Tip of the Week
Every Student, Every Day
So, I came across an amazing series of infographics...I love them, so I thought I'd share with you! 💙
I'd like to give a belated kudos to Adisyn Illg for taking class time to have her students write letters to a unit of sailors that are on active duty with one of my student's uncles. I'm sure it made their day!
Thank you Joe Fernandez for taking my class when you noticed that I was dealing with a friend in the hallway that was having a hard time transitioning. I truly appreciate it.
Thank you to my study buddy, Joan Kantenwein for printing out all the required articles for me that we need for our new class. I am so glad to have you with me on this learning path! 
Thank you Kendra Logar for showing me how to use Canva to quickly get rid of the background in my pictures. You helped me save so much time!
Thank you Gina Crosthwaite for then laminating and cutting out all those pictures. I don't know what we would do without you.
Cary Scarpino--1st Grade Teacher
Jack Resnick and Cara Creager for making sure our ILP-B program continued running smoothly over the past few weeks! You both have done a great job keeping our students learning!
Norm Fischer, Cari Ayala, and Jack Paladino for giving our students a facility that is clean and well maintained! You all do a wonderful job each and every day!
Kayti Hoepner, Kyle Altick, Kim Husko, Dan Miller, Kendra Smeigh, AJ Tripoli, Samantha Mock, Averie Schultz and Jackie Mathews. Your work, not only in the classroom, but especially during lunch/recess; is very much appreciated. You are doing a terrific job!
To the entire Stanton Family: Thank you for making my first "Assistant Principal's Week" a memorable one. The cards, kind words and posters throughout the week were fun to get! A special thanks to the social squad for the basket of goodies and to Kyle Altick for the comic book hero poster and song. I am very lucky to be working with such talented, caring and hard working people! Thank you all for your generosity!
-Matt Shannon--AP at Stanton
Thank you to Kelly and Abbey for sharing a brand new sharpener with me. Not only are you both amazing people to work with, but so generous and kind.
-Maureen DeVoss--2nd Grade Teacher
Kudos to Regina Abizaid Vega for being an amazing addition to the 5th grade team! You are a ROCKSTAR! We are so lucky to have you as a part of our team.
Kudos to the 5th Grade Team (including Jack Resnick and Meghan Reimers) for being there for each other throughout the craziness this week. I couldn't think of a better team to work with every day!
-Jenny Reiff--5th Grade Teacher
I have so much to be thankful for this week and am incredibly grateful for all the support that helped make Kindergarten Round-Up a success. Everyone involved was so helpful and consistently checked in to see if I needed anything - it truly meant a lot.
I’d like to give kudos to the following:
- Sammi Spakowski for helping with the first half of the window showcase and being a HUGE help with picking up the balloons.
- Russ for helping set up tables, always very helpful.
- Sonia for digging up and lending decorations for Kindergarten Round-Up.
- Kristie for being such a great partner and jumping in to help whenever needed.
- Adisyn for always checking in and making sure I was good.
- Eddie for taking down the tables after the event.
- Mike S for helping me with all of my IT issues.
- Anna for helping take down the Easter decorations.
I appreciate you all so much - I truly couldn’t have done this without you!
-Jenny Sundell--Administrative Assistant at Lotus
Thank you Adalia for sending vocab early to help with pre-teaching.
Thank you Ms.Courtney for helping with our writing block last week.
Thank you Kristie for scheduling transition meetings so quickly.
Thank you Sue for helping with vision and hearing screening.
Thank you Dina & Mary for helping with IAR.
Thank you Ashley, Sammie, and Amanda for helping make sure a data sheet was updated to help with a transition.
-Sherry Tietjen--Special Education Teacher at Lotus
Sam Mock- Thank you, for always making copies for me in the mornings! I also appreciate you surprising me with snacks after everything that happened with my Promethean Board.
Kendra Smeigh and Dan Miller- Thank you both for allowing me to use your Promethean Board next week!
Dan Olson- Thank you for setting up everything for the soccer clinic! You rock!
-Kaitlyn Goorsky- 6th grade Social Studies Teacher
Thank you Mary Honea for helping in prek this week! We appreciate all the help and your positivity and kindness with our kiddos.
-Laura Faro--Blended PreK Teacher
Thank you to everyone who helped make the Kindergarten Round up AMAZING! The Kindergarten teachers, Alana, and Nicole had everything set up and running so smoothly for the kiddos and Jenny, Kristie Paul, and Erica had everything so organized and ready to go (and this was their 1st time at this event!). The parents and kiddos were so excited to get a sneak peak at Kindergarten! I was able to give one new to the school family a tour of the school after the event and they were SO IMPRESSED!
