District 88 shares important safety/security and academic updates

Safety/security updates

1. At District 88, the safety and well-being of our students and staff is our No. 1 priority. As part of that commitment to maintaining a protected environment, we are pleased to implement an added safety measure. Starting on April 7, security cameras will be installed in all District 88 school buses. Should a situation occur, video footage will be available for administrators and first responders to view as an extra layer of safety.
   
   
2. We also remind parents/guardians to make sure all contact information in our student information system, PowerSchool, is up to date. It is vital to have accurate names, phone numbers, e-mails, addresses, etc. to ensure we can reach you, should a situation occur. If any of your information needs to be updated in PowerSchool, contact your child's counselor.

Academic updates

1. At District 88, we are committed to providing multiple and flexible pathways for students to ensure they are college and career ready, and we continue to expand these opportunities. We offer a comprehensive curriculum, including credentialed career-based curricular tracks, more than 30 Advanced Placement (AP) courses and more than 50 Dual-Credit/Collegiate-Credit courses in 18 career pathway areas, along with award-winning fine arts programming.
   
   The first step to success in the classroom is making sure students are in school as much as possible, and we greatly appreciate the partnership and support of parents/guardians to ensure student attendance. According to https://www.schoolsthatlead.org/blog/how-attendance-affects-student-achievement, “Student achievement and attendance go hand in hand. Consistent attendance is not just about being physically present; it sets the stage for academic excellence, personal growth and long-term success. Students who attend school regularly acquire the knowledge, skills and habits necessary to succeed in life … Students who attend school consistently outperform their peers in core subjects like math, science and reading.”
   
   
   
   As part of this focus, we are pleased to launch a new attendance initiative. Starting in April, parents/guardians will receive a weekly e-mail on Mondays with an update regarding their child’s attendance (see an example template above). The message will include an individualized report for each student with the following details: 

   - Number of excused absences

   - Number of unexcused absences

   - Number of tardies

   - Truancy information

   The content will be sent in English or in Spanish (depending on the family’s listed preference in PowerSchool) and will be displayed in a user-friendly format. It will use a “green, yellow, red” design to show the data in an easy-to-follow layout, so parents/guardians can quickly see whether there’s a concern with their child’s attendance. There also will be links to information on how to help improve student attendance, as well as interventions for support.
   
   
2. We also want to share an update regarding student report cards. Currently, a hard copy of your child’s report card is mailed home each semester. Starting next semester (fall 2025), report cards will no longer be mailed home, unless families request this service during the registration process. As a reminder, up-to-date grades can be accessed any time online in PowerSchool. We encourage families to view grades online, as this is the most timely and accurate information.

For questions or more information regarding the topics above, contact District 88 Director of Community Relations Dani Brink at dbrink@dupage88.net or 630-530-3989. Thank you for your continued support of District 88.