What a turnout! Thanks to everyone who celebrated Blythe Park’s official opening with us! A special thanks to the partnerships that made it possible: Village of Riverside, DLA Architects, and Vistara Construction Services. The Board of Education cut the ribbon on the playground while the Village Board cut the ribbon on the multi-use sports court. Over 150 delicious Jolly Sprinkle ice creams and popsicles were enjoyed while kids of all ages explored the new playground. We look forward to seeing the community using these spaces for many years to come!

So much to explore on the new Blythe Park playground! It was great to see so many friends enjoying the new equipment this weekend. This new playground is celebrated by both the Village of Riverside and our Board of Education. On behalf of the Village and District 96, we invite the community and Blythe families to join us for a commemoration on Tuesday, September 15 at 4:30pm. Village President Pollock and Board President Muirheid will share a few remarks followed by complimentary Jolly Sprinkle ice cream.

Mrs. Lyson's 4th Grade Class is off to a fantastic start to the school year! Our 4th graders are busy getting to know one another, learning our classroom routines and procedures, and building a positive classroom community 📚✏️
Most importantly, we are learning, laughing, and having lots of fun along the way! We’re excited for all the wonderful things this school year has in store! 🍎

The District 96 Board of Education is working to identify its next superintendent for our schools following the June 2027 retirement of Dr. Martha Ryan-Toye. The board has engaged BWP and Associates to assist in this search. Part of the search process includes seeking input from community stakeholders on their wishes for the district’s next leader.

The community is invited to an open forum on Tuesday, September 8 at 6:30pm in Hauser’s Library. Visitors should enter through Door H in the rear parking lot. Staff, families, and community members are also invited to provide input via a confidential survey. The survey will open on September 8 and accept responses through September 18.

BWP will use the feedback provided in the survey and community conversations to build a leadership profile. This profile will outline the key characteristics, skills, and experiences desired in the next superintendent as applications are reviewed.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply through BWP & Associates. Applications are accepted through October 10.

It was all hands on deck for our first day back! We had beautiful weather, welcoming signs, and spirited school mascots. Let's make it a great year, D96!

It was a great first day for teachers and staff! Superintendent Martha Ryan-Toye welcomed everyone and kicked off her final school year with D96.

Principals introduced new staff, there was a round of applause for our returning staff, plus a standing ovation for our maintenance staff.

Following an overview of our newly launched strategic plan, teams raced around the @brookfieldzoo to deep dive into our shared goals.

After lunch, groups headed back to their buildings for professional learning, teamwork, and classroom preparation. They are ready for students!

Our maintenance team worked hard this summer to give each school an enhanced, deep cleaning. The floors are shiny, the lockers are sparkling, and each building is ready to welcome back its students! We thank our custodial teams for this critical work to make our schools safe, clean, and ready to go for the first day!

Teachers, staff, and administrators are busy preparing for the new school year! Thank you to our custodial teams for ensuring our buildings are clean, safe, and ready to go for opening day.

Principals will send a welcome email with school-specific information on Tuesday, August 11. Teachers will reach out after assignments have been sent on August 21. If you are a new district family and have not yet received a school placement email, reach out to the registrar.

A great way to be involved with your child’s school is through its parent/teacher group. There may be additional meet and greet opportunities, school supply ordering options, or membership information through them. Visit our PTA Guide to connect with your school’s organization.

Our District Leadership Team met last week for their annual retreat at Brookfield Zoo. With some new faces and several familiar ones stepping into new roles, it was a great opportunity for the whole team to connect, build trust, and develop strategic coherence and value in district work.

School Leaders:
Pete Gatz — Central
Chris Reid — Blythe
Katie Kayastha — Hauser
Chris Harvalis — Hauser
Nikki Mazza — Ames
Erin Dwyer — Hollywood
Jenn DeBruin — Elementary Schools

District Administrators:
Steve Wilder — Finance
Martha Ryan-Toye — Superintendent
Nora Geraghty — Special Education & Student Services
Zach Pros — Facilities
Molly Marquardt — Technology
Casimira Gorman — Teaching & Learning

A huge congratulations to these amazing teachers for recently completing Lexia LETRS training! For nearly two years, they have been working on becoming literacy and language experts in the science of reading. We are so proud of their dedication to our students and community.
Blythe kindergarten teachers: Mrs. Bassing and Mrs. Kamego
Ames first grade and kindergarten teachers: Ms. Workman, Mrs. Aiyash, and Ms. McPherson
Central first grade teacher: Ms. Sula

Kindergarten teachers are in the building this week meeting with our newest incoming class! These assessments are a way to learn more about our soon-to-be kindergarten students and their classroom readiness. Congratulations and welcome to our newest D96 “recruits!”

Summer school is underway! Thanks to the many, many teachers who are in the classroom for animal adventures, skill building, transition to kindergarten, and more! We are also grateful for our summer school principal, Dr. Dwyer, for making it all run smoothly, and our summer school secretary, nurse, and custodians for keeping everyone happy, healthy, and safe.  

And of course, a shout out to the students who are getting up early and getting their brains back in school mode over break! Classes run through August 6 at Ames.

Thank you to the Riverside Junior Woman’s Charity for generously donating funds to help reduce remaining lunch balances for students in need. We appreciate this heartfelt community gesture and its positive impact on D96 students.
📸 A representative from RJWC dropped off the check for our Director of Finance and Superintendent.

There may be 77 more days of summer, but some of us are already thinking about the school year! Several of our district first grade teachers got together this week to go through the upcoming CKLA (language arts) curriculum. They are working to keep units aligned across all of our schools and finding ways to bring creativity into the classroom. ☀️👏✏️

A last look at Blythe's playground as we know it! Fencing will go up by early next week and construction will begin shortly after that. We are looking forward to seeing students and the community enjoying the new playground at the end of the summer.

Please note: both Blythe's and Central's playgrounds will be closed for summer construction projects.

Congratulations to Hauser’s Class of 2026! We are so proud of your hard work and know you are ready for the next chapter. 🎓 Thank you to all of our D96 teachers, staff, and families for your support along the way. (How special that two of our board members got to hand diplomas to their own children!) 👏

We are so excited to welcome Nikki Mazza as our new Ames Principal following Mr. Gierman’s (well-deserved) retirement. Thank you so much to the Ames families who came out to meet Mrs. Mazza. And, of course, thank you to our administrative assistants and custodians for coordinating the event.

📸 Pictured: Principal Mazza, Custodian Vasko, Superintendent Ryan-Toye

Reminder: registration for the upcoming school year is open!
Be sure to complete your student’s registration soon—and a special reminder for incoming kindergarten families: register by TODAY to receive your 40% early registration discount! We can’t wait to welcome our newest learners next year! 📚✨
Visit District96.org and click Registration to get started.

Yesterday, the District Leadership Team met with Riverside, Brookfield, and North Riverside police and fire representatives along with village officials to review our shared goals for student safety.

In this annual meeting, we discussed our updated school security systems, coordinating safety drills, assessing student threats, and other ways we can partner to support our students.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend this important meeting!