Storm Recovery Helpful Information

Storm Recovery Dear Cass School District 63 Families, We truly hope that none of you were negatively impacted by the storms that occurred this past weekend. If however, you were, the City of Darien sent out helpful information on what to do if your home was impacted by the influx of rain and we wanted to pass it along to ensure you had this information at your fingertips. While this information is largely intended for Darien residents, our families not living within Darien boundaries may also find some helpful DuPage County related information should there be a need. We hope you have and will continue to enjoy your summer despite all the rain! Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent   Special Direct Connect from Mayor Marchese and the Darien City Council July 4, 2026, Storm The torrential rainfall on July 4 poured approximately 6 inches on Darien with roughly 2.4 inches in one hour. This storm caused numerous problems throughout the area. If your home was impacted by the storm, this information is important for you to read. The city recognizes the hardships some residents have faced following this rainfall. The city remains committed to supporting the community during this recovery. Once your home is safe and the electricity is turned off, the first thing to do is to contact your insurance company. The following link will take you to the Illinois Department of Insurance https://idoi.illinois.gov/consumers/disasters.html advising you what to do before, after and during a disaster. You can also review the department’s brochure here. A homeowner needs to identify how water entered your home. It primarily comes from sanitary sewer backup, sump pump failure, and/or overland flooding. 1.   SANITARY SEWER BACKUP- THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM IN DARIEN IS OWNED, OPERATED, AND MAINTAINED BY DUPAGE COUNTY. IF YOU EXPERIENCED SANITARY SEWER BACKUP, YOU NEED TO CONTACT DUPAGE COUNTY AT 630-964-7503. When a heavy rainfall causes the quantity of water to exceed the capacity of the DuPage County’s sewer system, pressure builds up in the system and water can back up into unprotected basements. The additional water in a sanitary system during a rain event comes from defective pipe joints, cracks in sanitary sewer pipes, and illegal residential connections of sump pump discharge into the sanitary sewer. 2.  COUNTY ROADS (OVERLAND FLOODING) – IF WATER ENTERED YOUR HOME FROM A PUBLIC STREET OWNED BY DUPAGE COUNTY (CASS AVE., 75TH STREET, and PLAINFIELD ROAD) you need to contact DuPage County at 630-407-6920. 3.   DARIEN OWNED ROADS & DETENTION BASINS (OVERLAND FLOODING) Concerns of storm water flooding should be reported to the Municipal Services-Public Works Division at 630-353-8105. After hours, concerns should be reported by calling 911. If overland flooding impacted your home, city staff will review your area for potential causes. City crews routinely inspect, maintain, and repair storm water infrastructure year round to insure the system is working properly. During heavy rains, some city streets in older neighborhoods were designed to temporarily detain water in the streets, until the city’s storm sewer system moves the water out of the neighborhood. If you need to dispose of damaged items, please contact the city’s waste hauler, LRS, at 844-633-3577. LRS allows one bulk item and 2 cubic yards of debris each week on your garbage day. The city will be providing 3 roll off dumpsters at the following locations for flood damaged items beginning July 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.  ·  City Hall (2) – 1702 Plainfield Road ·  Public Works (1) – 1042 S. Frontage Road Just a reminder, please don’t rely solely on social media information regarding this storm. If you have any questions, please contact Bryon Vana, City Administrator at 630-353-   Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at 

