River Trails Monthly

October 2022

We are approximately eight weeks into the school year and this month I am taking a moment to celebrate the return of fun and togetherness in our school community. The events, concerts, celebrations, field trips and guests have returned!

Additionally, with the arrival of autumn, we know that winter is lurking right around the corner. So I also want to talk about how the district handles inclement weather emergency days.

Our Community

This school year has brought back many of the events that help bring us together as a school community. This month alone, we are celebrating a state cross country meet, Halloween parties in elementary schools, concerts and much more. Winston Churchill once said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste." As we are on the path to recovery and returning to “normal," I would love for everyone to think about what we’ve learned from the pandemic and how we can build our sense of community to a much greater level than ever before.

You will see in our video this month, the sense of community is certainly growing inside our buildings. Our kids are laughing together, working together, playing together. It’s hard to put into words how much “togetherness” we lost over the last few years, but you can certainly see that we are on the path to recovery. We are back to learning and growing together. I hope the sense of community continues to build outside our school doors, with our families. I encourage everyone to jump in and take part in any events that make River Trails great. Get to know your teachers, your PTC and take a peek at the middle school calendar of events. Even if you do not have a middle school student, the concerts, games and events are a fun way to support our school community.

If you ever feel the need to reach out and connect, please do not hesitate to do so. I look forward to seeing everyone at some of our amazing events this fall.

Inclement Weather

The district has a state-approved E-Learning plan, only to be used for emergency days. We did not use it last year, as there were no inclement weather days, so we’re a bit out of practice. This month, we are working with teachers and staff to prepare the E-Learning schedule, processes and procedures. Staff will be working with students, as well, to make sure we are ready to pivot if a severe weather situation arises. As a reminder, we utilize all forms of communication (text, call, email) to inform families, so please make sure your contact information is up to date at the school.

10/18: Board of Education Meeting

11/4: 1st Trimester Ends

11/8: Election Day (No School)

11/11: Veterans Day (School is in Session)

11/15: Board of Education Meeting

More events can be found on your school's online calendar:

Photo Galleries

A gallery of photos taken each week by teachers and staff throughout RTSD26

rtsd26.org

Board Meeting Recap

The River Trails School District 26 Board of Education held a meeting on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at River Trails Middle School. It was also livestreamed on our website. A recording of the full meeting is available for viewing on our YouTube page.

rtsd26.org

At September's meeting, the Board approved the budget for the 2023 fiscal year. You can find the full budget and Dr. Lyndl Schuster's budget presentation on our website's business page.

Event Information

Next Board Meeting

When?

Tue, Oct 18, 2022, 07:00 PM

Where?

River Trails Middle School and streamed at www.rtsd26.org

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Cross country teams pose after qualifying for the state meet

Ravens cross country girls and boys are heading to state!

The state meet will be held Saturday, October 15 in Normal, Illinois.

Prairie Trails

Next Parent-Teacher Council meeting is on Tuesday, November 1 at 5:45 p.m.

Euclid

Next Parent-Teacher Council meeting is on Wednesday, November 9 at 7 p.m.
The Book Fair will be held the first week of November.

Indian Grove

Next Parent-Teacher Council meeting is Thursday, October 20 at 7 p.m.

River Trails

We had a wonderful turn-out for our first Rec Night of the year and are looking forward to the Fall Dance on October 21.
The Kick-Off Concert is Monday, October 17.
Details will be coming soon about our annual Veterans Day breakfast!
Next Parent-Teacher Council meeting is Wednesday, October 19 at 7 p.m.
8th Grade Hero Night is Wednesday, October 26.

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Exclusion Day is Today

What does that mean? All students must be up to date on their health requirements in order to continue attending school. For more information about these requirements, you can visit www.rtsd26.org/health or contact your school's office.

Weather Reminder

As the days get colder, please remember that students should dress appropriately for the weather. P.E. class and recess will continue to be held outside whenever possible.

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Fist Bump Friday (Take 2)

On October 7, River Trails Middle School had its Fist Bump Friday with officers from the Mount Prospect Police Department. MPPD is visiting every school in the area throughout the fall for Fist Bump Friday. Here's when they'll be back in our district...

11/4: Prairie Trails
11/11: Indian Grove

RTSD26 Community Wall

Check out our Community Wall for local programs and events that might be of interest to your student or family.

River Trails students show off their apples to celebrate Great Apple Crunch.

RTMS Students Enjoy Great Apple Crunch

Great Apple Crunch is an annual celebration of fresh, local apples that takes place in October, during National Farm to School Month.

Don't forget about breakfast! Each of our schools serves breakfast during arrival.

Do you have questions about breakfast or lunch? Contact Kelly Diaz, director of food services, at 224-612-7675 or by emailing kdiaz@rtsd26.org.

Parent-Teacher Conference sign-ups will be coming out very soon! We highly encourage all parents to sign up to meet with their child’s teacher(s). A successful partnership between the teacher and the parent/guardian has an enormously positive impact on student learning and well-being.

Spring and Fall 2022 assessment reports were sent home in backpacks on Wednesday, October 12.

Please mark your calendars for a Digital Citizenship & Internet Safety Parent Presentation on February 1, 2023 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Prairie Trails School. More specific details regarding this event will be shared in the future.

Need technology support? Fill out a support form and someone from our technology department will be in touch.

Interested in choosing your own hours and making a difference in our students' lives? Consider becoming a substitute teacher for RTSD26! Visit the district website to apply. You can find information about licensure by visiting the Illinois State Board of Education website.

Check out all our open positions