Thank you to Tasha, Brittany, Mary Honea, and Kaitlyn May for helping me with the never ending prep work that comes with the "spring" unit in Preschool. Thank you for always stepping up and helping die cut, cut out, prep, etc any of the items so that our Preschool Team has the supplies ready for them with the many engaging activities planned for this unit. I could NOT do it without you and I appreciate all of your help! THANK YOU!
-Michelle Magness--PreK Teacher
I would like to send a kudo to Ms. Pam Enright for always being so encouraging and supportive, for always proving either advice or a laugh and knowing when to offer which 
-Kaitlyn May-Permanent Sub at Lotus
Kudos to Walter Nickles, Niccole Culbertson, Kaitlyn Goorsky, AJ Tripoli, and Niall Schoenfelder for taking more than 60 of our enthusiastic students to Future Quest on Wednesday night. Your time, care, and patience is appreciated beyond words!
-Tom Cardamone--Principal at Stanton
Thank you Kendra Logar and Sami Lear for filling out, completing forms, and gathering all student data for our shared students.
Thank you Sherry for always being my rock. You truly are one of a kind. I love you to the moon and back!
Thank you Ashley Brown, Karen Lobodzinski, Samantha Geenen, and Erica for participating and completing our shared students Annual Review and sharing all the progress they have made this year! His WWE slides were quite awesome.
Thank you to my amazing paras for showing up each day with a smile. I appreciate all that each of you bring and have to offer!
Thank you Addisyn Illg for making visuals for my presentation and sharing them with me :)
Lots of love and big thanks to the first grade team for always sharing and making sure I have what I need!
Thank you everyone for continuing to work so greatly with our shared students ang=d helping them regulate and understand their emotions to progress how wonderfully they have so far this year. Teamwork makes the dream work!
Thank you Kim R for being such a special person to me. Meant the world to me to have you lend an ear and lent me vent all about my personal life and the ups and downs. You are truly appreciated more than you know.
-Ashley Arff--Special Education Teacher at Lotus
Kudos to Stanton Nurse, Cynthia Cook, who has jumped right into the Health office with a smile and efficiency. We're lucky to have you!
Kudos to Tyler Fish, who is graciously handling ALL THE THINGS for IAR testing with speed and patience.
Kudos to Sue Giandonato, Emily Krier and Yvette Stauner, who are always so accommodating and helpful.
Kudos to Averie Schultz, who entertains us with funny stories every day.
Kudos to Tom Cardamone and Matt Shannon, who endure our constant teasing and silliness.
Kudos to Jill Becmer..........I couldn't/wouldn't do this without you! 
-Michele Burgess--Administrative Assistant at Stanton
Kudos to Matt Peters, Caitlyn Fenton, Stephanie Kolk, Anna Morris, Melissa McCart, and everyone else who helped me with IAR testing!!!
-Serene Madison--4th Grade Teacher
Big thanks to everyone who brought shoe boxes in for our museum dioramas! I can assure you that each box made at least 2 hearts smile! I cannot express enough how your active support helps our kiddos lean into Music and Art, feeding their creative expression and helping them reset to better participate in academics!
Thanks again for your ongoing support!!
Gayle McManamon--Art Teacher at Lotus
Kudos to Regina for being such a wonderful addition to the 5th grade team and hallway. Your classroom is so inviting and I can tell the students adore you already! Also, Thank you for jumping right in to help me with translating a phone call to a parent this week. It was such a huge help! We're so happy you are here.
Kudos to Jack for stepping into Karen's shoes in the ILPB classroom while she's been out. You are doing such a great job juggling all the things, all the while maintaining your patient and empathetic demeanor with the students. We are lucky to have you!
Kudos to Matt for being such a great AP! You are doing such a fantastic job in this role and I'm grateful for your partnership and support.
-Meghan Reimers--Counselor at Stanton
To Tyler Fish for allowing all things IAR to run as smoothly as possible and coming up with a great communication tool to answer all of our questions in one place and immediately! We all appreciate you, thank you!
Brian Dungan for subbing for me while I was in meetings. I love seeing how excited my students are when they learn you are their sub but I most appreciate how you handle unexpected behaviors and that you communicate those with me. Thank you a million times!
-Leah Falster--Special Education Teacher at Stanton
Thank you to the 5th grade team for "real talking" with my colleague Lindsay about CKLA and especially for sharing your resources. You're the BEST!
To Anna Morris for being amazing all the time, but especially when I show up to ask for a meeting that she wasn't expecting at all that was a hard one to do. THANK YOU!
To Ashley Arff and team for welcoming the Chancelight team in for a visit at a time NOT scheduled and doing it with grace and a welcoming spirit.
To my Ad Team colleagues for clearing your calendars for the Chancelight visit.
To Sonia Miller for always helping with ALL the things...even when I text you in the morning for something that same day.
HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who make Kinder Roundup happen. What a great event for our kids!!!!! And thanks to Jenny Sundell for letting me procrastinate on stuff I didn't really want to do by working on the photo backdrop. 💙
To Colleen Robinson for clearing your calendar to help a student transition to his new school. Your TLC and care for kids are unmatched.