Tuesday, Jul 07 2026

Cass63 Connections 6.4.26

Cass63 Connections Thursday, June 4, 2026 Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, This is my last planned communication as your superintendent, and serving in this role has been my greatest pleasure. I love our community and am so grateful to have finished my education and leadership career in a school district that is absolutely focused on the things that matter most, including and especially our students. As hard as leaving the kids, teachers, staff, school board, and community is for me personally, it is helped by the fact that a great leader and human being is taking my place. Dr. Travis McGuire and I have been transitioning for the last six months, and the district could not be in better hands. We've accomplished many things together, and Dr. McGuire will take it from here and accomplish many more. On a personal note, I will miss all of the activity and so many people, but I won't be far away and there will be some district events and activities in my future. There are many people here that I consider friends for life, and I am blessed to have much to look forward to with my little grandkids, some fun travels, and maybe a little more sleep as well. Unless there is an important update to share before that time, Dr. McGuire plans to resume weekly communications on July 30. Please keep an eye out for important information, and details are provided below regarding the back to school schedule, parent-student orientation day, and the 2026-27 school year calendar. Again, thank you all. It has been an honor. Have a wonderful summer! Mark R. Cross, Superintendent   Welcome Dr. Travis McGuire On July 1, Dr. Travis McGuire will officially assume his role as the superintendent of Cass School District 63. Dr. McGuire brings 27 years of experience as a highly effective educator and school leader. He served for ten years as Superintendent of Schools for Hinckley-Big Rock Community Unit School District 429 and most recently has spent three years as Assistant Superintendent in Downers Grove Community High School District 99.   Dr. McGuire earned his Bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and both his Master’s and Doctorate in Education from Western Illinois University. In addition to his leadership roles in K–12 education, he currently serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Aurora University, where he teaches school finance. Congratulations and welcome, Dr. McGuire!   Thank You Superintendent Mark Cross Superintendent Mark Cross is retiring at the end of June, and CARE recently honored his time and achievements in Cass School District 63. "On behalf of CARE, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Mr. Cross for his dedicated service and leadership in our district. To honor the lasting impact he has made on our students, staff, and community, CARE has planted a tree in his honor—a living tribute that will continue to grow for years to come, just as his contributions have strengthened our schools." Thank you and enjoy retirement, Mr. Cross!   4th Grade Clap-Out On the last day of school, our 4th grade students were "clapped out" of Concord by staff, parents, and fellow students to wish them well as they head off to junior high. We know our incoming 5th grade students will do so well. Congratulations to the Cass Junior High School Class of 2030!   Cass Field Day Kickball Champs We had another successful field day kickball tournament at Cass Junior High. The winning team, the Shanghai Pickles comprised of all 7th grade students, went 3-0 to take the championship!   Save the Date! Parent-Student Orientation Day Our annual parent-student orientation day is scheduled on Tuesday, August 18. Please review the schedule for details and the suggested time your family should attend. This is an important day and we look forward to seeing you there!   Important Back to School Dates Following are some important dates and information to keep in mind for the start of the 2026-27 school year. Illinois has officially declared that the November 3 Election Day is not a state holiday, so school will be in session on this date. As originally planned for this scenario, winter break will now be extended by one day and students will not return to school after the break until Wednesday, January 6. All dates are included on the updated 2026-27 district calendar. July 30, 2026 - District back to school communications August 18, 2026 - Orientation Day August 20, 2026 - First day of school August 24, 2026 - First day for preschool students As always, the district calendar is the best place for the most up to date information as adjustments to the calendar are updated in real time, so please be sure to keep checking back or sync your calendar. Enjoy your summer!   2026-27 Ivy League Kids Registration For those interested in utilizing Ivy League Kids during the 2026-27 school year, please see this flyer for fees and registration information, or you can go directly to the Ivy League registration page. Please be sure to sign up as soon possible to help Ivy League Kids plan for the fall.   Important 2026-27 CARE Dates CARE is our district's parent organization, and your participation is very welcome! Following are some important CARE dates for the 2026-27 school year, and more events will be added. Additional dates are included and will be added on the district calendar page. August 10 - CARE Meeting August 15 - Popsicles in the Park (Incoming Kindergarten) August 28 - Annual Ice Cream Social September 14 - CARE Meeting October 5 - CARE Meeting October 9 - CARE Dash Fun Run November 9 - CARE Meeting December 7 - CARE Meeting January 11 - CARE Meeting February 8 - CARE Meeting March 8 - CARE Meeting March 19 - Family BINGO Night March 23 - McTeacher Night April 12 - CARE Meeting May 10 - CARE Meeting   Mark your calendars for fall sports start dates as some start before the first day of school. Please note that your child must have a current sports physical dated within 12 months of the first day of tryouts/practice. Boys and Girls Cross Country starts on August 10. Boys Baseball tryouts are August 17 and August 19. Girls Softball tryouts are August 19 and 20  Please be sure to review the links for each sport for more information.   Band Sign Up for Incoming 5th Graders If your incoming 5th grader is interested in joining band, please register here and once you have done so, please follow this link to Quinlan & Fabish where you can rent an instrument for your child. If you have any questions about band, please contact band teacher Daniel Murphy at dmurphy@cassd63.org.   Summer Band Camp August 10 - 13 Band Camp is coming to Cass Junior High Monday, August 10 through Thursday, August 13. Please be sure to review the schedule to know what time each instrument and age group should be in attendance. We hope your child can attend!   Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. August 18, 2026 Parent Student Orientation Day August 20, 2026 First Day of School (K-8) August 24, 2026 First Day of Preschool   Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at 

