Instructional Services

Athletics

Encore

English Language Arts

Fine Arts

Mathematics

PE and Health

Science

Social Studies

The purpose of the School District 62 interscholastic and intramural sports program is to extend the school day by providing opportunities for students to explore and develop their individual talents, interests, and abilities, Coaches and student participants are encouraged to display fairness, sportsmanship, and respect to each other and toward other teams. School District 62 maintains that its representatives set a good and fair example for our community.

August-October: Cross Country (6-8) boys and girls, Girls Basketball (7-8), Cheerleading
October-January: Boys Basketball, Cheerleading
January-March: Girls Volleyball
March-May: Boys Volleyball

Interscholastic Sports Program Handbook | Volunteer Student Accident Insurance | Permission and Waiver For questions related to athletics, intramurals, after school clubs or activities, please contact William Snyder via email snyderw@d62.org.

Please visit the MCSL League for conference information and competition locations. Additional questions can be directed to Mark Moser, Coordinator for Physical Education and Athletics, at moserma@d62.org or your child’s school principal.

The Fine Arts—dance, drama, music, and visual arts—are fundamental ways of knowing and thinking. In addition to their intrinsic value, the arts contribute to children’s development. Through the arts, students gain a greater understanding of their own cultural heritage, as well as a sense of the larger world community. In District 62, students learn the language of the arts and how to interpret visual images, sounds, and story. The district encourages students to learn art, music, and drama in an environment that:

observes the relevance of the Fine Arts in their lives.
connects the Fine Arts to other subject areas and real life experiences.
uses the Fine Arts as a language to understand and communicate about the world.
develops an understanding of the Fine Arts through discoveries, active involvement, and experiences.
relates new experiences to prior learning.
incorporates technology to promote explorations into the Fine Arts.
has the students’ individual needs met in developmentally appropriate ways.

The D62 Fine Arts Curriculum is based on the Illinois Learning Standards. Please contact Jelena Todorovich, Art Department Facilitator, at todorovichj@d62.org with questions.

District 62 believes that literacy acquisition is a complex, interactive process of using essential skills and strategies to construct meaning in spoken and written communication. Literacy is best learned in an environment in which students:

Learn to read and write through interaction with a variety of materials and instructional approaches.
Share literacy events with all members of the community including families, teachers, and peers as co-learners who model and support literacy development.
Make literacy connections between texts and to all subject areas, personal experiences, and world events.
See the relevance of literacy in their lives.
Use literacy to learn, understand, evaluate, and communicate.
Develop and use strategies in a variety of contexts.
Use current and emergent technology to promote literacy.
Relate new experiences to prior learning.
Have their individual needs met in developmentally appropriate ways.
Acquire literacy through a balanced approach.

The District 62 English Language Arts Curriculum is based on The New Illinois Learning Standards (CCSS), which were adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education in 2013-14. Please contact Sheleen DeLockery, Curriculum Coordinator for Instructional Services, at delockerys@d62.org with questions.

The mathematics curriculum empowers students with the necessary confidence and skills for solving problems in everyday life. In District 62, we believe that mathematics is best learned in an environment in which students:

connect mathematics to all subject areas and real life experiences.
see the relevance of mathematics in their lives.
use mathematics as a language to understand and communicate about the world.
develop mathematical understanding through discoveries, active involvement, and experiences.
use mathematics as a tool for learning rather than just a skill to be practiced.
develop and use mathematical strategies and the applications for a variety of situations.
use current and emergent technology to promote mathematical explorations and analytical thinking.
relate new experiences to prior learning.
develop mathematical understanding in a progression from the concrete to the abstract.
support individual needs in developmentally appropriate ways.

The District 62 Mathematics Curriculum is based on the New Illinois Learning Standards (CCSS), which were adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education in 2013-14. Please contact Christy Bowman, Curriculum Coordinator for Instructional Services, at bowmanc@d62.org with questions.

