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Summer Meal Distribution Available Through August 14
Alex LeMoine

FREE summer meals are still available! Lunches can be picked up at Ladd Park on Coventry Lane in Crystal Lake Monday - Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Distribution is scheduled until Friday, August 14 and sponsored by the Northern Illinois Food Bank. No registration is required and all children 18 years and younger are welcome. Walk or drive by to pick up boxed lunches as needed. We'd like to say a special thank you to the Crystal Lake Park District and the volunteers making this possible!

In case of rain: meals will be distributed at Vineyard Church - 7105 Virginia Road, Crystal Lake

2020-21 Calculator Recommendations
Alex LeMoine

Dear Families of Students at Prairie Ridge High School,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of our calculator recommendation if you are looking to purchase a new graphing calculator.  TI has recently released the NSpire CX II and NSpire CX II CAS, both of which have some amazing capabilities. If you already own a graphing calculator, please do not feel the need to buy a new one. However, if you are in geometry or higher, then we are strongly encouraging you to consider purchasing the CX II or CX II CAS. With proper care, these devices can last through college and beyond.

These calculators function more like computers than calculators and provide the ability to perform calculations, create and manipulate graphs and spreadsheets, create or run simulations, collect data, learn computer coding, and a host of other opportunities. Research has shown that these calculators help to improve test scores on such assessments as the ACT, SAT, and AP Exams.  Some researchers have gone so far as to say that students who do not have one are at a competitive disadvantage. The newest model, the TI-Nspire CX II  has a color display and rechargeable batteries.

The CX II CAS has enhanced capabilities and is recommended to students planning to pursue a pathway to engineering. The CX II is a very powerful device as well, but does not contain some of the advanced capabilities that will be useful in higher-level math courses. Both devices are allowed on all AP and SAT exams; however, one primary drawback to the CX II CAS is that it is NOT allowed on the ACT, so please keep that in mind. The CX II (non-CAS) is allowed on the ACT.

For those of you who are interested in purchasing this calculator (IT IS NOT REQUIRED, but strongly recommended), we would like to make it as simple as possible. Therefore, we would like to offer the opportunity for you to purchase a TI-Nspire CX calculator as an addition to your registration fees. Through this offer, the cost of the CX II calculator is $130, and the CX II CAS is $132 In stores or online, the cost will likely be more.  There are two options to our offer:

Option #1:  Order between July 7th and July 31st for delivery to your son or daughter (in their math class) during the first two weeks of school. Orders will be placed through our vendor on 7/31, so the date your child will receive their device is dependent on their shipping times.

Option #2:  Order by the end of the first week of school (August 14th) for delivery to your son or daughter (in their math class) during the first month of school.           

Whether or not you decide to take us up on this registration offer, we would request that you send your proof-of-purchase card on the back of the packaging to school with your son or daughter so that our school might earn some additional equipment from Texas Instruments. The calculator also comes with student software they can load on a home computer, it is unfortunately not Chromebook compatible.

To expedite this process, you can pay through the Prairie Ridge web store, (https://chsd155.revtrak.net/RW-PRHS-Activities/)

 

Sincerely,

Kathy Gilbert

STEM Division Leader

kgilbert@d155.org

2020-21 Registration Open
Shannon Podzimek

Registration for the 2020-2021 school year is now open. It’s important to follow the three-step process to complete registration to ensure a faster process. Please note, student information can be completed without payment.

If you are new to the district, please contact the Student Services office of the school your child should attend. 

For further registration information, please visit the Registration webpage.

This Week on #WorkforceWednesday: Meet the Co-Founder of Project Front Line
Alex LeMoine

Watch Devon's #WorkforceWednesday video here!

Devon Hubbard Tessmer, a 2001 Crystal Lake Central graduate, has co-founded Project Front Line McHenry County, a grassroots coronavirus relief effort with a mission to aid local restaurants and give back to workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 response. Tessmer and a committee of four other community members have raised nearly $45,000 towards the cause. 

After recognizing this area of need in the community, the Project Front Line team began collecting donations that have been put towards meals for healthcare workers all across the county. 

“The idea was to raise money from the community and deploy that money at local restaurants to bring a little bit of happiness, joy, a smile to the front line workers,” said Tessmer.

To date, the team has supported 35 to 40 local restaurants and delivered food to approximately 4,000 front line workers. Tessmer and her team aim to raise $50,000 by the end of the Illinois stay-at-home order. 

The project also collaborated with Crystal Lake Central art teacher, Kerry Parrish, who enlisted her art students to create thank you messages that appeared on hundreds of donations, and the deliveries aren’t done yet. 

“We’re hoping to do one last final push, where we deliver to all of the hospitals in the county and all of the employees,” she said. 

Aside from her career in business development at Exemplar, her family’s wealth management firm, Tessmer has always had a passion for philanthropy and giving back. 

“I grew up with the ethos that you give back to your community more than you take, so I was lucky to be raised in Crystal Lake,” she said.

D155 Summer Construction Projects Underway
Shannon Podzimek

With the unexpected transition to remote learning, District 155 summer construction kicked off early this school year. The accelerated schedule will allow for projects to be completed sooner, with time to “deep-clean” to ensure buildings will be ready prior to fall semester. The D155 Board of Education approved approximately 17 major projects across the district to maintain basic upkeep of facilities and improve the learning environment for students. The total approved budget for summer construction projects is $10,872,364. Renovations include cafeteria and auditorium remodels, air conditioning, stadium improvements, safety upgrades, and parking lot replacements. 

“The summer projects were approved in January by the Board of Education as part of the district’s long-term capital improvement projects, and align with our strategic plan to improve safety and enhance learning environments for all students and staff,” said Steve Olson, D155 Superintendent. 

District 155 will publish summer construction videos on its website, www.d155.org, as well as its social media platforms, to keep the taxpayers and community members updated on the progress of the projects.

 

Cary-Grove High School

  • Asbestos Abatement- Floor Mastic

  • Raise Fire Hydrant per Cary Fire Protection

  • Facilities Condition Assessment Work

Crystal Lake South High School

  • Asbestos Abatement- Floor Mastic

  • Facilities Condition Assessment Work

  • Auditorium Remodel 

 

Crystal Lake Central High School

  • Asbestos Abatement- Floor Mastic and Pipe Insulation

  • Facilities Condition Assessment Work

  • Cafeteria Remodel

  • Air Conditioning- Science Wing

  • Collaborative Learning Space

  • Parking Lot Replacements

Prairie Ridge High School

  • Facilities Condition Assessment Work

  • Fire Alarm 

  • Stadium Site Improvements 

 

District Office

  • Parking Lot Replacement

  • Facilities Condition Assessment Work