Thursday, Jun 04 2026

Cass63 Connections 5.28.26

Cass63 Connections Thursday, May 28, 2026 Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, One of the most joyous celebrations each year is our graduation ceremony at Cass Junior High School. Obviously, this isn't because graduating from 8th grade is going to be a crowning achievement for our students. In fact, it is quite the opposite, as we are mostly celebrating the foundation of their future learning not only in school, but in life. It all starts at Concord where they come to us as little ones in preschool or kindergarten. The growth they make from the very beginning through 4th grade is unbelievable. By the time they get through 8th grade at Cass, that foundation is complete. By this time, they are 75 percent of their way through their preparation for college when you consider those decisions are often made early in their senior year. None of this is to discredit what happens in high school because it's obviously very important, and yet none of that happens without the preparation they get right here in District 63. I'm a little biased, but I love our little district and what is provided to prepare our students for high school and beyond. This is a credit to our teachers and staff, but of course is also a partnership that happens with you as our parents. It's wonderful seeing our kids go on and do so well, which you can see more of in our Alumni Accolades below. It seems like those kids were just graduating from 8th grade as well! We're proud of all of our students, and we are grateful that you entrust them to our care. Without a doubt they are more than ready for high school and they're going to do very well. We will have a final Connections to wrap up the school year next week, as well as share more information about the start of the 2026-27 school year. I will also share a few thoughts one last time as your superintendent before retiring at the end of June. Thank you! Mark R. Cross, Superintendent   The last day of school is Friday, May 29 and it is an early release day. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at noon. Also, for our Ivy League families, a last reminder that there is no Ivy League Kids after school on Friday. The final Connections of the school year will be sent next week!   Congratulations Class of 2026! We could not be more proud of our Cass Junior High School Class of 2026! Please enjoy this brief video montage of the May 27 graduation ceremonies. Congratulations!   Cass Junior Recognition Night Each year, Cass Junior High celebrates students who have significant achievements in a variety of areas including art, music, extracurriculars, and of course academics. Students receiving an award are invited to attend recognition night with their families and it is wonderful to see our students recognized in so many different areas. Congratulations to all of the students honored!   5th Grade Outdoor Education Experience Our 5th grade students had an adventure at Irons Oaks in Olympia Fields on May 28. The kids had an awesome day with beautiful weather, while engaging in many activities. Thank you to our teachers and staff who take the day with them to make this outdoor learning experience happen.   Junior Chorus Spring Concert Our Junior Chorus put on their last show of the school year at their Spring Concert. Thank you to music teacher Kali Sheldon for guiding our students and helping them to give us such a fun and entertaining evening.   8th Grade Goes Bowling As their very last outing before graduation, our 8th grade students enjoyed a fun day of bowling this past Friday. So many of our class of 2026 have been together since at least kindergarten, and this is a great way for them to celebrate together before heading off to high school.   Concord Field Day The end of the year brings a lot of fun activities to our schools including Concord Field Day, which is a time honored tradition and is a great cap to a successful school year.   Color Explosion in 1st Grade 1st Grade students enjoyed a fun (and silly) tie-dye activity in conjunction with Color Explosion Day at Concord this week!   Band Sign Up for Incoming 5th Graders If your incoming 5th grader is interested in joining band, please register here and once you have done so, please follow this link to Quinlan & Fabish where you can rent an instrument for your child. If you have any questions about band, please contact band teacher Daniel Murphy at dmurphy@cassd63.org.   Summer Band Camp August 10 - 13 Band Camp is coming to Cass Junior High Monday, August 10 through Thursday, August 13. Please be sure to review the schedule to know what time each instrument and age group should be in attendance. We hope your child can attend!   Mark your calendars for fall sports start dates as some start before the first day of school. Please note that your child must have a current sports physical dated within 12 months of the first day of tryouts/practice. Boys and Girls Cross Country starts on August 10. Boys Baseball tryouts are August 17 and August 19. Girls Softball tryouts are August 19 and 20  Please be sure to review the links for each sport for more information.   Congratulations to Hinsdale South Class of 2026 graduates on earning organizational awards and/or scholarships: Leanne Jacob, Casey Johnson, Braeden Koperski, Alan Martinez, Jacob Borowski, Haylee Crumpler, Anna Wilcox, Jenna Alkhudari, Antonio Bosiljanov, Syed Ali, Sofiya Antonova, and Boston Desmond. Outstanding Senior Male Athlete was awarded to Wojciech Gilarski. Earning awards in academic excellence are Gerald Bauer, Jackson Bauer, Gracie Linarez, David O'Connor, and Teressa Jane Louis. Sofiya Antonova was recognized as a trilingual scholar. Finally, congratulations to Syed Ali and Gerald Bauer who are National Merit Commended. We are so very proud of our Cass alumni and wish them the best in their next steps!   Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. May 29* Last Day of School and Early Release Day Concord 11:15 a.m. Cass 12:00 p.m. *No Ivy League Kids after school on May 29 August 18, 2026 Parent Student Orientation Day August 20, 2026 First Day of School (K-8) August 24, 2026 First Day of Preschool   Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at 

