In Community Unit School District 200, school is an experience that consists of academic and social activities with learning as the focal point for all students. We aspire to have our students maximize their academic, social and learning abilities through a robust experience that includes strong relationships, high expectations and participation in extracurricular activities.

The foundation of the student experience is rooted in strong relationships amongst staff and students. Our staff work hard to connect with students, showing that they truly care about their academic and social growth. In our spring School Connectedness Survey last year, 96% of CUSD 200 students identified that they are connected to school through a trusted educator.

A significant contributor to that connection are the opportunities available to our students to get involved in the many clubs, activities and athletics offered in our schools. Students at all levels have the chance to engage in high-interest extracurricular activities. Last school year, 76% of our high school students participated in a club, activity or sport, a 10% increase since 2019. This engagement strengthens student connections, allows for the application of social skills, and can serve as a motivator for students to regularly attend school.

Consistent attendance is essential for our students to reap the benefits of the total school experience. During the 2023-24 school year, CUSD 200 focused on increasing the percentage of students not chronically absent. Due to the great work of our educators and families, we increased our percentage of students not chronically absent by 3.4%. Students that attend school regularly have traditionally shown stronger achievement than those who do not.

When our students are connected to school through strong relationships, engagement in extracurricular activities with consistent attendance they have a great opportunity to flourish socially and academically. These three areas will continue to be a focus of CUSD 200 combined with a safe school environment and rigorous academic experience.

Join us at one of our town hall meetings to learn more about the November referendum that will modernize our middle schools and provide substantial tax relief in the bond and interest portion of your tax bill.

This past July, Community Unit School District 200 welcomed Alexis Hanson as the new Executive Director of Special Education. Mrs. Hanson has spent the last few months getting to know our district, programs, staff, and most recently students. 

In an effort to analyze strengths, needs, and areas for improvement within CUSD 200 special education, Mrs. Hanson will begin a series of engagement opportunities with a variety of stakeholders groups. These engagement opportunities related to special education services are intended to guide future items for the district’s work plan to allow for continuous improvement of services for our students with disabilities.

With this in mind, we are inviting any parents who have students that receive special education services to take a survey to share their experiences and perspectives. This survey is an important part of our efforts to gather valuable insights about CUSD 200’s special education services. Your feedback will play a crucial role in shaping the district’s work plan and driving continuous improvements in the services we provide to students with disabilities.

The Special Education Parent Survey will be open until September 27, and can be completed by clicking on one of the links below:

• Special Education Parent Survey - English

• Special Education Parent Survey - Espanol

• Special Education Parent Survey - اللغة العربية

• Special Education Parent Survey - ဗမာဘာသာစကား 

• Special Education Parent Survey - اردو زبان

In the coming weeks, Mrs. Hanson will also invite staff and parents from each CUSD 200 building to serve on a panel to provide further insights on their experiences with the special education services within the district.

Additionally, Mrs. Hanson will provide an update on the stakeholder feedback sessions at the October 23 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

We want to thank you in advance for taking this survey and sharing your valuable perspectives. Your input is essential in helping us better serve our students with disabilities and ensuring that our special education services meet the needs of all our students. Together, we can make a positive impact on the future of special education in CUSD 200.

The following students from Wheaton North have been named 2024-25 National Merit Semi-Finalists:

• Reagan Crosthwaite

• Johnathon Nelson

• Madeline Romaine

• Jacob Valentino

National Merit Semi-Finalists are the highest scoring entrants on the PSAT test, representing less than 1% of high school seniors nationwide. We want to congratulate these students, their parents, and their teachers for this wonderful academic achievement.

• Virtual Middle School Referendum Town Hall - September 23 at 6:30 p.m. Register by clicking here

• Middle School Referendum Town Hall & Tour - September 24 at 6:30 p.m. at Franklin Middle School

• Board of Education Committee of the Whole Meeting (State of the District) - September 25 at 7 p.m. at the School Service Center

• No School for Institute Day - September 27