ParentSquare

  • Cass63 Connections 10.8.2026

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, October 8, 2026 Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, As we head into an extended weekend with early release on Friday and no school on Monday, I encourage you to pause, recharge, and connect. In our fast-paced world, staying present is often a challenge. Earlier this summer, after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the number one golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, was asked how he maintains world-class consistency while managing the responsibilities of a young family. His simple answer resonated deeply with me: "Be where my feet are." When we focus entirely on what is directly in front of us, we become far more effective and can truly enjoy the moment. Being truly present where our feet are can minimize the distractions that often flood into our minds. How many times have you been asked a question by someone close to you and you look back at them with a blank stare realizing that you weren’t paying attention. I can honestly admit it happened to me just last night; sorry Keri! Being present is a valuable gift, not only to those around us, but to ourselves. Taking time to be truly present pays immediate dividends. Whether sharing a meal, enjoying outdoor time, or resting, giving our undivided attention builds stronger relationships and reduces stress. Let’s take full advantage of this extra time with family and friends. Wishing the entire Cass School District 63 community a safe, restful, and intentional long weekend! Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent Friday, October 9 is an early release day for school improvement. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. Additionally, there is no school on Monday, October 12 in honor of Columbus and Indigenous Peoples Day Seventh Grade Visits Springfield Our 7th Grade students visited Springfield, Illinois last Friday as part of their social studies curriculum. The day started off before dawn to travel to Springfield where students had the opportunity to see in person so much of what they have been learning about in class. This is a wonderful academic opportunity that students and staff look forward to each year. Please enjoy this video from the day. Concord Fun Run - October 9 The Fun Run at Concord Elementary is this Friday, October 9th! We are going to have a beautiful day, and the kids are getting excited! There is still time to sign up to volunteer, and we are accepting donations until October 16th. Parent Teacher Conferences Are Coming Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for November 23 and 24 and while that seems far away, sign-ups to schedule your conference will open at the end of October. Please keep your eye out for more information on how to sign up in upcoming Cass63 Connections. Front Row Seat Raffle CARE is raffling off front row seats to concerts throughout the school year at both Concord and Cass. The second-grade music program and Jazz Band & Advanced Ensemble night are the first events of the year, but you can purchase raffle tickets now for events throughout the school year. Don't miss out on your chance to win front row seats for your student's next event by visiting the CARE Shop now! Each week we will be highlighting our new staff members for the 2026-27 school year and this week, we would like to introduce you to Meredith Spiegel. Meredith is a special education teacher at Concord Elementary School. Before joining Concord she was a 3rd grade special education co-teacher. She has been enjoying getting to know her students and team this year. A fun fact about Meredith is that she has a twin sister. We are seeking a Special Services Student Driver. Qualified candidates must hold, or be willing to obtain, a bus driver license with proper qualifications. For more information or to apply, here is the application and information. Future Hornet Night Hinsdale South is hosting a series of future hornet nights for fall season sports that will give interested future students an opportunity to meet coaches and players. Registration is required so if you have a student interested in any of the following sports at Hinsdale South, please see the individual flyers for more information on these events: Boys & Girls Cross Country - NEW Date Lunch service has started and you can find the lunch menus here from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure that your child's account has sufficient funds available to purchase lunch each day. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Daisy Girl Scouts - A troop is forming for kindergarten girls at Concord Elementary. Please see the flyer for more information on how to sign your child up. Glenbard Parent Series: The Tension Between a "Never Enough" Mentality, Purpose and Student Well-Being Darien Lion's Club and Darien Park District Halloween Party American Music Institute Instrument Lessons Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. October 9, 2026 Early Release Day for School Improvement Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. October 12, 2026 No School - Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Oct 08 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 10.1.2026

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, October 1, 2026 Fostering Curiosity and a Growth Mindset Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, When students embrace intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset, challenges become stepping stones. There is nothing quite like seeing a student's curiosity lead to excitement about learning and even more so when that learning spills outside of the school day. Research from Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck shows that a growth mindset empowers children to view difficult tasks as exciting learning opportunities rather than obstacles to avoid; this fosters a student’s intellectual curiosity. When we partner together to foster the love of learning, we empower every student to discover what they can accomplish when they dare to try. Intellectual curiosity in action As you’ll see later in this Cass63 Connections, Mrs. Pollitz’s Civics classes at Cass Junior High School put their election unit knowledge to the test in an interactive escape room, collaborating to solve clues, think critically, and finish together. Meanwhile, Concord Elementary celebrated Dot Week through hands-on STEM and art activities. Dot Week encourages students to take risks, try new things, and embrace unique talents, proving that it only takes one dot on a piece of paper to spark big ideas. These learning experiences directly reflect our D63 mission: "We will help our children achieve their maximum academic and emotional growth by providing a healthy and safe environment, fostering a love of learning, promoting kindness and respect, and valuing all who learn and work in our schools." Our partnership You can reinforce intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset at home by… praising effort. Focus on hard work, strategy, and perseverance rather than final scores. normalizing mistakes. Frame setbacks as essential steps in the learning process. asking open questions. Try asking, "What made you think hard today?" or "What new idea did you try?" Our partnership will increase each student’s curiosity, resiliency, and love of learning. Thanks for your continued support and partnership! Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent Want to learn more about a growth mindset? Visit this Stanford University site - https://ctl.stanford.edu/students/growth-mindset. Last Chance to Help Us Honor Our Veterans As Veterans Day approaches, we are writing to ask for help regarding a special letter writing project that will be completed in the seventh grade ELA classes. We would like to honor those of you who may have parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, other relatives, and even friends who are military veterans or on active duty. In fact, perhaps some of you are veterans, too! If you know of anyone who is a veteran or on active duty, please share the veteran's name and additional information on this Google Form. After this information is collected, all of our seventh grade students will be assigned at least one veteran and will write a personal letter of thanks to the individual for his or her service. Please complete the Google Form no later than Thursday, October 1, 2026. Thank you! Civics Classes Learn About Elections Mrs. Pollitz’s Civics classes put their knowledge to the test as part of their Election Unit! Each of her four classes participated in an exciting escape room, working together to solve clues, think critically, and make their way to the finish! Dot Week at Concord Last week Concord celebrated creativity with Dot Week! Dot Week is all about encouraging our students to be creative, take risks, try something new, and discover what they can do. We’re celebrating that everyone has their own unique talents and ideas, and there’s no “wrong” way to be creative! Throughout the week, students enjoyed STEM projects, art activities, and lots of creative fun as they learned that sometimes all it takes is one little dot to get started! Please enjoy these pictures from a fun week! Hinsdale South Step Up Night This past Wednesday our 8th grade Band students had the opportunity to reunite with Cass Alumni at the Hinsdale South Step Up Night. They were treated to a private rehearsal of the Hinsdale South Marching Band and then they got to take the field and play along with the High School students. Cass Junior High Cheerleading Tryouts October 5 & 7 Cass Junior High Cheerleading Tryouts are October 5 & 7. Please see this flyer for complete information. For questions, please contact Stacie Gray at agray@cassd63.org or Amy Gorzkowski at agorzkowski@cassd63.org. Cass Junior High is holding Girls Basketball tryouts on October 5th and 6th from 3:30-5:00 pm in the gym. If your child is interested, please have them sign up in the gym. A sports physical dated within one year of the start of tryouts must be on file to try out. Please contact Mr. Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions. Concord Elementary Picture Retakes - October 7 Picture retake day at Concord Elementary is October 7. If your child did not have their pictures taken on the first picture day, their picture will be taken on the retake day. To order photos, please go to Lifetouch using code EVTVFBN9D and order your pictures online. If your child already had their pictures taken but you would like retakes, please send your child to school on October 7 with the original photos to return to Lifetouch and the new photos will be provided to you after retakes are completed. Please contact the school office with questions. Each week we will be highlighting our new staff members for the 2026-27 school year and this week, we would like to introduce you to Maddie Ross. Maddie is the music teacher at Concord Elementary School. Maddie graduated in May with her degree in Music Education from Miami University of Ohio and just moved here from Georgia. She is excited to be here and is enjoying building relationships with the students and staff at Concord. We are seeking a Special Services Student Driver. Qualified candidates must hold, or be willing to obtain, a bus driver license with proper qualifications. For more information or to apply, here is the application and information. Concord Fun Run - October 9 Concord Fun Run is fast approaching on October 9th! This is a student-led fundraiser where all the money raised goes to support Cass District 63 enrichment activities like field trips, library books and events, and so much more! Be on the lookout for an email from "99 Pledges" to sign your student up and start fundraising! More details on the event and how to earn prizes can be found on this flyer. CARE is also looking for volunteers to help at the Fun Run. Please see this form to see open spots and to volunteer. Thank you. Spanish Club at Concord Spanish Club is coming to Concord! CARE has partnered with The Language Labs to offer Spanish classes this year beginning on October 22. Please see this flyer for more information and/or click here to register. Lunch service has started and you can find the lunch menus here from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure that your child's account has sufficient funds available to purchase lunch each day. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Daisy Girl Scouts - A troop is forming for kindergarten girls at Concord Elementary. Please see the flyer for more information on how to sign your child up. Glenbard Parent Series: Your Kid Belongs Here Glenbard Parent Series: What Today's Kids Need for Tomorrow's World of Work Gear Up Kids Resale Event Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. October 9, 2026 Early Release Day for School Improvement Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. October 12, 2026 No School - Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Oct 01 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 9.24.2026

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, September 24, 2026 Student Concussion Care & Recovery Pathway Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, At our September 22nd Board meeting, the Board of Education formally approved our Concussion Oversight Team and Athletic Emergency Action Plan, fully aligned with Board Policy 7:305. Prior to the Board meeting, our Concussion Oversight Team thoroughly reviewed our updated Athletic Emergency Action Plan and Concussion Protocol. This comprehensive framework adheres to Illinois state law (105 ILCS 5/22-80), CDC/IESA guidelines, and Board Policies 7:305 (Student Athlete Concussions and Head Injuries), 7:300 (Extracurricular Athletics), 4:170 (Safety), and 5:100 (Staff Development Program) and applies to head injuries either during the school day or in an after school activity/sport. What steps do we take when a head injury is suspected? We take the monitoring and resultant actions following a head injury with the utmost seriousness. If a coach, staff member, official, or parent suspects a student has sustained a concussion, staff immediately remove the student from activity and notify parents right away. Families receive official CDC HEADS UP and IDPH educational materials. Upon returning to school, our School Nurse performs daily morning check-ins to monitor symptoms and collaborates directly with teachers to implement tailored classroom accommodations. How do students safely return to learning and athletic competition? Recovery requires a carefully structured, two-phase progression. All students must first complete a four-step Return to Learn (RTL) protocol, remaining symptom-free for 24 hours at each step before managing a full academic workload. Once cleared in writing by a qualified medical provider, student-athletes begin a six-step Return to Play (RTP) physical progression, graduating from light aerobic exercise to full competitive play. How can families partner with us during recovery? Parents play a critical role in initial recovery by ensuring complete physical and cognitive rest at home, strictly limiting screens, reading, and TV. Families with a student-athlete must also submit the required IESA/IHSA Post-concussion Consent Form to the Building Principal, which will be provided if the need arises. The Concussion Oversight Team also created a concussion protocol summary that has additional information. When families, staff, medical partners, and leadership align around clear standards of care, the focus stays exactly where it belongs, on the child. Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent At the Board Meeting held on September 22, 2026, the Board approved the fiscal year 2027 budget, approved an Athletic Emergency Action Plan, and reviewed current enrollment numbers. Please read the Board Briefs for a complete overview of the meeting. Patriotic Assembly Concord held their annual Patriotic Assembly on September 11 in honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Students at Concord showed up in red white and blue and our 3rd grade students, led by music teacher Maddie Ross, put on a great concert to complete the day's events. Please enjoy these pictures from the day. Cass Junior High is holding Girls Basketball tryouts on October 5th and 6th from 3:30-5:00 pm in the gym. If your child is interested, please have them sign up in the gym. A sports physical dated within one year of the start of tryouts must be on file to try out. Please contact Mr. Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions. Concord Elementary Picture Retakes - October 7 Picture retake day at Concord Elementary is October 7. If your child did not have their pictures taken on the first picture day their picture will be taken on the retake day. To order photos, please go to Lifetouch using code EVTVFBN9D and order your pictures online. If your child already had their pictures taken but you would like retakes, please send your child to school on October 7 with the original photos to return to Lifetouch and the new photos will be provided to you after retakes are completed. Please contact the school office with questions. Help Us Honor Our Veterans As Veterans Day approaches, we are writing to ask for help regarding a special letter writing project that will be completed in the seventh grade ELA classes. We would like to honor those of you who may have parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, other relatives, and even friends who are military veterans or on active duty. In fact, perhaps some of you are veterans, too! If you know of anyone who is a veteran or on active duty, please share the veteran's name and additional information on this Google Form. After this information is collected, all of our seventh grade students will be assigned at least one veteran and will write a personal letter of thanks to the individual for his or her service. Please complete the Google Form no later than Thursday, October 1, 2026. Thank you! Each week we will be highlighting our new staff members for the 2026-27 school year and this week, we would like to introduce you to Sarah Mueller. Sarah is a speech-langauge pathologist at Concord Elementary School. Before joining Concord, she was in an early childhood only building and she is very excited to be integrated into an elementary school and team where she looks forward to helping students to become confident communicators. An interesting tidbit about her is that her dog, Quinn, is a Havapoo which is a mix of Havanese & Mini Poodle. We are seeking a Special Services Student Driver. Qualified candidates must hold, or be willing to obtain, a bus driver license with proper qualifications. For more information or to apply, here is the application and information. Concord Fun Run - October 9 Concord Fun Run is fast approaching on October 9th! This is a student-led fundraiser where all the money raised goes to support Cass District 63 enrichment activities like field trips, library books and events, and so much more! Be on the lookout for an email from "99 Pledges" to sign your student up and start fundraising! More details on the event and how to earn prizes can be found on the flyer. Spanish Club at Concord Spanish Club is coming to Concord! CARE has partnered with The Language Labs to offer Spanish classes this year beginning on October 22. Please see this flyer for more information and to register. Dine to Donate- September 29 This month's Dine to Donate is Wayback Burgers on 9/29! Save yourself from cooking dinner and let Wayback give 20% of what you purchase back to Cass District 63. Future Hornet Nights Hinsdale South is hosting a series of future hornet nights for fall season sports that will give interested future students an opportunity to meet coaches and players. Registration is required so if you have a student interested in any of the following sports at Hinsdale South, please see the individual flyers for more information on these events: Boys' and Girls' Cross Country Football Lunch service has started and you can find the lunch menus here from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure that your child's account has sufficient funds available to purchase lunch each day. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Glenbard Parent Series: A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness and Connection Glenbard Parent Series: Preparing Students with ADHD for Success Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. October 9, 2026 Early Release Day for School Improvement Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. October 12, 2026 No School - Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Sep 24 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 9.17.2026

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, September 17, 2026 Behind the Early Dismissal: Adult Learning Drives Student Growth Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, While our students were dismissed early on Friday, September 4th, our staff remained hard at work. This professional development time is vital to our district's continuous growth, and we deeply value every single second allotted to sharpen our instructional practices. We sincerely thank our Cass 63 families for adjusting your schedules to accommodate this early release. We recognize that schedule changes impact family routines, and your flexibility and ongoing partnership directly enable this crucial work. I wanted to provide a glimpse behind the curtains so to speak of what the afternoon looked like. At Concord Elementary educators launched their math curriculum alignment learning about the newly created Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Numeracy Plan, introducing foundational components that strengthen visual and conceptual math learning for our youngest students, and comparing and contrasting local and state assessments to better understand how we can strengthen our teaching and enhance student learning. At Cass Junior High the math department also engaged with the ISBE Numeracy Plan to begin the work of aligning and prioritizing our curriculum standards. All departments worked on curricular alignment and crafting targeted strategies focused on individual student academic success across all grade levels. As a district, we have the awesome responsibility and flexibility to create our own curriculum. While we have already done that work, reviewing and refining our curriculum is important to ensure we are providing an aligned sequence of learning throughout all of our grades. Analyzing the assessment data is also important as we look to identify any learning gaps that our students are demonstrating. Through this work, we are able to review and refine our curriculum, which will enhance the learning of every student. Educational leader Roland Barth captured this essential connection best: “I have yet to see a school where the learning curves of the adults were steep upward and those of the students were not. Teachers and students go hand in hand as learners or they don't go at all.” By continuing to prioritize our professional growth, we ensure our students receive the highest quality education possible. Thank you for moving forward with us as your students are the direct beneficiary of our staff’s hard work! Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent Social Emotional Student Screening Opt In As part of our multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), both Concord Elementary and Cass Junior High, with your permission, are conducting behavior and emotional screenings on students in 3rd through 8th grade. Cass Junior High students will complete their screening through MySAEBRS and Concord Elementary will complete their screening using the BASC-3 BESS Screener. This student data is very helpful in supporting the social-emotional needs of our students. In order for your child to complete the screening, you must opt your child in by giving your permission for them to participate. Please complete the appropriate consent form below to grant permission for your child: Cass Junior High Consent Form (due September 18) Concord Elementary Consent Form (due September 23) These assessment tools are commonly used in schools. The purpose is to be proactive and help us work with parents and students to address any concerns as we prepare your children for high school and life beyond their education here at school. In alignment with the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and district privacy standards, we want to ensure full transparency regarding this process. All responses are confidential and handled securely by our student support team. Results are never part of a student’s permanent academic record. You have the right to inspect the screening tool before participation. Finally, participation is voluntary. Please contact Principal Christine Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org or Principal Katie Doyle at cdoyle@cassd63.org with any questions. 