Flossmoor School District 161

District 161's Board of Education meeting has been cancelled for Tuesday, September 26, 2023. The next District 161 Board of Education will take place on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.

We hope to see you at the annual Back to School party tomorrow [August 18] at Flossmoor Park. The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. with fun family activities followed by the showing of "The Super Mario Bros." moving.

Skyward will not be accessible on Monday, July 24, 2023, due to system maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We anticipate that Skyward will be accessible again beginning on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

There is a vacancy on the Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education due to the recent resignation of Misha Blackman. In keeping with the legal requirements that the Board appoint a successor within a 60-day period of the resignation, the Board is seeking applicants who are interested in being appointed to the Board of Education and to serve until the next consolidated general election which will occur on April 1, 2025. The pending appointment is for the remaining balance of the term for Misha Blackman. The seat will be up for election in 2025. Residents interested in applying to become a member of the Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education should submit a one-page letter of interest, along with a resume, to be received by the close of business [3:30 p.m.] on Monday, July 31, 2023. Submissions can be made by email, regular mail, fax, or hand delivery to Christina Vlietstra, Secretary to the Board of Education. Each submission will be acknowledged to verify receipt. The one-page letter of interest should address the following: Why are you interested in becoming a member of the Board of Education? What could you offer District 161? What prior experience/involvement have you had with the school district? All applicants need to meet the legal requirements to be a member of a Board of Education. A Board of Education member must be, on the date of appointment, a United States citizen of at least 18 years of age, a registered voter, and a resident of Illinois and District 161 for at least one year immediately preceding the appointment. Reasons making an individual ineligible for Board membership include holding an incompatible office and certain types of State or federal employment. A child sex offender, as defined in State law, is ineligible for Board of Education membership. Once letters of interest have been received, it is the Board’s intent to interview candidates on the evening of August 21, 2023. The goal of the Board of Education is to appoint the new member on August 28, 2023. Please direct all questions on this matter to Dr. Dana Smith, Superintendent of Schools. Submissions should be made to: Christina Vlietstra, Secretary to the Board of Education Normandy Villa School 41 East Elmwood Drive Chicago Heights, IL 60411 Email: cvlietstra@sd161.org Fax: (708) 754-2153 Phone: (708) 647-7030

Flossmoor School District 161's Community Engagement survey is open until June 23. Please take a few moments to fill out the survey and provide your input to help improve our practices and student outcomes. Surveys are available for current District 161 families as well as community members without children enrolled in the District. Please follow the links below: Community Engagement Survey: Current District 161 Families: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3YW5XSF Community Engagement Survey: District 161 Community Members [without children currently enrolled in District 161]: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RKJLLTN

The March to May Million Pages Challenge is winding down and we are so close to making our goal of reading one million pages! As of May 21, District 161 students, family members, and community members have logged a total of 935,080 pages. Don't forget to log your pages here: https://tinyurl.com/mryct2zn

Flossmoor School District 161's annual Visual Arts Expo will be open for viewing on Thursday, May 11, and Friday May 12. Stop by the District Office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to see the amazing art created by District 161 students.

Join Flossmoor School District 161 and UChicago Medicine Pediatric Services for a virtual parent university. This parent university will focus on identifying ADHD in children including initial diagnosis, support, and treatment options. The session will take place on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Register at: https://bit.ly/3GMhKtN

Parker Junior High School Industrial Arts teacher, Kyle Marti, recently received the Middle School Program of Year award from the Technology Education Association of Illinois. The Technology Education Association of Illinois recognizes outstanding middle school/junior high technology, engineering, or industrial focused programs. Furthermore, this award recognizes programs that have staff that constantly update their curriculum and activities, maintain a positive rapport with staff and students, and continually keep up-to-date with modern technologies and techniques.

The Board of Education recognized the Parker Junior High School Chess team this evening. The team had a great season and represented District 161 at the Illinois Elementary School Association [IESA] state chess meet. A special shout out to eighth-grader Makhi Fox who earned a medal at the event. Way to go Falcons!

Western Avenue's production of Aladdin was AMAZING! Congratulations to the cast and crew for two stellar performances this week. A special thank you to Mrs. Pasqua, Ms. Watson, and Ms. Hanzelin for helping our students showcase their talents. Thank you, parents and families for your support.

Students in Parker Junior High School's Humanities classes recently participated in the National History Day competition. The top 15 teams from the school competition advanced to the regional competition which was held at the University of Illinois Chicago on March 4th, 2023. Three of the team projects qualified to compete at the Illinois State Competition which is being held on April 22, 2023. Go Falcons!

We had so much fun meeting our future Eagles, Hornets, Stars, and Wolves at kindergarten registration last night! If you were unable to attend, please visit www.sd161.org for information about kindergarten registration.

The Parker Junior High School eighth-grade boys basketball team was recognized at the Board of Education Meeting on March 13. The team had an excellent season and represented District 161 at the Illinois Elementary School Association [IESA] state basketball tournament.

District 161 Spelling Bee participants were recognized at the Board of Education Meeting on March 13. Congratulations to our super spellers!

Kindergarten registration begins tonight from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. We can’t wait to meet our future Eagles, Hornets, Stars, and Wolves! Visit www.sd161.org for more information.

Calling all incoming kindergarteners! It's almost time to register for the 2023-24 school year. Kindergarten registration and residency verification will be held at our four elementary schools on Thursday, March 16, 2023, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Visit www.sd161.org to learn more about kindergarten registration.

The March to May Million Pages Challenge has begun! At the kickoff event, the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra Brass featured storytime and music based on the book Milo Imagines the World. After the performance, the brass trio shared interesting facts and information about each of their instruments and answered questions from the audience. What a marvelous way to start our challenge! Make sure you are reading and logging those pages!

All Flossmoor School District 161 buildings will be closed on Friday, March 3, 2023, due to inclement weather and the anticipated bus transportation issues. Students will participate in their learning activities from home. Tomorrow is a scheduled School Improvement Day in the afternoon, so there is an early dismissal for students. As a reminder, there is no school on Monday, March 6, 2023, in observance of Casimir Pulaski Day. If you have any questions regarding the schedule for the day, please contact your child’s teacher or building principal for assistance.

As a reminder to all families, Friday, March 3 is a School Improvement Day and there is an early dismissal for all students. The District is closed on Monday, March 6 in observance of Casimir Pulaski Day.