Summer break is coming to an end for students, and District 161 is prepared for the new year.
Members of the District 161 Board of Education met on Aug. 7 to discuss plans for the 2023-2024 school year. A focus of the special meeting was documenting progress through student metrics to ensure that efforts to improve learning have been successful. Superintendent Dana Smith highlighted some upcoming events at the Monday night meeting and considered changes to the student handbook.
The first day of school for District 161 students is Aug. 17.
The annual “Chalk the Walk” event will be between 4 and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 16. Community members are encouraged to decorate sidewalks for students returning to school. Chalk will be available for use at the Flossmoor Village Hall and schools that afternoon.
A back-to-school movie night is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 18. The event will be held at Flossmoor Park and will include activities, giveaways, and a movie in the park. The event begins at 6 p.m. The movie “Super Mario Bros.” will start playing at 8 p.m.
In other news, the district also approved the hiring of a new school psychologist. In recent years, labor shortages contributed to a vacancy. An additional full-time school psychologist is expected to provide students with more continuity.