U46Engage: The Newsletter

September 2021

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and the Dual Language Program

Hispanic Heritage Month is marked every year from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 in the United States, and it’s designed to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Schools in School District U-46 are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a variety of activities. 

In addition, the 2021-22 school year marks the expansion of the District’s award-winning Dual Language program into 12th grade. More than 12,000 students in PreK through 12th grade are now enrolled in the Dual Language program, a form of bilingual education in which students are taught literacy and academic content in two languages. It offers a unique opportunity for students to excel academically and learn a second language, and the program serves children who enter school as native Spanish speakers, children who come from homes where Spanish is spoken, and children who are native English speakers to learn another language as an enrichment activity.  

“We celebrate the idea that you don’t have to lose your first language to learn another,” said Griselda Pirtle, director of the District’s English Language Learners department. “ It’s important and beneficial to speak multiple languages.”

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U-46 Asks Students, Parents, and Staff to Share Their Experiences as Part of Equity Work

​School District U-46 is asking staff, parents, and students in 4th through 12th grades to take a survey on their experiences within U-46 as part of an equity audit to determine the extent to which the District is effectively serving all students. 

Other ways to participate include focus group conversations and one-on-one interviews.

“This is a comprehensive dive into all layers within our district,” said Dr. Teresa A. Lance, Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Innovation. “It will equip all of us with information to aggressively work toward eradicating inequities on paper and in practice and provide a blueprint for improving student outcomes for years to come.”

The online survey is now available and will be open until Oct. 5.  Parents and guardians can take the survey  here in English or  here in Spanish. Paper surveys are available at each school upon request. The survey will take roughly 20 to 30 minutes and responses will be kept confidential and anonymous.

Students will receive a link to the survey in their student account. They’ll be able to take the survey at home or during the school day. Links to all surveys are available on our   Equity Audit webpage.  

In addition, U-46 has declared Wednesday, Sept. 29 as “Survey Day” to encourage widespread participation. 

The audit will also include site visits to classrooms; focus group interviews with students, parents, and staff; one-to-one interviews with parents and staff; and data review of documents including board policies, curriculum guides, human resources data, state reports, and more. 

Don’t Miss a Chance to Run For U 46

The U-46 Educational Foundation is a charitable nonprofit organization that supports U-46 students, teachers, staff, and schools. Its mission is to enhance student learning and well-being, and its work is supported by generous donations from members of the U-46 community. 

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This fall, the Foundation is holding its first ever large fundraising event - the Run For U 46 on Saturday, Oct. 23 at Bartlett High School! This 5K run/walk is the start of a fun and fund-raising annual tradition.

You can be a part of history in the making by signing up to run at  runforu46.itsyourrace.com .  All are welcome, and more than 100 people have signed up to participate, including U-46 families, school clubs, staff members, and community members.  For more information about the Run for U 46 or the Foundation’s good work, email the U-46 Educational Foundation Coordinator, Dawn Curran at  dawncurran@u-46.org .

CAC’s October Meeting to Focus on Academic Teaming

​The Community Advisory Council’s next general meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7. The general meeting always includes a main presentation and October’s will be about academic teaming. 

As part of its post-pandemic response to learning, the Board of Education has made a five-year investment in academic teaming. In this model, teams of two to five students work toward a common academic goal with clear protocols for engaging in the standards-based academic work. Teams are interdependent with teachers serving as facilitators. 

The CAC meeting is being held virtually, and an interpreter will be present for our Spanish-speaking families. The link for members of the public to register and join the virtual meetings is https://bit.ly/CAC21-22

Important Dates This Fall and Winter

Students in U-46 will not have class on Friday, Sept. 24. It’s a Professional Development Day for U-46 staff. 

Offices are closed and there are no classes on Monday, Oct. 11 for Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day, and there are no classes for students on Friday, Oct. 22 for Professional Development.  

Students will be off Wednesday, Nov. 24, Thursday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 26 tied to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Finally, the last school day of 2021 is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 17. Students will be on winter recess from Monday, Dec. 20 through Monday, Jan. 3. 

A printable 2021-22 school year calendar can be found on the u-46.org website here under Our District. A calendar that has dates for various District meetings activities is available here.