Monday Morning Memo: Monday Morning Memo 3/30/26---WELCOME BACK FROM SPRING BREAK...IT'S THE HOME STRETCH!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PLAYED...

I'LL GET A PRIZE TO ALL OUR WINNERS THIS WEEK!

Tip of the Week

Lean on Each Other

AND...

Sonia Miller & the Lunch Crew - Breakfast book club would like to thank you so much for getting our "to go breakfast" each and every Tuesday morning ready. Sonia, thanks for your creative ideas with PBIS, gluing things for me, and everything else that pops up. I love picking your brain....

Abbey & Kelly - dynamic duo, I never thanked you for all your contributions you have provided from the Lego cart, to books, baby plantlings, etc :)

Joan & Joe - thanks for all your patience and guidance you have given waiting for students to finish cursive or finding a great book before they go with you. It's always a pleasure when you visit the library.

Stephanie Kolk - thanks for tweaking your library time Thursday so I could get to a Library Event :)

Sue and Jen - thanks for always keeping up with the day to day updates and keeping our heads on straight. We can always depend on you.

Jillian & Sarah - thanks for your ideas for Field Day and helping with everything you do.

Gayle & Erin - thanks for allowing students to utilize class assistants as a reward. I feel they really look forward to this. Thanks Gayle for the mini easels for the PBIS Store. They love!!!

K-4th teachers - Thank you for the support during library time and allowing students to change out their books when needed throughout the week.

-Kim VanHoorelbeke--Library Paraprofessional at Lotus

To Sherry for being my go to person, to keep everyone updated on my husband's health over break.

To anyone who reached out, sent well wishes, called, or texted during my husbands surgery and hospital stay.

Michelle M for creating "dip Thursday" or whichever day it ends up being on. Love sampling "new" dips

Stanton staff for being an amazing audience for Sammie and I during our nondivergent learner presentation.

Sue and Jenny for all you do to make things run smoothly and checking in on me.

Again to everyone who covered buses before break and those that will coverering in the upcoming weeks.

Joan for being so knowledgeable and helping Sherry navigate her step-dad's illness. You've taught me so much! Thank you for sharing your story

-Colleen Robinson--Paraprofessional at Lotus

A HUGE Kudos to Fran for being incredibly helpful with the school newsletter and the Kindergarten Round-Up flyer. She took the time to review the Spanish versions and helped me edit what needed to be edited. I truly appreciate her stepping up and sharing her time to make sure everything was accurate. Thank you for going above and beyond, Fran!

A big kudos to Sonia for helping me decorate Sue’s desk for her birthday! Her help made everything come together quickly and smoothly! Thank you so much!

Special kudos to Sue, Michelle, Adisyn, Sami, Donna, Nicole M, Alana, Fiona, Nicole B, Abbey, and Erica - I’m so incredibly grateful for everyone’s help and teamwork in preparing for the Kindergarten Round-Up! I feel so lucky to work alongside such a dedicated and collaborative team! And a special shout out to Alana for posting the flyer on Facebook-Your extra effort helped us reach more families!

And last but not least-Sue. Sue is always incredibly supportive and never hesitates to answer my questions-especially when it comes to report cards. I truly couldn’t do it without her guidance and help and I’m so grateful to have her as someone I can always to go to. Thank you, Sue!

-Jenny Sundell--Administrative Assistant at Lotus

Kudos to Niall, Oner, Bryan, and Jill for their part in track tryouts running so smoothly!! I can't wait for a great season working with you all.

Kudos Reimers and Mack!!! Thank you for your guidance, support, and advice the many times I stop by your offices and ask for it. Thanks for all you do.

Kudos to Husko, Miller, and Smeigh for their open communication with the 5th grade team. Helps keep all of us on the same page to best support our students. We appreciate you guys!!

