I hope everyone enjoyed their spring break! With the last two months of the year here already, this is the time of year when we finish our projects, showcase our talents, and clean up our spaces. There are spring sings, performances, games, matriculations, and graduations. Everything is shiny and new, just like spring. Except it flies past us, so hold tight.
 
With the end of this school year fast approaching, it is also time to start planning for the next school year. Today is the day that our returning student registration opens up on your family access skyward accounts. Please make sure to take time to register your student(s) as soon as possible:

 
• • April 1, 2024- Online registration opens for new and returning students for the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
     
    • • Returning families log in to Skyward Family Access

     

    • • Parents with existing students who need to enroll a new student log in to Skyward Family Access

     

    • New families enrolling in the district visit the District website, scroll down to Parent Resources, then click on Registration to begin New Student online registration for 2024-25.

     

  • May 12, 2024- Last day for returning students to register and not lose their current school placement. If you are currently an overflow student and would like to return to your homeschool, please notify your student’s school office for that request, those requests will be granted based on registration and space available.

• • June 17, 2024 – Registration is temporarily closed until New Skyward/Family Access software is installed. (No registration will be allowed during this time)

• • July 8, 2024 – Registration re-opens on the new Skyward platform

Please join us for Community Conversations this month. We will be at Huntley Middle School on April 22 from 5-7 pm, focusing on registration for the upcoming school year. If you have questions, need to use a computer, or need assistance registering your children, please join us this evening!
 

CELEBRATING ACROSS THE DISTRICT

• • April 1-5, is National Assistant Principal Week, and I want to thank our amazing Assistant Principals. They show up daily and pour their energy and love of learning into the students and staff daily!

• • April 3: Paraprofessional day as well. A huge thank you to our paraprofessionals who work with our children daily to ensure they succeed.

• • April 4: Is National School Librarian Day. Thank you to our school librarians who make sure our libraries are stocked with books and resources for our children and who demonstrate the importance of literacy.

• • April 23: National School Bus Drivers Day: Thank you to our bus drivers who ensure our students are transported safely to and from school, school activities, and field trips daily!

• • April 24: Administrative Professionals Day. Thank you to all of our office staff who greet our families, staff, and students daily as they enter the schools or the Education Center to start their days or come in looking for assistance.

Our D428 students are simply amazing! Here are a few recent highlights of some of their impressive accomplishments.
 
The Clinton Rosette 7/8 Orchestra made it to state! They received a Division 1 rating at their contest earlier in March.
 

 
We shared last month that Jaden Teague-Núñez won the prestigious 2024 Crain- Maling Foundation/ Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition! Since then, WGN TV9 made a visit to DeKalb to talk with Jaden and Mr. Steve Lundin for a cover story that aired on March 13. You can catch the story DeKalb High School’s ‘Man of Steel’ wins Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition here.
 
When the nationally touring Billy Nation Show comes to The Egyptian Theatre on Saturday, May 11, the Dekalb High School Black Box Quartet will join the professional musicians on stage to lend some local talent to this homage to the music of Billy Joel. Dekalb High School seniors Keira Specht and Jonathan Chapen, juniors Maggie Martin and Christopher Thunder, will join the band for the songs “Vienna,” “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” “Just the Way You Are,” and “New York State of Mind.”
 

 
For tickets, including a family, friends and D428 employee discount, visit: http://egyptiantheatre.showare.com/BillyNation and use promo code ALLENTOWN. This code will be accepted online, over the phone or at the box office.
 
Show tip – the best vantage point to view the quartet during the show is House right, but not too far right. The quartet will be situated Stage left of the drum kit.
 
Wrestling standouts!
 

 
We have the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Wrestling Champs in the house! Congrats to DeKalb Junior High coaches and wrestlers. Congrats to Larisza Gomez-Guevara on placing 4th at girls state at 108 lbs in the senior division and becoming DeKalb’s first IKWF girls state place winner!
 
Sophomore Braylen Anderson is the indoor State Champion in the 200-meter dash (22.40). Braylen ends the indoor season with the 19th fastest time IN THE NATION for a Sophomore (22.27) and as the fastest sophomore in the state! He finishes his season undefeated in the 200 indoor.
 

 
Huntley Middle School – Congratulations to DeKalb County Spelling Bee Winner, Andres Robles, who now advances to the national spelling bee in Washington D.C., in May!
 
National Honors Society – 76 students (the largest class to date!) were formally inducted into membership of the National Honor Society in a ceremony held at the school on Tuesday, March 6! Members were selected by the Faculty Council for meeting high standards of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. The National Honor Society ranks as one of the oldest and most prestigious national organizations for high school students. Chapters exist in more than 60 percent of the nation’s high schools and since 1921, millions of students have been selected for membership. Millions of dollars in scholarships have been awarded to senior members since 1945 by the sponsoring organization, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Here is the list of our inductees.
 
Illinois High School Football Shrine Game – Senior Daniel Roman-Johnson was selected to play in the Illinois High School Football Shrine Game. The game will be played on Saturday, June 15th, at 11 am at Tucci Stadium on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University. The Shrine Game is an all star game where players are selected by a committee of high school football coaches from around the state of Illinois. Daniel will be competing on the Blue Team. Congrats to Daniel!
 
Kishwaukee Education Consortium (KEC) – visited our students at Lincoln ES to talk about books.
 

 
By the way, KEC has a great Career and Technical Education Program (CTE) that works alongside our programming at the high school. Middle schoolers, freshmen, and sophomores – take a look/see and consider a CTE course(s) during your years in high school. Check out their website at www.kecprograms.com or look for them on X, FB, or Instagram.
 
I am super proud to share such great stories about our students from across the district. Our students are doing amazing things while they are engaged in their learning.
 
I look forward to a busy spring and seeing our students, families and employees at the many spring activities throughout the District. Have a fantastic April!