Dear District 39 Families,
I hope you and your family are enjoying a safe and fun-filled summer!
The start of another academic year is just around the corner and we cannot wait for the smiles and positive energy of our students to radiate throughout our buildings. Our first day of school is on Wednesday, Aug. 19 (early release) and the first full day of school on Thursday, Aug. 20.
Our D39 teams have been busy preparing for our students’ return and we are all looking forward to a wonderful year ahead. I am writing to share some important updates and information as we prepare for an outstanding school year ahead.
LOGISTICS
Student and Parent Handbook
All District 39 families should review
our D39 Student/Parent Handbook for important information regarding District policies, procedures, and many frequently asked questions. This informative document is a valuable resource for families, providing resources as well as answers to questions on a wide variety of topics.
Our Lechner Early Education Program (LEEP) Handbook is also available with information for families of our youngest D39 learners.
Important Dates
The District 39 calendar for the 2026-27 academic year is available online for both
K-8 schools and our
Lechner Early Education Program (LEEP). Below are important dates to note for the start of the new school year:
• Thursday, August 13 – Class Assignments Emailed to Families
• Wednesday, August 19 – First Day of Student Attendance (Grades K-8; Early Release)
• Thursday, August 20 - First Full Day of Student Attendance (Grades K-8)
• Monday, August 24 – Board of Education Regular Business Meeting
• Tuesday, August 25 - First Full Day of LEEP Student Attendance
• Monday, September 7 – Labor Day (No School)
Positive School Attendance and Reporting Student Absence
Consistent daily attendance at school is critically important to student success. Research shows that students learn best and feel most connected to their school when positive attendance is maintained. In District 39, we emphasize the importance of consistent daily attendance. District 39 provides parents with monthly reminders and attendance tracking data to help families monitor their child(ren)’s attendance.
In the event that a student will be absent from school, we ask that families inform their school office either by phone, email, or online
through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Please review the
detailed instructions on how to report an absence via the Parent Portal here. Attendance line phone numbers and email addresses are listed below, by school.
SCHOOL / PHONE / EMAIL
Central: 847-512-6150 /
[email protected]
Harper: 847-512-6250 /
[email protected]
McKenzie: 847-512-6350 /
[email protected]
Romona: 847-512-6450 /
[email protected]
Highcrest Middle School: 847-512-6550 /
[email protected]
Wilmette Jr. High School : 847-512-6650 /
[email protected]
Student Lunch Account Information
Adding money to your child(ren)’s lunch accounts is done through
the PowerSchool ParentPortal. After logging into the portal, click “Balance” and then “Make a Payment.” You will be directed to RevTrak, where you will see the names of the students linked to your account. You can make a one-time deposit to a child’s account, or you can login to your RevTrak account and set up auto-replenish. Keep in mind that each child has their own balance which must be maintained separately. Please
visit our Food Services webpage for more information.
Transportation Service
District 39 makes optional transportation service available for its families. Bus service will be provided each day that school is in session, beginning on Wednesday, Aug. 19 (Early Release Day). For more information, please
visit our D39 Transportation webpage.
Bus passes for registered riders for the 2026-27 academic year were mailed home last week via the United States Postal Service. If you registered for transportation service before the July 9 deadline and do not receive your child(ren)’s pass by Friday, Aug. 14, please
contact Michelle McGregor, D39 Transportation Liaison. Families currently on our transportation waitlist will be notified of their status the week of August 24, with their child(ren)’s bus pass available for pickup in their school office upon payment.
STRATEGIC PLAN
District 39 Strategic Plan
Last spring, after a community-wide planning process that included insightful and incredibly valuable feedback from our school families, the Board of Education approved a
new five-year District 39 Strategic Plan (2026-31) at its June meeting. This plan, which focuses on the most essential, strategic priorities and District commitments to support the learning, growth and experiences of our students, staff, families and community, provides an important roadmap for the next five years.
Below are highlights from our Strategic Plan work. Please visit these links to learn more about our strategic plan resources.
•
Strategic Plan Website - Engage, Empower, Inspire
•
Final Strategic Plan Presentation to the Board of Education
•
Strategic Plan - One-Page Summary (PDF)
•
Portrait of a District 39 Scholar
SAFETY
Parent Education Event – School Safety
The safety and well-being of our students and staff is always our top priority. District 39 has hosted several safety-related Parent Education events to help keep parents informed of our safety and security practices and to answer frequently asked questions. Below are links to two of our most frequently watched school safety seminars. Each presentation provides valuable information regarding school safety for our D39 families as we all prepare for the 2026-27 academic year.