Friday, May 29 2026

Cass63 Connections 5.21.26

Cass63 Connections Thursday, May 21, 2026 Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, It is hard to believe how quickly the school year is winding down, but the last day for kids is one week from tomorrow! This has just been a phenomenal school year on so many levels, and it is joyful seeing all of the end of year celebrations, field trips, and ceremonies, all while the kids get more excited about the summer ahead. Of course we have been getting ready for the 2026-27 school year, and that work continues throughout the summer for the administrators and office staff. This means making schedules, creating bus routes, and assigning students to classes and teachers, among many other things. However, we cannot accomplish these tasks for your child until registration is complete! All of the details and links are provided below. This is our first time registering with Skyward, and parents are telling us that it's very user friendly and smooth. However, you may have questions or issues, which is why we want you to get it done before the deadline that is coming up this Wednesday, May 27. It is that time of year, and we appreciate you getting this done. Please email the registration address below if you have any questions or need any assistance. Have a wonderful long holiday weekend with your families, and we will see the kids on Tuesday! Mark R. Cross, Superintendent   The deadline to register for the 2026-27 school year is quickly approaching. The deadline is next Wednesday, May 27. Please follow these step by step instructions on how to register and pay fees. Please note that transportation fees are only necessary for those who sign up for the bus. More questions and answers regarding registration are also available on our registration page. If you need assistance, please email cassd63registration@cassd63.org.   Track and Field Sectional and State Qualifiers Our track and field team competed at the IESA Sectional Meet last Saturday. We had many top 10 finishers and two state qualifiers. Olivia Moon will be competing at the state competition in discus and Zander Frascona will be competing in both the long jump and 110m hurdles. Thank you to coaches Scott Kondrashow, Danielle Hosman, and Taylor Latta on leading our athletes through a great season! Here is a complete list of our Cass athletes who cracked the top ten. Congratulations Warriors, and best of luck to Olivia and Zander at the IESA state meet this weekend!   8th Graders Visit Washington, D.C. This week our 8th grade students have been in either in Washington, DC or on local field trips enjoying learning outside the school walls. Here are some pictures from their adventures. Please keep checking back as more pictures may be added. The D.C. trip was phenomenal, and Principal Christine Marcinkewicz and her follow trip sponsors Scott Kondraschow, Jeff Grand, and Taylor Dazzo reporting that our 51 students attending were perfect on the trip and had an incredible learning experience, despite the extreme heat.   2026-27 Before and After Care Registration Due to preparation for the summer construction at Concord Elementary, there will be no Ivy League Kids after school on the Friday, May 29 early dismissal day. The last day for the after-school program will be on Thursday, May 28, but there will be Ivy League before school on Friday. For those interested in utilizing Ivy League Kids during the 2026-27 school year, please see this flyer for fees and registration information, or you can go directly to the Ivy League registration page.   At this month's meeting, President Lana Johnson and the Board of Education honored staff reaching milestone years of service, our champion boys soccer team and our 2026 retirees Jane York and Mark Cross. For more information on what the Board discussed at the meeting, please read the Board Briefs.   Rotary Club Donates Gifts of Literacy For the third year, the Rotary Club of Darien created and donated literacy bags to all of our preschool students. The bags included six books along with other literacy items to assist our youngest learners at the beginning of their learning journey. We truly appreciate the support of our Rotary Club and the difference they make in the community.   Last Chance! 8th Grade Graduation Seat Raffle Premium Seat raffle tickets are available! Don't miss out on a chance to win 8 seats in the first or second row at the 8th Grade Graduation ceremony. Four winners will be chosen! Visit the CARE Shop before May 22 for more info and to purchase raffle tickets.   8th Grade Graduation Photos This year, Cass Junior High has partnered with Van Gogh School Photographers to photograph the graduation ceremony. Please see this flyer with information on what to expect and how to access graduation photos if you wish to do so.   Summer Band Camp August 10 - 13 Band Camp is coming to Cass Junior High Monday, August 10 through Thursday, August 13. Please be sure to review the schedule to know what time each instrument and age group should be in attendance. We hope your child can attend!   Mark your calendars for fall sports start dates as some start before the first day of school. Please note that your child must have a current sports physical dated within 12 months of the first day of tryouts/practice. Boys and Girls Cross Country starts on August 10. Boys Baseball tryouts are August 17 and August 19. Girls Softball tryouts are August 19 and 20  Please be sure to review the links for each sport for more information.   Best of luck to Hinsdale South swim team members Nicho Ebreo and Affan Haque who qualified for the state Special Olympics!   Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Please note that no pork products are ever served in our schools. Even pepperoni and ham is made from turkey. Please contact us if have any questions.   Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. May 22 Last Day of Preschool May 25 Memorial Day - No School May 27 2026-27 Registration Closes 8th Grade Graduation 7:00 p.m. May 29* Last Day of School and Early Release Day Concord 11:15 a.m. Cass 12:00 p.m. *No Ivy League Kids After School on May 29   Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at 