PE AND HEALTH The mission of the Des Plaines Elementary School District 62 Physical Education Department is to utilize community assets and promote all students to achieve and pursue a lifetime of:

Personal goal setting;
Interest and knowledge of how to get and stay physically fit and healthy;
Cooperation, communication, and to work as an effective part of a team;
Respect for their body and self in the physical, cognitive, and affective domains;
Continual participation in sport, leisure, and wellness activities;
Success, where failure is just another step forward.

For the D62 Personal Health, Safety, and Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Curriculum for 4th-8th grades, please see our D62 Health Curriculum Map Dashboard.

The District 62 PE/Health Curriculum is based on the Illinois Learning Standards. Please contact Mark Moser, Coordinator for Physical Education and Athletics, at moserma@d62.org with questions.

The District 62 Science Curriculum is focused on scientific inquiry to understand the natural world. Classroom experiences will consist of active engagement in inquiries that are interesting and meaningful to students. In District 62 we believe that science is best learned when students:

develop a lifelong curiosity about science to become informed, discerning members of society.
understand the processes of scientific inquiry and technological design to investigate questions, conduct experiments and solve problems.
understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of life, physical, and earth/space science.
understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.

The District 62 Science Curriculum is based on the New Illinois Learning Standards, including the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), along with CCSS ELA Standards for Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. Please contact Christy Bowman, Curriculum Coordinator for Instructional Services, at bowmanc@d62.org with questions.

It is School District 62’s philosophy and belief that the discipline of Social Studies prepares students to participate in community affairs within a global society. The District 62 Social Studies Curriculum will empower students with the necessary confidence, skills and tools to be lifelong learners and productive members of a democratic society. As students progress from kindergarten through eighth grade, they will move from developing an awareness to demonstrating an understanding of the culture, history, customs, and events around the globe. The progression of the curriculum is egocentric to esoteric (self, family and school, neighborhood, community, state, nation, and world).

The District 62 Social Studies Curriculum is based on The Illinois Learning Standards and The National Council for the Social Studies’ (NCSS) C3 Framework. Please contact Sheleen DeLockery, Curriculum Coordinator for Instructional Services, at delockerys@d62.org with questions.

Encore Courses in District 62 consist of classes at the middle school level in Informational Technology and Family and Consumer Sciences. In Information Technology (IT) courses, students will learn about and engage in activities supporting the following areas of study:

Social Awareness and Identity, Internet Research, Academic Computer Skills, Using the Engineering Design Process to collaboratively create solutions to problems, and Learning to Think like a Coder

In Family and Consumer Science (FACS) courses, students will learn about and engage in activities supporting the following areas of study:

Nutrition, Clothing Care (Laundry, Stain Treatment, Dry Cleaning), Clothing Production (Equipment, fasteners, stiches), Careers, Financial Literacy, Safety, Sanitation and Food Borne Illness, Kitchen Equipment, Reading a Recipe, Measurement in the Kitchen, and Etiquette and Manners

Please contact Christy Bowman, Curriculum Coordinator for Instructional Services, at bowmanc@d62.org with questions.

ASSESSMENT

School District 62 uses both formative and summative assessments to monitor students' academic achievement and growth. Summative common assessments include IAR and ACCESS tests, required by the Illinois State Board of Education.

District 62 also administers the NWEA MAP test three times a year to monitor students' progress in core academic areas. Assessment data is used to inform decisions about instruction, curriculum and program implementation.

LEARN MORE ASSESSMENT CALENDAR

ENGLISH LEARNERS

School District 62 is committed to providing a high quality English Learners (ELs) program that values a student's native language and culture. Only sound acquisition of linguistic, academic, and social skills ensures your child's equal participation in our diverse society.

CONSEJO CONSULTIVO DEL PADRE

The Parent Advisory Council: The Illinois School Code for Transitional Bilingual Programs mandates the establishment of a parent advisory committee to afford parents the opportunity effectively to express their views and to ensure that such programs are planned, operated, and evaluated with the involvement of, and in consultation with, parents of children served by the programs.

