western springs district 101 october 2016 public schools … · 2017-07-03 · october 2016 a...

Western Springs District 101PUBLIC SCHOOLS REPORT

October 2016

A Message from Board President Karen Gibbs

District 101 Schools Report October 2016

Board of Education Adjusts Compensation To Attract and Retain Quality Perso

nnel

As the community recognizes, the high quality and dedication of our Distri

ct 101 teachers are critical elements that

help lead to our students’ success. In the last year, the Board focused on

ensuring that District 101 had the right

compensation elements to attract and retain teachers who exemplify Dis

trict 101 values. In particular, we made

adjustments to the salary scale to increase compensation for new teachers a

nd for teachers who were already integral

to the positive work being done with students. Additionally, we were able to

continue the current high-quality health

coverage offered to District 101 employees without raising the premiums p

aid by the employees.

Salary Adjustments

Prior to the salary adjustment, District 101’s teacher compensation had fa

llen behind the average of other Lyons

Township High School feeder districts. The previous scale was also designed

in such a way that teachers who move into

District 101 from other districts would not receive credit for past years of se

rvice outside of District 101. Thus, it was

particularly difficult to recruit experienced teachers from other districts.

The Board determined that it would be appropriate to adjust entering salarie

s, salaries for teachers who move from

other districts to District 101, and salaries for District 101 veteran teachers

. The Board’s objective was to increase the

attractiveness of teaching in District 101 for new and veteran teachers.

Mindful of the need for fiscal prudence, the Board also recognized that we coul

d not raise salaries to the level of those

offered in districts such as Butler and Hinsdale, which have the benefit of su

bstantial corporate real estate revenues to

raise their coffers. We were pleased, however, to be in a position to raise salaries ABOVE the stat

ewide average for the

first time in recent memory, as well as become very competitive in the loc

al market for talented new teachers and

veteran instructors.

Consistent with our expectations, the District’s efforts to recruit experienc

ed teachers to fill open positions have

already been successful. Among the fourteen new teachers added for 2016-1

7, the average years of teaching experience

was 6.8 years, the highest average incoming years of prior experience of any c

ohort of new staff in more than a decade.

Healthcare Coverage

Like many employers, District 101 faced significant health insurance prem

ium increases for the FY 2017 school

year. Through negotiations, however, the District was able to lower the in

itial premium adjustments to a level that

allowed the District to continue its current coverage without requesting that

employees pay higher premiums or switch

plans. We were very pleased with this outcome.

Overall Budget Impact

Not surprisingly, salaries and employee benefits are District 101’s largest exp

ense. Because we employ 122 teachers,

any adjustment to the salary matrix or to the cost of benefits has a significa

nt budgetary impact. The annual impact

of the salary adjustments to our overall operational budget is approximatel

y $500,000 (+2.9%), a significant figure

based on our overall budget, but one which we can support within our curren

t fiscal means, as outlined in the FY 2017

Budget. Although we were able to minimize the additional cost of health insu

rance, the District will still pay more than

$800,000, or 4.4% of our total operational budget, in healthcare premium

s in FY 2017.

Overall, District 101 finances are strong, with an operating budget that contin

ues to live within our annual revenues.

Given historic fiscal prudence, the District continues to carry a reserve of ap

proximately 52% of our current operating

budget, in line with best-practice financial recommendations for Illinois sch

ool districts. Over the past five years, the

Board has been able to expand and enhance our facilities, provide add

itional resources and staff to help meet

student needs in a variety of areas, and make a significant commitment to ou

r staff to ensure that District 101 continues

to be “A Place Where Children Thrive,” consistent with the District’s mission.


STEM Takes Hold in District 101Robotics. STEM labs. Makerspaces. Coding classes. Summer school electives. New

NGSS aligned science curriculum for K-8. Illinois Math & Science Academy FUSION. So manyexciting changes are abreast in D101 schools. STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, has taken hold in District 101. In addition to the STEM-based elective options now available to students, K-5 teachers will begin implementing new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned units of study thisyear after a two-year curriculum review, rewrite and resource alignment study. Sixth through eighth grade teachers implementedtheir newly aligned units of study during the 2015-16 school year. Our new K-8 standards, outcomes and targets are available

on the District 101 website. Additionally, should you wish to learn even more about the primary science textresources adopted to support implementation, please click here for grades K-2 (TCI) and click here forgrades 3-8 (Discovery Education Techbook), if you are reading this article at www.d101.org.