-Jessica Lieber--5th Grade teacher

We want to thank Abbey Kadera for taking the time to help us with a grammar lesson that we had to create for a class we are taking. She went above and beyond with her pointers and reasons why it is important to teach grammar to our ELL students. We are grateful for your thoughtful response and your expertise.

-Joan Kantenwein--Literacy Interventionist at Lotus and Cary Scarpino--1st Grade Teacher

I want to thank Cary Scarpino for being so kind and for making my copies when she noticed I was having trouble getting around. I also want to thank her for taking a class with me so we can complete our extra credit hours. I appreciate all your input and experience that helps us get our assignments done!

-Joan Kantenwein--Literacy Interventionist at Lotus

Kudos to Norm and Don for all of their extra snow removal work on Monday to make sure Stanton was in great shape for students and staff on Tuesday!

Kudos to Norm and Sue for helping to make Stanton shine on Thursday morning when we were down a custodian from Wednesday!

Kudos to Kim Husko, Kendra Smeigh, and Jill Becmer for making our Community Building March Madness come to life!

Kudos to Sammie Geenen and Colleen Robinson for giving their time and expertise regarding Neurodiversity in the classroom to our Stanton Staff on Wednesday afternoon!

Kudos to Matt Shannon for the tasty pizzas during our early dismissal!

Kudos to the SEL team at Stanton for making a fun St. Patty's Day smorgasbord become a reality!

Kudos to Michele Burgess for EVERYTHING data and spreadsheets and ALL the things!

Kudos to Sam Mock for the pick me up coffee on the Friday morning before break! I appreciate and celebrate you so much! Thank you!!!

-Tom Cardamone--Principal at Stanton

Kudos to Matt Peters, Stephanie Kolk and Nicole Brinkman for helping a student by leading with your empathy and consistency. Your support through a stressful time shows the kind of dedication that makes our school a better place. Your patience and kindness do not go unnoticed!

-Sonia Miller & Kelly Roland--Girls on the Run Coaches at Lotus

THANK YOU to Nurse Cook for my new friend "Goochie"! I didn't know I even needed an Emotional Support Desk goose ...but she is amazing! It is so great to have you here at Stanton!!

A HUGE THANK YOU to my team Kendra & Dan for making everyday an adventure! Could NOT do this job without you!

And the BIGGEST THANK YOU goes to Sue, Yvette and Emily in the kitchen! Your thoughtful gift is so much appreciated! I will treasure it forever and continue to bake "with love" for my Stanton Family You girls are always there to help and give and I am forever grateful for each of you!!

-Kim Husko--Health Teacher at Stanton

Shout out to Michele Burgess for speedy response to a record request! Thank you for pulling together ALL of the information sooo quickly, that helped me more than you will know!

-Lynn Smolen--Student Support Coordinator

Thanks to Dayja W, Sam Mock, and Matt Shannon for the coffee over the last couple of weeks. Thanks to Matt Shannon for the pizza surprise at Wednesday's after school meeting.

-Katy Gardner--6th Grade Math Teacher

To Kelly Roland for always being a positive light throughout the building. Thank you for everything you do.

-Stephanie Kolk--4th Grade Teacher

Thank you Brittany for the Koosh Ball donation to use during UFLI! The kids love it. Everything that's old is new again, who knew a koosh ball would be so novel.

-Christine Spittler--2nd grade teacher

Kudos to the 5th grade team for such an amazing school year so far. You have all taught me so much and made me the person I am today. I am forever grateful

-Cara Creager--Long Term Sub at Stanton

Kim Husko - THANK YOU for allowing us to come into your classroom each trimester to present Erin's Law. You provided the perfect small, safe environment for us to share such an important lesson with our students. You're the best!

Renee Evans - THANK YOU for making your way all the way down to our offices almost daily to invite us for a walk so we have the opportunity to see daylight and get some fresh air when we are able! It gives us such a boost!

5th Grade Team - THANK YOU for always tapping in with us, making time to have lunch with students (current and former) every single week and just always going the extra mile!

