Educational Programs & Services

To ensure our students are ready for the future, Woodridge School District 68 has developed an Academic Transformation Plan that focuses on individual student growth and preparing students to be college and career ready. This comprehensive plan was developed in line with the district’s strategic goals to ensure that all students achieve their social, emotional, and academic potential and serves as the focus for district activities.

The Academic Transformation Plan was developed as a model of continuous improvement, driving all decisions around district programs and policies. This model allows for complete alignment of the strategic goals and ongoing objectives throughout our district and schools.

Through our district FOCUS, our teachers and staff:

• Form strong caring relationships with an between students
• Operate with high expectations and clear targets in place
• Create engagement through meaningful experiences
• Utilize data to inform instructional planning
• Supply specific and timely feedback to ensure each child achieves his/her personal best

Strategic Goals & Objectives

The Illinois Learning Standards establish expectations for what all students should know and be able to do in each subject at each grade. The standards emphasize depth over breadth, building upon key concepts as students advance. The standards promote student-driven learning and the application of knowledge to real-world situations to help students develop deep conceptual understanding. Intentionally rigorous, the Illinois Learning Standards prepare students for the challenges of college and career. Subjects include:

• Computer Science
• Early Learning and Development
• English Language Arts
• English Language Learning/Bilingual Education
• Fine Arts
• Mathematics
• Physical Development and Health
• Science
• Social and Emotional Learning
• Social Science
• World Languages

Assessment of student learning is an integral part of the district’s educational program. Woodridge 68 uses a variety of formal and informal assessments to determine individual student growth, curriculum and instructional effectiveness, and as an objective measurement of student progress when compared with local, state, and national standards. Information from these assessments is used to guide instructional planning and curriculum & program evaluation.

Woodridge 68 utilizes the following standardized assessments:

• Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS)
• Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)
• Illinois Science Assessment (ISA)
• Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS)
• i-Ready Learning
• Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)
• Naglieri General Ability Tests
• Bloomsights
• Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS)

Click here for more information about these assessments and survey results

Woodridge 68 receives federal Title I funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). To be eligible for schoolwide funding under Title I, at least 40% of the students enrolled in the school, or residing in the attendance area served by the school, must be from low-income families. These funds improve academic achievement for disadvantaged students by supporting reading/math initiatives, hiring extra teachers and paraprofessionals, funding professional development, purchasing instructional materials, and promoting parental engagement. Five schools in our district utilize these dollars for the intended purpose of improving student achievement. Schools receiving funds during the 2025-26 school year include: Edgewood, Goodrich, John L. Sipley, William F. Murphy and Willow Creek.

Woodridge School District 68 offers a free preschool program for 3-5 year olds living in the school district. This program offers a play-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum and is supported by certified teachers, teaching assistants, and other specialists. Families must complete the preschool screening process in order to be considered for a classroom space, and students with the greatest risk are prioritized following guidelines from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Free developmental screenings are available throughout the school year to assess any child who may have delays in communication, motor skills, or pre-academic skills and to identify children who are eligible for our preschool program. Children are screened by a team of school professionals in seven areas of development: speech, language, gross motor (large muscle coordination), fine motor (eye-hand coordination), cognitive-verbal (conceptual development), social/emotional, and hearing & vision.

Screening is also available for children ages birth through 2 who are suspected of having a disability that interferes with development. This screening is different from preschool screening.

Interested parents should contact Student Services at studentservices@woodridge68.org or 630-795-6830 for additional information or to make an appointment.

Woodridge 68 works to ensure that all English Learners achieve their highest potential through rigorous academic opportunities in English by providing research-based instructional practices that address their linguistic and academic needs.

Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE)

Push-In

The curriculum for transitional bilingual education students is tied directly to the Common Core Standards, Illinois Spanish Language Arts Standards, Woodridge 68 core curriculum, and WIDA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards. Bilingual education is provided to Spanish-speaking students through a push-in model of instruction.

Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI)

EL Resource

The Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) is for non-native English speaking students who have difficulty with written or spoken English. The goal of the program is to help students transition into a general education classroom at high levels of social and academic English proficiency. The program provides support to help students succeed in academic subjects and learn English.

Students receiving gifted services can be found in any cultural group or within any economic stratum and require special instruction, services, and/or activities not ordinarily provided by the general education program. Students who are identified for gifted services perform, or show the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. These students exhibit high performance capacity in intellectual ability, creativity, leadership, and/or a specific academic field.

Students identified for gifted services in Woodridge 68 will be provided direction, time, encouragement, and resources to maximize their potential. District staff members will work with parents, students, and community members to determine students in need of gifted services from all backgrounds. Woodridge 68 will offer these students the differentiated instruction and opportunities they need to be able to thrive and succeed.