District 101 Joins Discovery’s Digital Leader CorpsWe are pleased to announce that District 101 is partnering with the Western Springs

Foundation for Educational Excellence (WSFEE), to bring the Discovery Digital Leader Corps(DLC) to the District in January 2017. We believe that the DLC tools will allow us to achieveour long-term District goals more quickly through supporting teacher professional developmentin various areas, including improved instructional practices. The multi-year DLC project willequip our teachers to effectively address 21st century instructional demands. This system of professional development starts with a core group of teachers and administrators at each schoolsite (Year 1) and then in subsequent years extends outreach to all staff members of each schoolcommunity (Years 2 and beyond).

Discovery’s DLC program will support teachers in the following key areas:

¶ Strengthen instructional practices to promote student ownership of learning

¶ Improve teachers’ abilities to create consistent, engaging and personalized learning experiences for students

¶ Promote instructional practices in the areas of inquiry and problem-solving throughlearner-centered teaching and learning

¶ Foster teacher understanding of the importance of student creation, collaborationand communication of/around meaningful learning artifacts

¶ Strengthen practices in effective use of digitally infused and differentiated formativepractices, lessons and learning experiences.This project is exciting because it represents the first—and arguably only—external

professional development opportunity presently available that aligns with the District 101 action strategy. We know already that “the greatest influence on student progression in learning is having highly expert, in-spired and passionate teachers and school leaders working together to maximize the effect of their teaching on all students intheir care” (Hattie, 2015). The DLC program will be individually tailored to meet local needs and therefore provides District101 with the ability to co-create a researched-based plan for improvement that accelerates our current efforts. With the DLC project, students will grow more academically, achieve more academically, and feel safer and more supported to take risks intheir learning environments. Stay tuned for more information later this fall.

What is the Digital Leader Corps?

The Digital Leader Corps (DLC)is a research based system of embedded professional learningand leadership used to fuel innovative change that is intentionally designed to:

• Drive system transformation• Build/support a culture of

continuous improvement• Support a shared

leadership model • Maximize teachers’ impact

on student learning

The Wheel, originally developed andnow refined annually by our DistrictLeadership Team (DLT), represents the “10-year” strategic vision for staff continuous improvement in cultivating Student Ownership.

— Coffey Talk —Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Sarah Coffey


National Board Comes to District 101What is National Board Certification (NBC)? NBC is a

voluntary, advanced teaching credential that goes beyondstate licensure. NBC utilizes National Board Standards asa measure for determining what accomplished teachersshould know and be able to do. The National Board thencertifies teachers who successfully complete its rigorous certification process. This process includes two years of extensive study, physical and video evidence collection, andstandardized testing. Teachers who pursue NBC workunder the direction of the following five core propositions:

1. Teachers are committed to students and their learning.

2. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.

3. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.

4. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.

5. Teachers are members of learning communities.

Last spring 19 District 101 teachers applied for and wereaccepted to undergo the two-year NBC process. These staffare part of a District-only cohort that will meet one to twotimes per month after school for the next two school years.The benefit of establishing a local cohort versus independent

study is the ability for the locally established NBC adminis-trator (Sarah Coffey) and NBC teacher liaison (Laura Broad-nax), in conjunction with the provided NBC expertfacilitator, to tailor the 24, two-hour learning sessions to localimprovement goals. Doing so allows us to closely align thiswork with our continued vision, so staff are able to see theconsistent connection of this professional development to ourImprovement Wheel (shown previously). In sum, NBC studyis professional development around the same research-basedtenets that we are promoting within District 101. What anexciting undertaking for so many talented staffers and ourbroader District!

Here’s a look at our present goal statement.

For the third time in four years, the Chicagoland RegionalSpelling Bee Champion hails from District 101. In May, McClure seventh-grader, Mira Dedhia, kept the spelling rollmoving, as she competed in the Scripps National SpellingBee in Washington, D.C. Mira qualified for this prestigiousevent by winning a very competitive local Bee at McClure,followed by impressive wins at the West Cook and ChicagoRegional Bees in February. In each of the February events,she competed against some of the very best students fromacross Chicagoland. While in D.C., Mira spelled both of her words correctly during the on-stage portion of the competition; however, her perfect spelling on stage was notquite enough to put her on the final stage of what has become an iconic May event. Congratulations to Mira foran amazing run to Washington!

McClure Spelling Bee Champ Goes To Washington, D.C.

