February Focus--Mindfulness Routines
Thank you Melissa McCart for helping pull students who needed more time to finish testing. It was a huge help this week!
ICE and D114 Plans
Please see the document linked here, which outlines exactly how we will respond should ICE come onsite. It's my greatest hope that we never have to use this, but, given recent events and guidance from ISBE and our legal counsel, I want to make sure we have a plan for our kids. Please let me know if you have any questions or wish to discuss.
In addition, a colleague shared this information with me to pass along to you...
IMMIGRATION & PUBLIC EDUCATION 101: What Every Educator Should Know
All students have a right to enroll in public school, regardless of their immigration status.
· Under the U.S. Constitution, public schools must teach all students free of charge, regardless of whether they are undocumented.
· States cannot withhold state funding for K-12 education because undocumented students are enrolled, and school districts cannot deny enrollment based on immigration status.
· Sometimes called a “Plyler right,” the understanding that undocumented students may not be denied access to public education was first recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in its decision in Plyler v. Doe (1982).
Students have the right to attend school without having to present a green card, visa, social security number, or any other proof of citizenship.
· Schools should not inquire about students’ or their parents’ immigration status.
· Schools cannot deny enrollment to students because they provide a birth certificate from another country.
· Inquiring about immigration status or citizenship could violate Plyler rights by chilling undocumented students from attending schools.
Schools can require proof of residency in the appropriate school or district boundary.
· A state or district may establish bona fide residency requirements and thus might require that all prospective students show some proof of residency.
· Districts must permit parents to establish residency by providing a variety of documents as proof of residency and cannot require documents that would bar or chill undocumented students from attending.
· Such documents include: a telephone or utility bill, mortgage or lease document, parent affidavit, rent payment receipts, a copy of a money order made for payment of rent, or a letter from one of the parent’s employers. Schools cannot apply different residency requirements to immigrant students than they do to others.
· Homeless students, as defined by the Federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11301 et seq., must not be required to furnish proof of residency within the district under any circumstance. Homeless children and youth have a federal legal right to enroll in school, even if their families cannot produce the documents establishing residency.
Schools can require proof of age for enrollment.
· Schools can use birth certificates to establish a student’s age but cannot do so in a way that unlawfully bars or prevents an undocumented student, a student whose parents are undocumented, or a homeless student from enrolling in and attending school.
· Schools should inform parents that alternatives to birth certificates are allowed, and allow alternative documentation of age such as a religious, hospital, or physician’s certificate showing date of birth; an entry in a family bible; an adoption record; an affidavit from a parent; a foreign birth certificate; previously verified school records; or any other documents permitted by law. Foreign-born students must not be barred from attending school.
DIGITAL KNOW YOUR RIGHTS RESOURCES
***Share these “Know Your Rights” tutorial videos with your students and educational community (https://www.wehaverights.us/ ). These videos are available in seven languages and provide our vulnerable families with valuable information about their rights.
The Latest on the Funding Freeze
Here’s the most current update from the Lake Co ROE (1/28/25)
Yesterday, the White House budget office announced a federal funding freeze.
At this point our understanding is that most grants will continue after this pause with some reevaluated
due to changing priorities. Our understanding is that an Executive Order can not usurp legislation but it
can direct the implementation of the legislation to the Federal government, so a pause does not appear
to be unconstitutional, a change to the continuing resolution would require legislation. We may expect
some changes to priorities, criteria for selection for some grants.
What We Know So Far
Formula Funding: At this time, our understanding is that formula funding for FY24 (e.g., Title I) has
already been distributed to districts on either July 1 or October 1 and cannot be withheld.
Programs Potentially Impacted: Funds that are disbursed closer to “real-time” — such as Impact Aid,
Head Start, and school meals — may be paused, but this has not yet been confirmed.
Competitive Grants: Any new grant competitions (e.g., through ED, USDA, DOJ, Energy) are
currently paused due to the freeze. However, most FY24 competitive grant funds have already been
awarded and are not expected to be problematic.
This announcement includes broad proposals with limited specifics and is likely to face both Congressional
and legal challenges.
Looking Ahead
For FY25, it’s important to note that Title I and other forward-funded programs are not expected to
release funds until July 2025. Historically, these funds have been disbursed on time once Congress passes
the Continuing Resolution (CR) for FY25.
Info from ISBE (1/30/25)
Dear Colleagues:
I understand that district leaders, teachers, and families have a lot of questions about the recent Executive Orders
and memos issued by the federal government.
These actions do not require school districts to make any immediate changes at the board or classroom level. At this time, there have
been no changes to federal legislation, regulations or funding that would warrant a local response, and all Illinois
state laws remain intact.
In the meantime, I urge district leaders to continue normal operations. Thank you for your day-to-day leadership
in providing a high-quality education to all Illinois students.
All my best,
Tony (Sanders--State Superintendent of Schools)
Family Fun Fair
Calendar Change
Just making sure everyone knows...we will now be IN SESSION on Monday, March 3! Since we needed to close on Tuesday, we will now be open for Casimir Pulaski Day. Moving forward, we'll do our best to send home devices and plan for remote learning when there's the possibility of a snow/cold closure. The updated calendar is attached to this week's Monday Memo email.
Some Happy News…
D114 has been selected as one of four launch districts in Lake County for participation and support from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. This will be a HUGE compliment to our growing Birth-3 programming, and…well…let’s just face it: anything Dolly does is gold by me! For more information on this amazing literacy program, click here. I’ll share publicly when we’re all set up and have an official launch date. I’ve been pushing for Lake County to get in this for YEARS!!! I’m so glad it’s finally happening and that it will start in our D114 zip codes!
Fully Funded Educator Impact Grants Available at Erikson Institute for ECE Teachers
The Erikson Institute has five (5) fully funded Educator Impact Grants available for staff in Lake County School districts (Lake County residents) who are interested in pursuing their Professional Educator License (PEL) in Early Childhood Education through their MS in Early Childhood Education, Triple Endorsement program.
This opportunity provides full funding for educators to earn endorsements in early childhood, special education, and English as a Second Language (ESL) through our flexible online program. In return, grant recipients commit to obtaining or retaining employment within a divested community for at least four years post-graduation, ensuring that this investment directly benefits the communities that need it most.
Lake County Rising Annual Event
Join us for an impactful event: Lake County Rising 2025: Empower. Educate. Advocate.
Every February, Lake County Rising organizes a dynamic "rising" event, where the community converges through activities. The aim is to raise awareness about gender-based violence and foster solidarity within the community. This year, the event will take place on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at College of Lake County, Grayslake Campus, Auditorium A011. There will be a resource fair that will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. and the program will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Lake County Rising is currently seeking poem, essay, and poster contest entries from Lake County middle school students. Winning entries will be highlighted at the Lake County Rising event on February 11, 2025.
Lake County Rising Contest Forms and Rules for Middle School Students
This event is sponsored by the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, Nicasa Behavioral Health Services, Mano a Mano Family Resource Center, A Safe Place, the LGBTQ+ Center of Lake County, and the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center.
Paste the URL below into your browser:
For Primary, use: https://www.edtomorrow.
For Secondary, use: https://www.edtomorrow.