Woodridge School District 68 offers a full continuum of Special Education services for students with disabilities. Special education is instruction and related services provided by special education personnel or by a general education program that has been modified through the use of special education support services, supplementary aids, or other special programming.

If you have concerns regarding your student’s progress either academically or socially, the first person to contact is your child’s teacher. Do not hesitate to ask the teacher to involve other professionals if it seems warranted. All schools have a school social worker, school psychologist, Learning Behavior Specialists, and other related service providers. Members of this team will collaborate with you to identify next steps to address these concerns.

Woodridge 68 follows the state and federal laws that establish criteria for special education eligibility. The federal government recognizes 14 categories under which children may qualify for special education. These disabilities include: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, developmental delay, emotional disorder, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment.

Students with disabilities who do not qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)/Article 14 may qualify for services under Section 504 if the child (i) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a record of a physical or mental impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment.

Related Service Logs

Students with disabilities may receive related services as part of their individual education programs (IEPs). Woodridge School District 68 will maintain related service logs that record the type and number of minutes of the related service(s) administered to such students. Copies of any related service logs will be provided to parents/guardians upon request.

Meeting Paperwork

At least 3 days before IEP meetings and evaluations, parents will be provided with draft copies of evaluations, collected data, and numerous IEP components that will be considered and discussed at the meeting in compliance with Public Act 101-0643. District staff will provide this paperwork via email to parents.  Please contact your child's Case Manager if you wish to receive this information through a different method.  

Interpretation Services

Woodridge School District 68 is committed to supporting and enhancing full parent participation in the IEP process. Interpretation services will be provided as requested at any IEP meeting.  Parents/guardians have the right to request that the interpreter provided by the school district serve no other role in the IEP meeting than as an interpreter. Please contact your child's teacher and/or Case Manager with any questions or complaints about interpretation services or to request an interpreter for an IEP meeting.

Student Services

Student Services is an integral part of Woodridge 68's total education program. The Student Services staff members in the district and at each school partner with students, parents, other educators, and the community to assist in creating an educational environment that fosters the academic, personal, social and career growth of all students. Studetn Services staff members are extensively involved in implementing programs that assist all students to reach their maximum potential and be prepared for continuous learning and productive citizenship.

School Association for Special Education (SASED)

Woodridge 68 is a member of the School Association for Special Education (SASED) in DuPage County (SASED), a cooperative of 18 school districts providing services to over 6,000 students with disabilities in DuPage County, Illinois. Member districts provide special education and related services to the majority of students with disabilities. SASED, as an extension of each member district, provides programs and services for students with moderate and severe disabilities, and for students whose behavior requires an alternative setting. SASED also operates specialized programs on a regional basis for students with severe hearing, vision, and orthopedic disabilities. Private placement opportunities are also utilized, when appropriate.

Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS)

The Illinois Department of Human Services' Division of Developmental Disabilities supports quality, integrated, person-centered services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The system of services and supports in Illinois enhance opportunities for individuals to make real choices and receive appropriate, accessible, prompt, efficient and life-spanning services that are strongly monitored to ensure individual progress, quality of life and safety. PUNS is a statewide database that records information about individuals with developmental disabilities who are planning for or seeking services. Dr. Anne Bowers, Director of Special Education, and each school social worker are trained in PUNS.

Illinois State Board of Education

Parent Guide: Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois

Promotion and retention decisions shall be made in the best interests of the student using the expertise of professional personnel, parent input, and data collected.  The decision to promote a student to the next grade shall be based on successful completion of the curriculum, attendance, performance based on the Illinois Standards Achievement Tests, or other testing. A student shall not be promoted based upon age or any other social reason not related to academic performance.  Promotion of a student having an Individual Education Plan (IEP), or receiving reasonable accommodations pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, shall be determined by the student’s education team.

Read more: Board Policy 6530: Programs for Students at Risk of Academic Failure and/or Grade Retention

The administrative and teaching staff at the junior high school meet for curriculum and program articulation discussions with the staff from other junior high schools and the high schools at scheduled intervals. Graduates of Thomas Jefferson Junior High School in Woodridge School District 68 attend high school in Community School District 99.

High School Credit for Students in Grade 7 or 8
The District may investigate, coordinate, and implement a program for students in grades 7 and 8 to enroll in a course required for a high school diploma. If a program is available, students in grades 7 and 8 may enroll in a course required for a high school diploma. Students in grades 7 and 8 who successfully complete a course required for a high school diploma will receive academic credit if permitted by, and in accordance with, the policy of the district where the student will attend high school.

