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FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
Celebrate the start of a new chapter in the history of Blackhawk Middle School
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BSD2 Families, Staff & Community Members,
Please plan to join us to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Blackhawk Middle School renovation project.
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BMS Groundbreaking Ceremony: 3 p.m. Thursday, March 21, at Blackhawk Middle School, 250 S. Church Road in Bensenville.
This exciting project will transform much of Blackhawk’s look, feel and function, and will be completed in time to welcome BMS students and staff when the 2024-2025 school year begins in August. The changes coming this summer will provide BMS students with a state-of-the-art school that aligns with the evolving needs of education: innovative classrooms, collaborative spaces, and updated facilities that will enhance their overall learning experience.
Here are some of this project’s key improvements, identified by students, staff and administrators:
- All new student-tested and staff-approved classroom furniture that can be easily moved and flexibly arranged to readily allow for collaborative learning.
- Installation of new flooring, lighting, and whiteboards in classrooms, and wall-to-wall painting that will bring a brighter, more modern, consistent and cohesive look and feel throughout the building.
- Upgrades to classroom technology to create a wireless environment for both students and teachers.
- Enlargement of 12 classrooms by removing six workrooms currently connected to neighboring spaces.
- Addition of four new classrooms, and conversions of three existing classrooms into as many as nine flexibly divided small-group spaces. These flex spaces can be used for collaborative learning, interventions, and meetings, or as staff workspaces.
- Addition of a new fitness center adjacent to the gym, and conversion of the current fitness center space into a dedicated special education classroom with a sensory room and restroom.
- Remodeling of remaining outdated science rooms, expansion of the health office, and renovation of the school’s two outdoor learning courtyards.
These projects are estimated to cost around $14.9 million, and will be paid for with a combination of savings and bonds.
Truly, this project is about so much more than bricks and mortar; it‘s about our commitment to creating an environment where our students can thrive and prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the future. It’s about the BSD2 community’s collective commitment to learning and growing together.
We look forward to you joining us for our groundbreaking ceremony on March 21, and sharing in the excitement as we begin a new chapter in the history of Blackhawk Middle School.
Sincerely,
Dr. Katie McCluskey
Superintendent of Schools
Bensenville School District 2
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5ESSENTIALS
Take the survey! Swim free all summer!
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Go online and complete the 5Essentials survey, and your family could win four season passes to the Bensenville Water Park & Splash Pad - a $240 value - courtesy of Bensenville Park District.
A winner will be selected from each BSD2 school, so submit your response by March 29, tell your child's teacher you participated, and - if you're lucky - your family could swim for free all summer long!
WHAT IS THE 5ESSENTIALS SURVEY?
Parents, the 5Essentials is your opportunity to share your thoughts on crucial elements of success for your child's school!
- Effective Leaders
- Collaborative Teachers
- Ambitious Instruction
- Involved Families
- Supportive Environment
By collecting data on these topics, the annual Illinois 5Essentials Survey helps District 2 improve teaching and learning by improving the culture and climate in its schools and classrooms. Your survey responses drive future decisions about your school and support the school improvement process.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Second-trimester report cards will be sent home March 13
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Wednesday, February 28, is the end of the second trimester.
On Wednesday, March 13, second-trimester report cards will be sent home with elementary students, and mailed to middle school students' homes.
Standards-Based Grading
District 2 uses standards-based grading. This means you will receive scores for standards only. You will not receive an overall score for assignments/assessments. The grading scale is:
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E- Exemplary (4): The student independently extends and applies key concepts, processes, and skills and can transfer this learning to new contexts.
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M- Meets (3): The student demonstrates a solid understanding of key concepts, processes, and skills and can consistently apply this learning.
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P- Progressing (2): The student is progressing toward an understanding of key concepts, processes, and skills with minimal assistance.
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B- Beginning (1): The student is beginning to understand key concepts, processes, and skills with assistance.
Click here for more information on Standards-Based Report Cards.
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KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
Johnson and Tioga Schools will host kindergarten registration on Tuesday, March 5
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Students currently enrolled in the District's pre-kindergarten program will register for kindergarten in April during the District's online registration period for returning students.
Incoming kindergarten students who are NOT currently enrolled in the District's pre-kindergarten program will be able to register for the 2024-2025 school year on Tuesday, March 5, from 3-7 p.m. at:
- Tioga School, 212 W. Memorial Road
- W.A. Johnson School, 252 Ridgewood Avenue
New incoming kindergartners will need to register on March 5 at their home school, so parents who are unsure which school their child will attend should call the Educational Administration center at 630-766-5940.
Registration requirements are as follows:
- Child must be present during registration to be assessed for kindergarten.
- Parent or guardian must present a certified copy of an original birth certificate indicating the child will be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2024.
- Parent or guardian must also present the following proofs of residency at the time of registration:
- A lease or mortgage statement
- A driver's license or current photo identification
- Three additional proofs of residency.
Click here for the kindergarten registration flyer.
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BILINGUAL & BILITERATE
Kindergarten parents interested in District 2's Dual Language Program should attend February 29 information night
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Parents of incoming kindergartners are invited to an informative presentation and Q&A session on Bensenville School District 2's Dual Language Program.