• “
Feeling Safe in District 39 Schools”
• “
Navigating School Safety Scenarios: How Would You Respond?”
All families are encouraged to watch these recordings to learn more about how we work together to maintain a high level of building safety and security as well as our community partners who help to support safety for all. Please
visit our School Safety and Security webpage for more information and resources.
District 39 will be hosting another Parent Education event focused on school safety this fall. More details on this event will be communicated as they become available.
e-Scooter and e-Bike Safety
Much attention has been dedicated to e-scooter and e-bike safety throughout our community and beyond. The Illinois state legislature recently passed a new law that will provide specific rules and regulations for e-device use. This law, which will take effect on January 1, 2027, sets age limits for e-devices and prohibits their use on sidewalks. Among other guidelines, this law stipulates that riders must be at least 15-years-old to operate low-speed electric and gas bicycles, e-scooters, and e-skateboards. Please
visit the Village of Wilmette’s website or
reference this information card for more information on how e-devices will be regulated by this new law and how this will affect riders.
TECHNOLOGY
Personal Electronic Devices at School – Smartwatches and Cell Phones
We recognize that some parents will provide their children with cell phones and/or smartwatches for convenience or for safety reasons. District 39 schools operate with an “Away for the Day” policy in which cell phones, smartwatches, and other wearable technology are powered off and stored in lockers for the duration of the school day.
Parents can support our protective measures by reminding their child(ren) of this policy. If a parent needs to contact their child during the day, we ask that you please call the school office and the message will be relayed to your child.
Information on District-Issued iPads
District 39 believes in purposeful screen use when infusing technology with instruction. Our commitment to this work includes focusing teaching and learning practices with an emphasis on
Active Learning, and limiting screen time during other portions of the school day. This includes refraining from student use of electronic devices during free time/choice time, including restricted access during indoor or outdoor recess.
Additionally, District-issued iPads remain at school for all elementary students, unless explicitly required for a specific Active Learning homework assignment. Please
visit our website for more information on District 39’s commitment to purposeful screen use.
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
District 39 is committed to fostering academic excellence and personal growth for all students. Through building a robust foundation of knowledge, providing rigorous real-world experiences, and nurturing individual strengths and interests, we aim to ensure every student makes continuous progress throughout their District 39 journey.
This year, District 39 will be introducing a new English Language Arts curriculum for grades K-8. D39 will implement Collaborative Classroom for students in grades K-5 while students in grades 6-8 will use CommonLit 360 for ELA instruction. For more information on D39 curriculum and instruction, including curriculum maps and details on differentiation, acceleration, and social-emotional learning, please
visit our Curriculum and Instruction website.
BOARD OF EDUCATION
The
District 39 Board of Education is composed of seven community members who are elected to serve a four-year term to help guide and lead public education in Wilmette. The Board gathers
two times per month from August through June, with the Committee of the Whole meeting generally scheduled on the 2nd Monday of the month and regular monthly business meetings generally conducted on the 4th Monday of the month.
Board Committee of the Whole meetings are characterized by dialogue and an exchange of ideas, inform the Board’s monthly business meeting, and offer the group an opportunity to review, discuss, and provide valuable insight on District initiatives. At its monthly business meeting, the Board will hear administrative reports, review district operations, and vote on policies, budgets, and other recommendations made to the Board. All Board meetings are held at the Mikaelian Education Center (615 Locust Rd.) and are open to the public.
Committee of the Whole Meeting Recap
The Board of Education conducted its monthly Committee of the Whole meeting yesterday at the MEC. The Board heard the following informative and important presentations as part of the meeting:
• Review of Summer 2026 Construction Projects
• Update on 2026-27 Strategic Plan Action Planning
Complete board meeting agendas and materials are posted on Friday afternoon before each Board or Committee Meeting. Recordings of all meetings are available on the District website and via
the District 39 YouTube channel.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Follow District 39 on Social Media!
Make sure to follow our District 39 social media accounts on
Facebook and
Instagram for fun and engaging content and events from around the District! Additionally, all of our D39 schools are also active on social media. Please reference principal newsletters to follow social media accounts for your child(ren)’s school.