Parents or guardians of any student may inspect any instructional materials used in the schools. Those materials include instructional content that is provided to a student, regardless of its format, printed or representational materials, audio-visual materials, and materials in electronic or digital formats (such as materials accessible through the internet). The term does not include academic tests or academic assessments. Call your school principal’s office for an appointment if you wish to view any of these items.

Review the district Curriculum Guide
See also: Board Policy 6400: Complaints About Curriculum, Instructional Materials, and Programs

If homework assignments are given, they shall be designed to enhance skills and competency or enrich the regular curricular program.

Homework assignments will be issued as a supplement to purposeful classroom instruction and shall be reviewed by the teachers and returned to the student as an instrument of instruction.

The report card communicates the progress of each child as related to skills taught. Report cards are issued each trimester in grades K-8.

All elementary students have daily physical education class. Junior high students have daily PE class as well as opportunities for intramural and interscholastic athletics (see “Athletic, Interscholastic and Extracurricular Activities” in this section of the handbook).

Exemption from Physical Education

In order to be excused from participation in physical education, a student must present an appropriate excuse from his or her parent/guardian or from a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act. The excuse may be based on medical or religious prohibitions.

An excuse because of medical reasons must include a signed statement from a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act that corroborates the medical reason for the request.

An excuse based on religious reasons must include a signed statement from a member of the clergy that corroborates the religious reason for the request. Upon written notice from a student’s parent/guardian, a student will be excused from engaging in the physical activity components of physical education during a period of religious fasting.

State law prohibits a school board from honoring parental excuses based upon a student’s participation in athletic training, activities, or competitions conducted outside the auspices of the School District.

Read more: Board Policy 5460: Exemption from Physical Education

In a study sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and Stanford University, researchers found that investing in recess and organized play can prevent bullying, improve students’ behavior at recess and readiness for class, and provide more time for teaching and learning.

Elementary students receive 30 minutes of daily recess immediately before or after lunch. If there is a medical reason why the child’s activities should be restricted for an extended period of time, it is necessary that parents secure a statement to this effect from the family doctor.

Student wellness, including good nutrition and physical activity, is promoted in the District’s educational program, school activities, and meal programs. Board policy is interpreted consistently with Section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA).

This Board policy covers:

• Goals for Nutritional Education
• Goals for Physical Activity
• Goals for Other School-Based Activities
• Nutrition Guidelines for Foods Available in Schools During the School Day
• Exempted Fundraising Day (EFD) Requests
• Guidelines for Reimbursable School Meals
• Unused Food Sharing Plan
• Guidelines for Food Items at Birthday Celebrations, Holidays and Other Student Recognition
• Monitoring
• Community Input
• Recordkeeping

Read more: Board Policy 6130: Wellness

Student wellness activities and other information

Student safety is our primary concern, and Woodridge School District 68 believes that education plays a vital role in assisting our students to live long and happy lives.

The state has multiple laws related to the safety and social-emotional well-being of students, including Erin’s Law, Ann Marie’s Law, and Faith’s Law.

• Erin’s Law was passed as a concerted effort to teach children about ways to keep them safe from sexual abuse, requiring that schools educate students on safe touches and unsafe touches, safe secrets and unsafe secrets, and how to “get away and tell a trusted adult today.”
• Ann Marie’s Law mandates that all Illinois public schools provide age-appropriate suicide and depression awareness and prevention education programs for students.
• Faith’s Law addresses sexual abuse prevention and responses in schools, with new procedural, policy, and reporting requirements. (see ISBE’s Faith’s Law Resource Guide)

Read more about promoting positive social-emotional development in our schools on the district website. If you have any questions or concerns about Erin’s Law, Ann Marie’s Law or Faith’s Law, or do not want your child to participate in these lessons, please contact your child’s teacher or school administration.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is defined as the process through which students enhance their ability to integrate thinking, feeling, and behaving to achieve important life tasks. Students competent in SEL are able to recognize and manage their emotions, establish healthy relationships, set positive goals, meet personal and social needs, and make responsible and ethical decisions.

Woodridge School District 68 recognizes that a student’s social and emotional development is a critical component for overall development, academic readiness and school success. The District’s instructional program supports the Illinois Learning Standards for social and emotional development, which include three goals for students:

1. Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success.
2. Use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.
3. Demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.

Read more: Board Policy 6370: Student Social and Emotional Development

Instructional field trips are designed to reinforce and enrich learning by exposing students to experiences outside of the classroom setting. They are an integral part of the curriculum and contribute to the District’s educational goals. The following factors are analyzed to determine whether to approve a field trip: educational value, student safety, parent concerns, heightened security alerts, and liability concerns.

Parents/guardians of students shall be given the opportunity to consent to their child’s participation in any field trip. Students are usually assessed a fee to cover the cost of transportation, entry fees, and other costs, if applicable. The District will pay such costs for students who qualify for a fee waiver.