To Sami Lear for the book, the note, and the conversation. You're a class act and very much appreciated.
-From Heather
Summer Curriculum Work
Hello!!! Just reminding you that it's that time of year...when I ask for your ideas and proposals for summer curriculum work! THANK YOU to the teams who have already sent in ideas! WOW....amazing!!!!!
Looking forward to seeing your great ideas! Please send any questions my way!
OPPORTUNITIES!!!!
Governors State University- College of Education & Human Development will host a few virtual informational sessions this month.
Sessions will begin promptly at the designated time. Each program coordinator will provide detailed information and explain how to apply. Questions will be encouraged!
Please share the registration links below with your staff.
LBS1 Endorsement & Master of Arts in Multicategorical Special Education (initial and advanced licensure)
- Thursday, April 23rd at 5:30 pm - click here to register
Master of Arts in Educational Administration-Principal Leadership
*For current teachers with 2 or more years of teaching experience with a PEL
- Thursday, April 16th at 6:00 pm - click here to register
- Saturday, April 25th at 10:00 am - click here to register
Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Leadership
(Higher Education, Non-for-Profit, and Superintendent Tracks available)
*For individuals who currently hold a master’s degree (all tracks)
*Superintendent Track- for individuals who have their PEL, Principal Endorsement, and 2 or more years of educational administration experience.
- Monday, April 13th at 6 pm - click here to register
- Wednesday, April 22nd at 6 pm - click here to register
OPEN NOW!!!!
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!
Attention all Union Members:
1 More Election Committee Member needed! Elections are right around the corner and our bylaws require us to have an election committee of three people who are not up for an elected position. Gina Crosthwaite has graciously offered to be the executive board's member. If you are interested in helping out with the elections, it is a very small commitment. You will help take nominations, create a ballot, count ballots, and disseminate information about the election's winners. If you are interested in being a part of the election committee, please let Gina Crosthwaite (gina.crosthwaite@foxlake114.
This year the following positions will be up for reelection: VP Certified
Treasurer
Regional Rep
Ethnic Minority Rep
Early Career Rep
Please see the following flyer to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of each position. Open nominations will begin on April 15th for all board positions, and run through April 23, if you would like to make a private nomination. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to any members of the EAFL board.
April 15th will be our next Union Articulation Meeting. You can find the agenda attached here. Please meet at Stanton by 2:00 PM. We will be having light snacks and will be talking about all things union.
*If you are coming to Stanton, please do not arrive before 1:45 to allow for safe dismissal. 
Stay informed by reading the Region 49 NewsletterAND...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. 
Good morning, District 114!
Join us TONIGHT for our April PTA Meeting:
- 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 Fundraiser Update:
- Our sponsors got us off to a great start of $3,750!
- We've raised $916 in online Family & Friend Donations!
- Total raised so far is $4,666!
- Our goal is to raise $25,000 to fully fund PTA programs and events
What is Day of Service?
- Day of Service Fundraiser is the PTA's sole large-scale fundraiser of the year, which raises the money needed for the PTA's events and programs like the Halloween Dance, teacher conference dinners, Santa's Breakfast, Family Fun Fair, and Book Buddies.
- Similar to a Walk-a-Thon or Fun Run, students raise money through donations, and then, instead of running or walking, they complete service projects to support the Fox Lake community on Wednesday, April 22nd.
- Our Goal: $25,000
- Anything raised above $25,000 will go into a dedicated account to help fund a future accessible playground at Lotus!
- Donations can be made in cash or check (payable to Fox Lake School District 114 PTA) or can be made online here.
- Envelopes are due back to school on Tuesday, April 21st.
- Please help us reach our goal by asking friends and family members to donate to this worthy cause!
Mark Your Calendars for The Following Dates:
- Day of Service
- Help us raise funds to support PTA programs and events, and help raise funds for a future accessible playground at Lotus
- Donations can be made in cash, check (payable to Fox Lake School District 114 PTA), or online here
- Envelopes due back to school, Tuesday, April 21, 2026
- Day of Service is on Wednesday, April 22nd!
- Family Rocket Launch
- Wednesday, May 20, 2026 (Rain date: Thursday, May 21, 2026)
- 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
- Lotus Cafeteria and Outside
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
THIS WEEK
PTA Meeting--Monday 4/13 at 6PM
Looking Ahead...
April 21--Board of Education meeting at Lotus
April 22-DAY OF SERVICE
Saturday, May 16--D114 Impact 5K Run!!! INFO COMING SOON!
May 22--Last Day of School for PreK
May 26--8th Grade Promotion Ceremony
May 28--Last Day of School
Paste the URL below into your browser:
https://edtomorrow.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Proud to be...