To Matt and Tom - for being anywhere and everywhere all at once. We are lucky to have you!

--Meghan Reimers--Counselor at Stanton and Kim Mack--Social Worker at Stanton

Thanks to Russ, Norm, and Don for all your hard work on Monday to clean up from the unexpected snow!

Thanks to Sonia and the Lotus kitchen team for all you do for all of us, and especially for putting a salad together for me on days I forget to bring a lunch.

Thanks to Lynn Smolen for pulling together ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL the documents and details needed to respond to a complicated request.

Thanks to everyone for pushing through the window right before Spring Break. I know it's a very "spicy" time, and I appreciate each of you! Let's make the home stretch of the year amazing!

-Heather 💙

OPPORTUNITIES!!!!

Northeastern Illinois University is launching a new M.A. in Educational Leadership – Principal Endorsement cohort for Lake County school districts, beginning in Summer 2026. This program offers participants a significant tuition discount and will meet at the University Center of Lake County (UCLC).

Program Details:

Total Program: $15,000 (2 years, 36 credit hours, 12 courses, 2 courses per semester)
NEIU Contribution: $5,000
Student/District Responsibility: $10,000

Students may pay upfront and receive reimbursement in accordance with their district’s policy.

To reserve your spot, please email Jennifer Grzelak (j-grzelak@neiu.edu) or Dr. Noreen Powers (npowers@neiu.edu) by April 3, 2026.

and...

Governors State University will be hosting a few virtual informational sessions to discuss the LBS1 endorsement and the Master of Arts in Multicategorical Special Education program. The master’s program has initial licensure and advanced licensure options.

The session will begin promptly at the scheduled time and will include detailed information about the completely online programs and how to apply by the program coordinator, Dr. Sara Jozwik. Questions will be encouraged!

Thursday, April 23^rd at 5:30 pm

https://apply.govst.edu/register/MSE042325

Summer School 2026--Staffing Confirmation This Week!

If you have already expressed interest, please watch for more info later this week/early next week to confirm assignments.

Please let me know via email if you are interested in working Summer School 2026! We need certified staff, paraprofessionals, related service providers, bus/van drivers, and bus paraprofessionals!

Here are the details you need for our site based programs:

July 6-30
Monday-Thursday
Lotus 8-11
Stanton 8:45-11:45

Certified Pay Rate: $45/hour (3 hours per day of instruction and 2 hours per week of planning)

Support Staff Pay Rate: Your 26-27 hourly rate of pay

Please email if you are interested.

Reminders...

Extended School Year--students with IEPs who are guaranteed access to summer programming due to predicted regression (documented service in their IEP)

Summer Intensive--students our teams recommend for summer remediation and reteaching based on qualifiers like:
*Current need for academic/SEL targeted interventions
*Multilingual students who would benefit from summer intensive support
*Absenteeism
*Data indicating lack of progress

Invitation letters for both the programs will be sent later this week.

Please reach out with questions or interest.

Please Share!!!!!

COMING SOON...

Employee Assistance Program Updates

Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) partner, AllOne Health, has launched a new Member Portal.

The updated portal is easier to use and aligned with the AllOne Health App, making it simple to access counseling, mental health resources, and well-being support.

What’s new:

A refreshed, user-friendly portal
Easier access to EAP and well-being services
One login for both the app and the portal

You can access services at AllOneHealth.com/portal.

You may notice that new materials reference updated landing pages. If employees use an existing or bookmarked link, it will automatically redirect to AllOneHealth.com/portal—no action needed.

If you already use the AllOne Health App, log in with the same credentials. If not, create an account—your login will work for both the app and the portal.

Please review the attached flyer for sign-up instructions and watch the short orientation video here:
Orientation Video

Confidential support remains available 24/7 for employees and their household members.

If you have questions, please contact me.

