School District 54 is getting ready to host its single largest event of the year – the annual Partners Club/Young Athletes track meet on May 17.

The event will begin with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. on the track behind Eisenhower Junior High  School, 800 W. Hassell Road in Hoffman Estates.

Events will take place until noon followed by lunch for all athletes, their partners and volunteers. The meet will be cancelled in case of inclement weather.

“The Young Athletes portion of the meet is going to be exciting. This is the biggest District 54 Young Athletes event held during the school year” said Lisa Liesz, District 54 Special Olympics, coordinator of Young Athletes. “The athletes have been training all year. There will be more than 1,000 District 54 students, staff and volunteers participating in this day.”

Partners Club is based at several District 54 schools and includes students with disabilities with their nondisabled peers. The purpose of the program is to combine athletes and their peers together to practice sports skills. However, Partners Club often accomplishes much more than that. A bond of respect is built between athlete and partner. The students participate in activities all year together,
including this track meet each spring.

The Young Athletes program is an innovative sports play program for children ages 2-7 with intellectual disabilities, designed to introduce them to the world of sports. The benefits of the program include improvement not only physically and cognitively but also and socially. This program also serves as an introduction for families to the resources and support available within Special Olympics. Nearly 800 students participate in this program throughout the district.

School District 54 and the Schaumburg Park District present a multicultural fair from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at the Community Recreation Center, 505 N. Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg. The event’s theme is A Garden of Diversity – Celebrating Our Community’s Cultures.

District 54 school groups will perform, as will professional groups hired by the Schaumburg Park District. Other activities will include multicultural crafts, a book walk, a puppet show, face painting, henna painting, balloon making, and other and games and activities for all ages.

When you’re tired of playing, sit down and sample food from around the world. Some of the food vendors will serve food from Japan, Italy, Mexico, China and other countries. One restaurant will even conduct a noodle-making demonstration.

For more information, please contact Julie Colgrove, director of the District 54 Department of Language and Culture, at (847) 357-5096.

The District 54 Sustainability Committee would like to share a reminder about this year’s Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. Businesses, governments, organizations and individuals around the world are asked to turn off their lights for one hour, to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions. Some famous participants will include Mount Rushmore, the Empire State Building, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Great Pyramids of Giza, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and Sydney’s Opera House. In 2011, Earth Hour became the biggest ever. A record 135 countries and territories joined the global display. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of one thing we all have in common – our planet.

Participation is easy. Join District 54 by flipping off your lights for an hour on Saturday, March 31 at 8:30 p.m. In District 54 we will turn off all exterior building lights in support of Earth Hour!

Join us and make the switch to a cleaner nation. Follow this link for more information about Earth Hour:  http://www.earthhour.org/.

School District 54, the Village of Schaumburg and the Schaumburg Township District Library will host a free multifaceted recycling event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at the District 54 Office, 524 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg. The following items will be recycled:

• Electronics:  Televisions, household batteries, small household appliances, microwaves, monitors, computers, keyboards, mice, radios, video cassette recorders, telephones, fax machines, UPS systems, and more.
• Document Destruction: Shred up to two boxes. Envelopes with windows, paper clips and staples are OK. No plastics, CD’s or plastic bags. All paper is recycled.
• Clothing, shoes, purses, belts, hats, back packs, towels, linens and other household textiles
• Automotive Batteries
• Holiday light strands, extension cords, copper wiring, computer wiring, phone wires, CAD V coaxial cable.
• Motor oil and antifreeze
• Bicycles, wheelchairs and sewing machines
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL)
• Cell phones and other wireless devices
• Eyeglasses
• American flags

Paint, gas, paint thinner and other hazardous waste will not be accepted. For more information, click to view the flyer online or call District 54’s director of business services, Darlene Russo, at (847) 357-5024.

Parents are invited to learn about District 54’s English Language Learners services for kindergarten students during an informational meeting from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 in the Keller Junior High School library, 820 Bode Road in Schaumburg.

Teachers and district office staff will be available to discuss various program options and placement for students. In addition, information will be available about the English Spanish dual language program at Enders-Salk, Hanover Highlands, Link and MacArthur elementary schools and the English Japanese dual language program atDooleyElementary School.

You must register your child for kindergarten at your neighborhood school before attending this meeting. You will not be able to register your child at this meeting. For more information about registration, visit our web site at http://sd54.org/registration.

Interpreters and babysitters will be available. For more information, please contact Julie Colgrove, director of the District 54 Department of Language and Culture, at (847) 357-5096.

School District 54 will host registration for its parent-paid preschool programs at Collins and Aldrin elementary schools on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012.

The District 54 Parent Paid Preschool Program serves children ages 3 to 5 who are progressing at a rate typical for their age. Classes are taught by state-certified, highly-qualified teachers. Preschool students have the opportunity to participate in schoolwide events and often partner with older classes.

The cost is $120 per month for two days a week; $180 per month for three days; and $300 per month for all five days. Parents can hold their child’s place by paying the first month’s tuition. Parents must also pay a one-time registration fee of $55 the first time they enroll their child in the program.

Collins

Collins is hosting its registration from 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. Collins is located at 407 S. Summit Drive in Schaumburg. Collins will offer morning classes only, which will meet from 8:45-11:15 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and from 8:45-11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Aldrin

Aldrin is hosting its registration from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9,2012. Aldrin is located at 617 Boxwood Drive in Schaumburg. Aldrin will offer morning and afternoon classes, which will meet from 8-10:30 a.m. or 11:45 a.m.-2:15 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and from 8-10:15 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m. on Wednesday.

