Lake County Gazette

Lake Forest School District 67 announced that all K-8 district-provided iPads will not be sent home with students this summer. This decision aims to promote a break from screens and encourage unplugged summer activities and learning. The announcement was made in a press release on April 3, 2025.

According to Lake Forest School District 67, the changes are based on feedback from the District 67 Technology Working Group and the Curriculum Coordinating Committee. One of the main changes is that district-provided iPads will not be sent home with students during the summer. Starting in the 2025-26 school year, Lake Forest School District 67 will implement a policy where iPads provided to K-4 students will primarily remain at school.

The district aims to establish clear boundaries between school and home life, ensuring that students do not have continuous exposure to screens outside of school hours. This shift is intended to reduce the amount of screen time students experience after school. By keeping the iPads at school, the district also plans to simplify device management for families.

The district also piloted a tool called Securly Parent this spring, which provides families with increased visibility into their child's use of district-issued iPads outside of school. The pilot received positive feedback, and as a result, Securly Parent will be rolled out districtwide for the 2025-26 school year. This tool allows parents to monitor their child's digital activity, ensuring they can better manage screen time and keep track of their child's engagement with educational resources. Families who wish to start using this tool before the full rollout can request early access by filling out a form provided by the district.

Lake Forest Elementary School District 67 serves approximately 1,600 students in grades Pre-K through 8. The district includes three elementary schools—Cherokee Elementary (K-4), Everett Elementary (K-4), and Sheridan Elementary (Pre-K-4)—as well as Deer Path Middle School (5-8). The district’s mission is to inspire and empower students to maximize growth and cultivate respect for others in a dynamic, safe learning environment.