week.  Initial feedback indicates that a lot of great conversations happened, but we still have some adjustments that we can make to the conference schedule and format to optimize the conference time.  We are looking for your feedback about how to improve the conference experience and format.  We ask that you take this short survey to provide the District with your feedback. We are also offering our staff a similar survey to better understand their perspective.

I wish all D102 families, students and staff a Happy Thanksgiving and a restful, safe and memorable fall break.  You all deserve it!

U.S. News has released its yearly rankings of Best Schools in the Country. These rankings are based on state assessments that measure student proficiency in subjects related to mathematics and reading/language arts.  Read more on their methodology here. 

La Grange D102 schools continue to demonstrate strong academic performance based on their statewide rankings among 1,893 Illinois elementary schools. This year, D102 schools ranked in the top 12% in the overall average of all elementary schools statewide, reflecting consistently high achievement across the district. These results highlight the dedication of D102 educators, students, and families, and reinforce the district’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality learning experiences for all students.

View D102 Elementary School Rankings

Park Jr. High also earned an impressive placement, ranking 52nd out of 1,173 Illinois middle schools, placing the school in the top 4% statewide. This achievement reflects the strong academic culture at Park Jr. High and the continued teamwork between staff, students, and families to support meaningful learning and growth. 

View Park Jr. High Ranking

In addition to the U.S. News rankings, the Illinois State Board of Education has also released its annual Illinois Report Card. In this report, schools earning an Exemplary designation are among the top 10% of Illinois schools that have demonstrated measurable student growth in areas such as academic assessments, attendance, course and grade data, and school climate survey participation.

For the 2024-2025 school year, D102 has received the following statuses: Forest Road, Cossitt Avenue, and Ogden Avenue were recognized as Exemplary, while Congress Park and Park Jr. High received a Commendable designation from the State Board of Education. 

View D102 ISBE State Report Card

In D102, our mission is to provide an education that fosters high expectations and continuous improvement for all. These results are a clear reflection of that commitment. We are deeply proud of our students, staff, families, and community members whose dedication and collaboration strengthen our district.

La Grange D102 Staff and Families,

D102 will be testing the emergency notification system at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. Please anticipate receiving multiple notifications at this time. The emergency system test message will be sent via text, email, and automated voicemail. All messages will come from the phone number: (708) 482-2400. This is only a test, and you do not need to respond to or take any action on the message.

D102 Families: If you do not receive all three of these messages and would like to update your contact information so that you do receive all forms of emergency communications in the future, please reach out to your child’s home school front office to get your information in PowerSchool updated (see below).

Barnsdale Phone: (708) 215-6800
Congress Park Phone: (708) 215-6007
Cossitt Phone: (708) 215-6200
Forest Road Phone: (708) 215-6400
Ogden Ave Phone: (708) 215-6600
Park Jr. High Phone: (708) 482-2500

D102 Staff: If you do not receive all three of these messages, please ensure that you update your information in Skyward. Attached instructions HERE

Emergency notifications will be used in the event of a weather or security emergency, which could include school closures due to inclement weather conditions. Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation as we ensure effective emergency communication with all of our families and staff.

La Grange School District 102
Admin Phone: (708) 482-2400

As the winter season approaches, we want to ensure that our community is well-informed and prepared for any potential disruptions due to inclement weather. Our priority is the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families.

View Inclement Weather Guidelines

Snow Day Communication Plan:

In the event of a snow day, we will promptly communicate the closure through various channels to keep everyone informed. Our primary communication channels include:

School Website: Visit our school website for the latest updates. We will post official announcements regarding school closures on the homepage.

Email: Parents, guardians, and staff will receive an email notification with details about the closure, including any relevant information.

Phone Notification: We will utilize our automated phone notification system to send out a recorded message to parents and staff.

Text Notification: Parents, guardians, and staff will receive a text notification with details about the closure, including any relevant information.

Important Note: In the event of a snow day, please be aware that it will not be an e-learning day. Students and staff are not expected to engage in remote learning activities on these days. The focus will be on ensuring the safety of everyone, and any missed instructional time will be addressed by the school administration in an appropriate manner.

We understand that changes to the school schedule can be inconvenient, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation in prioritizing safety during adverse weather conditions.

Thank you for your continued support. Please don't hesitate to contact your student's home school if you have any questions or concerns.

