Welcome back to a new school year! The Technology Department is excited to support our students, teachers, and staff with the support needed for a successful academic year. Over the summer, our team worked diligently to update and improve the technology infrastructure throughout the District. We have also deployed a new fleet of Chromebooks for 2nd – 6th Grade students, ensuring the students have access to reliable, up-to-date technology. Additionally, we continue implementing cybersecurity measures to protect the network and student data, as well as updating our help desk system to provide faster and more efficient support for all District technology needs. We are confident that these initiatives will allow our entire District to maintain the great learning environment that is provided.

Curriculum & Instruction: Instructional Programs Off to a Strong Start!

We are excited to share that our Instructional Programs team is off to a strong start this school year! Over the summer, we hosted Student Engagement Sessions where more than 250 staff members came together to learn strategies for connecting with students. Teachers participated in powerful training, including Capturing Kids’ Hearts, which helps build strong, positive relationships in classrooms and schools. This work is already making a difference in creating welcoming environments where students feel safe, valued, and ready to learn.

As part of our ongoing commitment to excellence, we are conducting a curriculum audit to ensure that we have the very best curriculum and instruction in place to support our families. We have partnered with Curriculum Management Solutions, Inc. (CMSi) to lead this comprehensive review. The audit will help us identify our strengths as a district and highlight areas where we can improve. Parents and community members will be invited to participate in interviews with the Curriculum Management Audit team to share their perspectives. Your voice matters, and your input will help us focus on the areas most likely to improve student learning.

This year, we are also placing a strong emphasis on Teacher Clarity. This means that students will know exactly what they are learning, why it matters, and how they can show their understanding. Research shows that when learning goals are clear, students are more confident and successful.

To further support our teachers and leaders, we have developed exciting partnerships with experts in education:

We are proud of the momentum we’ve built and are excited about the year ahead. Together—with our teachers, families, and community partners—we are creating learning environments where every child can thrive.

Food Services: On September 26, Schwam’s will be visiting Kankakee High School to celebrate National Dumpling Day with a special tasting event! Students will get to sample delicious Whole Grain Chicken & Vegetable Dumplings. Our kitchen staff is excited to share this tasty treat—because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love dumplings?

Health Services: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a common childhood illness that can cause fever, sore throat, mouth sores, and a rash on the hands, feet, or other areas. It spreads easily in schools and daycare centers but usually clears up on its own within 7–10 days. Most children experience only mild symptoms, and complications are rare.

HFMD is highly contagious and spreads through coughing, sneezing, contaminated surfaces, fluid from blisters, and stool. Prevention focuses on good hygiene: wash hands often, keep blisters clean, avoid sharing cups or utensils, disinfect surfaces and toys, and limit close contact when someone is sick.

Children may return to school once they are fever-free for 24 hours, feel well enough to participate in activities, and are not drooling excessively from mouth sores. Most cases can be managed at home with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medicine (never give aspirin to children).

Kankakee School District Clinics are here for you. Call 815-802-5530 for any immediate care needs, questions, or concerns.

Maintenance Department: We are excited to kick off the 2025–26 school year and to see both our returning and new students and staff! Over the summer, our dedicated Maintenance and Custodial teams worked hard to prepare the buildings for your return. As always, we’ll continue to keep our schools clean and disinfected to support a healthy learning environment.

Since flu season is right around the corner, here are a few helpful hygiene and home tips to keep students and families healthy all year long:

We’re looking forward to a healthy, successful school year ahead!

Multilingual Department: We are getting ready to observe Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th-October 15th. Our students will be coming together to celebrate, recognize, and learn about the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latine people. 

This month honors the heritage of people whose roots come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It begins on September 15, a date that marks the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—with Mexico and Chile following shortly after.

In addition to what will be taking place in our classrooms, our Directors of the Hispanic Heritage Celebration are busy planning a wonderful event for our school community that will feature student performances,a DJ, and delicious foods. The celebration will be held on Friday, October 17th, from 6:00-8:00 PM. We hope to see you there! 

More information is coming soon!

Early Childhood: Tiny Hands, Giant Futures in Early Childhood

The Early Childhood Education team is excited to begin the 2025–2026 school year with the theme “Tiny Hands, Giant Futures.” Across our PFA, PFAE, Head Start, Preventive Initiative, and Childcare programs, we are serving more than 700 children and families in Kankakee County. Our dedicated staff members are focused on providing high-quality instruction, nurturing environments, and strong family partnerships that help our littlest learners grow academically, socially, and emotionally.

This fall, our classrooms are busy building routines, fostering friendships, and introducing hands-on learning experiences that set the foundation for lifelong success. We are also preparing for our upcoming PFA/PFAE site monitoring visit by ensuring that classrooms and student files reflect the highest standards of excellence.

Together, with the support of our families and community, we are planting seeds of success that will continue to grow throughout the year.

Dr. Patricia Brekke (Patty) brings over 35 years of experience in education, having served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in Chicago Public Schools. She now continues her commitment to educational equity as the Director of Multilingual Education Programs in Kankakee School District 111.

Patty holds a Master’s degree in Bilingual/Bicultural Education from Chicago State University, a second Master’s in Language and Literacy from National-Louis University, and a Doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Her work is driven by a passion for serving families and communities, with a strong focus on supporting multilingual learners and promoting culturally responsive education.

Outside of her professional life, Patty enjoys binge-watching the novelas she records during the week and listening to podcasts. She and her husband Chris are the proud parents of three UIowa alums: Madeline, a graphic designer; Liam, a data scientist; and Max, a tech account executive and they are proud of the incredible adults they have become!

Dr. Sharon Alexander has served as a building and district administrator for 29 years and has 31 years of experience as an educator. Her career began as a high school English teacher in Joliet, Illinois, while also serving part-time as Public Relations Director, before moving into administration as an Assistant Principal in the Valley View School District in Bolingbrook/Romeoville, Illinois. Her experience includes serving as the founding principal at Aux Sable Middle School in Plainfield, principal and Assistant Director of Assessment in Oswego School District, and Curriculum Director in Madison, Wisconsin, and Joliet. She is now serving as Principal of Kankakee Junior High School.

Dr. Alexander is the eldest daughter of two school administrators, and every dinner conversation in her family focused on ways to support students and families. Her youngest sister is an English teacher in Joliet, and her daughter is currently studying to become an English teacher at the University of Illinois.

Dr. Alexander is the mother of two—Shaun, 17, and Taylor, 19—and has been married to David for 23 years.