There are also preschool programs available in District 54 for children with special needs or those who are not progressing at a rate anticipated for potential success in kindergarten due to one or more at-risk variables. For information about those programs, contact our early childhood department at (847) 357-5213.

School District 54 invited parents to its 13th Open Enrollment Fair on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. The fair provided parents with information on nine schools in our district:  Blackwell, Campanelli, Dooley, Enders-Salk, Hanover Highlands, Hoover, Lincoln Prairie, Link and MacArthur. Each of these schools houses a unique program and we anticipate a few openings at each site next year.

If you missed the fair, or even if you attended, you are still invited to visit the schools and view the programs in action. People interested in visiting a school and picking up an application can call each school for more information. The application deadline is March 1 for all schools.

Blackwell (developmental sign language):  (847) 357-5555

• 10-11:30 a.m. Jan. 30
• 1-2:30 p.m. Jan. 31

Campanelli (Mandarin Chinese immersion program):  (847) 357-5333

• Parent Information Meeting: 6-7 p.m. Feb. 1
• School Tours: 9-10 a.m. Feb. 6 and 9:30-10:30 a.m. Feb. 7

Dooley (English-Japanese dual language and early instrumental music):  (847) 357-6250

Dual Language:

• 9:30-10:30 a.m. Feb. 10
• 1-2 p.m. Feb. 21

Early Instrumental Music (Parents who wish to enroll theirchildren in the music program must attend one of these meetings):

• 7-8 p.m. Jan. 31
• 7-8 p.m. Feb. 9

Enders-Salk (English-Spanish dual language):  (847) 357-6400

• 9-10:30 a.m. Feb. 9
• 9-10:30 a.m. Feb. 10

Hanover Highlands (English-Spanish dual language):  (630) 736-4230

• 10 a.m. Feb. 3
• 1 p.m. Feb. 7

Hoover Math & Science Academy:  (847) 357-5800

• 9:30 a.m. Feb. 3
• 5:15 p.m. Feb. 8

Lincoln Prairie (multigrade and multiple intelligences):  (847) 357-5955

• 1:15-2:30 p.m. Feb. 3
• 1:15-2:30 p.m. Feb. 17

Link (English-Spanish dual language):  (847) 357-5300

• 9:30-10:30 a.m. Feb. 15
• 9:30-10:30 a.m. Feb. 17

MacArthur (English-Spanish dual language):  (847) 357-6650

• Parent Information Meeting: 6-7 p.m. Feb. 15
• School Tour: 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m. Jan. 31
• School Tour: 9-10:30 a.m. Feb. 17

School District 54 will hold kindergarten registration for the 2012-13 school year on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012. Registration will take place from 9-11 a.m., 1-2:30 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at all elementary schools. Parents should go to their neighborhood school to register their child, even if they are applying to attend a school other than their neighborhood school.

Only those children whose fifth birthday falls on or before Sept. 1, 2012, are eligible to enroll in kindergarten for the fall term, 2012.

The registration process takes about 30 minutes. Parents will fill out entrance materials, and will be given physical examination forms and general school information. More information and some of the registration forms can be found on our website at http://sd54.org/registration/.

Additionally, the parent or legal guardian must provide the following information to complete the enrollment process:

• Proof of immunizations
• Birth Certificate (original with seal). Official birth certificates are issued by the county clerk in the county in which the child was born. Hospital certificates are not acceptable.
• Proof of residence
• Phone numbers of people to be contacted in emergencies (neighbors, other family members and work numbers)

Any person asserting legal custody over a student, who is not the student’s parent or legal guardian, must complete the Nonparent Custody Form (available at time of registration).

Parents or guardians are required to pay a consumable materials fee by check or money order for each child to cover the cost of workbooks, paper, art supplies, and other items used by students. The cost is $50 for each kindergarten through eighth-grade student. The form is available in the registration packet and online.

District officials can better plan for kindergarten placements if they get most of the registrations on Feb. 23, so parents are urged to register their children for kindergarten on that date. For transportation/boundary questions: call (847) 357-5104. For general questions: call (847) 357-5087.

The Schaumburg Township Council of PTA’s is helping Heartland sponsor a blood drive on Tuesday, Feb. 14. It will be held from 1:30-7 p.m. in the boardroom at the School District 54 Administration Center, 524 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg.

Anyone between the ages of 17 and 75 who weighs at least 110 pounds can participate.

A minimum of 600 pints of blood is needed every day for patients in area hospitals, according to Heartland. The Council of PTA’s host blood drives each year to help meet these needs.

To make an appointment, you must visit www.heartlandbc.org and click on Schedule an Appointment.

For more information about this blood drive, please contact Heather Collier, Health and Safety Chairperson of the PTA Council, at (708) 951-4118.

District 54’s parent conferences will be held on Jan. 12 and 13. This is a great opportunity for your children to share their accomplishments. Your children may also share their personal, academic goals with you.

It is important that the teacher knows how an individual is doing in school, and it is important that parents are aware as well. However, it is most important that the child has a sense of how things are going and is involved in the goal-setting process.

If you have something you would like to discuss with the teacher without your child present, please make an appointment for another time. These conferences are designed to focus on the child and the child’s goals and accomplishments. The children enjoy sharing their world with their parents.

Junior high students will be dismissed at 10:40 a.m.; elementary students at 11:40 a.m. and Lincoln Prairie students at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday for conferences. No early childhood or kindergarten classes meet on Thursday, Jan. 12. No District 54 students at any grade level attend school on Friday, Jan. 13. Schools are also closed on Monday, Jan. 16 in observation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.