Here in D102, we want every student to feel safe, supported, welcomed, and a sense of belonging in our schools and communities. In the coming days, teachers will be leading class meetings and community-building circles focused on kindness, empathy, and how we take care of each other.  

Studies consistently note that kids who feel safe and have a sense of belonging are more engaged at school and perform better academically. With that said, there are societal events that have resulted in students and their families reporting heightened levels of worry or fear for the safety and well-being of fellow students, their families, or themselves.

We are also aware that some children may be using unkind or hurtful language in response to these societal events, sometimes without fully understanding its impact.  As always, our staff will gently redirect students and reinforce our expectations for kindness, respect, and care toward one another.

Our teachers will host developmentally appropriate discussions to reassure students that school is a safe place and to share some of the ways we work to ensure student safety every day. During these conversations, we will remind students that all adults at school are here to keep them safe and that there are resources available to help them process through any concerns or fears they may be experiencing.

We encourage you to check in with your child at home after these conversations, if they are interested in talking.  Follow your child’s lead, keeping explanations simple and avoiding graphic details. Limiting exposure to ongoing media coverage can also help reduce feelings of stress or worry.

Lastly, speak with your child to see if they have a trusted adult at school, and if they do not, have a conversation about who that might be for them.  As a reminder, each school has a web-based tipline on its website, which you or your student can use to get connected to school supports.

Thank you for your partnership in supporting a safe, inclusive, and caring school environment for all students.

Aquí, en D102, queremos que todos los alumnos se sientan seguros, apoyados, bienvenidos y con un sentido de pertenencia a nuestras escuelas y comunidades. En los próximos días, los profesores dirigirán reuniones de clase y círculos de construcción de comunidad centrados en la amabilidad, la empatía y cómo cuidamos unos de otros.  

Los estudios señalan sistemáticamente que los niños que se sienten seguros y tienen un sentido de pertenencia se involucran más en la escuela y obtienen mejores resultados académicos. Dicho esto, hay acontecimientos sociales que han provocado que los estudiantes y sus familias se sientan más preocupados o temerosos por la seguridad y el bienestar de sus compañeros, sus familias o ellos mismos.

También somos conscientes de que algunos niños pueden estar utilizando un lenguaje poco o nada amable o doloroso en respuesta a estos acontecimientos sociales, a veces sin comprender plenamente su impacto. Como siempre, nuestro personal redirigirá con delicadeza a los alumnos y reforzará nuestras expectativas de amabilidad, respeto y cuidado mutuo.

Nuestros maestros organizarán conversaciones adecuadas al nivel de desarrollo de los alumnos para asegurarles que la escuela es un lugar seguro y compartir algunas de las medidas que tomamos para garantizar su seguridad todos los días. Durante estas conversaciones, les recordaremos a los alumnos que todos los adultos de la escuela están aquí para velar por su seguridad y que hay recursos disponibles para ayudarlos a procesar cualquier inquietud o temor que puedan tener.

Le recomendamos que hable con su hijo en casa después de estas conversaciones, si está interesado en hacerlo.  Siga el ejemplo de su hijo, mantenga las explicaciones sencillas y evite los detalles gráficos. Limitar la exposición a la cobertura mediática continua también puede ayudar a reducir la sensación de estrés o preocupación.

Por último, hable con su hijo para ver si tiene un adulto de confianza en la escuela y, si no es así, converse con él sobre quién podría ser esa persona para él.  Le recordamos que cada escuela tiene una línea de información en su sitio web, que usted o su hijo pueden utilizar para ponerse en contacto con los servicios de apoyo de la escuela.

Gracias por su colaboración en el apoyo a un entorno escolar seguro, inclusivo y solidario para todos los alumnos.

🌟 #ThankYouD102Educators 🌟 A Congress Park parent shared how Mr. Velez-Perez made a life-changing impact on her daughter—helping her feel seen, supported, and excited to come to school. Now at Park Jr. High, she still looks forward to his class every day. Thank you, Mr. Velez-Perez, for making such a difference!

D102 is filled with passionate and dedicated educators who make a difference every day. Let’s show our appreciation by nominating an educator who deserves the spotlight! 📢

STEM EXPO offers students from Kindergarten to 6th grade the opportunity to explore a science topic of their choice. We encourage you to use your creative and inventive skills to create a project at home and share what you learned with other students, families, and teachers at EXPO. Projects range in complexity from simple observations to full experiments, inventions, or technology projects. 

