News at ccsd62

The Newcomers class at Algonquin Middle School helps students who are new to the United States adjust to the daily routine of school and life in America.

The Iroquois Community School Concert Band, composed of 7th and 8th grade students, is already busy preparing for multiple performances and events this year! 

Kindergarteners in Mr. Coon's music class at Cumberland Elementary School are learning class routines and expectations and are adapting well!

On Thursday, August 22, Algonquin Middle School held their annual Open House for students and families. 

Staff and D62 Administrators welcomed Algonquin Middle School students to the 2024-2025 school year on Tuesday, August 20. 

Iroquois Community School recently provided a fantastic opportunity for all 5th grade students to listen to and try out a myriad of band and orchestra instruments.  

Staff and D62 Administrators welcomed Cumberland Elementary School students to the 2024-2025 school year on Tuesday, August 20.

On Thursday, August 8, Algonquin Middle School staff welcomed approximately 150 6th grade students - about 75% of the incoming class - to campus. 

At the end of the last school year Iroquois Community School hosted its 2nd Annual Band and Orchestra Award Ceremony where it celebrated musical excellence!

On Wednesday, July 17, District 62 administrators and Iroquois Community School staff members welcomed back the school's first through eighth graders!

For the first time ever, students, parents and administrators from Community Consolidated School District 62 marched in the Des Plaines Independence Day Parade!

Students at Iroquois Community School participated in their annual end of the school year field day this week.

Algonquin Middle School was full of activity as the 6th and 7th graders participated in annual traditions during the final week of school. 

On Wednesday, May 29, Algonquin Middle School celebrated the Class of 2024 with their annual promotion ceremony held at Maine West High School. 

In honor of the 25th Anniversary of Cumberland Prairie, students in Ms. Sweeney and Mr. McKelvey's classes had the opportunity to help plant new greenery along the path of the prairie, which is located directly behind Cumberland Elementary School. 

Iroquois Community School recently held its first annual Potato Olympics.

Iroquois Community School's Spring Music Concert on May 15 showcased ten different ensembles performed by students in fourth through eighth grade.

The second Algonquin Middle School family library event, "Games and Goodies at the DPPL," was held at the Des Plaines Public Library on the evening of May 7. 

Every student at Cumberland Elementary School is creating their very own cicada art project which will be proudly displayed in the halls until the end of the school year. 

Last week the Algonquin sixth grade girls participated in a fun and engaging Math Chicks Expo aimed at encouraging their interest and confidence in math. 

Iroquois Community School band, choir and orchestra students ventured into downtown Chicago to attend a music performance at the Chicago Symphony Center on Wednesday, May 8.

Fourth graders in Ms. Jensen's and Mrs. Wasserman's class recently had the opportunity to write opinion essays, which were then complied and published into a book.

Algonquin Middle School students recently participated in the Des Plaines Youth Commission (DPYC) Pay it Forward initiative.

Cumberland students experienced a "PE Takeover" recently where guest coaches from two special recreation associations taught them about adapted sports.

Iroquois Community School hosted its first-ever International Cultural Festival on Wednesday, April 24 and it was a huge success!

Students, staff and city representatives celebrated Arbor Day at Iroquois Community School on Friday, April 26. 

Girls on the Run is a program that meets twice a week and culminates in a 5K at Grant Park in Chicago with GOTR groups from all over the Chicagoland area.

The second annual Algonquin Middle School Culture Fair was a great success! 

The AMS girls' 7th and 8th grade volleyball teams showcased remarkable teamwork and determination this season, resulting in impressive victories that highlighted their individual skills and collective synergy.

First grade students at Cumberland Elementary recently had an opportunity to meet Jace, a representative from the company Blue Origins. 

Iroquois Community School recently performed the musical "Goal!" which showcased more than 250 students in grades kindergarten through 5th grade.

Algonquin Middle School is proud to announce that Jayden Kuffel has been selected as a National Junior Honor Society Outstanding Achievement Award recipient.

In preparation for Read Across America Week, Iroquois Community School students were challenged to read as many books as possible for a Masked Reader Challenge.

Several Chippewa Middle School students who are part of the school's Newcomers Program visited Cumberland Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders this week to read to them.

