Washington Grade School District #52

These first through fourth graders love their music! Fun night of spring concerts at WMS. Congratulations to music teacher, Mrs. Maston, and students for a job well done!

Congratulations to Lynn Isbell and Hannah Lambert as they were awarded a $1,000 mini-grant from the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance. This grant will be used to implement hands-on STEM activities focused on entrepreneurship and product development. As grant recipients, both educators will also be presenting their idea at the IDEAcon conference next year. Way to go, Lynn and Hannah!

Thank you to everyone who joined our final round of school tours yesterday! We’re excited to share that we’ve added a Virtual Community Night tomorrow, March 19, at 5:30 PM. Join us from the comfort of your home to learn more about the referendum and the need for a new Lincoln Grade School. To register, please fill out this form: http://bit.ly/4iO2TQw

Thank you to everyone who attended our last Community Night! Great discussions were had about the Lincoln Grade School Referendum. Couldn’t make it? Join us March 17 for our last round of daytime school tours. We have also added a virtual community night for next Wednesday, March 19, at 5:30. Register at www.d52success.com. Early Voting: You also have the opportunity to vote early this weekend at the Washington Township Building. Early voting hours are today from 9-6 and Saturday/Sunday from 9-3. Every vote counts towards our students’ future. Visit www.d52success.com for more details.

This is a reminder that our last Community Night to discuss the Lincoln Grade School Referendum is tonight at 5:30 at LGS! Come ask questions, learn about the future of our schools, take a tour of LGS, and share your thoughts. Let’s work together for D52 Success! Visit www.d52success.com for more details.

Great news! We have a limited number of full scholarships available for Camp Invention. Please fill out this Google Form by April 14th if you are interested in applying for a camp scholarship. https://forms.gle/DiZM18Uhq6Qovxd17 Don't miss out! The Camp Invention spring sale ends March 20th—sign up today and save $25! http://tiny.cc/hp3d001

Good Morning! This is a reminder to complete the parent 5 Essentials Survey by visiting https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/. We do need 20% of parents to complete it in order to get a parent report from the state, and we are currently at about 11%. Once completed, you can send the attached form to school with your child to be entered into a drawing for a gift card. All surveys must be completed by March 28. More information can be found in the attached letter. We greatly appreciate your input!

Early voting is near! Take part in early voting March 14-16 or March 21-23 at the Washington Township Building and cast your ballot ahead of Election Day! Early voting hours are on Fridays from 9-6 and Saturdays/Sundays from 9-3. Don’t wait! Take advantage of early voting and help shape the future of our schools and community. Visit www.d52success.com for more details.

Our final Community Night is almost here, and school tours are still available as well! Join us for Tours on March 11 or 17 and/or our last community night on March 13 at 5:30 PM to learn more about the Lincoln Grade School Referendum and how it impacts our students and community. Your questions, your voice, your vote! More details can be found at www.d52success.com.

Good Morning! The referendum committee is putting together a door to door campaign to share more information about the referendum. If you are willing to visit some houses of registered voters to pass out information and share about the referendum, please sign up using the form below. A few things: 1. You will be provided with information as well as talking points to help with the door-to-door initiative. 2. You will be able to select which houses you visit through an app. You will receive access to the app within the next couple of days, and you can select the houses you will cover. 3. You can visit the houses on your own timeline. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerwS5Idg1dEVwQm-I8wpuIJAfnZhMgG88z1MvDx2-t9TgN9w/viewform?usp=header Thank you for your help in this initiative!

District 52’s proposed traffic plan aims to prioritize safe commutes while being a good neighbor! Our updated traffic flow is designed to meet modern transportation needs, ensuring the safety of children and drivers during peak times. A description of what’s changing is below: -Improved pick-up & drop-off routines -Enhanced traffic flow for Lincoln Grade School and Washington Middle School -Reduced congestion on Main Street for a smoother commute Thank you for your input as we work together to keep our schools and community safe! Visit www.d52success.com for more details.

Check out the information the Washington Education Association has put together about the 6 candidates running for the 4 open seats on the D52 School Board. Please use the link below to click on each candidate's picture to access more information about them. Be sure to cast your vote on Tuesday, April 1. https://tinyurl.com/mpvyc3vf

Two Schools, One Campus By constructing the new Lincoln Grade School on the same grounds as Washington Middle School, we can unite our learners under one campus. This approach creates cost efficiencies, fosters collaboration, and streamlines daily operations ensuring a stronger, more cohesive community for our students, families, and staff. Some benefits of one campus are: -cost savings -shared resources -safe travel -connected learning Visit www.d52success.com for more details.

What Happens to the Current Lincoln Grade School? While no formal agreement is yet in place, Washington District 52 has held preliminary discussions with the Washington Park District regarding the potential sale of the current Lincoln Grade School—pending the outcome of the referendum. This possibility isn’t without precedent: the Park District has successfully occupied the former Washington Middle School for the past 20 years, demonstrating how a repurposed school building can continue to serve the community in a lower-use capacity. Some might wonder why a building no longer suitable for educating nearly 400 PreK–4th graders every day would work for the Park District. The answer lies in the fundamental differences between a full-time school’s needs—where all systems must be in continuous operation—and the Park District’s more flexible usage model. The lighter, more intermittent demands of recreational programs place far less wear and tear on a building, allowing the Park District to adapt and extend its life. It’s also important to point out that the Washington Park District has given their current facility a great second life, but that building is nearing the end of its usefulness for the Park District’s needs. Additionally, Lincoln Grade School’s location is advantageous for the Park District, positioning them near their largest park space, ball diamonds, tennis and pickleball courts, and their main maintenance facility. Moving operations there would increase efficiency and strengthen community offerings. In short, while Lincoln Grade School may no longer meet the intensive needs of a modern school, it can still serve an important role as a community asset under the Park District’s stewardship—much like the successful reuse of the former Washington Middle School on Spruce Street.

Good Afternoon, Please take a few minutes to complete the parent 5 Essentials Survey by visiting https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/. Once completed, you can send the attached form to school with your child to be entered into a drawing for a gift card. All surveys must be completed by March 28. More information can be found in the attached letter.

Want to see the current Lincoln Grade School for yourself? Join us for our first school tour tomorrow to understand the need for a new facility. Additional tours during the day will be offered on March 11 or 17. Register today and find out more on www.d52schools.com

We know that property taxes are an important concern for our community, and we want every taxpayer to feel confident about how their dollars are being used. District #52 is committed to full transparency, providing clear and detailed information about the financial impact of the referendum. Stay informed and make an informed decision! Visit www.d52success.com to learn more and plan on attending our next Community Night on March 13th at 5:30 p.m.

Happy National School Social Worker’s Week to one of the best. Thank you to Mrs. Maxheimer for everything she does for our students!

Welcome March! Please check out our LGS & WMS March Lunch Menus. March 3rd-7th we will be celebrating National School Breakfast Week during lunch, enjoy an awesome meal.

Did you know that Lincoln Grade School serves over 400 students daily, but its aging infrastructure presents significant challenges that impact student learning and safety? A few challenges include: -Original Construction from 1949 with the newest grade-level classrooms being over 50 years old which lack space and technology needed for modern learning -Lack of efficiency in daily operations & increased costs for upkeep and maintenance -Narrow hallways that create congestion and limit accessibility -ADA compliance concerns throughout the building require costly mitigation when upgrading -Health concerns with poor ventilation and air quality -Temperature swings of nearly 20 degrees due to inefficient HVAC systems Sign up for a tour of LGS held on Wednesday, March 5th and find out more details by visiting www.d52success.com.