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Message from the Superintendent
The 2016-17 school year is well underway and the daily routines are set. On my visits
around the district, enthusiasm, engagement and energy are evident in and around our schools on a regular basis. As we resume the monumental task of educating to
day's youth to be tomorrow's thinkers, citizens, leaders, and changers, I see the amazing thin
gs that happen behind the scenes each day. Children helping their peers in the classroom or on the playground, a teacher gently encouraging a student in their class to try again, a custodian walking down the hall greeting the students, and a principal helping a new family get acclimated to a new school. These are but a few of the examples of what makes our schools feel like a family.
There is a lot that happens within the walls of the schoolhouse. This year we embark on year two of our Math Expressions math adoption in grades K-5 and Digits in grades 6-8. We have changed our approach in K-6 English to include more personal choice reading and more feedback through our new Schoolwide adoption. Spanish in grades five and six has taken on an immersion approach as the majority of instruction is now presented in Spanish.
On a district-wide level, we continue to provide information to our community regarding the facts behind the decision to put a $3 million referendum question on the ballot. Homeowners would see an increase for this referendum of $112 per $100,000 of home value. A home worth $300,000 would see an increase of $336 a year. I encourage you to be informed, not only in regards to the referendum, but informed about all of the elections that are taking place this year throughout our state, nation and communities. For the most up to date information on the referendum and financial projections, please go to your building or district website and find the link on the lower left-hand side marked
Referendum FAQ's.
Finally, thanks to all of the parents, community members, teachers, staff and students who participated in the various District 102 visioning sessions held last year. All of the information gathered was reviewed and compiled by the Leadership and Communication Committee and sorted into categories. Over the summer, I distilled the information even further to get to the essence of the various topics that surfaced as visions, hopes, and dreams for our children in La Grange School District 102. At the Board meeting on Thursday, September 29, I presented the first iteration of the themes of the strategic plan. These initial documents will be posted on the district website later next week. This is a positive step in ensuring that we can continue to remain proud of our district-her students, teachers, administrators and staff-and continue to provide a relevant, innovative, and meaningful learning and growing experience for our students.
Kyle
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Teaching and Learning Department
We truly hope that your children have settled into another school year smoothly and are finding it engaging and enriching. As you know, all students have strengths and passion areas. The district approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) includes self-awareness, a key competency addressed in the Illinois Social/Emotional Learning Standards (for more information see
http://www.isbe.net/ils/social_emotional/standards.htm). This involves helping children to recognize personal qualities such as likes, strengths, and interests. Teachers harness these interests in order to help children choose books at their reading level, write about topics that interest them, and set meaningful learning goals. We envision the curriculum and instruction of District 102 igniting these strength areas, so they become expressed as talents.
In the late 1960s, Dr. Julian Stanley at Johns Hopkins University met a 12-year-old student who was extremely bright. Dr. Stanley administered the SAT (a high school test) to this student to get a better picture of his academic profile. When a student scores at the top of a grade level test, schools and families aren't provided much information, especially in terms of readiness. Using above-level tests helps differentiate between a student who has mastered material far beyond grade level standards from the student who has mastered the on-level standards.
Stanley's "experiment" sparked the Academic Talent Search Model. This model identifies students who perform well above age-level in one or more academic areas to support the development of talents through appropriate challenging programs and experiences. District 102 recommends students (grades 4-8) who are in an accelerated class OR whose achievement scores are at the 95 percentile rank nationally. The talent search continues to rely on above-level tests. Although there are several talent search sites in the country, D102 works with the University of Iowa and Northwestern University. The former offers I-Excel in grades 4-6 and ACT in grades 7-8; and the latter offers PSAT 8/9 in grades 4-6 and ACT and SAT in grades 7-8. Recommendation letters are sent to families in late October.
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Dr. Lange Honored by The University of Iowa
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Congratulations to District 102
Talent/Development Coordinator
Dr. Randy Lange
on being awarded the Educator Award for Outstanding Achievement by the Belin-Blank Center at The University of Iowa.
Dr. Lange was presented with his award at a recognition ceremony on September 25 on the campus of The University of Iowa.
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Special Education Department
The Special Education Department will be conducting a survey during the upcoming weeks for parents of students who attended our Extended School Year Program during June and July. The survey will be sent by email. We are anxious to receive feedback on our 2016 Extended School Year Program. Eight staff members are participating in Wilson Reading System training this year to receive their certification in Level One. Seven of the staff members are special education teachers and one is a reading specialist. The same training for certification was offered last year. We have been very pleased with the outcomes of this training and the implementation of this research based program. Wilson Reading System is a supplemental reading and writing curriculum designed to promote reading accuracy (decoding) and spelling (encoding) skills for students with word-level deficits.