Thanks,

Maddie

Absence Info

Please refer to this document for all things absence reporting. Please send any questions to Maddie Mercado or me.

THANKS!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be sure to enter absences as far in advance as possible! WE HAVE A POOL OF SUBS who can fill spots that are entered!!!! We're working on adding even more, so PLEASE enter your absences as soon as you know you'll be out.

REMINDERS

1. If you know you're sick, please put in your absence ASAP. This helps us plan for coverage more effectively. The more we have to react to in the morning, the more crazy the start to the day for everyone.

2. If scheduling personal tasks, it would be amazing if you could try to avoid THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS whenever possible.

3. If you are asked to cover for someone, please know that you're being asked as part of a bigger plan to meet the needs of kids. Unless there's a truly extraordinary situation, you are expected to say YES when asked. We only ask when it's the best answer for kids.

Please direct any questions to me about this. Principals and Associate Principals are charged with creating the plans that best meet the needs of our students. If you have questions or issues with this, they should come to me for discussion.

Thanks!

Referral GPS--Reminder!

We are committed to creating a culture of well-being of students, staff,

parents, and community. In an effort to continuously support this

commitment, the district has entered an agreement with Referral GPS.

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, Referral GPS provides Care Navigation to assist families in

triage, appointment setting, and follow up care.

School families may access Referral GPS in two ways:

1) Contact Student Services (social workers, psychologists,

counselors) to seek out treatment options.

2) Visit this link at https://referralgps.com/find-help/D114 to

search for treatment resources or connect with a Care

Navigator anonymously.

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/D114 or

reaching out to the Student Services team.

Field Trips

If you are planning for a field trip, please remember:

All field trip requests must be submitted to the principal no later than the 15th of the previous month of your trip.

Example: Trip is in March, Form must be in by February 15th. This allows time for approval and our drivers to select trips.

1. Complete the Field Trip Request Form.

2. Submit the form to your Principal for approval.

2. Principals, if approved, submit to NATALIE UDSTUEN to arrange transportation.

Work Orders

When you have something you need the Facilities Team to handle for you, please complete a Work Request. Be sure to include the LOCATION in the "summary" field.

Injury Reporting

If you are injured on the job, you MUST IMMEDIATELY do the following:

1. Report this injury to an administrator.

2. Report the injury to Company Nurse.

Thanks in advance!

Stay informed by reading the Region 49 Newsletter

AND...don't forget

See what your membership has to offer! Go to ieanea.org to see all of the happenings and most up to date information on union matters. Go to ieanea.org/benefits/ to explore discounts and deals that are offered to you with your membership. Stay informed by reading the Region 49 Newsletter

Good morning, District 114!

Welcome back from Spring Break! We hope everyone got to have some fun and relax this past week.

Continue on for important updates:
April PTA Meeting
Date: Monday, 4/13/26
Time: 6:00 pm to ~7:00 pm
Location: Lotus Library or Google Meet
Seeking Nominations!!
Our current president's term is ending at the end of the school year!
Nominations for a new president are needed!
Do you know someone who would make an excellent president? Are you that person?
Send us an email at pta@foxlake114.org to let us know who you nominate!
We'll vote in our new president during the May 11th PTA Meeting!
Day of Service
Fundraising begins Monday, March 23, 2026
Flyers were sent home or emailed before Spring Break
Envelopes will be sent home this week!
Envelopes due back to school, Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Family Rocket Launch
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 (Rain date: Thursday, May 21, 2026)
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Lotus Cafeteria and Outside
Help us reach our goal of 90+ members this school year! We currently have 81 members, including 40 teachers and staff, and 41 parents/guardians.

Here's what you need to know:
Dues are $10 for the whole year! That's less than a dollar a month!
You'll receive a District 114 PTA Calendar featuring student artwork
Join here today!
Join the PTA and help enrich your child's educational experience this year!
Make sure to join our Facebook Group Page!

YOUR PTA Board