Cicero District 99 is 90 days into the school year — that's half a year of early mornings, backpacks, and big growth. And every 30 days, we stop to celebrate the classrooms showing the whole district what commitment looks like!

These students, families, and teaches are leading the way with high attendance:
🐾 Burnham: Mr. Escobedo's 2nd grade (2X winner)
🐺 Cicero East: Ms. Rathbun's 5th grade
🦅 Cicero West: Ms. Davila's Kindergarten
🐴 Columbus East: Ms. Bravo's class
🐱 Columbus West: Ms. Rodriguez Castillo's 2nd grade
🐈‍⬛ Drexel: Ms. Deweese's class
🦉 EC Center: Ms. Colucci's PM class
🐊 Goodwin: Ms. Cieslewicz's 5th grade
🦅 Liberty: Ms. Caballero's 3rd grade
🦁 Lincoln: Ms. Konatarevic's 2nd grade
🐦‍⬛ Roosevelt: Ms. Felson's 5th grade
🦈 Sherlock: Mr. Tormo-Sanchez's 1st grade
🐯 Unity West: Ms. Klocek's 7th grade homeroom
🐯 Unity East: Mr. Bobinski's 8th grade homeroom
🐺 Warren Park: Ms. Rivera's 4th grade 
🐲 Wilson: Ms. Kalal's Kindergarten

We are so proud of these students and teachers for showing what teamwork looks like. Because attendance isn't "a student thing" or "a parent thing" or "a teacher thing." It's a team thing — and when everyone's on board, everyone wins.

Did you know? We still have nearly 900 students who have shown up every single day — that's the entire first half of the year! That's not luck. That's habits, teamwork, and determination.
If that's you: keep the streak alive! If it's not: good news — this is your fresh start. New half. New momentum. New chance to build the routine.

The goal: 9 days or less. Missing 9 days or fewer is a powerful target because it keeps students connected, confident, and progressing. Let's finish this next stretch strong.

Tips for the next 30 days:
✅ One alarm for wake up, one for out-the-door. Not "we should leave at 8:05"... but "shoes on at 7:55." That second alarm is the game-changer.
✅ Pick one spot by the door for: backpack, coat, lunchbox, device, charger, and anything needed for tomorrow. Mornings get 10x easier when you don't have to search.
✅ Write down (and save in your phone) one person who can help with drop-off or pickup if something comes up. Even having a single backup can prevent a missed day.
✅ Choose clothes and decide meals the night before. Decision fatigue is real — mornings run smoother when the choices are already made.
✅ Kids love momentum. Put a simple calendar on the fridge and let them mark each day they attend. Build pride around the habit — not pressure.
✅ If your child says "I'm tired," try: "Totally. Let's go anyway — and we'll do an early bedtime tonight." Being tired is normal. Missing school can turn "tired" into a pattern.
✅ When possible: aim for after school, early evening, or non-school days when scheduling appointments. If you have to go during school, try to bring them in for part of the day — every hour counts.
✅ Every Sunday: check the week ahead, lay out Monday's plan, and set a realistic bedtime. Monday attendance improves when Sunday is intentional.

Keep showing up. Keep shining. Let's make the next 30 days out best yet.

Drop a 💛 below to celebrate these classrooms!