Thursday, May 21 2026

Cass63 Connections 5.14.26

Cass63 Connections Thursday, May 14, 2026 Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, Congratulations to the Cass Warriors boys soccer team and Coach Megan Newton for bringing home the SDEAA Conference tournament championship this afternoon! Our Warriors finished undefeated with a 13-0 record, and fought hard in overtime against a much larger O'Neill Middle School to cap off a perfect season. The kids played so well as a team, fought hard, and always exercised incredible discipline while demonstrating great sportsmanship throughout the season. We couldn't be any more proud of them. Congratulations to our student-athletes, parents, and Coach Newton. Go Warriors! Speaking of sports, we have information below on tryouts for some of our fall sports. Some of the start dates are prior to the start of next school year. There is also information on our Cass Junior High Band Camp. So many opportunities for our kids! As a reminder to parents, we have an early release school improvement day tomorrow, and registration for next school year must be completed by May 27. Please let us know if you have any questions or need any assistance with this. Thank you! Mark R. Cross, Superintendent     Boys Soccer Finishes Perfect 13-0 Season The Cass Junior High boys soccer team went undefeated in the regular season with a final record of 10 wins and 0 losses. After winning two hard fought battles in the SDEAA Conference quarter and semifinals, Coach Megan Newton and the boys brought home the tournament championship in a hard fought, overtime thriller by a score of 2-1. Coach Megan Newton said, "The boys played every game with pride and great effort." The team finished with a perfect 13-0 season, and our kids represented our school and community so well. Congratulations, Coach Newton and the Warriors!   Online registration for the 2026-27 school year is available in Skyward and must be completed by Wednesday, May 27. Please follow these step by step instructions on how to register and pay fees. Please note that transportation fees are only necessary for those who sign up for the bus. More questions and answers regarding registration are also available on our registration page. If you need assistance, please email cassd63registration@cassd63.org.   Before and After Care Information Due to preparation for the summer construction at Concord Elementary, there will be no Ivy League Kids after school on the Friday, May 29 early dismissal day. The last day for the after-school program will be on Thursday, May 28, but there will be Ivy League before school on Friday. Information on registration for Ivy League Kids for the 2026-27 school year will be included in next week's Connections.   Art & Jazz Show 2026 The Art & Jazz show was held on April 30 and was a great success with many submissions of wonderful art from our students at Concord and Cass, coupled with great music from our Cass Junior High Jazz Band. Thank you to teachers Belle Marien, Madie Canong, and Daniel Murphy for all of their hard work in putting this event together for our students and families.   Don't Miss Cassapalooza on May 14! Cassapalooza is tonight (May 14) at Q Bar in Darien from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Several live bands and a few side performances will be included. This is an adults only event and here is the flyer for more information! Proceeds benefit CARE. We hope to see you there!   8th Grade Graduation Seat Raffle Premium Seat raffle tickets are available! Don't miss out on a chance to win 8 seats in the first or second row at the 8th Grade Graduation ceremony. Four winners will be chosen! Visit the CARE Shop before May 22 for more info and to purchase raffle tickets.   8th Grade Graduation Photos This year, Cass Junior High has partnered with Van Gogh School Photographers to photograph the graduation ceremony. Please see this flyer with information on what to expect and how to access graduation photos if you wish to do so.   Concord’s Annual Field Day will be held on Tuesday, May 26. Every student will be invited to participate in a variety of games and activities for either two hours in the morning or two hours in the afternoon. We are looking for parent volunteers from each grade level to help. If you are interested, please fill out this form. Please note that the date is subject to change based on weather, so be sure to include both an email address and a phone number on the form to be notified of any potential changes. Following is the schedule for the day: 8:05 a.m. AM Volunteer Meeting with Craig Damrow and Greg Kirchen 8:15-10:15 a.m. Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade Field Day 12:10 p.m. PM Volunteer Meeting with Craig Damrow and Greg Kirchen 12:20-2:20 p.m. Third Grade and Fourth Grade Field Day If you have any questions, feel free to email Mr. Craig Damrow or Mr. Greg Kirchen or you may call them at 331-481-4010.   Band Camp August 10-13, 2026 Band Camp is coming to Cass Junior High Monday, August 10 through Thursday, August 13. Please be sure to review the schedule to know what time each instrument and age group should be in attendance. We hope your child can attend!   Mark your calendars for fall sports start dates as some start before the first day of school. Please note that your child must have a current sports physical dated within 12 months of the first day of tryouts/practice. Boys and Girls Cross Country starts on August 10. Boys Baseball tryouts are August 17 and August 19. Girls Softball tryouts are August 19 and 20  Please be sure to review the links for each sport for more information.   Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Please note that no pork products are ever served in our schools. Even pepperoni and ham is made from turkey. Please contact us if have any questions.   Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. May 15 Early Release Day - School Improvement Concord 11:15 a.m. Cass 12:00 p.m. May 22 Last Day of Preschool May 25 Memorial Day - No School May 27 2026-27 Registration Closes 8th Grade Graduation 7:00 p.m. May 29* Last Day of School and Early Release Day Concord 11:15 a.m. Cass 12:00 p.m. *No Ivy League Kids After School on May 29   Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at 