All non-participating students shall be provided an alternative experience. Any field trip may be canceled without notice due to an unforeseen event or condition.

Read more: Board Policy 6110: Field Trips

Each year all fifth grade students are given the opportunity to participate in an environmental education program. A one-day trip is conducted at an outdoor education facility each spring.

Woodridge School District 68 offers after school programming to provide additional enrichment and intervention opportunities for elementary students.  Three sessions will be held throughout the school year in fall, winter, and spring.

Programming is held at each elementary school three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) from 3:00-4:00pm. Each school will develop three courses per session based on student needs, and class sizes will be limited as determined by the school principal.

Bussing is provided for students who are current bus riders only. Students who do not take a bus to school on a daily basis will need to be transported home from school via a parent or guardian.

Woodridge School District 68 provides both intramural sports and interscholastic activities for all children in grades 7 and 8. Participation of elementary students is permitted if all eligibility requirements are met as detailed in the Jefferson Junior High School Athletic Handbook, which is posted on the school’s website. However, preference will be given to junior high students if talent is judged to be equal. The coach of each sport will be the sole judge. Thomas Jefferson Junior High is a member of the Southeast DuPage Elementary Athletic Association (SEDEAA) and competes or participates in 12 sports/activities.

In addition to intramural and interscholastic activities, junior high students have the opportunity to participate in several extracurricular groups, clubs, and activities throughout the school year. New clubs and groups are considered when enough students express an interest in a particular subject area.

Eligibility Requirements

Participation in any extracurricular sport or activity is a privilege not a right, and students must meet the following eligibility requirements for participation in athletic and activity programs. When questions or discrepancies arise after consultation with the teacher, athletic director, coach, or sponsor, the principal/associate principal’s decision will be final.

It is our sincere belief that academic performance should be our primary concern. Athletics should go hand-in-hand toward developing the whole student-athlete.

In order for a student to be considered eligible to participate in the competitive sports/activity programs, he/she must meet the following requirements:

1. The student must maintain passing grades in all subject areas. If a student is struggling and needs assistance outside the school hours athlete, teacher, and athlete will work together to determine a plan to meet the child’s need. If a child refuses the support agreed upon by the teacher and coach, the student will be ineligible until the terms of the agreement are met.
2. The student athlete must demonstrate appropriate school behavior. If the student demonstrates an act of misconduct, for which he/she is suspended (in-school or out-of-school). The student will be ineligible for one week, starting from the first day of their suspension.
3. The following rules apply regardless of whether the conduct occurs on or off school property; before, during or after school hours; and apply year round regardless of whether the student’s sport or activity is in season or not:
   • Students shall not possess, actively seek, solicit, sell, or be under the influence of tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs/controlled substances, look-alike drugs, steroids or other illegal performance enhancing drugs/supplements, or possess drug related paraphernalia.
   • Students shall not attend or host a party primarily attended by students or for the benefit of students at which alcohol, tobacco, or any controlled substances are provided or at which the use of any such substances is permitted.
   • Theft, possession of stolen property, or destruction of property.
   • Hazing acts, initiations, or bullying (includes physical, mental, emotional, or cyber)
   • Serious acts which are determined by the Administration to be detrimental to the individual, the coach, the team, or the school.
   • Acts which violate the Student Handbook.
4. Failure to follow these rules could result in suspension or removal from the participation in after school activities.

Health Requirements

According to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) rules, “No student shall be permitted to engage in, practice, or play in an interscholastic athletic contest unless they have filed a certificate of physical fitness issued by a competent physician, with the athletic director, not more than a year preceding such practices or contests.”

The district has developed and implemented a program to manage concussions and head injuries suffered by student athletes that complies with the concussion protocols, policies, and by-laws of the Illinois High School Association, including its Protocol for NFHS Concussion Playing Rules and Return to Play Policy.

In addition, students in grades 7 through 8 participating in these programs will receive instruction on steroid abuse prevention.

Read more: Board Policy 5630: Extracurricular Athletics

For information about the District program to manage concussions and head injuries suffered by students, fully implementing the Youth Sports Concussion Safety Act, see Board Policy 5620: Student Athlete Concussions and Head Injuries.

Beginning in sixth grade, students may begin instruction on a band instrument. Instruments are available for purchase or rent. Small group lessons are held once per week during school hours. Rehearsals with the full band are held once per week before school hours. Notices, concerning each year’s program, are sent home early in the fall.

At the junior high school, band is an exploratory class that meets five days per week. Group lessons will occur during the band period on a pull-out basis. Students will be graded on preparation and their readiness to learn.