Please see the updated Return to School Plan below with the latest updates.
 
Please note: When Governor Pritzker’s state-wide educational Mask Mandate is rescinded, Summit Hill School District 161 will fully implement our Opening Plan, premised on local control.

• Return to School Plan

Dear Summit Hill School District 161 Students, Staff, and Families,
 
I am so excited to be joining the SHSD161 team as Superintendent and enthusiastically look forward to partnering with you to make the upcoming school year a refreshing and positive experience for our entire school community. While my position officially began on July 1, I have frequented the District to visit each school, meet people, listen, learn, and begin to develop the relationships necessary for us to carry out our important work.
 
As I reflect on my initial interactions across the District, thank you for the warm welcome and for your trust, confidence, and partnership as we ensure that school is a place for every child, where they are known, and where they can learn and grow. The preK-8th grade years help shape our students into the adults they will become, so our work caries significant importance for our students, their families, and for the health of our entire community. The learner experience should be rigorous, supported, and enjoyable; demonstrating cooperation, collaboration and wisdom in how we approach our learners so they can safely and appropriately flourish.
 
It is also important that we acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of our teachers and staff, ensuring they have the tools and resources needed to carry out their work inside our classrooms and in our schools as they facilitate a relevant, student-centered learning experience. Listening and responding to our team members is critically important and helps provide ownership and voice to the kind of school system so desperately needed in today’s ever-changing world. When we all work together, our student’s learning is accelerated and everyone wins!
 
I look forward to meeting you and becoming a part of this amazing team. Thank you again!
 
 
Sincerely,
 
Dr. Paul J. McDermott
Your Superintendent
 

Mission Statement

The mission of Summit Hill District 161, in collaboration with the family and the community, is to provide our students with the highest quality educational opportunities in a safe, supportive,and stimulating learning environment which will empower them to become productive global citizens and successful lifelong learners. 

Welcome Dr. McDermott to Summit Hill!!

Good Afternoon Summit Hill School District 161 Families,
 
Excitedly, today is the first day of school for students! This brings so much anticipation (and nervousness) for both staff and students, but we have spent the last two Institute Days preparing for the arrival of our students. We are ready for an amazing school year, one where we see a return of our students to full in-person learning! Academically, there is no question that in-person learning, five days per week, is what is best for students, and our students also need athletics and extra-curricular opportunities to continue to grow socially and emotionally. We will look to offer the opportunity for school to look as normal as possible, in as safe an environment as possible for everyone in our learning community.
 
With that being said, we continue to be under the Governor’s mask mandate, as such, all staff, students, and visitors must wear a mask when at school. We will continue to watch case counts and local positivity rates closely for a time when the mandate is removed and local control is returned. Along the way, as changes are considered, we will keep our learning community informed.  The most up-to-date Opening Plan for SHSD161 can be found on our website, please take the time to read through how school will start this year.
 
 
Again, we are looking forward to a great 2021-2022 school year and helping each and every student flourish!
 
Sincerely,
 
Dr. Paul McDermott
Superintendent 
 

District News

Kindergarten registration drive continues
Click here to schedule your appointment at the Administrative Center to register your child for Kindergarten for the 2021-22 school year. For information on what documentation is needed at the time of your appointment, click the Student Registration button under our Quick Links section below.
 

Listen to to the latest Podcast of "Today Matters" by Superintendent Paul McDermott.
Click Here to Listen 

E-Learning Plan for five scheduled emergency days receives approval
Approval of the district's E-Learning Plan now enables student instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present in lieu of the district’s scheduled emergency days. The E-Learning Plan contains the  requirements to ensure staff and student participation in an E- Learning day will allow the day to be counted as a day of student attendance. The plan will be implemented for a period of three years (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24) prior to renewal.
 

September 15, 2021 Regular School Board meeting, Mary Drew Admin. Center, 7 PM
Public attendance at the meeting is allowed.  Social distancing will be maintained by all attendees and masks are required. The meeting audio will be available to members of the public who wish to attend the meeting remotely at https://livestream.com/shsd161/events/9059359.
 
 

COVID Information

Quick Links

Emergency Closing Procedures

It never seems soon enough to communicate our plan concerning inclement weather or a school building heating or power emergency. Should the need arise, school closing will be communicated in a variety of ways:

• Parents automatically receive alerts via text, voice, or e-mail.
• Closing information is at www.emergencyclosingcenter.com.
• Local radio stations: WGN 720, WBBM 780
• Local television stations: Channels 2, 5, 7, 9 (WGN), 32 (FOX), & CLTV

General Guidelines

•   We review wind chill chart from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
•   If the air temperature reaches -10°, we will strongly consider closing school.
•   If a sustained wind chill of between -25° and -30° is forecast, we will strongly consider closing school.
•   We will generally make a decision and communicate with parents around 5:30 a.m.
•   A status update will be provided to parents the evening before.
•   If schools are closed, all school-related activities are cancelled.