Dear RNS Parents,

Winter has certainly made its entrance! The children have had a wonderful crash course in Winter at RNS this week- enjoying snowy play on the playground, spending extra time indoors during low windchills, and practicing all the bundling and unbundling that winter brings.

As we head into the colder months, we wanted to share a quick, friendly reminder about our weather policies. RNS takes guidance from the National Weather Service and the Lake County Health Department when needed, and we generally follow District 112’s decisions about closures and early dismissals. Please note:

• If District 112 has a delayed start, RNS will most likely cancel morning classes.
• If District 112 announces an early dismissal, RNS will cancel afternoon classes or dismiss early as well if conditions have worsened quickly.

There may be times when RNS makes decisions independently of District 112, since our students are not affected by bus schedules or bus-stop exposure. 

If there are any changes to our schedule, we’ll let families know as soon as possible through MTK notifications and email. Thank you for your understanding and partnership in keeping safe and warm this winter!

Warmly,
Susan 

SAVE THE DATE! RNS Spring Event
NEW DATE: Saturday, April 11, 2026. Stay tuned in the new year for more details!

All wrapped gifts are due by Friday, December 12th. You may drop them at school to deposit in box inside the front door. If you have any questions, please contact Meagan (Cassidy, A Class) at meagan.shanahan@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your support and participation!

Gift Card Give Back Fundraiser- Order Deadline EXTENDED til TUESDAY 12/9

• This fundraiser program comes at no additional cost to you or RNS. Purchase a gift card at face value... RNS receives a percentage back!
• A list of participating retailers can be found HERE.
• View the GCGB Flyer HERE and click the QR code for online ordering, or click HERE for a paper form. *View RNS Staff Preferences HERE!  
• Questions? Contact Megan Swidler at megan.swidler@gmail.com.

Many families have reached out asking how they can contribute to their child’s classroom in meaningful ways. Monetary donations to RNS are directed to the areas of greatest need, such as building repairs, scholarships, and continuing education for teachers. Often, parents wish to celebrate their child's birthday by donating a book or a special play material for all to enjoy. In response to this generosity, we’ve created a curated wish list for families who would like to support our classrooms in this way. Click on the QR code here to peruse our list!

*Consider a book purchase off of our list through Bookshop.org which partners with RNS Alum Parent Lauren Cardick's local book shop Matchmaker Books!

NOTE: To register for any of the following programs, please log in to your Membership Toolkit account and click on the Open Registrations dropdown menu. Registration forms are also directly linked below.

2026-2027 School Year registration is now OPEN! A letter from Susan about next year's programming and registration can be found HERE.

Lunch Bunch and Enrichment registration for the winter/spring is OPEN! *Families may now register for a second day of Lunch Bunch or Enrichment, space permitting. Programming begins the week of Jan 6.

RNS Summer Camp '26 registration is OPEN! Similar to previous years, we will be offering 7 weeks of morning camp sessions from June 8 to July 23 (2 days/week for Two Cans, 4 days/week for older children). View the flyer HERE.

Circle of Security Parenting Program with Molly Pope- In Chicagoland, when the snow and low temps may slow us down right when activities and energies are ramping up, is it ok to slow down too? What does it mean to choose wholeness over perfection, and how liberating would that choice be? Perfection asks us to tighten, to control, to curate. Choosing wholeness over perfection allows us to soften and offer the same spaciousness to our children. Their big feelings, their slow mornings, their anticipatory excitement, their frustrations—all of those parts get to exist, too. Join Molly for an 8-week Circle of Security parenting group beginning February 3rd, 7:00-8:30pm at the Counseling Center of the North Shore, Winnetka, IL. Learn more HERE and register HERE.