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

MODEL OF INSTRUCTION

Bilingual

Students are placed based on home language survey and language screener results. If in grades K-3, and dominant in Spanish, student is given BILINGUAL support where instruction is provided in SPANISH with an ESL component. This program is available:

In Spanish as a self-contained classroom at Ochard Place, North and Plainfield
In Spanish and/or Polish as Bilingual Resource at all D62 schools.

Sheltered and Newcomers

Students in EL programs from different language backgrounds are placed in classes where English is the medium of instruction. The content of instruction is adapted to support your child's language proficiency.

EL+

Students in EL programs performing academically within the acceptable range are placed in a general education classroom among proficient English-speaking peers. EL services are provided by EL endorsed certified staff

HANDBOOK HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY RESOURCES

Kindergarten

District 62 offers AM and PM half-day kindergarten in all nine of its elementary schools. For more information about registration and Kindergarten programming, please see 2022-2023 Handbook.

Manual para Kinder en español – página 12 / Podręcznik dla Klasy Zerowej po polsku – strona 23

HANDBOOK

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL POLSKI

Gifted Education

A gifted child is one who demonstrates potential for high levels of achievement by having an advanced level of cognitive ability as compared to others of his/her age. Gifted programming in District 62 consists of 90 minutes of pull-out instruction each week; this 90 minutes may consist of 2 45-minute classes or 3 30-minute classes.

The gifted curriculum has a literacy foundation with a focus on science, technology, and social studies where classroom instruction supports literacy, math, and social-emotional needs of your child.

Spanish as a World Language

Students are chosen for the 7th and 8th Grade Spanish program at the end of 6th grade based on the following requirements:

Reading MAP scores for Winter and Spring -- Meet or Exceed their grade level standards
Overall 6th grade academic performance including cumulative GPA (at least 3.0)
Meeting and Exceeding Standards in Language Arts-Writing
Meeting and Exceeding Standards in Reading for Literature and Reading for Informational Text
Teacher recommendations

Multi-Tiered Support

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) bring together Response to Intervention and Positive Behavioral Intervention Systems to provide early intervention in the areas of Social/Emotional/Behavioral and Academic Learning.

Among its essential components are high-quality education for all students, universal screening for early identification, and frequent progress monitoring to determine how well students are responding to targeted interventions.

RTI HANDBOOK

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

ACCELERATED PLACEMENT

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Overview of Opportunities:

You62 (University 62) courses are offered to improve instruction and promote lifelong learning. Learn more about You62.
New teachers participate in an induction and mentoring program that follows the Charlotte Danielson Framework.
Staff Development workshops for district-wide initiatives are presented during designated Institute Days and PLC Mondays.
Staff development activities are developed at each school to address instructional priorities at the local school level.
Teachers participate in Professional Learning Communities (PLC) on a regular basis during common planning time to share ideas and collaboratively plan instruction.

You62 PD GOOGLE SITE

GRANTS

School District 62 utilizes over 3 million dollars in Federal and State aid grants to implement various educational programs for students each school year. Aid amounts listed below are an estimate based on grant allocation at the time of the original application. Amendments are submitted if the program or the allocations change. The Instructional Services team reviews and discusses the utilization of state and federal funds with key staff, including principals, teachers, and parents for various grant applications at critical intervals.

STAY IN TOUCH

Laura J. Sangroula, Ph.D.
Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services

Elizabeth Juskiewicz
Director for Second Language Programs

OUR TEAM

SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAMS

Please contact Florentina Marchisotto,
Administrative Assistant, via email marchisottof@d62.org

OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

Please contact Laura Morales,
Administrative Assistant, via email moralesl@d62.org

CURRICULUM OFFICE

Please contact Sylvia Roe,
Administrative Assistant, via email roes@d62.org

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION