Community Unit School District 200

Classroom Close-Up: We recently visited Ms. Kim Nestel's fourth grade class at Madison Elementary School, where she co-teaches with Ms. Jane Park, a teacher for multilingual learners. The students recently finished reading the historical novel "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone. This captivating story follows Samuel Collier, a young orphan who embarks on a journey from London to the New World as a servant to Captain John Smith. Through Samuel's eyes, students experienced the hardships and conflicts faced by the early English colonists in Jamestown. To culminate their learning, students were challenged to step into the shoes of either a commoner or a gentleman. In alignment with the Bookworms Curriculum, students were tasked with writing a persuasive letter home to their families, urging them to either join them in the exciting New World or remain safely in England. Drawing upon the details and historical insights from the novel, students crafted compelling letters, expressing their unique perspectives using persuasive language. The classroom then transformed into a lively forum as students presented their letters, practicing their public speaking and reading skills while attempting to sway their classmates with their persuasive arguments. This engaging project not only fostered a deeper understanding of historical events, but also developed crucial critical thinking, writing, and communication skills. #YourCommunitySchools

The CUSD 200 Board of Education held its Committee of the Whole Meeting on Wednesday, January 22, at the School Service Center. To read a recap of the meeting, visit https://bit.ly/3CmEpOw. #YourCommunitySchools

In 1901, there was a need for a third school in Wheaton. As a result, South Side School was constructed at Wheaton and Evergreen Avenues. Later, it became known as Whittier School. In 1925, a new school was built and Whittier moved to its current location south of Roosevelt Road on Park Avenue. #TBT #YourCommunitySchools

The Community Unit School District 200 Board of Education Meeting is this Wednesday, January 22, at 7 p.m. at the School Service Center, 130 W. Park Ave., Wheaton. To view the agenda, visit https://bit.ly/3Jw8prm, and click on January 22, on the calendar in the top right hand corner. The meeting will also be livestreamed and posted on our YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/4fL931R. #YourCommunitySchools

Bowl for the Torch is back! CUSD 200’s Special Olympics will once again be holding our biggest fundraiser, Bowl for the Torch. Join us on Saturday, February 22nd from 1:00 P.M.-3:00 PM. Bowling and pizza will be $35 per person; this includes 2 games of bowling, shoes and pizza lunch. The cost is $20 per non-bowler; includes pizza and soft drinks. We will be selling raffle tickets for the chance to win gift baskets. There is an option for registering and paying online - visit https://bit.ly/3WnmYUO register and join us for a fun-filled day supporting CUSD200 Special Olympics programming. Registration is now open. Please contact Valerie.difresco@cusd200.org or jody.field@cusd200.org with any questions.

In this week’s CUSD 200 Newsletter, we highlight the following: - A.I. in CUSD 200 Schools - Staff Spotlight: Mr. Jason Spencer - Classroom Close-Up at Madison Elementary School - Online Registration for 2025-26 School Year - Bowl for the Torch Registration is Now Open - Student Excellence Foundation Fundraiser - Daily Herald Features Franklin Middle School Teacher -Edison Middle School Entrepreneurship Expo - Wheaton Warrenville South Three-Peat Esports State Champions - Jefferson Earns Gold Circle of Quality Distinction Read more by visiting, https://bit.ly/3BYZTkw.

📣FREE Mobile Food Market TODAY 📣 There is a FREE mobile food market TODAY from 4:30-6 p.m. at Johnson Elementary School, 2S700 Continental Drive in Warrenville. Families will receive a week's worth of groceries at no cost. This distribution is drive-thru only, and is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. Please help spread the word! #YourCommunitySchools

Let's travel back in time for this week's TBT to Franklin Middle School in 2006! #YourCommunitySchools

The CUSD 200 Board of Education held its Regular Meeting on Wednesday, January 8, at Jefferson Early Childhood Center. To read a recap of the meeting, visit https://bit.ly/3Wg5pWO #YourCommunitySchools