8th Grade DC Trip Meeting September 21 The 8th grade class will be traveling to Washington, DC from May 18 to May 20, 2026. There will be a remote informational meeting through Google Meets on September 21, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. For those that can attend, here is the link to join the meeting or you may call 502-694-7372 using meeting ID 275 826 101#. Please contact Scott Kondraschow at skondraschow@cassd63.org for more information or if you have any questions. Cass Junior High Picture Retakes - September 22 Picture retake day at Cass Junior High is September 22. If your child did not have their picture taken on Orientation Day or if you would like your child to retake their picture, please be sure they are camera ready when they come to school on Tuesday. No orders are due at this time. An email will be sent to you at a later date with the proofs of your child's photo. Help Us Honor Our Veterans As Veterans Day approaches, we are writing to ask for help regarding a special letter writing project that will be completed in the seventh grade ELA classes. We would like to honor those of you who may have parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, other relatives, and even friends who are military veterans or on active duty. In fact, perhaps some of you are veterans, too! If you know of anyone who is a veteran or on active duty, please share the veteran's name and additional information on this Google Form. After this information is collected, all of our seventh grade students will be assigned at least one veteran and will write a personal letter of thanks to the individual for his or her service. Please complete the Google Form no later than Thursday, October 1, 2026. Thank you! Each week we will be highlighting our new staff members for the 2026-27 school year and this week, we would like to introduce you to Toni Lawson. Toni is a special education teacher at Concord Elementary School. Before joining Cass Junior High, she was a self-contained K-2 teacher in Oak Lawn/Hometown District 123. This is her fourth year in a self-contained classroom and she is excited get to know her new students and collaborate with her team. When not in the classroom she loves to travel and plan trips with her extended family. Concord Fun Run - October 9 Concord Fun Run coming soon on October 9th! This is a student-led fundraiser where all the money raised goes to support Cass District 63 enrichment activities like field trips, library books and events, and so much more! Be on the lookout for an email from "99 Pledges" to sign your student up and start fundraising. Cass Book Fair September 22-24 The Cass Junior High Scholastic Book Fair is coming September 22nd! Students can browse and shop during the school day. See the Scholastic homepage or flyer for more details. Parents - Please sign up to Volunteer at the only Cass Book Fair of the year! Spanish Club at Concord Spanish Club is coming to Concord! CARE has partnered with The Language Labs to offer Spanish classes this year beginning on October 22. Please see this flyer for more information and to register. Dine to Donate- September 29 This month's Dine to Donate is Wayback Burgers on 9/29! Save the date to save yourself from cooking dinner and let Wayback give 20% of what we spend back to Cass District 63. Lunch service has started and you can find the lunch menus here from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure that your child's account has sufficient funds available to purchase lunch each day. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Community Speaker Series - Dopamine Kids Daisy Girl Scouts - A troop is forming at Concord for kindergarten girls. Please see the flyer for more information. Glenbard Parent Series: How to Respond When Kids Say "I Hate Myself" Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. October 9, 2026 Early Release Day for School Improvement Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. October 12, 2026 No School - Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Sep 17 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 9.10.26

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, September 10, 2026 A little appreciation goes a long way Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, As our nation marks the 25th anniversary of September 11 tomorrow, I have been reflecting on the heroism, resilience, and unity that was on full display during the following days and months. The unity that our nation experienced during that timeframe was unforgettable. The appreciation for those who serve in heroic ways was on full display everywhere you looked. In Cass School District 63, we want to reinforce the importance of showing appreciation with our students. As the saying goes, a little appreciation goes a long way. To that end, I want to reinforce the ask in this Cass63 Connections to help us honor our veterans and provide valuable learning opportunities to our 7th graders. To connect history with personal appreciation, our seventh-grade ELA classes are launching a special Veterans Day letter writing project. Students will write personalized letters of thanks to veterans and active duty military personnel connected to our Cass 63 community. Here’s where you come into the equation…we want to honor the service members that you know by sharing our appreciation for their devotion, heroism, and sacrifice. If you have parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, extended family, or friends who are veterans or currently serving on active duty, or if you are a veteran yourself, we ask you to share their details with us. Please complete this brief Google Form with the veteran’s information no later than Thursday, October 1, 2026. Every seventh-grade student will be paired with at least one veteran to craft a meaningful, personal letter of thanks ahead of Veterans Day. Thank you for helping us inspire our students and honor our nation’s heroes. Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent Concord to Celebrate Dot Week September 14-18 Inspired by the book The Dot, STEM, Art, and Library will come together next week to provide a variety of hands-on learning activities that encourage creative thinking, problem-solving, exploration, and self-expression. Students will discover that even the smallest dot can be the beginning of something amazing! Please be sure to read this flyer to see how your child can further participate in the fun. 7th Grade Springfield Trip - Last Change to Register The 7th grade annual visit to Springfield is scheduled for Friday, October 2. This is a one-day trip that includes visits to many historic sites, including Abraham Lincoln’s home and the Illinois State Capital. This trip coincides with the 7th grade social studies curriculum. Registration closes on September 11. Please see this flyer for registration information and contact Christine Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org with any questions. Help Us Honor Our Veterans As Veterans Day approaches, we are writing to ask for help regarding a special letter writing project that will be completed in the seventh grade ELA classes. We would like to honor those of you who may have parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, other relatives, and even friends who are military veterans or on active duty. In fact, perhaps some of you are veterans, too! If you know of anyone who is a veteran or on active duty, please share the veteran's name and additional information on this Google Form. After this information is collected, all of our seventh grade students will be assigned at least one veteran and will write a personal letter of thanks to the individual for his or her service. Please complete the Google Form no later than Thursday, October 1, 2026. Thank you! Each week we will be highlighting our new staff members for the 2026-27 school year and this week, we would like to introduce you to Ryan Kuhlman. Ryan is the STEAM teacher at Cass Junior High. Before joining Cass Junior High, he was a teacher in the In School Suspension Classroom at Hinsdale South. He is excited to be a part of the Cass community and working with his new team! In addition to his responsibilities here, Ryan is also a high school soccer and baseball coach. Room Parent Sign Up September 14 Are you interested in being a Concord room parent? The sign up link will go out on Monday, September 14 at 9:00pm! This is a great opportunity to be in touch with the parents in your child’s classroom and attend all three room parties! Last Chance to Get Your Spirit Wear! Spirit wear will be on sale until this Saturday, September 12th. Orders will be delivered to the students via classroom teachers at the end of September. Cass Book Fair September 22-24 The Cass Junior High Scholastic Book Fair is coming September 22nd! Students can browse and shop during the school day. See the Scholastic homepage or flyer for more details. Parents - Please sign up to Volunteer at the only Cass Book Fair of the year! Dine to Donate- September 29 This month's Dine to Donate is Wayback Burgers on 9/29! Save the date to save yourself from cooking dinner and let Wayback give 20% of what we spend back to Cass District 63. Future Hornet Nights Hinsdale South is hosting a series of future hornet nights for fall season sports that will give interested future students an opportunity to meet coaches and players. Registration is required so if you have a student interested in any of the following sports at Hinsdale South, please see the individual flyers for more information on these events: Flag Football - September 12 Boys Soccer - September 16 Girls Swim & Dive - September 24 Girls Volleyball - September 24 Girls Tennis - September 28 Lunch service has started and you can find the lunch menus here from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure that your child's account has sufficient funds available to purchase lunch each day. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Glenbard Parent Series: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best NAMI DuPage: Managing Children's Mental Health Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. September 14, 2026 CARE Meeting - District Community Room, Cass Junior High Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Sep 10 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 9.3.26