Iroquois Community School students had the privilege of meeting and listening to Chicago-based author, Ralph Shayne.

Art Teacher Mr. Howard Kanter recently taught students how to print an image on fabric using a silk screening technique.

Students in Ms. Erin Purdue's math class participated in a jumping jack experiment recently.

Iroquois Community School welcomed Chicago-based children's author Allan Woodrow for a visit on February 22. 

Algonquin Middle School seventh graders recently participated in a book tasting, which consisted of a literary exploration of free verse texts. 

Fifth grade students had the opportunity to play various games before they checked out books at the Library Media Center this week. 

Under the direction of Ms. Patrice Bell, 4th and 5th grade students celebrated Mardi Gras by putting on a parade for all of the students.

Iroquois Community School has a unique Buddy Program in which every young Iroquois student is paired up with an older student, or "buddy" at the start of each school year. 

Cook County Judge Sharon Kanter visited Algonquin Middle School recently to talk to students about the US court system and her role as a judge.

The Iroquois Community School Jazz Band recently participated in the Old Quarry Middle School Jazz Festival in Lemont, Illinois.

Gina DeRaimo, Senior Vice President and Head of the Options Institute at Cboe Global Markets, visited the AMS Math Chicks Club to talk about stocks, trading, and investing and how it relates to math.

District 62 middle school concert band and orchestra students and Maine West High School music students recently came together for a musical collaboration.

Chicago-based author Fern Schumer Chapman met with Algonquin Middle School’s 8th grade students on January 19.

Students in Mr. Nathan Coon's music class practiced playing different musical notes on their recorders this week. 

Students in Ms. Valerie De Felice's second grade art club started a new project last week. 

Each month, Algonquin Middle School students have the chance to celebrate the joy of cooking!

Entertainer Dan Kirk presented his impressive juggling skills, along with a "STOP Bullying" presentation, to Iroquois students in kindergarten through fifth grade last Friday. 

The Community Backpack Project (CBP) is an outreach program of the Self-Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines.

This week Art Teacher Ms. Jelena Todorovich taught Cumberland Elementary School third grade students the art of weaving.

On Tuesday December 12th, more than 10 students, and two school clubs, sold their wares at the first AMS Craft Show.

The ICS 4th and 5th Grade Student Council hosted a clothing drive to benefit the Des Plaines Self Help Closet and Food Pantry. 

All Iroquois Community School eighth graders took a field trip to Feed My Starving Children in Schaumburg in December. 

Recently the Algonquin Middle School Girls Club went to Forest Elementary School to read a book and complete a craft with the first grade classrooms.

Cumberland Elementary students are treated to a visit from two different therapy dogs two or three times a month. 

Music therapy is offered at Algonquin Middle School through the Structured Teaching Education Program (STEP) every other week.

Iroquois Community School's Concert Orchestra and Concert Band performed at Generations Oakton Arms Nursing Home in Des Plaines on Friday, December 8.

Cumberland fifth graders in Library Media Specialist Sophia Garcia Smith's class recently participated in a wide range of coding activities.

ICS Talent Show 2023 is a fabulous event that showcases 28 unique acts from singing, dancing, martial arts and magic.

Former Algonquin Math Teacher and Founder and Head Coach of CD Fitness, Cheryl De Guzman Capadocia, stopped by AMS to talk to the sixth graders about how math can be used in exercise. 

Boys basketball is off to a great start.

ICS hosted another fabulous Spirit Showdown on November 17th.

Iroquois hosted its annual Fall Music Concert in November for families and friends. 

Cumberland's fourth graders took part in a culture fair last week in which the students interviewed their family members about their cultural traditions, food, clothing, music and more. 

Flight Club at Algonquin Middle School is all about aviation.

The 23-24 AMS Cheer Team has been working hard throughout the Girls and Boys Basketball seasons.

Bravo to a fabulous school-wide music assembly at Iroquois last week! 

Cumberland's Beautification Club designs and implements projects to make the school more inviting. 

All ICS 1st through 8th graders participated in the school's annual Halloween Parade on October 31!

The STEP program at Algonquin Middle School runs a coffee cart every Friday.