McClure Principal Dan Chick with National Spelling Bee Qualifier,McClure Seventh Grader Mira Dedhia, and her Parents


District 101 Welcomes New Staff for 2016-17 School YearGiven a number of retirees at the end of the 2015-16 school year, the addition of new positions within the

District, strategic intra-District staff re-assignments, and the replacement of a few departed staff, District 101 thisyear welcomes 13 new certified staff. Included are key additions to the administrative, administrative support,and student support teams, including:

Past Articles that May be of Interest . . .Coffey Talk….Testing in D101, Summer 2015Understanding District 101 Enrichment and Intervention Services, Fall 2014Understanding District 101’s Advanced Placement Process, Fall 2014Board of Education Re-Affirms Half-Day Kindergarten in District 101, Fall 2015

Previous newsletterscan be found on our website atwww.d101.org

(Left to Right)

Kristen Lemar, Sean Callahan, & Lisa Barsch

(Left to Right)

Erin Smith and Julie Pye

Forest Hills welcomes:

¶ Erin Smith, long-term Kindergarten maternity substitute and

¶ Julie Pye, Speech/Language Pathologist, to this year’s staff.

Field Park welcomes two new certified staff this year:

¶ Sean Callahan is the new Social Worker and

¶ Lisa Barsch, Special Education Resource Teacher, moves to Field Park after five successful years at Forest Hills.

Superintendent’s Message – Brian Barnhart


Laidlaw welcomes a number of new faces for the 2016-17 school year.

¶ Amy Carolan moves over from Forest Hills to fill the Enrichment position following the retirement of Peggy Caplan.

¶ Anita Dugandzic takes over as the full-time Reading Intervention Teacher as a result of Mary McBride’s move to full-time coaching in Structured Word Inquiry.

¶ Lisa Stukel brings 18 years of experience with her in her part-time Reading Interventionist position.

¶ Kate Kropf’s move to D101 completes the third-grade team, while Miranda Edgar’s hiring does the same for the second-grade team, replacing the retired Deb Spartz.

¶ Katie Jaeger completes the new staffing at Laidlaw, moving into the fifth-grade position opened when Tori George moved into the third-grade team.

¶ Finally, long-time secretary Peanut Hague’s retirement brings Elizabeth Walker to Laidlaw full time as the Administrative Assistant to Principal DeBartolo.

(Left to Right)Miranda Edgar, Hailey O’Malley,

& Katie Jaeger

(Left to Right)Anita Dugandzic, Lisa Stukel, Kate Kropf & Amy Carolan

Administrative Assistant Elizabeth (“Cricket”) Walker


McClure Junior High welcomes five new certified members to this year’s staff.

¶ Maureen Moran, special education resource teacher and District interventionist;

¶ Carina Rago, who joins the math department;

¶ and three new members of the English Language Arts department, Julie Guerin, who returns to McClure; Chad Kiffmeyer; and Elizabeth Colicchia are the new ELA teachers

(Left to Right)

Carina Rago, Elizabeth Colicchia, Chad Kiffmeyer, Maureen Moran, and Julie Guerin

Administration welcomes:

¶ Rachel Corrough moved to Forest Hills as the new Principal, replacing the retiring Deb Farrell, who was in that role the past 14 years. Prior to this year, Mrs. Corrough served as McClure’s Assistant Principal for seven years.

¶ Ashley Burger moved into the McClure Assistant Principal position following a successfulinaugural year as one of our District’s Instructional Integration Specialists. Mrs. Burger has been in District 101 the past five years, serving as a fifth-grade teacher at Laidlaw prior to becoming a Specialist last year.

Ashley Burger, McClure Assistant Principal Rachel Corrough, Forest Hills Principal


Special Education:

¶ Virginia Sulek moves from her role as Assistant Coordinator for Special Services in District 101 for the past two years to the new Director of Special Services, following the retirement of Noreen Florek, who held that position for 19 years. Mrs. Sulek is joined in her leadership of special services by the addition of

¶ Dr. Julia Nadler, who joins District 101 as Associate Coordinator for Special Services following her tenure as Coordinator of Special Education in Crystal Lake District 155 for the past five years.

District Office:

¶ Elani Zissimopoulos, who replaces the retired Sue Stasica is the last new member of the District 101 staff is Executive Assistant to the Superintendent. Ms. Zissimopoulos joins District 101 following three successful years in the same capacity at the LaGrange Area Department of Special Education (LADSE).