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, September 3, 2026 Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, Cass School District 63 is committed to taking all reasonable measures to protect the safety of our students, personnel, and visitors. Furthermore, we are dedicated to safeguarding the environmental quality of our buildings and grounds. To achieve this balance, the District implements an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that prioritizes non-chemical pest management methods. Chemical pesticides are strictly considered a last resort and are only deployed when other preventive interventions have failed. When pesticide applications are deemed absolutely necessary, they are strictly regulated to minimize exposure. Pesticides will not be applied on the paved surfaces, playgrounds, or playing fields of any school serving grades K-8 during a school day when students are in attendance. Additionally, the application of any restricted use pesticides is prohibited on or within 500 feet of school property during normal school hours. We want to ensure you have the information you need regarding your child's environment. In accordance with the Illinois Structural Pest Control Act [225 ILCS 235/] and the Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act [415 ILCS 65/], parents, guardians, and district employees have the right to be notified prior to non-exempt pesticide applications on school grounds. If you would like to be added to our registry to receive advanced notification when non-exempt pesticides are applied, please click here. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to maintain safe, healthy schools. Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent Early Release September 4, 2026 Friday, September 4 is an early release day for school improvement. Concord will be released at 11:15 am and Cass at 12:00 pm. Changes to Bus Routes Begin Tuesday, September 8 Beginning on Tuesday, September 8, some of our bus routes will be adjusted. If your child takes a bus to or from school, please be sure to check your child's Skyward account to see if any changes were made to their stop and time. This will not affect all students so if your route and time are the same, all is well. Please contact your child's school office with any questions. Vision and Hearing Screening Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted during the month of September at both schools. Please review this information for dates, times and which students will be participating in the screenings. Please contact your child’s school office if you have any questions. 7th Grade Springfield Trip The 7th grade annual visit to Springfield is scheduled for Friday, October 2. This is a one-day trip that includes visits to many historic sites, including Abraham Lincoln’s home and the Illinois State Capital. This trip coincides with the 7th grade social studies curriculum. Please see this flyer for registration information and contact Christine Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org with any questions. Help Us Honor Our Veterans As Veterans Day approaches, we are writing to ask for help regarding a special letter writing project that will be completed in the seventh grade ELA classes. We would like to honor those of you who may have parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, other relatives, and even friends who are military veterans or on active duty. In fact, perhaps some of you are veterans, too! If you know of anyone who is a veteran or on active duty, please share the veteran's name and additional information on this Google Form. After this information is collected, all of our seventh grade students will be assigned at least one veteran and will write a personal letter of thanks to the individual for his or her service. Please complete the Google Form no later than Thursday, October 1, 2026. Thank you! Golf team tryouts are scheduled for September 9 and 10 from 3:30-5:00 pm. Students are only required to attend tryouts on one of the days, but may attend both if they wish. A sports physical dated within one year of the start of tryouts must be on file to try out. Please contact Mr. Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions. Each week we will be highlighting our new staff members for the 2026-27 school year and this week, we would like to introduce you to Katelyn Finley. Katelyn is a teacher assistant at Cass Junior High and she just finished earning her Bachelors in Psychology. She is very excited to be here and is especially excited to help students learn to advocate for themselves and help them have a successful school year. Outside of work she loves birding and creating art! Show Your Cass Pride! Spirit wear will be on sale from now until September 12th. Orders will be delivered to the students via classroom teachers at the end of September. Lunch service has started and you can find the lunch menus here from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure that your child's account has sufficient funds available to purchase lunch each day. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Glenbard Parent Series: Understanding Adolescence Indian Prairie Public Library (IPPL) Back to School Information Darien Garden Club Creatures of the Night event Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. September 4, 2026 Early Dismissal - Concord 11:15 am/Cass 12:00 pm September 7, 2026 No School - Labor Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Sep 03 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 8.27.26

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, August 27, 2026 Finding Our Rhythm: Building Habits, Independence, and Self-Advocacy Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, Six school days into the 2026–27 school year, Cass School District 63 is off to a strong start. Thank you for everything that you are doing at home to help make that a reality! As we move from the excitement of opening week into predictable weekly rhythms, aligning our routines and expectations creates the foundation for every student to succeed. When school and home speak with unified expectations, our students feel secure, motivated, and empowered. This shared commitment brings our leadership vision to life: "One Voice. Endless Possibilities." Your support in reinforcing our desire for sustainable habits, independence, and self-advocacy with your student(s) is truly appreciated. Building Sustainable Habits Transitioning from summer flexibility to school-year structure requires intention. Establishing fixed sleep schedules, designated study times, and structured screen-time limits directly improves student focus, emotional well-being, and daily engagement. Scaffolding Independence Growth occurs when students take ownership of their responsibilities. Parents, you play an essential role by guiding routines at home while empowering students to manage homework, organize their backpacks, and navigate their daily tasks independently. Developing Early Self-Advocacy We are actively teaching students to reach out the moment they feel confused or overwhelmed. Knowing who to contact, whether classroom teachers, counselors, or trusted peers, ensures support happens early, long before a challenge turns into something bigger. Small daily habits established today lead to confidence and academic joy tomorrow. Thank you for your continued partnership and ongoing support in making this school year extraordinary. Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent Directory Spot Rollout We are in the process of rolling out Directory Spot for the 2026-27 school year. We hope to have it complete by early next week and once it it is, you will receive an email from DirectorySpot. If you already have an account, there is nothing you need to do as your account will remain active. If you do not yet have an account, please follow the steps in the email to gain access to DirectorySpot. Please reach out to Gayle Wilson at gwilson@cassd63.org with any questions. Vision and Hearing Screening Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted during the month of September at both schools. Please review this information for dates, times and which students will be participating in the screenings. Please contact your child’s school office if you have any questions. 