Congratulations to Forest Road 4th-grade teachers Julie DiOrio, Andrea Foster, and Maura Webster on receiving a Biodiversity Field Trip Grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources! With this funding, 4th-grade students took a field trip to Lincoln Marsh in Wheaton for hands-on learning activities, including a guided nature hike, a nature scavenger hunt, observations of plants and animals, and team-building activities.

Park Jr. High is excited to celebrate our inaugural Students of the Quarter! These outstanding students have demonstrated excellence in academics, character, and contributions to our school community. We are so proud of each of you and can’t wait to celebrate the next group of shining stars.  

As your Family Liaisons, we seek to facilitate communication between families, district staff, other families and community partners to better meet the social and academic needs of our students’ families. Our deliberate community-building approach is designed to forge partnerships throughout District 102. We are eager to collectively enact strategies that realize and develop our strengths as a whole.

Family Liaison at Congress Park School and Ogden Avenue School

As your Family Liaisons, we're here to support you and connect you with helpful resources throughout the year. Whether you're looking for food assistance, housing support, mental health services, or enrichment opportunities for your children, we've gathered a variety of community resources in one easy-to-access document.

This guide will be updated throughout the year as new opportunities and services become available. We encourage you to bookmark it and check back often!

👉 Click here to explore community resources.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or need help navigating these supports. We’re here for you!

Welcome, parents and family members of the D102 community! This is your dedicated space to discover the sports and activities available for your young scholars within the community of La Grange, La Grange Park, and Brookfield.

Here, you'll find an array of flyers highlighting engaging programs tailored to every age and interest. Whether your child is a sports enthusiast, an aspiring artist, or simply eager to explore new adventures, there's something here to captivate their curiosity and nurture their passions.

From youth sports leagues to creative arts workshops, from educational clubs to community events, we're committed to providing enriching opportunities for your child to learn, grow, and connect with their peers. Our aim is to foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie within our diverse community while promoting physical activity, creativity, and personal development.

Letters About Literature Illinois - Illinois Secretary of State

25th Annual Pilgrim Pie Run For Rotary

La Grange Park's Plan for Accessible Streets and Sidewalks

Salvation Army & Four Point Play Presents Fam Tam Basketball Skills & Thrills Clinic

The Caring Place: After-School Tutoring at First Baptist Church (Tuesdays & Thursdays)

The Village of La Grange Park is in the process of finalizing the development of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan. This important plan outlines efforts to evaluate public right-of-way infrastructure and identify areas that do not meet ADA standards. The goal is to improve accessibility across the Village, including sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps, landings, parking areas, transit stops, stations, and shelters. Community feedback is a key part of this process. Residents are encouraged to view the draft ADA Transition Plan and share their comments through the project website. Please reach out to Travis Helmkamp, project manager, at 618-345-2200 or travis.helmkamp@oatesassociates.com for any reasonable accommodations, including hard copies of the plan if desired. The public comment period will close on November 21, 2025.

• Earth Day Resources

  • Dream Green Resources

• Mental Health Awareness Month

• September 2025 - What's Poppin?

• Banned Together Screening & Panel Discussion

Referral GPS - Connecting People to Treatment:  We are committed to creating a culture of well-being for students, staff,  parents, and the community. In an effort to continuously support this commitment, the district has entered an agreement with ReferralGPS. 

ReferralGPS is a web-based service focused on assisting our students,  staff, and community in finding local mental-health and substance use-related treatment. The service compliments the districts existing systems of support as a tool for student service teams and families to connect with treatment. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS provides Care Navigation to assist families in triage, appointment setting, and follow-up care. 

School families may access ReferralGPS in two ways: 

1) Visit this link at https://referralgps.com/find-help/dist102 to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care  Navigator anonymously. 

2) Contact Student Services (social workers, psychologists,  counselors) to seek out treatment options. 

ReferralGPS takes into account all types of private and public insurance including PPO, HMO, Medicaid, Medicare, and families who are uninsured or underinsured. The platform also filters by age, gender, zip code, and special requests. 

ReferralGPS is available for use by district students, staff, and families at no cost. All information entered on the ReferralGPS tool is completely confidential and securely stored. 

If you are interested in seeking counseling-related services at this time,  please consider visiting https://referralgps.com/find-help/dist102 or reaching out to the Student Services team.