This will be the program's fourth class of kindergartners, since the District launched the dual language program at the kindergarten level three years ago.
The BSD2 Dual Language Kindergarten Parent Information Night will be held Thursday, February 29, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the BSD2 Family Resource Center located at Tioga School, 212 W. Memorial Road in Bensenville.
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WELCOME SENATOR DUCKWORTH
Legislator tours Head Start program and asks how federal government can provide better support
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On February 15, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth toured the Head Start program at the Bensenville Early Learning Center at Tioga School.
During the tour, Dr. Katie McCluskey, BSD2 Superintendent of Schools, Jeff Kersten, Tioga School Principal, and Christy Poli, BSD2 Birth-3 and Pre-Kindergarten Coordinator, participated in a panel discussion with local parents and educational leaders about ways the federal government can provide better support for Head Start programs around the country.
The Head Start program at the Bensenville Early Learning Center operates under a unique and incredibly successful community partnership between District 2 and Metropolitan Family Services. Throughout the discussion, Head Start parents and staff and leaders from Metropolitan praised the Bensenville program, sharing with Sen. Duckworth how it helps families disrupt the impact of intergenerational poverty and unlock doors to opportunity for families.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Blackhawk's spring musical - Disney's Frozen JR. - will hit the stage March 8, 9 and 10
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Rehearsals for Disney's Frozen JR., Blackhawk Middle School's spring musical, are looking and sounding great!
Frozen JR. will bring Elsa, Anna, and the magical land of Arendelle to life, onstage. The show will feature all of the memorable songs from the animated film, and the same cast of beloved characters. Loaded with magic, adventure, and plenty of humor, Frozen JR. is sure to thaw even the coldest heart!
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 8 and 9, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10. Tickets cost $6 for adults and $5 for students, and can be purchased at the door.
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SENDING THEIR LOVE TO SENIORS
BSD2 second graders send Valentine's cards to Castle Towers residents
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Students often exchange cards among themselves on Valentine's Day.
This year, though, the District's second graders also created Valentines to share with seniors in the BSD2 community.
On Valentine's Day, those cards were delivered to Castle Towers assisted living facility, where residents were pleasantly surprised to receive the outpouring of love from the youngsters!
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BINGO!
Tioga Family Fun Night was another awesome community event!
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Carnival games in the gym, bingo in the cafeteria, and the incredible Tioga community coming together to enjoy it all!
Wow, what a wonderful evening!
Thank you to all of the students, parents, staff, and PTA volunteers that came out and made Tioga Family Fun Night such a great event!
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MUSIC TO OUR EARS
Blackhawk's annual February band concert featured a variety of performances
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Last Tuesday was a terrific night for BMS student musicians, as they took the stage for their annual February concert.
The evening featured performances from Blackhawk's sixth-grade band and seventh- and eighth-grade band, as well as the BMS jazz band, the jazz combo and a flute duet.
You can watch the full video here and hear every note, or click the links below to see specific songs.
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JAZZ BAND
SIXTH-GRADE BAND
JAZZ COMBO
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FLUTE DUET
SEVENTH- & EIGHTH-GRADE BAND
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SHOWTIME
Fourth graders apply what they've learned about literature during live theater performance
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Last week, fourth graders across the District visited the Tivoli Theater in Downers Grove, where they were treated to a performance of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach.
The field trip was part of a unit of study in which the students learned about themes and character traits. Watching the play provided them with a unique opportunity to apply those skills to a live theatrical performance.
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UP TO THE CHALLENGE
Johnson welcomes the Rope Warrior for the Kids Heart Challenge
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Once again this year, W.A. Johnson School tackled The Kids Heart Challenge. As part of that effort, the Rope Warrior made a special visit to demonstrate his amazing jump rope skills and to teach students a few new tricks of their own!
Part of the Kids Heart Challenge emphasizes the importance of heart health to students, and developing their jump roping skills is just one way students work to improve their cardiovascular fitness in PE classes.
Heading into the final week of the monthlong Kids Heart Challenge, Johnson's Heart Heroes had already raised more than $8,000 for the American Heart Association's efforts to help kids with special hearts. Keep up the great work!
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CHECK IT OUT
If you're active on social media, please like and follow the BSD2 Facebook and X pages
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If social media is your thing, we’d love it if you’d visit our Facebook and X pages, click the “like” button, and follow our postings to keep up with the latest BSD2 News.
Just login and search for “Bensenville School District 2.”
You’ll know you’re where you belong when you're on a page with the District's new "Learning & Growing Together" logo shown to the right.
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BSD2 E-FLYERS
Here are the current community flyers posted on the District's website
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District 2 has gone "green" in its approach to distributing community flyers.
Rather than sending flyers home with each student via backpack mail, District and community flyers are posted on the BSD2 E-Flyers page for parents to view or print 24/7.
It is estimated that this saves our schools hundreds of hours per year spent sorting and handling the materials, not to mention the number of trees and other resources saved in producing them.
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Bensenville School District 2
210 S. Church Street
Bensenville, IL 60106
630-766-5940
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