7th Grade Springfield Trip The 7th grade annual visit to Springfield is scheduled for Friday, October 2. This is a one-day trip that includes visits to many historic sites, including Abraham Lincoln’s home and the Illinois State Capital. This trip coincides with the 7th grade social studies curriculum. Please see this flyer for registration information and contact Christine Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org with any questions. Golf team tryouts are scheduled for September 9 and 10 from 3:30-5:00 pm. Students are only required to attend tryouts on one of the days, but may attend both if they wish. A sports physical dated within one year of the start of tryouts must be on file to try out. Please contact Mr. Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions. Each week we will be highlighting our new staff members for the 2026-27 school year and this week, we would like to introduce you to Cheryl Allaire. Cheryl is a teacher assistant at Concord Elementary. She comes to us from River Forest District 90 where she was an EL Specialist. Cheryl has taught EL for over 20 years at the K-12 and university levels, including teaching a semester at a university in China. She is very excited to be working with elementary students again and providing support to our teachers. We are lucky to have her. Welcome Cheryl! Preschool Screening - September 4, 2026 The first preschool screening of the 2026-27 school year is scheduled for September 4, 2026. Registration is required so please see this flyer for more information including how to register your child. Ice Cream Social - August 28 Let’s kick off the school year at CARE’s annual ice cream social at Concord Elementary School on the evening of Friday, August 28. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to enjoy a fun event with all D63 friends and families. We hope to see you there! Please note that students may not ride e-bikes at this event. Parents, want to help dish out the fun? Ice Cream Social Volunteers: CARE Back to School Ice Cream Social 2026. 8th grade parents, please save the date for a virtual informational meeting scheduled for September 21 at 6:30 p.m. This meeting is for 8th grade families interested in learning about the annual Washington, D.C. trip scheduled for May, 2027. A google meets link will be forwarded closer to the date of the meeting. Show Your Cass Pride! Spirit wear will be on sale from now until September 12th. Orders will be delivered to the students via classroom teachers at the end of September. Youth Admission to Hinsdale South Sporting Events Hinsdale South High School has asked us to share the following message regarding attendance at high school sporting events: All middle school students and younger children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult who purchased a ticket, or has a HS Boosters ticket/pass. This adult is expected to be present at the game for the entire time while the children are present. If there is no adult present for students younger than high school age, they will not be permitted in the stadium. Any children without adult supervision, and/or who cannot find their supervising adult, will be required to contact a parent/guardian and be picked up from the game immediately. Essentially, we need parents and guardians of non-high school aged students to accompany and supervise students at high school football games. This is for the safety of all, particularly the younger children in attendance. Lunch service has started and you can find the lunch menus here from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure that your child's account has sufficient funds available to purchase lunch each day. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Glenbard Parent Series: Born to Flourish Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. August 28, 2026 Ice Cream Social, Concord Elementary, 6:00-8:00 pm September 4, 2026 Early Dismissal - Concord 11:15 am/Cass 12:00 pm September 7, 2026 No School - Labor Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Aug 27 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 8.20.26

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, August 20, 2026 Keeping Our Student Data Secure Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, Welcome to the first day of school! Seeing our hallways filled with energy and enthusiasm is always the highlight of the year. Please don't forget to tag us with #CassD63Pride in your favorite first day of school picture posts as we celebrate this exciting morning together! You can also use this hashtag when posting throughout the year. As we launch into this new school year, keeping our students’ personal data secure is an area of top priority and focus for our district. Educational technology offers extraordinary learning opportunities, but ensuring strong digital privacy protects our students both inside and outside the classroom. Under the Illinois Student Online Privacy Protection Act (SOPPA), school districts and educational technology vendors must adhere to strict data protection standards. Protecting student data is not just a legal requirement; it is a fundamental duty to our families. Cass School District 63 systematically evaluates every digital tool, app, and platform before it reaches the classroom. We ensure our software partners sign binding data privacy agreements, promise never to sell or monetize student information, and employ strong security protocols. Transparency is key to our partnership with parents and stakeholders. You can review District 63 policies that guide this work and learn more about SOPPA, our current data privacy agreements, family rights, and our data breach notification process by visiting our Cass D63 Student Data and Privacy Page. Protecting our students online requires consistent collaboration across our entire school community. Together, as we align under our vision of One Voice. Endless Possibilities., we are ensuring our students can explore, learn, and grow safely in a digital world. Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent The Board of Education held its first meeting of the school year on Tuesday and welcomed our new staff to the District. In addition the Board reviewed the tentative fiscal year 2027 budget and set a public hearing for September 22 at 7:00 pm for the purpose of reviewing the proposed final FY27 budget. Please see the Board Briefs for more information about the meeting. Reporting a Student Absence One very important parent responsibility is to contact the school first thing in the morning when your child will be absent. This is important not only for safety, but also to limit the need for us to locate parents to find this information. To make this as easy as possible for you, parents can either call the attendance line and leave the necessary information, or send it via email, whichever works best for you prior to the start of the school day. For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org. For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org. For both calls and emails, please leave your child’s name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. Please note that should you email an absence, the email must come from a parent email that is included in Skyward. ParentSquare is the platform our District uses for communication with our families. Earlier today, we pushed out an invitation to all of our families who have not yet activated their ParentSquare account. Please take a moment to activate your account as it does offer additional opportunities to decide how you would like to receive your notifications, language preferences, along with some other helpful options. Should you have any questions, please reach out to Gayle Wilson at gwilson@cassd63.org. Concord Elementary Picture Day is Thursday, August 27. Order forms will be sent home with students. To purchase photos you must return a completed payment envelope with your child on picture day, or you may pre-order your pictures by going to mylifetouch.com, login to your account or continue as guest to enter the Picture Day ID: EVTJNRDGS. Please note that Lifetouch has a hard deadline of August 29 to purchase photos. Preschool Screening - September 4, 2026 The first preschool screening of the 2026-27 school year is scheduled for September 4, 2026. Registration is required so please see this flyer for more information including how to register your child. Ice Cream Social - August 28 Let’s kick off the school year at CARE’s annual ice cream social at Concord Elementary School on the evening of Friday, August 28. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to enjoy a fun event with all D63 friends and families. We hope to see you there! Please note that students may not ride e-bikes at this event. Parents, want to help dish out the fun? Ice Cream Social Volunteers: CARE Back to School Ice Cream Social 2026. 8th grade parents, please save the date for a virtual informational meeting scheduled for September 21 at 6:30 p.m. This meeting is for 8th grade families interested in learning about the annual Washington, D.C. trip scheduled for May, 2027. A google meets link will be forwarded closer to the date of the meeting. Elite Chess After School Program CARE has once again partnered with Elite Chess to offer an after school chess program for students in 2nd-4th grades. Please take a look at this flyer for more information or here to register. Show Your Cass Pride! Spirit wear will be on sale from now until September 12th. Orders will be delivered to the students via classroom teachers at the end of September. Important! You Must Stop for a School Bus! The new school year is a great time for a reminder of the need to stop for school buses. Simply put, the only time a vehicle is not required to stop for a bus with red flashing lights on is when both vehicles are on a four (or more) lane roadway and the bus is stopped in the opposite direction from which the driver is traveling. Any other time you must stop, even if on private property such as a parking lot. Violations will be reported immediately to the Darien Police Department. Disaster Relief Available The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued a disaster declaration for the excessive rainfall that struck the Chicagoland area July 2-4. This declaration allows homeowners, renters, businesses and certain nonprofit organizations to apply for low-interest loans to help cover losses not fully covered by insurance. Please go to this website for more information. Lunch service has started and you can find the lunch menus here from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure that your child's account has sufficient funds available to purchase lunch each day. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Glenbard Parent Series: Parenting Anxiety Glenbard Parent Series: Understand Addictive Triggers and Rewire Young Brains DYC Basketball Darien Knights Basketball Tryouts Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. August 24, 2026 First Day of Preschool August 28, 2026 Ice Cream Social, Concord Elementary, 6:00-8:00 pm September 4, 2026 Early Dismissal - Concord 11:15 am/Cass 12:00 pm September 7, 2026 No School - Labor Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Aug 20 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 8.13.26

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, August 13, 2026 Building Relationships - Teaming for Success - Inspiring Excellence Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, As we launch the 2026-2027 school year, our entire staff is filled with optimism, energy, and excitement. These opening days are vital as we focus on building meaningful relationships and strengthening our team to set every student up for success. Strong partnerships between home and school form the foundation of student achievement. When families and educators unite early, we build a supportive environment where every child feels secure, valued, and empowered to excel. Parent Student Orientation Day on Tuesday, August 18th is an essential first step in establishing these connection channels. Following orientation, our first day of school for Kindergarten through 8th grade on Thursday, August 20th marks our official launch into an inspiring year of learning and growth. Our Preschool students will begin their exciting journey on Monday, August 24th. Exceptional student outcomes require authentic teamwork. By uniting our district, families, and community around a shared mission, we live out our leadership commitment: One Voice. Endless Possibilities. Together, let's make this school year extraordinary. Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent Together, let's make 2026-2027 extraordinary! One Voice. Endless Possibilities. Parent-Student Orientation Day - August 18 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! Teachers will be in their classrooms throughout the scheduled time at both schools to meet their students and parents. Students at both schools are also welcome to drop off any supplies and put things in their lockers at Cass. Supply lists can be found under the Where can I find School Supply Lists dropdown on this page of the website. Also at Cass, students will have school pictures taken on Orientation Day. This includes 8th grade students, although there will also be formal 8th grade pictures taken later in the school year. Please just be aware that some classrooms will not be fully “student ready” just yet since kids don’t officially start until Thursday, so we appreciate your kindness and understanding. We look forward to welcoming all of our families at Orientation and cannot wait to have our kids back to school! 2026-27 Bus Routes For those families whose children will be utilizing district transportation, routes can be found in Skyward under Transportation. For the most part, routes will be released at the same time as schedules or class assignments, but no later than Orientation Day. If you don't see your child's bus route after Orientation Day, please contact your child's school office. Popsicles in the Park for Kindergarten Families On Saturday, August 15, CARE is hosting Popsicles in the Park for our incoming kindergarten students and families. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity for our newest families to meet and get to know each other before the start of the school year! Please click the link for more information and registration. Our school district partners with DirectorySpot, which is an app that houses a directory to help our families to connect. The online directory of families can be sorted by classroom or grade, and unless parents opt out, the directory will include names, addresses, emails and phone numbers for parents and students. If you plan to have your family information included in the 2026-27 directory, there is nothing you need to do. However, if you wish to exclude your family information from inclusion in the initial roll out of the directory, please review and complete this form no later than Friday, August 14, 2026. Student Drop Off and Pick Up Safety, Times, and Procedures We cannot emphasize enough the importance of safety as it relates to drop off and pick up procedures, which can be found at the bottom of the page under the link. The times and procedures are very important, particularly at Concord with the little ones. In the past, we have had concerns with parents leaving their children at school before 7:45 a.m. when staff supervision begins at Concord. Parents who leave their children unsupervised outside of the specified staffed hours of 7:45 to 3:00 may have their children added to the Ivy League Kids program and charged for that time. Of course we would rather not do that, so please plan accordingly with these times. Please contact us with any questions or concerns. 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 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. Cass Junior High Picture Day August 18 Cass Junior High will hold their picture day on Orientation Day, including our 8th grade students. There will be a more formal 8th grade picture day later in the school year, but all students need to have their pictures taken at the beginning of the school year. After pictures have been taken, Van Gogh photographers will send each family a secure link to your child's online gallery where you will be able to view and order photographs. Please contact the Cass Junior High office with questions. Preschool Screening - September 4, 2026 The first preschool screening of the 2026-27 school year is scheduled for September 4, 2026. Registration is required so please see this flyer for more information including how to register your child. 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. Ice Cream Social - August 28 Let’s kick off the school year at CARE’s annual ice cream social at Concord Elementary School on the evening of Friday, August 28. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to enjoy a fun event with all D63 friends and families. We hope to see you there! (Please note that students may not ride e-bikes at this event.) Elite Chess After School Program CARE has once again partnered with Elite Chess to offer an after school chess program for students in 2nd-4th grades. Please take a look at this flyer for more information and here to register. Show Your Cass Pride! Spirit wear will be on sale from now until September 12th. Orders will be delivered to the students via classroom teachers at the end of September. Fee Waiver and Free & Reduced Lunch Applications The Fee Waiver and Free & Reduced Lunch Applications for the 2026-27 school year are now available. Please be aware that if you are interested in applying for both fee waiver and free or reduced lunch, you will need to complete both applications. Once your applications are complete, please return them to the District Office with all required supporting documentation. Please contact Amy Underhill at aunderhill@cassd63.org with questions. Fee Waiver Application Free & Reduced Lunch Application Lunch service starts on the very first day of school and you can find the lunch menus here when they are available from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure to check to see if your child's account has sufficient funds available to start the school year. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Glenbard Parent Series: Start the School Year Strong DYC Volleyball Sokol Chicagoland Gymnastics Cub Scout Year Kick Off 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 August 28, 2026 Ice Cream Social, Concord Elementary, 6:00-8:00 pm September 4, 2026 Early Dismissal - Concord 11:15 am/Cass 12:00 pm September 7, 2026 No School - Labor Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Aug 13 2026

  • Cass63 Connections 8.6.26

    Cass63 Connections Thursday, August 6, 2026 The Power of Open Communication Dear Cass School District 63 Parents, Strong partnerships begin with clear, reliable, and compassionate communication. As we prepare for another outstanding school year across Cass School District 63, sharing our internal expectations of how we connect ensures every family, staff member, and student feels heard, supported, and truly valued. Communication is not just a routine task; it is the heart of our daily work. To ensure our entire district operates with clarity, consistency, and care, our team is committed to a simple standard: we will respond to any communication no later than 24 hours after receipt during our workweek, using at minimum the initial method you used to reach out. Please know that our goal is always to address your needs as quickly as possible. We will never intentionally wait 24 hours to reply. Our staff constantly balance daily responsibilities while prioritizing urgent student needs and emergency situations, but your peace of mind remains a priority. Beyond response times, we deeply value your active voice. We know that reaching out often comes from a place of care for your child, which is why we encourage your questions, welcome your feedback, and celebrate your advocacy for our schools. When you share your perspective, you help us reflect on our practice and consider refinement of our programs. Open, empathetic dialogue builds the trust necessary to help every learner reach their full potential. When we stay connected, extend grace to one another, and align our goals, we unlock incredible opportunities for our students. Guided by our leadership vision, "One Voice. Endless Possibilities.", we look forward to working together as a team for a seamless, responsive, and successful school year. If you have any questions about the start of our school year, don't hesitate to reach out to the respective building. We are here to help. Thank you for your ongoing partnership and dedication to our district! Dr. Travis L. McGuire, Superintendent Parent-Student Orientation Day - August 18 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! Teachers will be in their classrooms throughout the scheduled time at both schools to meet their students and parents. Students at both schools are also welcome to drop off any supplies and put things in their lockers at Cass. Also at Cass, students will have school pictures taken on Orientation Day. This includes 8th grade students, although there will also be formal 8th grade pictures taken later in the school year. Please just be aware that some classrooms will not be fully “student ready” just yet since kids don’t officially start until Thursday, so we appreciate your kindness and understanding. We look forward to welcoming all of our families at Orientation and cannot wait to have our kids back to school! Our school district partners with DirectorySpot, which is an app that houses a directory to help our families to connect. The online directory of families can be sorted by classroom or grade, and unless parents opt out, the directory will include names, addresses, emails and phone numbers for parents and students. If you plan to have your family information included in the 2026-27 directory, there is nothing you need to do. However, if you wish to exclude your family information from inclusion in the initial roll out of the directory, please review and complete this form no later than Friday, August 14, 2026. Congratulations Concord Students! Concord Elementary students showed up to read this summer and as a result, they won the Indian Prairie Public Library summer reading contest! We are so proud of our students who prioritized reading during their summers! Congratulations to all who participated. 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. Cass Junior High Picture Day August 18 Cass Junior High will hold their picture day on Orientation Day, including our 8th grade students. There will be a more formal 8th grade picture day later in the school year, but all students need to have their pictures taken at the beginning of the school year. Prior to Orientation Day, Cass families will receive an email from Van Gogh School Photographers with information on how to order your child's photos. Preschool Screening - September 4, 2026 The first preschool screening of the 2026-27 school year is scheduled for September 4, 2026. Registration is required so please see this flyer for more information including how to register your child. 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. Ice Cream Social - August 28 Let’s kick off the school year at CARE’s annual ice cream social at Concord Elementary School on the evening of Friday, August 28. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to enjoy a fun event with school friends and families. We hope to see you there! Popsicles in the Park for Kindergarten Families On Saturday, August 15, CARE is hosting Popsicles in the Park for our incoming kindergarten students and families. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity for our newest families to meet and get to know each other before the start of the school year! Please click the link for more information and registration. Elite Chess After School Program CARE has once again partnered with Elite Chess to offer an after school chess program for students in 2nd-4th grades. Please take a look at this flyer for more information and to register. Fee Waiver and Free & Reduced Lunch Applications The Fee Waiver and Free & Reduced Lunch Applications for the 2026-27 school year are now available. Please be aware that if you are interested in applying for both fee waiver and free or reduced lunch, you will need to complete both applications. Once your applications are complete, please return them to the District Office with all required supporting documentation. Please contact Amy Underhill at aunderhill@cassd63.org with questions. Fee Waiver Application Free & Reduced Lunch Application Lunch service starts on the very first day of school and you can find the lunch menus here when they are available from our partner Just A Dash Catering. Menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.25 and milk is $0.75. Please be sure to check to see if your child's account has sufficient funds available to start the school year. 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 activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families. Back to School Sales Tax Reduction Important Dates to Remember For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar. August 10, 2026 CARE Meeting - District Community Room, 7:00 pm August 18, 2026 Parent Student Orientation Day August 20, 2026 First Day of School (K-8) August 24, 2026 First Day of Preschool August 28, 2026 Ice Cream Social, Concord Elementary, 6:00-8:00 pm September 4, 2026 Early Dismissal - Concord 11:15 am/Cass 12:00 pm September 7, 2026 No School - Labor Day Cass School District 63 • 8502 Bailey Road • Darien, Illinois 60561 331-481-4000 • www.cassd63.org Follow us at

    Thursday, Aug 06 2026