Dr. Julia Nadler, Associate Director of Special Services

Gini Sulek, Director of Special Service

Elani Zissimopoulos, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent


District 101 Students Shine (Again) on PARCC ScoresLast spring, District 101 students took the second installment of the multi-state PARCC assessment (Partnership for

Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers). Unlike the initial year of testing, student performance results were delivered to us in late August—well in advance of last year’s delivery of results. Students again performed relatively well onthe assessment, with 2016 results looking similar to 2015 results (outside of third-grade ELA), when District 101 ranked asthe ninth-highest performing district in Illinois. Results across grade levels and subject areas were relatively steady, consistentwith District 101’s goal to ensure a uniform system of curriculum and delivery of instruction. For the few outlier student performance results, we are continuing to study the results to determine whether we need to strengthen instructional practices and/or make any curriculum adjustments to ensure that District 101 students have a strong understanding of keyconcepts assessed. Results for the two years are summarized below:

MATH

ENGLISH

* Percent Meeting or Exceeding Standards


District 101 and Park District Collaborate on Forest Hills BlacktopWhile the instructional space gained and improved as part of the 2014 building-improvement projects was significant for

students at each of our four buildings, one of the casualties to our expanded footprint at Forest Hills Elementary was the lossof blacktop play space for students and residents. As a result, District 101 and the Western Springs Park District partneredtogether to bring a new-and-improved blacktop space to Forest Hills.

At a dedication ceremony held on May 16, Park District Executive Director John Robinson, Forest Hills resident and parent Laura Kearney (whose diligent work helped this project come to fruition), and retiring Forest Hills Principal Deb Farrell led a ribbon-cutting ceremony that culminated in our Forest Hills students enjoying a beautiful day of shooting hoopsand playing four square on their new space. The new blacktop features a full-court basketball court, with adjustable glass-back-board basketball hoops and other games. Thanks to the Park District and Village of Western Springs for their partnership andsupport in making this new space a reality at Forest Hills!

Western Springs Remembers Ashley JurjovecThroughout May and June, District 101 paid tribute to our outstanding and popular McClure sixth-grade mathematics

teacher, Ashley Jurjovec, who passed away suddenly in May. Mrs. Jurjovec’s unexpected death was a tragic loss for staff and students alike. Students, staff, parents, and community members showed up in force to run together in tribute to her memory at this year’s Tower Trot, and the McClure Student Council placed a tree and plaque immediately outside of her classroom windows. District 101 stands with the Jurjovec/Strand family in remembering our teacher, friend, colleague, sister,daughter, and wife . . . Ashley Jurjovec.

Memorial to Ashley Jurjovec

New Forest Hills Blacktop Space

District 101 Schools Report 10 October 2016

Thank You, Retirees!As of June 30, District 101 said goodbye and thank you to seven amazing members of our staff, who combined

concluded 136 years of dedicated service to the students and staff of our community.

¶ Peggy Caplan completed 15 years in District 101 as the enigmatic enrichment instructor at Laidlaw after having also worked in special education at McClure.

¶ Deb Farrell touched many students in her 23 years of service to District 101, having served initially as a reading teacher and part-time Assistant Principal at Field Park and then having led Forest Hills Elementaryfor the past 15 years as their Principal. Mrs. Farrell’s positivity and singular focus will be missed.

¶ Noreen Florek completed her 19 years of service as our Director of Special Services. Mrs. Florek was a champion in Western Springs in assuring that each of our students—and her/his needs, big and small—were of continual focus and discussion among our staff.

¶ Mary Ellen Hague was the constant for parents entering Laidlaw for the past 24 years, having served as Secretary to the Principal. “Peanut” was a calming and steady force throughout her career at Laidlaw and will be sorely missed, although she may be found easily around the neighborhood when she is not busytraveling to see her daughter and grandchildren.

¶ Sheila Jaskierski capped her 14 years in District 101 at Forest Hills Elementary, the school where it all began for her in Western Springs. Along the way, this gifted Speech Language Pathologist also served students at McClure, Field Park, and St. John of the Cross.

¶ Deb Spartz has been another constant in and around the Laidlaw community, omnipresent in so many ways, but none more so than her 23 years teaching primary students at her family’s home school.

¶ Sue Stasica completes her 19 years of service in District 101 in a number of capacities, including being the Administrative Assistant to the Field Park Principal, Board Office Receptionist, and for the past six years serving as Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent.

We wish each of them happy, healthy, and fulfilling “next chapters,” with thanks for their selfless service!

Peggy Caplan, Noreen Florek, Deb Spartz, Sheila Jaskierski, Deb Farrell, Sue Stasica (Not Pictured, Mary Ellen Hague)


Band And Orchestra Associate News...Instrument Drive a Huge SuccessThis spring, our District 101 Band and Orchestra

Association organized an instrument donation program tobenefit our friends at Off The Street Club in Chicago. Theygathered and donated more than 70 instruments fromacross Western Springs and 25 guitars from McClure thatwill be put to use by our amazing friends at OTSC. One ofthe best donated instruments was an accordion from one ofour community members….age 88! Way to go, Band andOrchestra Association!

