A regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 7 p.m. for Open Session, and 6 p.m. for Closed Session. The meeting will be conducted in person in the Educational Service Center Board Room, 214 Washington Street. Closed Session will occur in Room 112.

Our district is finalizing proposed calendars for the next three academic years. Before presenting them to the Board of Education for approval, we are seeking feedback on several key aspects of the calendars.

This is a reminder that our November Black Parent Network (BPN) meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 18, from 6 to 6:45 p.m. The meeting will be hybrid. You can join us in person at the Waukegan High School – Brookside Campus library or via Zoom, whichever works best for you.

Waukegan Public Schools will host a free meal distribution event for families during Thanksgiving Break on Wednesday, November 26 at the Waukegan High School - Brookside Campus, 2325 Brookside Avenue. Meals will be available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Families can pick up food by driving up to door 25, which is located at the back of the Brookside Campus. Families will be asked to stay in their cars, and students are not required to be present to pick up meals.

District 60 is excited to invite families to its next Parent University session, scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, at 6 p.m. on the District’s YouTube Channel. This session, led by members of the District’s College and Career Readiness department, will provide participants with an overview of the College & Career Readiness Platform, SchooLinks.

On Monday, November 10, 2025, the Board of Education will meet for its regular monthly micro meeting. The meeting will be conducted in open and closed sessions beginning at 6 p.m. at the Educational Service Center, 214 Washington Street. The open session will be held in the Board Room. The closed session will be in Room 112. The Board’s monthly Student Achievement and Operations Services committee meetings will follow the micro meeting at approximately 7 p.m. in the Board Room.

District 60’s K-8 theater program, the Waukegan Performing Arts Company (WAUK-PAC) will debut its next production,Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition, later this month. Nearly 70 Waukegan students representing seven elementary and four middle schools make up the cast and crew of the production.

District 60 is excited to invite families to its next Parent University session on Thursday, November 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Waukegan High School – Brookside Campus Library.

The Waukegan High School Theatre Department will debut its production of "Maricela de la Luz Lights the World" on November 14-16 in the Trapp Auditorium of the Waukegan High School-Brookside Campus.

The Waukegan High School Student Council invites all District 60 elementary students and their families to its annual Fall Festival event on Thursday, November 13, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the WHS- Washington Campus Cafeteria, 1011 Washington Street. Participants are asked to enter through door 28 off of Jackson Street.

A Special Meeting with Closed and Open Session of the Board of Education will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 112 at the Educational Service Center. Pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (16), the discussion will be held in Closed Session. The subject will be self-evaluation, practices and procedures, or professional ethics, and the meeting will be conducted by a representative of the IASB. The meeting will begin in open session in the Board Room and then move to closed session in Room 112. The meeting will adjourn from Room 112. No action will be taken during the open session.

Many of you may have seen or heard about today’s incident circulating online, showing federal immigration officials entering Warren Township High School in Gurnee to apprehend an external individual who ran into the building while fleeing ICE officials. Like many others, I am deeply disturbed by what we saw.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today released the annual Illinois School Report Card, which highlights how schools and districts across the state are progressing toward a wide range of educational goals. This year’s Report Card reflects data from the 2024-2025 school year. Stakeholders can view their district or school’s results by visiting www.illinoisreportcard.com.

It’s that time again! Our November Black Parent Network meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 18, from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. This meeting will be hybrid, so families can participate in person in the Waukegan High School – Brookside Campus Library or virtually via Zoom.

District 60’s Family and Community Engagement Department will continue its series of Parent University events this week with a special presentation covering District 60’s Promotion Policy.

District 60’s Bilingual & Multicultural Department, as part of its Parent University Academia 60, will host officer elections during its next Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting on Thursday, November 13, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will take place in the library of the Waukegan High School - Brookside Campus, 2325 Brookside Avenue.

As we conclude National Bullying Prevention Month, Waukegan Public Schools thanks our students, staff, and families for helping promote kindness, unity, and respect throughout October.

Waukegan Community Unit School # 60 will host Parent-Teacher Conferences on Wednesday, October 22, and Thursday, October 23.

On October 14, 2025, the Board of Education will meet for its regular monthly micro meeting. The meeting will be conducted in open and closed sessions beginning at 6 p.m. at the Educational Service Center, 214 Washington Street. The open session will be held in the Board Room. The closed session will be in Room 112. The Board’s monthly Student Achievement and Operations Services committee meetings will follow the micro meeting at approximately 7 p.m. in the Board Room.