Friday, May 15 2026

Cass63 Connections 5.7.26

Cass63 Connections Thursday, May 7, 2026 Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, Thank you all for your support of or teachers and staff during Teacher Appreciation Week! We truly appreciate the kindness and support shown by CARE and many of the rest of you as well. Speaking of CARE, the final meeting of our parent organization this school year will be held on Monday, May 11, at 7:00 p.m. at On Par at the Carriage Greens golf course. Any of you are welcome to join as the group makes final plans for next year! If you have interest in tutoring for your child over the summer, I would encourage you to take a look at the Summer Scholars tutoring program information provided below. This was founded and developed by our own D63 graduates, led by Sam Johnson, now a student at Indiana University. Many students and families from both our district and other area schools have taken advantage of the program and opportunity with these bright young students. Last but not least, Happy Mother's Day to all of the incredible moms among our parents and staff. You are your child's first and most important teacher. Happy Mother's Day! Mark R. Cross, Superintendent   Online registration for the 2026-27 school year is open in Skyward and must be completed by Wednesday, May 27. Please follow these step by step instructions on how to register and pay fees. Please note that transportation fees are only necessary for those who sign up for the bus. More questions and answers regarding registration are also available on our registration page. If you need assistance, please email cassd63registration@cassd63.org.   No Ivy League Kids on the Last Day Due to preparation for the summer construction at Concord Elementary, there will be no Ivy League Kids after school on the Friday, May 29 early dismissal day. The last day for the after-school program will be on Thursday, May 28, but there will be Ivy League before school on Friday. Thank you for your understanding!   Scholastic Bowl Ends Great Season! The Cass Scholastic Bowl team recently completed another great season. They came in second during the regular season and finished runner up at the conference tournament. This year, our team had a record number of 8th graders, and their deep knowledge helped propel us to great success. Thank you to Coach Jeff Grand and all the team members and their parents for making this season another good one. Go Warriors!   Student Council Celebrates Staff In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, members of the Cass Student Council walked around the school delivering treats to all of our staff. We are lucky to have such kind and thoughtful students in our schools!   8th Grade Graduation Photos This year, Cass Junior High has partnered with Van Gogh School Photographers to photograph the graduation ceremony. Please see this flyer with information on what to expect and how to access graduation photos if you wish to do so.   Concord’s Annual Field Day will be held on Tuesday, May 26. Every student will be invited to participate in a variety of games and activities for either two hours in the morning or two hours in the afternoon. We are looking for parent volunteers from each grade level to help. If you are interested, please fill out this form. Please note that the date is subject to change based on weather, so be sure to include both an email address and a phone number on the form to be notified of any potential changes. Following is the schedule for the day: 8:05 a.m. AM Volunteer Meeting with Craig Damrow and Greg Kirchen 8:15-10:15 a.m. Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade Field Day 12:10 p.m. PM Volunteer Meeting with Craig Damrow and Greg Kirchen 12:20-2:20 p.m. Third Grade and Fourth Grade Field Day If you have any questions, feel free to email Mr. Craig Damrow or Mr. Greg Kirchen or you may call them at 331-481-4010.   Don't Miss Cassapalooza on May 14! Cassapalooza is just around the corner! Purchase your tickets for a fun night out at QBar on May 14 from 6:00 - 11:00 p.m. There will be several live bands and side performances. This is an adults only event. Please check out the flyer for more information and we hope to see you there!   Free Summer Tutoring Program Available Summer Scholars is a free, nonprofit tutoring program providing one-on-one reading and literacy support to K-8 students this summer. Led by trained high school and college volunteers, sessions are held at the local library on a flexible schedule from June 22nd through July 21st and are completely free for families. Interested parents are invited to join our virtual information session on Sunday, May 17th to learn more, and can register their child now through June 5th at thesummerscholars.com. We are looking forward to a great summer of reading!   Graduation and 4th Grade Music Program Seats Front Row Seat raffle tickets are available! You can enter to win 4 front row seats for the 4th grade music program on May 21 or enter to win 8 first or second row seats for 8th Grade Graduation on May 27. Purchase tickets now at the CARE Shop.   Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Gracie Linarez for winning the gold medal and earning a perfect score for Fashion Apparel Display at the Family, Career and Community Leader of America's State Proficiency Event. Gracie earned the first perfect score at this event in Hinsdale South history!   Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Please note that no pork products are ever served in our schools. Even pepperoni and ham is made from turkey. Please contact us if have any questions.   Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or courtesy to interested families. Hinsdale South Girls Soccer Middle School Night NHRA Y.E.S. Program   Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. May 15 Early Release Day - School Improvement Concord 11:15 a.m. Cass 12:00 p.m. May 22 Last Day of Preschool May 25 Memorial Day - No School May 27 2026-27 Registration Closes 8th Grade Graduation 7:00 p.m. May 29* Last Day of School and Early Release Day Concord 11:15 a.m. Cass 12:00 p.m. *No Ivy League Kids After School on May 29   Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at 

