Dear Cook County School District 130 Community,

We were happy to welcome nearly 2,900 students back to our 12 schools last month. We are proud of all the hard work they have done so far, and we are grateful to our staff and parents/guardians – along with the entire community – for supporting our young learners and the schools. We cannot do what we do without a close partnership! In that spirit, as the new year gets underway, I would like to share some exciting examples of how Cook County School District 130 is working to provide a safe and supportive learning environment.

Safety/Security and Building Updates
As you know, the safety and security of students and staff are our most important priorities. Last year, a team of security industry experts and our own Safety Department completed an extensive assessment of our buildings. We have taken several steps based on their recommendations, and have also been addressing other safety, security, and building priorities. Here are updates on the work that was completed last school year and over the summer:

• Last March, the Board of Education approved the purchase of three Evolv Express weapons detection security scanners. The devices, which can detect questionable items in pockets, coats, and bags, were placed at the main entrances of our middle schools. We had successful practice runs with students prior to the end of the school year, and we utilized the devices for our graduation ceremonies. We fully rolled out the system on the first day of school and have been successfully using it in the three schools. This is one of many effective tools that will help us protect students and staff to the best of our ability.
• Last school year, we began to require clear backpacks, book bags, and bags. This was effective at enhancing student safety, and we are continuing the policy this year.
• Over the summer, we completed phase two of our Life Safety Project in Veterans Memorial Middle School. Since 2023, we have renovated 18 classrooms, reconfiguring them from open to closed concept by removing half walls and installing full CMU (concrete) walls and doors. All classrooms in the building are now more secure and have locking doors that can be used if there is an intruder.
• At Nathan Hale Primary and Nathan Hale Intermediate Schools, we have upgraded all classroom door closers and handles to enhance safety, security, and ADA accessibility. 
• Last spring, the schools’ key card/swipe access controls, which were more than 10 years old, were updated with new and more effective technology.
• We continue to use additional Safety Liaisons, a program that was expanded last school year. These liaisons typically are housed in the middle schools but also visit the elementary schools to ensure safety throughout the District.
• Last school year, we implemented the ParentSquare app to help the District communicate with families more effectively. We are pleased with this communications tool, and we are continuing its use this year.
• We have upgraded HVAC rooftop units at Paul Revere Primary School, George Washington School, and Lincoln School, and we have made air handler upgrades at Nathan Hale Middle School. This work improves efficiency and air quality in our buildings. We also replaced the aging roof at Nathan Hale Primary School.

Mental Health Services
As an extension of our safety and security focus, we also are greatly increasing access to school-based mental health services, thanks to a $10.5 million grant that we were honored to receive. The federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education is intended to strengthen the pipeline of mental health professionals in high-need school districts. We are receiving the money over a five-year period and using it to increase the number of healthcare providers and services in schools. This includes:

• Doubling our school social workers.
• Hiring a lead clinician to facilitate programming.
• Purchasing new SEL curricular resources for K-8 classrooms (Second Step and PeekaPak).
• Partnering with community agencies to establish an interconnected framework to better support students’ mental health and overall well-being.
• Refining our approach to Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS).

We also have developed a new Employee Assistance Program to support teachers, staff, and administrators; trained administrators and staff in trauma responsiveness and other key mental health areas; and created well-being kits for each school. The customized kits support social workers and counselors with activities that focus on things like meditation, mindfulness, anxiety, play therapy, and creative art therapy. 

These are just a few updates on our work and initiatives planned for this school year. We will continue to keep you informed via our emails, on the website at district130.org, and on our Facebook and Instagram pages. I encourage you to be an involved and engaged D130 community member, as we get the new year off to a great start!
 
Sincerely,
 
Colleen M. McKay, Ed.D.
Superintendent

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