Happy New Year! As we begin 2025, let’s take a look back to 100 years ago at Wheaton Community High School. 1925 was a monumental year for the newly built Wheaton Community High School as it opened its doors in September at the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Road. A century ago, Wheaton’s population was under 7,500, and the only other public schools in the area were Lowell, Whittier, Longfellow, and Holmes. #TBT #YourCommunitySchools

Join us for a community presentation from 6-8 p.m. on January 29 at Wheaton Warrenville South, as we dive into the world of artificial intelligence and how CUSD 200 is approaching AI in its schools. #YourCommunitySchools

Classroom Close-Up: Before winter break, we stopped by the fifth grade classrooms at Wiesbrook Elementary School. During math at Wiesbrook, the teachers and math coach use the parallel co-teaching model as well as practices from Building Thinking Classrooms. All of the fifth graders join different classrooms, giving students the opportunity to interact, collaborate and learn from different peers and experience different teaching styles. During this week's lesson, students were using their understanding of multiplication and division to estimate products and quotients. Fifth graders made estimates about the amount of milk consumed by different sized groups and eventually the number of days it would take these groups to consume 1,000,000 cubic inches of milk! The activity was open-ended so students could use their own classroom and school to make their estimates, connecting math to real life. Reminder: School resumes tomorrow! #YourCommunitySchools

The Community Unit School District 200 Board of Education Meeting is this Wednesday, January 8, at 7 p.m. at Jefferson Early Childhood Center, 130 N. Hazelton Ave., Wheaton. To view the agenda, visit https://bit.ly/3Jw8prm, and click on January 8, on the calendar in the top right hand corner. The meeting will also be livestreamed and posted on our YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/4fL931R. #YourCommunitySchools

Community Unit School District 200 is dedicated to fostering a well-rounded educational experience for every student, and at the heart of this mission lies our comprehensive Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Framework. This framework is built on five key pillars: relationships, behavioral wellness, emotional wellness, learning, and mindset. These pillars guide our efforts to enhance student learning, enrich the overall school experience, and address the emotional and social needs of all learners. As part of our steadfast commitment to SEL, we have launched a special SEL website (https://bit.ly/4a997qY) designed to serve as a hub of resources and information. This user-friendly platform provides an in-depth look at our comprehensive SEL approach and details the programming we’ve implemented under each of the five pillars. We encourage families, staff, and community members to explore this valuable resource and learn more about how SEL is shaping the success and well-being of our students. Together, we can continue to build a supportive and nurturing environment where every student can thrive. #YourCommunitySchools

Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South high school students were award winners at the DuKane Conference Art Show on Wednesday, November 20! Students competed in a number of categories including painting, digital photography, analog photography, drawing, mixed media/printmaking, graphic design, digital illustration, time arts, sculpture/jewelry, and ceramics glass. To view a list of winners and pictures of the artwork, visit https://bit.ly/4a3Y8yI. Congratulations to all of the winners! #YourCommunitySchools

In this week’s CUSD 200 Newsletter, we highlight the following: - Prioritizing Social Emotional Learning in CUSD 200 - Classroom Close-Up at Wiesbrook Elementary School - CUSD 200 Community Presentation on AI - Carol Stream Police Department Recognizes Jefferson Early Childhood Staff Members - Bower Student's Artwork Chosen for Warrenville Fire Department's Holiday Card - Sociology Poverty Simulation at Wheaton North Read more by visiting, https://bit.ly/41F7S0t.

This week's TBT takes us back to 1936 at Wheaton Community High School. #YourCommunitySchools

Students at the Transition Program work on their vocational skills each week. Part of this work includes creating items for the school store and pop up shops within the district. Last week, they visited the School Service Center. Students greeted their customers, helped show off the items they made, worked on their money skills by calculating totals and change, and wished their customers a great day. Look for future Pop-up Shops on the CUSD 200 Transition Center Facebook page. #YourCommunitySchools

The CUSD 200 Board of Education held its Regular Meeting on Wednesday, December 11, at Edison Middle School. To read a recap of the meeting, visit https://bit.ly/49CfToA #YourCommunitySchools

A visit to Hubble Middle School in 1993 is our destination for this week's TBT. #YourCommunitySchools