Thursday, May 07 2026

2026-27 School Registration Due May 27

Online registration for the 2026-27 school year for Concord and Cass is is due in one week on May 27. Registration and payment of fees for next school year must be completed. Here are step by step instructions on how to register and complete fee payment. More questions and answers regarding registration are also available on our registration page. If you have any additional questions or need assistance, please contact us at cassd63registration@cassd63.org. Thank you!   Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at 

Saturday, May 02 2026

Cass63 Connections 4.30.26

Cass63 Connections Thursday, April 30, 2026 Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, I want to highlight two very different but important things. First and foremost, next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. In District 63, we celebrate our amazing teachers, as well as all of our 120 staff members who work at Concord Elementary and Cass Junior High Schools. We have the most incredible staff and caring group of educators here every day for your children. They are amazing people and I think our students, parents, and community are fortunate to have this child-centered staff here in our school district. If you want to help honor them, take a look at the link under "Thank You to our Teachers" if you would like to contribute towards their recognition. They will all appreciate it more than you know. The second thing I would like to bring to light in case you were unaware is that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I think this is so important to talk about. Most people are pretty open with their physical health, even when something is wrong or they are not okay, but there can be a stigma to talk about mental health. I believe the two should be no different and we want to be a school district and community that supports any of our children, parents, staff, or others who need help and support with mental health. One thing everyone should know is that they are never alone, and this is a community that will help and support each other. The first dropdown under our Healthy Kids, Safe Schools page is, "I need help. Who can I contact?" We are all here to support you, and certainly point you in the right direction for assistance and resources. There are also more resources and information provided under Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, and Crisis Support. Even if this doesn't affect you or your family directly at this moment, I would encourage you to do a little reading and research on mental health awareness. Not only will you learn more about how you can help and support others, but just like one's physical health can quickly change, you never know when your own family could be impacted. Take care, reach out to us if you need anything, and thank you all. Mark R. Cross, Superintendent   Online registration for the 2026-27 school year will open in Skyward on Friday, May 1. Please follow these step by step instructions on how to register and pay fees. More questions and answers regarding registration are also available on our registration page and if you need assistance, please email cassd63registration@cassd63.org. Aside from graduating 8th graders, if your child will not be returning for the 2026-27 school year, please complete this form. Registration and fee payment for next school year must be completed by Wednesday, May 27. Thank you!   Art & Jazz Show and Book Fair Tonight! The 5th Annual Art & Jazz Show, will be held on Thursday, April 30, from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Concord. This event showcases the artistic and musical talents of our students at both Concord and Cass, all while Family Night for the Book Fair is taking place. We hope to see you there!   Sign Up to Show Our Teachers Appreciation! Teacher Appreciation week is next week. Parents, there are a few items left so please sign up to donate and we will make the week extra special. Thank you!   8th Grade D.C. Trip Informational Meeting May 7 For parents of students going on the 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. on May 18 - 20, there is an informational meeting immediately following the choir concert on Thursday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Cass Junior High multipurpose room. Please contact Mr. Scott Kondraschow with questions at skondraschow@cassd63.org.   Concord’s Annual Field Day will be held on Tuesday, May 26. Every student will be invited to participate in a variety of games and activities for either two hours in the morning or two hours in the afternoon. We are looking for parent volunteers from each grade level to help. If you are interested, please fill out this form. Please note that the date is subject to change based on weather, so be sure to include both an email address and a phone number on the form to be notified of any potential changes. Following is the schedule for the day: 8:05 a.m. AM Volunteer Meeting with Craig Damrow and Greg Kirchen 8:15-10:15 a.m. Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade Field Day 12:10 p.m. PM Volunteer Meeting with Craig Damrow and Greg Kirchen 12:20-2:20 p.m. Third Grade and Fourth Grade Field Day If you have any questions, feel free to email Mr. Craig Damrow or Mr. Greg Kirchen or you may call them at 331-481-4010.   