Left; ELDC students enjoyed the warm fall temperatures for more outdoor fun. Right: Cortland 1st grade teacher Ahna Infelise unpacks her new classroom library.
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Celebrating the strength
and spirit that defines D428! |
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Greetings everyone!
As the colors of fall brighten our community and we settle into the rhythm of the school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on what we’ve accomplished together since August. The start of the 2025–2026 school year has been filled with energy, learning, and connection—reminding us of the strength and spirit that define DeKalb CUSD 428.
A Strong and Joyful Start
It has been inspiring to see our students return to classrooms eager to learn, and reconnect with teachers and friends. We welcomed new administrators, teachers and support staff to our district - thank you for joining us. Across every grade level, our staff continues to work hard to create welcoming spaces where students feel supported, engaged, and challenged. Whether it’s our kindergartners discovering new books, middle schoolers diving into hands-on learning, or high school seniors preparing for their next steps, there is a sense of pride and purpose throughout our district.
Excellence in Teaching and Learning
This fall, our educators have focused on strengthening instruction and deepening collaboration through professional learning communities. We continue to emphasize academic excellence, literacy, and college and career readiness, ensuring every student has opportunities to achieve success in the classroom and beyond. Our teachers’ dedication to continuous learning and innovation is what makes our district so strong.
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Community and Family Partnerships
We’ve hosted several school and community events this fall—open houses, curriculum nights, and family engagement activities—that brought families together to celebrate learning and connection. These moments remind us that education is truly a shared effort between home and school. Thank you to the parents, guardians, and community partners who continue to support our schools, volunteer their time, and share their voices.
Celebrating Student Success
Our students continue to make us proud. From academic competitions and performing arts showcases to athletic achievements and service projects, they represent the best of DeKalb. Their accomplishments reflect not only their hard work but also the care and encouragement of families, teachers, and staff who guide them each day.
Looking Ahead
As we move into the winter months, our focus remains clear—to ensure every student in DeKalb CUSD 428 feels seen, supported, and inspired to achieve their fullest potential. I am deeply grateful for your partnership, trust, and continued engagement as we build a stronger, more connected district together.
Thank you for being part of the DeKalb CUSD 428 family. May this season bring warmth, gratitude, and joy to you and your loved ones.
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With appreciation,
Dr. Minerva Garcia-Sanchez
Superintendent
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It's Parent/Teacher Conference Time! |
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Free Preschool Screenings begin Nov. 14. Sessions fill quickly so register today |
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Parent/Teacher conferences are approaching quickly and will be held on November 24 and 25 this year with Thanksgiving break following on November 26-27. Schools are signing up times now so please make sure you reserve your time as soon as possible. If you need help with signing up, please reach out to your student's teacher or the school's main office.
Parent-teacher conferences are a great opportunity to celebrate your child’s progress and discuss next steps for continued growth. We value our partnership with families and encourage parents and guardians to attend a scheduled conference to learn more about your child’s achievements and goals for the next quarter.
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Right: Ms. Dionisio and Mrs. Schweitzer’s 2nd graders at Cortland have some messy fun practicing math skills by discovering how many pumpkin seeds their pumpkins are hiding inside.
Left: ELDC students working with teacher Sarah Mack.
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| If you or someone you know has a child between the ages of three and five, call the ELDC to set up a free preschool screening today!
The screening features a play-based screening model with four to five children at a time, assisted by experienced early childhood learning educators.
Upcoming Screening Dates:
Friday, November 14
Friday, December 12
Friday, January 16
Thursday, February 25
Friday, February 26
Friday, April 10
Friday, May 8
Thursday, June 4
Call to schedule your screening!
815-754-2999
shannon.armstrong@d428.org
Early Learning Childhood Development Center Principal
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Thank you to Walmart Dekalb for their recent donations to help D428 students!.The generous donation of two bikes helped ensure getting to school on time and ready to learn wasn't an obstacle to success. It may be just a few bikes, but it helps put our students miles ahead!
And, who doesn't love a brand new box of crayons? Walmart donated more than 2,400 boxes of new crayons that were distributed to the Early Learning Development Center and the elementary schools.
D428 appreciates Walmart's partnership and dedication to
Top Right: D428 Director of Teaching & Learning Mr. Billy Hueramo, with Store Manager Alex (on left) and Asset Protection Team Lead Janet (on right).
Bottom left: A trunk full of crayons on Nov. 3 is ready to schools across the district!
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"A Teacher's Shoes" NIU documentary
features two D428 Educators |
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A new film project from Northern Illinois University's College of Education features two of its alumnae, who D428 is proud to have as educators in our classrooms. Ashley Manor, a special education math teacher at DeKalb High School, and Dominique Yackley, 5th-grade teacher at Founders Elementary, were chosen to take part in "A Teacher’s Shoes,” a compelling new short documentary that offers a powerful look at a single day in the life of three NIU alumni teachers. Also featured in the film is Grace DeSmedt of Oswego.
NIU shares, "The film follows their journey from home to the classroom and beyond, highlighting their dedication and the profound impact they make, allowing viewers to walk alongside these passionate educators as they navigate challenges, spark curiosity, and leave lasting imprints on their students and communities."
"A Teacher's Shoes" will be shown for the first time during an event that will also feature a panel discussion with the teachers on November 12 at the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center.
Congratulations to Ashley and Dominique for being part of this special project and for the excellence they bring to their classrooms and their students. We look forward to sharing the video with our D428 community following its debut!
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Join us in shaping the future of education in DeKalb |
| Facilities and Future Planning
This fall, we’ve also continued important work to strengthen our facilities and prepare for the future with a proactive strategic facility and programmatic VisionFOR28.
VisionFOR28 is an outline for a long-term plan to best meet the facility, curricular, and developmental needs of students in our district. Our goal is to ensure that every learning space is safe, welcoming, and designed for modern learning. These efforts align with our district’s strategic plan, which keeps us focused on long-term goals and equitable opportunities for every student and the facility plan for physical improvements and innovations to carry out our vision.
As we begin to explore we will:
• Define immediate pressing issues
• Outline a plan for addressing immediate issues
• Identify additional benefits to the plan
• Engage and encourage our internal and external community to participate in the planning process
• Determine cost considerations for the plan
• Provide a road map and general timeline for how the work can be accomplished by the fall of 2028
VisionFOR28 presents an exciting opportunity for our entire D428 community to work together to ensure the students of DeKalb continue to have access to the very best programs and facilities that set us apart and prepare our students to be successful in all levels of their lives. Stay tuned for more information and opportunities to join in this meaningful work.
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ParentSquare is primary tool for classrooms and district communications |
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All District and school building-level communications, including teacher classroom school-to-home communications will be sent through ParentSquare. ParentSquare provides a safe, efficient, and accessible way for the District and schools to communicate with families and staff. It also offers an improved interface and mobile-friendly delivery.
We encourage families to download the ParentSquare app and activate an account now to take full advantage of the many features available, including notification and language settings. However, downloading the app is not required to receive alerts and posts from the District and school buildings.
**An important reminder: Make sure your contact information is up to date in Skyward so you are receiving notifications and information from the District and your school(s). This is particularly important for critical or emergency notifications.
The ParentSquare app is available in iOS or Android stores. Downloading the mobile app is the easiest way to receive emergency alerts, posts, events, sign-up requests, photos and files, and more.
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Several points of progress noted in 2024-2025 Illinois Report Card
DeKalb CUSD 428 notes several points of progress as the Illinois State Board of Education releases this year's Illinois Report Card (IRC), a detailed look at student performance data from the 2024-2025 school year, which was release on October 30. IRC testing took place in the spring of 2025.
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| DeKalb High School Student Completes Eagle Scout Project for Mitchell Elementary
DeKalb High School senior and Brooks/Clinton Rosette alumnus Marcos Zaylik completed his Eagle Scout project this year. Inspired by his Honors Biology teacher, Mrs. Stoll, he chose to build a monarch butterfly garden. When it was announced that the mascot for the new Dr. Leroy A. Mitchell Elementary School would be the Monarch butterfly, Principal Maurice McDavid suggested that the garden be relocated to the grounds of the new school. Zaylik agreed, citing his belief that “both the garden and the school represent second chances.”
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Check out the District's Virtual Backpack page for information on a variety of community events, services, camps and more! You'll find a quick link to Virtual Backpack on the D428 website homepage.
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The 'For Parents' page is located on the homepage of District's website and includes several quick links to helpful resources such as the Parent/Student Handbook, Student Code of Conduct, Barb Food Mart, crisis resources, and more.
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Upcoming Dates to Remember |
November 8 - Final Community Superintendent Search Listening Session
November 24-25 - Parent/Teacher Conferences, No School
November 26-28 - Thanksgiving Break, No School
December 5 - Professional Learning Community (PLC) Day - Early Release
December 19 - Professional Learning Community (PLC) Day - Early Release
December 22-31 - Winter Break, No School
January 1-2 - Winter Break, No School
January 5 - Spring Semester Classes Begin
January 9 - Professional Learning Community (PLC) Day - Early Release
January 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, No School
January 23 - Professional Learning Community (PLC) Day - Early Release
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