Algonquin Middle School hosted its annual Family Astronomy Night on October 24. 

The Iroquois PTC hosted the school's annual Halloween Ball last week!

This is the third year of our PBIS program here at AMS.

Students in Mr. McKelvey's 5th grade class had fun with a Number Corner math activity this week.

ICS recently hosted its first Warrior Showdown K-8 School Assembly of the school year on September 15th.

The girls basketball season is wrapping up here at Algonquin and it has been a successful season overall for both 7th and 8th grade teams.

Iroquois intermediate orchestra students have been hard at work practicing for their upcoming concert! 

As part of their unit about microscopes, 7th grade science students in Mrs. Wiemann's and Mr. Yamane's classes participated in a STEAM project with our art teacher Mr. Kanter. 

Iroquois 6th, 7th and 8th graders participated in a middle school meet at Maine West High School. 

All first through fifth grade students at Cumberland Elementary School have the opportunity to join the Cougar Running Club. 

As we are approaching the halfway point through the cross country season, the kids are starting to see their hard work pay off. 

In a continued effort to inspire girls to love math and support their college and career readiness, sixth grade girls met with a former Navy pilot on Wednesday 9/20.

Second graders in Ms. Huffman's class spent time on a variety of fun lessons this week.

AMS Service Club completed their first community outreach project this week in anticipation of fall conferences next week.

This is Algonquin Middle Schools second year offering Flag Football. 

Students in art class at Cumberland this week worked on a creative hand design project. 

Intermediate Band at ICS has been working on completing the Essential Elements for Band, Book 1 this year.

Every week, our 11 teams choose one student who has stood out and names them Student of the Week.

Cumberland held their Back to School Bash on August 30th.

This week, 8th grade students took a field trip to Bernie's Book Bank in Lake Bluff.

Our 6th grade girls got a math boost this week when four professional women came for a visit to Algonquin!

3rd grade Students in Mr. Coon's music class this week practiced singing and had the opportunity to use "lightsabers" (tuned percussion tubes).

This week is ICS' Middle School Student Government Executive Board Campaign Week.

On Thursday August 24th, AMS held their annual open house for the 23-24 school year.

AMS held it's annual Summer Reading Celebration on Friday, August 25th. 

Cumberland welcomed back their 1st-5th grade students on Monday and new Kindergarten students on Tuesday.

3rd grade students learned about wax resist in art class this week.

Algonquin welcomed back 6th, 7th & 8th grade students this week.

The ICS Class of 2023 sponsored a volleyball game to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

ICS students work hard all week following the Warrior Expectations!  

It's been a great week of learning in Ms. Washam's Kindergarten class at Iroquois Community School.

Under the guidance of Mr. Radtke and Ms. Todd, fifth grade students were excited to have the opportunity to try out different band and orchestra instruments this week.

D62 welcomed back ICS staff on July 17 with 1st-8th grade students returning on July 19 followed by kindergarten students on July 20.

Earlier this month Algonquin Middle School celebrated the end of the Thunder Reading Challenge, the school's program to encourage reading during the school year.

Twice per quarter, we take time to recognize and reward our students for their hard work and effort.

Stop by ICS and you might catch LMC Specialist Cathy Borge flying drones with students.

Each year Iroquois Community School opens it's doors to welcome family and friends of our K-5 students as part of their annual spring concert.

Rainbow Day is one of the days, part of our Cumberland School Countdown, that celebrates our pride in being a Cumberland Cougar.

2nd grade student's participated in an activity day.

Lena, 5th grader at Cumberland, has been named Illinois's AAA patroller of the year.

Matt Wilhelm came to Iroquois in May and shared his story of how one small act of kindness changed him from a bullied kid to a National Champion.

Algonquin's very own Mariachi band performed at the Des Plaines Public Library

Every Monday during lunch/recess Mr. Radtke runs a ukulele club for 4th grade students.

Students in Mr. Coon's music class experimented with different musical instruments.

Students in Ms. Todorovich's Art class worked on creating art related to St. Patrick's Day.

Algonquin Middle School held a short dedication ceremony for their brand new Little Free Library in February, during National Library Lover's Month.