Over the past week, we have seen an increased presence of immigration officials in Waukegan’s streets and neighborhoods, and I understand firsthand the fear and uncertainty this has created for our students, families, and staff. As a Latina and a member of this community, I understand the sadness and frustration many of you are feeling, and I share the concerns families have for the safety of their children and loved ones.

District 60’s Bilingual & Multicultural Department invites all EL families to join us for our upcoming Parent University Academia 60: BPAC Elections!

Last night, Waukegan Public Schools hosted a YouTube Live event to share an overview of the District’s financial health and the recently approved Fiscal Year 2026 budget. We appreciate the community members who joined us, and we want to make sure everyone has access to this important information.

This fall, students in grades 8 through 11 will participate in Pre-ACT testing. The Pre-ACT provides valuable insight into whether students are on track for college and career readiness, and it helps guide future planning and support. Freshmen will test on October 9. Eighth graders, sophomores, and juniors will test on October 16. All testing will take place at each student’s school campus. This will be the first year that eighth graders participate in the assessment.

This is a reminder about an important upcoming deadline related to student medical records and immunization requirements. The Illinois Department of Public Health requires certain immunizations and exams before students can attend school. In accordance with state law, students who do not have updated medical records on file or proof of an upcoming appointment can be excluded from school after Wednesday, October 15, 2025.

Across our community, we know that concerns around immigration enforcement have increased. We want to acknowledge the stress this may cause for many families, and reassure you that District 60 is closely monitoring developments while remaining firmly committed to keeping our schools safe, supportive, and welcoming for every student and family.

Waukegan Public Schools is kicking off National Bullying Prevention Month this October with a month full of activities, events, and learning opportunities to promote kindness, unity, and respect in our schools. This year’s theme is “Be Kind, Be Great, Be You!” To show our shared commitment, every student and staff member will receive a bracelet to wear throughout the month.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our two recent live information sessions on immigration-related topics. We are grateful to the Center for Immigrant Progress for partnering with us and providing such valuable information and resources to our community.

Waukegan Public Schools is partnering with the Center for Immigrant Progress to host the second part of our two-part virtual information series on important immigration-related topics tonight, September 29.

District 60 is partnering with the Waukegan Fire Department this fall to support our families with important fire safety resources and events.

We are committed to being transparent and keeping our community informed about the financial health of our district. Over the past several years, we have been intentional about taking steps to be fiscally prudent, strengthening our financial position, earning recognition for our practices, and achieving improved credit ratings thanks to the excellent work of our finance team.

District 60’s Family and Community Engagement Department will continue its series of Parent University events this week with a special presentation on helping middle school and high school parents prepare for next month’s Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Families can now use the Stopfinder app to securely track their child’s school bus in real time. Stopfinder is a free, easy-to-use mobile app that provides instant access to route information and helps improve communication about transportation.

Tickets are now available for the Waukegan Association of Music Partners’ (AMP) annual Pasta & Pops dinner, taking place on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

A regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 7 p.m. for Open Session, and 6 p.m. for Closed Session. The meeting will be conducted in person in the Educational Service Center Board Room, 214 Washington Street. Closed Session will occur in Room 112.

We are excited to remind you about the Yeoman Creek Community Solar Farm program. More than 400 Waukegan households have already applied to take part in this initiative.

Waukegan Public Schools is partnering with the Center for Immigrant Progress to host a two-part virtual information series focused on important immigration-related topics. Both sessions will be presented in Spanish and English at 6 p.m. on our District’s YouTube channel.

Rayeanne Nickerson, an Instructional Support Teacher at North Elementary, has been recognized as a Chicago Bears “Classroom Legend.” The program, in partnership with CDW, celebrates Chicago-area teachers who go above and beyond for their students.

***THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO A YET TO BE DETERMINED DATE*** A Special Meeting with Closed and Open Session of the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 112 at the Educational Service Center. Pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (16), the discussion will be held in Closed Session. The subject will be self-evaluation, practices and procedures, or professional ethics, and the meeting will be conducted by a representative of the IASB. The meeting will begin in open session in the Board Room and then move to closed session in Room 112. The meeting will adjourn from Room 112. No action will be taken during the open session.

The first day of the school year is just three weeks away! I hope you are all enjoying the final weeks of Summer Break. As families prepare to return to our schools, we wish to provide reminders of important back-to-school information. Please see below for useful information that we hope will answer many of your questions in advance of August 11.

The Illinois Department of Public Health requires a number of immunizations and exams before students can attend school in the State of Illinois. Below is a detailed list of those requirements and the grades affected by each prerequisite. Parents are asked to please plan for the 2025/2026 school year and begin scheduling these immunizations and exams soon. If missing any required immunizations or a physical, students may be subject to exclusion from school starting October 15.