We are writing today to share an update on where we stand related to our proposed plans to create a Wraparound Center in downtown Waukegan. As you may all recall, we introduced the concept of a Waukegan Wraparound Center last spring, as part of our Transitions to Support Student Access plan. This week we hit a significant milestone in our plan.

The Board of Education for Waukegan Community Unit School District # 60 will meet in Special Closed Session meeting on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 6 pm in Room 120 at Lincoln Center, 1201 North Sheridan Road, Waukegan, IL, to discuss the Superintendent's evaluation. ​ This meeting will be held in Closed Session. No official Board action will be taken at this meeting. A brief open session with public comment will precede the closed session.

Cooke Magnet School is now accepting applications for parents wishing to enroll their children in the school for the fall.

Lyon Magnet Elementary School is now accepting applications for parents wishing to enroll their children in the school for the fall.

On March 21, 2023 the regularly-scheduled Student Achievement and Operation Services Committee meetings will be held beginning at 6 p.m in the Lincoln Center Board Room. No formal Board action will be taken during the meetings.

In recent weeks our District has seen several instances of middle school and high school students creating and/or sharing inappropriate, and sometimes illegal photos, videos or images for dissemination via email, text and on social media. In some instances these actions have resulted in law enforcement being contacted to conduct investigations.

Waukegan High School’s JROTC program remains one of the top programs in the nation following the results of the Bulldog Regiment’s recent formal inspection.

Waukegan Community Unit School District # 60 is asking stakeholders to share their input, as we work to create our fiscal year 2024 district budget. The District is seeking meaningful input concerning those areas in which stakeholders feel funds should be allocated to address needs for the upcoming fiscal year.

A regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 7 p.m. for Open Session, 5:30 p.m. for Closed Session. The meeting will be conducted in-person in the Lincoln Center Board Room, 1201 N. Sheridan Road. Closed Session will occur in Room 120.

Waukegan Community Unit School District # 60 was recently recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) with the prestigious “Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting” (CAFR), for its comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year ending in June 2021.

Families still have the chance to complete the 2022-23 statewide 5Essentials survey of school climate and learning conditions

Waukegan Public Schools has begun registering incoming kindergarten students for the 2023-2024 school year. Parents of children who will turn 5-years-old prior to September 1 can begin registering for the fall, depending on their current enrollments. See below for information on various timelines.

Last week our District publicly presented information related to middle of the year (MOY) student assessment data. As we’ve stated in the past,we feel it is very important that our stakeholders understand where our students stand academically. Today I am writing to bring attention to our MOY data, and ongoing initiatives meant to address our challenges.

Waukegan Community Unit School District #60 will host its second Parent to Parent Special Education Network meeting of the school year on Thursday, March 9, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Welcome Center, 742 W. Greenwood Ave. Parents should enter through the Chestnut Street doors across from the parking lot.

Waukegan High School’s Environmental Club is hosting a community-wide tree-planting initiative to help offset the environmental impact of the school's energy consumption.

A regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 7 p.m. for Open Session, 5:30 p.m. for Closed Session. The meeting will be conducted in-person in the Lincoln Center Board Room, 1201 N. Sheridan Road. Closed Session will occur in Room 120.

Students in grades 5, 8 and 11 will begin taking the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) March 1. The ISA aligns with our new Illinois Learning Standards in science. This assessment helps families understand how well students are performing academically and see whether they are on track to succeed in college. The ISA represents Illinois’ commitment to preparing all students for college and careers, including in the high-demand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The assessment also satisfies federal accountability requirements.

Waukegan High School’s Black Student Union will host poetic storyteller Oba William King for a special event open to the community on Monday, February 27. The show begins at 6 p.m. at the Trapp Auditorium in the WHS-Brookside Campus. Admission to the event is free. It will feature dancers, drumming, poetry, and interactive components with audience members.

On February 21, 2023 the regularly-scheduled Student Achievement and Operation Services Committee meetings will be held beginning at 6 p.m in the Lincoln Center Board Room. No formal Board action will be taken during the meetings.

Waukegan Public Schools will be open Thursday, February 16, and will operate under our normal bell schedules.

Washington Elementary School will host a Lake County Sectional Spelling Bee event on Wednesday, February 15. Eight students from Waukegan-area elementary and middle schools will compete for an opportunity to compete at the Lake County Spelling Bee Finals.

A regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at 7 p.m. for Open Session, 6 p.m. for Closed Session. The meeting will be conducted in-person in the Lincoln Center Board Room, 1201 N. Sheridan Road. Closed Session will occur in Room 120.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has honored Waukegan Public Schools’ PreK-5 Literacy Coordinator, Ms. Nicole Maki with a “Those Who Excel Award.” Ms. Maki is one of 490 educators across Illinois recognized by ISBE earlier this month. She was honored with an Award of Meritorious Service in Administrator category.

Our District needs your help in evaluating the effectiveness of various communications efforts. We have created a brief survey for parents, to share some of your experiences, preferences, and ideas related to communications. The data collected will help us refine our resources moving forward.

Waukegan Public Schools’ will host its next Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee (PTAC) at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 9, at the Welcome Center, 742 W. Greenwood Avenue, and also via Zoom. This meeting will discuss the new layout to the Parent/Student Handbook, changes to the Student Discipline Handbook and more.

Waukegan High School’s JROTC program will host its fourth annual Valentine’s for Veterans event later this month to support local veterans.

The Waukegan High School Theatre Department will debut its production of the play Harvey February 3 through February 5 in the Trapp Auditorium of the Waukegan High School Brookside Campus.

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 will host its annual District Wide Black History Celebration next month, as part of its observance of Black History Month. The theme of this year’s event is “Black Resistance.”

District 60 families and students will have the chance to share their views on how to improve their school by participating in the 2022-23 statewide 5Essentials survey of school climate and learning conditions. The survey can be accessed here.

Our District is teaming up with the Family Resource Center on Disabilities to host a virtual presentation this week to help our Diverse Learner families in their secondary transition planning.

Recently our District hosted a series of Strategic Planning Town Hall Meetings as part of our efforts to expand our Strategic Plan. We’d like to thank all of our families and staff who came out to share their thoughts during these events, as we received a lot of useful feedback that will help guide our future work.

Our Board of Education this week approved calendar recommendations for school years 2023-2024, 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. These recommendations were made by our District's Calendar Committee, which consists of more than a dozen staff members representing our bargaining units, as well as administration.

The Waukegan Community Unit School District # 60 Board of Education appointed Waukegan High School Sophomore Victor Hinojosa as its newest Student Board Member during its January 24 meeting.

A meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. for Open Session, 5 p.m. for Closed Session. The meeting will be conducted in-person in the Lincoln Center Board Room, 1201 N. Sheridan Road. Closed Session will occur in Room 120.

Waukegan Public Schools summer family field trips are returning! Our District’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Department has three trips planned for this summer for a variety of adventures. The Family Field Trip program is open to all WPS families. All three field trips will include free bus transportation to and from to the destination.

It is with great sadness that I write to you all today, on the heels of another senseless and tragic school shooting.

The Board of Education voted to approve the purchase of a 66-passenger yellow bus and two (2) 14-passenger activity buses. The buses will be used to shuttle between high school campuses, athletics, field trips and other transportation services as needed, at a cost of $147,500.

During the week of March 14, students in grades 5, 8, and 11 will participate in the Spring 2022 Illinois Science Assessment administration. The Illinois Science Assessment is given yearly to measure student proficiency in general science. The results of this assessment will provide information that district staff can use to inform appropriate curricular decisions.

As COVID-19 metrics continue to improve in Waukegan, Lake County and beyond, our school District will eventually begin to transition some of its COVID mitigation strategies. One potential change is our current requirement, which mandates that masks be worn inside all District 60 buildings. In advance of any change, we are seeking parent, student and staff feedback through a short survey.

A Special Closed Session Board Meeting to conduct individual interviews with the finalists for the Student Board Member position on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually in closed session.

The Board of Education voted to approve the Emergency Contract Amendment request from Preferred Meals effective January 1, 2022, and ending on June 30, 2022. The amendment's estimated value is $330,877 based on projected meals counts for the Spring 2022 semester. The request is necessitated by industry cost increases for food, packaging, labor and transportation for delivery of goods.

A Meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, January 11, 2021, at 7 p.m. for Open Session, 6 p.m. for Closed Session. The meeting will be conducted in-person in the Lincoln Center Board Room, 1201 N. Sheridan Road. Closed Session will occur in Room 120.

A Special Equity Workshop for the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. for Open Session. The meeting will be conducted in-person in the gymnasium of Whittier Elementary School, 901 N. Lewis Avenue.

We are inviting you to attend a virtual Finance Information Session where our District’s finance team will present an overview of the District’s strong financial condition, and answer questions that you might present on the subject. These remote meetings will take place on the following dates and times: