Welcome Our New Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Joshua Swanner to our D39 family as our new Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Swanner is completing his seventh year as principal at Greeley Elementary School in Winnetka and has extensive experience as an administrator, teacher, and teacher leader. Prior to his principalship at Greeley, he served as Assistant Principal at The Skokie School (Grades 5-6) and as a middle/junior high school teacher in both Winnetka and St. Charles. Dr. Swanner brings to this position a passion for supporting student and staff learning, successful experiences with building strong and successful school communities, and a commitment to advancing effective curriculum and instruction. He was approved by the D39 Board of Education at Monday night’s meeting and will begin his work in D39 in August.
Information on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Classroom
District 39’s statement of inclusion articulates our commitment to a safe and equitable learning environment that fosters a mindset of empathy, respect, and belonging. Every classroom in our district comprises students who bring unique identities, cultures, beliefs and traditions, and it is imperative that they see themselves and their families reflected in their classroom and school.
Teachers and staff in D39 are committed to supporting students as they share their identities, beliefs and traditions with their classmates and strive to acknowledge the many traditions represented in our D39 community. This may include the use of literature, video, student sharing, or other activities to support student representation and understanding of one another. Please
visit our website for our complete District 39 Statement of Inclusion.
Board of Education Meeting
The Board of Education gathered on Monday night for its monthly business meeting. During this meeting, the Board heard committee reports and was presented with the district’s December 1 Child Count report. Agendas and materials for all Board of Education meetings
will be posted online the Friday prior to the meeting.
Parent Education Event
Make plans now to join us virtually via Zoom next Wednesday (May 8) at 11 am for our last Parent Education event of the academic year. This presentation, titled “Supporting School Transitions,” will give our families tips and information ahead of their child(ren) transitioning through their school career. There is not an in-person option for this presentation.
Register online to reserve your spot and
visit our D39 Parent Education website for our full schedule of events, registration links, and archived recordings.