Kiwanis Scholarship Winners Announced at Spring ConcertAt the Spring Band and Orchestra Concert on May 5,

David Hopkins of the WS Kiwanis Club presented campscholarships in the amount of $250 each to Caleb Quick(trumpet) and Mira Dedhia (violin) to continue their musicalpursuits. ank you, Kiwanis Club and Band/Orchestra Association...and congratulations to Mira and Caleb!

Instrument Drive for Off The Street Club

Scholarship Winners Mira Dedhia and Caleb Quick with Kiwanis Club Representative David Hopkins

Special Education and Homeless ServicesStudents ages 3 through 14 who have special education needs that impact their learning are eligible for services from

District 101. If you have questions or concerns about services, please contact Gini Sulek, Special Education Director, at 708-246-3700. Children ages 0 to 3 who have special needs are eligible for early intervention services throughlocal agencies. For additional information, contact Child and Family Connections at 1-888-566-8228. If you, or someone you know, is in need of information regarding the Education for Homeless Children and Youth

Programs, please contact Julia Nadler, Special Education Assistant Director at 708-246-3700.

2017 District 101 School Board ElectionsThe District 101 School Board Election Committee is seeking interested candidates to run for School Board. The

Committee will hold an information session at 7 p.m. October 17 in the McClure library for anyone interested in learning more about School Board responsibilities, the candidate filing process, and the election.

The School Board is composed of seven members elected by the community to fulfill its powers and duties on behalfof the District. Each member of the School Board is elected on a non-partisan ballot for a four-year term. Elections willbe held during the Illinois Consolidated Election on April 4, 2017.

If you have questions regarding the 2017 Board of Education election for District 101, please contact Elani Zissimopoulos, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, who also serves as the District’s election contact, at 708-485-2914 or Amy Avakian, School Board Election Committee Chair, at [email protected].

Western Springs Elementary School District

4335 Howard AvenueWestern Springs, IL 60558

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

P A I DWestern Springs, IL

Permit No. 49

Western Springs District 101 Calendar of Events

DISTRICT 101 SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERSLisa Garvin • [email protected]

Karen Gibbs, President • [email protected] McLawhorn, Vice President • [email protected]

Julie O’Connor • [email protected] Padgett • [email protected] Reedy • [email protected] Secord • [email protected]

Dr. Brian BarnhartSuperintendent

e-mail: [email protected]: www.d101.org(708) 246-3700

Local Postal Customer

O C T O B E R4 Laidlaw - Superintendent “Office Hours” - 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

6 McClure - Superintendent “Office Hours” - 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

10 No School - Columbus Day

11 No School for Students - Staff Institute Day

14 Laidlaw Fun Run

17 McClure Cross Country Conference Meet at LTHS South

21 McClure Girls Basketball Tournament Begins

24 Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 p.m. in McClure Library

28 Last Day of First Quarter; McClure Student Council Halloween Dance

31 McClure Boys Basketball Tryouts Begin

31 Elementary Halloween Parades in Afternoon

N O V E M B E R1 Late Arrival Day - 10:00 a.m. Start for Students

(NOTE: Date Change from originally scheduled late arrival of 11/2/16!!)1 McClure Band/Orchestra Parent Information Night & B/O Monthly Meeting3 McClure 8th-Grade Orchestra Festival & Concert, LT North Reber Center, 7:30 p.m.4 McClure Speech and Drama Club Play, 7:00 p.m.5 Forest Hills PTA Trivia Night Fundraiser, 7:00 p.m.5 McClure Speech and Drama Club Play, 7:00 p.m.; Band and Orchestra ILMEA Festival6 Daylight Savings Time Ends8 ELECTION DAY - All four D101 schools will be used as polling places -

School in session.8 McClure 8th-Grade Band Festival & Concert at LTHS, 7:30 p.m.11 District Veteran’s Day Assembly, 10:00 a.m. at Laidlaw Gymnasium

14-18 American Education Week14 Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 p.m. in McClure Libraary21 Parent/Teacher Conferences - No School for Students22 Parent/Teacher Conferences - No School for Students

23-25 No School - Thanksgiving Holiday29 McClure Future Freshmen Night - LTHS South Campus, 7:00 p.m.

western springs district 101 october 2016 public schools … · 2017-07-03 · october 2016 a...

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