During a student's eighth-grade year,  several events happen to prepare and celebrate students for their next journey. 

End-of-the-year activities - 8th-grade students are celebrated with an end-of-the-year graduation ceremony.  Other activities such as the end-of-the-year field trip to Great America and 8th Grade Dance also are celebrated and may vary from year to year.  

For your child to be eligible to participate in our Promotion Ceremony they must be in good academic standing and have paid all unpaid fees/fines owed to River Trail School and District 56 by May 9th.

Click below to view the full End of the Year 8th grade Activities, IMPORTANT information was sent to families via USPS on March 7, 2025

8th Grade End of the Year Information

• May 23, 2025 - Spotlight

All 8th-grade students and parents are invited to attend our annual celebration hosted by the Spotlight planning committee.

• May 23, 2025 - Tech Collection (iPads, keyboards, chargers, and cables)

Students will turn in their iPad and charger to their advisory teacher. Participation in any end-of-year activities; which includes robe distribution, yearbook distribution, Great America, the dance, and the promotion ceremony, will be suspended until these items have been returned or fees have been paid for a replacement. Additional school items should be returned at this time as well. Items such as library books, novels for Language Arts, guitars and tuners, band instruments, etc.

• May 28, 2025 - Great America

8th grade class trip to Great America - Fee is $40.00 If your child has a season pass, please check that off on the permission sheet.

• May 29, 2025 - 8th Grade Dance

The dance will take place from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Viking. Although parents are not asked to chaperone the dance, parents are invited to drop in at any time during the evening to view the hard work of our Student Council students and parents who will host the event.

• May 29, 2025 - Promotion Pictures

Class and individual pictures will be taken at River Trail on May 29, 2025. The students need to bring their robes to school with them on this date. Students who have not turned in fees will need to borrow a robe from the school for pictures. Forms for individual pictures are due at the time of pictures. Closer to May 29, 2025, an email will go out to all of our families who wish to purchase individual pictures online.

• May 30, 2025 - Promotion Rehearsal

Rehearsal for promotion will take place at the WTHS - Almond Campus during the school day on May 30, 2025. All students should come to school at the appropriate time (before 7:35 am) and will be taking a bus to Almond Campus together later that day. Students who are late to school and miss the shuttle to Almond Campus will report to a holding room and they will miss rehearsal. It is very important for these students to be present and on time for school.

• May 30, 2025 - PROMOTION CEREMONY

The promotion will be held in the Warren Township High School gymnasium at the Almond Campus on May 30, 2025, at 6:00 pm. All seating is on a first-come basis. Students will meet at Almond Campus at 5:30 pm. After the ceremony concludes, students will leave with their families. Students should leave all personal items (cell phones, purses, iPods, cameras, etc.) either at home or with a parent during the ceremony as there will be no place to store these items.

A $60 fee is required to supplement the cost of the promotion gowns, certificates, flowers, and the class picture. Please return your payment to RTS no later than May 9, 2025. There is no additional charge for the 8th-grade dance; however, there will also be a $40 fee for Great America.

Financial Considerations: Please get in touch with Dr. Glickley if you require financial assistance to pay for promotion fees. Checks should be made out to Gurnee School District 56.

8TH GR. PROMOTION PICTURE DAY PRE-ORDER

To read more information about the Promotion Pictures, a text was sent to families on March 3, 2025 please click on the link below.

Graduation Picture Day is Coming!

Promotion Picture Day will be on May 29th  

Please click here for 2025 River Trail 8th Grade Promotion to pre-order your Promotion Portrait package today.  

If you have any questions or concerns regarding fees or any of these end-of-year activities, please feel to contact the school office at (847) 249-6253