This week we want to highlight our teachers and staff in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. While we absolutely appreciate our outstanding teachers every single day, this gives us an opportunity to encourage you to reach out to not just teachers, but any staff members who have made a difference for your kids. We hope you join us in honoring our staff! Next week is also National School Nurse Day on May 6. We want to thank Concord Elementary nurse Katie Beringer and Cass Junior High nurse Amy Lesnicki for all they do each and every day to keep our students safe and healthy. Thank you!   Junior Chorus Spring Concert The Junior Chorus Spring Concert was held on April 23 and was a huge success. Thank you to music teacher Kali Sheldon for leading our talented chorus members through an outstanding performance!   McTeacher Night Success Thank you to everyone who participated in McTeacher Night (click for a fun video) this week! We appreciate all the staff who participated, and parents who brought their kids to join in on the fun. We raised over $1,600 for CARE. Thank you all!   E-Bike Ordinance Reminders As we are headed into warmer weather, we wanted to remind everyone that the Darien City Council approved an ordinance governing the operation of e-bikes. Please contact Deputy Chief Austin Jump at 630-353-8314 with any questions. Following is a summary of the rules, and these will be enforced on school property as well.   Step into the fun for Class of 2026 Warriors Final Victory 8th Grade Dance on Friday, May 15 at Chuck's Chateau Orleans. Tickets can be purchased in the CARE Shop. Tickets on are sale until May 3!   Free Summer Tutoring Program Available Summer Scholars is a free, nonprofit tutoring program providing one-on-one reading and literacy support to K-8 students this summer. Led by trained high school and college volunteers, sessions are held at the local library on a flexible schedule from June 22nd through July 21st and are completely free for families. Interested parents are invited to join our virtual information session on Sunday, May 17th to learn more, and can register their child now through June 5th at thesummerscholars.com. We are looking forward to a great summer of reading!   Don't Miss Cassapalooza on May 14! Cassapalooza is just around the corner! Purchase your tickets for a fun night for the grown ups at QBar on Thursday, May 14 from 6:00 - 11:00 p.m. This will include several live bands and a few side performances. This is an adults only event, check out the flyer for more information! Hope to see you there!   Front Row Seat raffle tickets are available for the spring choral concert and 4th grade music program. Four lucky winners will receive four front row seats! Purchase tickets now at the CARE Shop.   Our 8th grade boys are invited to 8th Grade Night on Friday, May 1 at the boys Hinsdale South Hornet Invite track meet. 8th grade boys are invited to participate in a 100m and/or 800m races. Please contact Coach Dickerson at jdickers@hinsdale86.org to register.   Congratulations to Rayyan Qureshi on taking 1st place in Materials Science and 7th place in Entomology, to Yacine Ouchen placing 5th in Protein Modeling, and to Shahmeer Ali for placing 10th in Code Craze at the recent state Science Olympiad. Congratulations to Hinsdale South Class of 2026 prom court members Davy O'Connor and Tristan Schroeder.   Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Please note that no pork products are ever served in our schools. Even pepperoni and ham is made from turkey. Please contact us if have any questions.   Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or courtesy to interested families. Glenbard Parent Series: Breaking Up with Screens and Unlocking Kids Potential Glenbard Parent Series: The Science of Wonder and Sensory Play to Help Kids Thrive   Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. April 30 5th Annual Art and Jazz Show 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. May 1 2026-27 Registration Opens May 15 Early Release Day - School Improvement Concord 11:15 a.m. Cass 12:00 p.m. May 22 Last Day of Preschool May 25 Memorial Day - No School May 27 2026-27 Registration Closes May 29 Last Day of School and Early Release Day Concord 11:15 a.m. Cass 12:00 p.m.   Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at 

Thursday, Apr 30 2026

Art & Jazz Show and Book Fair Tonight!

Our Cass School District 63 5th Annual Art & Jazz Show is tonight from 6:30-8:00pm at Concord Elementary. While at the show, be sure to stop into the Family Shopping Night at the Concord Book Fair. We hope to see everyone tonight!

Thursday, Apr 30 2026

McTeacher Night Tonight!

Our Cass School District 63 McTeacher Night is this afternoon and evening from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the McDonald's on Plainfield Road. CARE gets 100 percent of the cash donations for the apple pies and 20 percent of their regular sales if you mention the fundraiser. Come hangout with some of your favorite teachers and bring your family and friends!

Tuesday, Apr 28 2026