Please take time to review the information on Physical Therapy Month. Dr. Justin Zelenka and Dr. Nora Wagner, our District's physical therapists, have provided valuable information on the importance of movement as it relates to our students.
Click here.
Our staff list is now included on the
District website. W
e have several new staff members in our depart
ment as well as substitutes covering for family leaves.
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Finance Department
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New Financial Projections: La Grange School District 102 is posting new financial projections dated 9/27/17 based on activity at the State level, a proposed FY17 budget, and changes to the fund balances based on the FY16 audit. Currently, there is not a State plan for a TRS Cost shift, shifting the State's liability of the TRS System to school districts, nor is a property tax freeze in current discussions at the State level.
With this new information we have posted the new financial projections for the District showing the impact on the District 102 Fund Balances with a $3million referendum (Green Bar), with no referendum (Yellow Bar), and with no referendum and the impact of potential TRS cost shifts and a potential future 2 year tax freeze (Red Bar). See below for information:
Referendum Community Meetings: Members of the community are invited to informational meetings where facts and figures regarding the referendum will be shared with stakeholders. At these meetings, members of the District 102 Board and administration will be present to answer questions and inform residents of the referendum process. Meetings will be offered from 7-8:30 pm on the following dates:
- October 4 - La Grange Public Library, located at 10 West Cossitt Avenue in La Grange.
- October 6 - La Grange Park Public Library District, located at 555 N. La Grange Road in La Grange Park.
- October 12 - St. Francis Xavier Parish (Joyce Hall), 124 N. Spring Avenue in La Grange.
Questions regarding the meetings or the referendum may be sent
here. To view the Ballot Language for the Nov. 8 referendum, please
click here. Additional information is also posted on the
district website under Referendum FAQ's.
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The district is working to make the new website an invaluable resource for both parents and community members and would welcome your feedback to make this resource as useful as possible. The website is constantly updated and contains many resources, some of which you might be unaware. Did you know that the website includes:
Board of Education meeting agendas, informatio
n packets, meeting minutes, and audio
recordings; (
http://www.sd102.net/About102/BoardofEducation/2016-201
7BoardMeetings/tabid/105730/Default.aspx)
A district employee directory; (
http://www.sd102.net/About102/Directory/tabid/97275/Default.aspx)
Board of Education member contact and term information; (
http://www.sd102.net/About102/BoardofEducation/tabid/97188/Default.aspx)
A district events calendar; (
http://www.sd102.net/DistrictCalendar/tabid/102788/Default.aspx)
These are just a few of the resources on the new website. Please take some time to look through the site and if you have suggestions or comments about the site please email them to
feedback@dist102.k12.il.us.
In addition to the website, parents now have access to the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Portal access provides access to students' schedules, grades, and attendance, as well as the ability to update registration and contact information. For questions about the Parent Portal, including how to setup an account if you don't yet have one, parents should contact their child's school.
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Science Center Mini Maker Faire
Are you a maker? Do you tinker? Do you know anyone who does?
The Science Center Parent Enrichment Group of District 102 is planning its first e
ver Mini Maker Faire with the goal of making makers through Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
We are looking for parents (or friends and neighbors) who create or make something
related to STEM who would like to join us in our Mini Maker Faire debut. Specifically activities must be one or more of the following:
* Interactive (ex-trick out your bike)
* Make and takes (ex-making bath bombs)
* Special Guests with highly engaging demo (ex- 3-D printer)
The Mini Maker Faire will be held:
Date: Saturday October 22, 2016
Time: 10am - 2pm
Location: District 102 Science Center and grounds.
Please help us recruit from our talented local neighborhood to help inspire a whole new generation.
To confirm participation or if you have any questions, please contact Ann Roth (Ogden parent, SCPEG president) at
rothann4@gmail.com.
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Dates to Remember
(Please visit a school or the
district site
for additional dates.)
October 1: Ogden 6th Grade Krispy Kreme Donut Fundraiser,
8-11am, Ehlert & Gordon Parks (during AYSO soccer games)
October 3: Parent Advisory Council Meeting, 7pm, Cossitt LRC
October 4: Cossitt PTC All Day Fundraiser at Q-BBQ (70 S. La
Grange Rd.), Hot Dog and Burger Company (76 S.
La Grange Rd.) & Red Mango (82 S. La Grange Rd)
October 10: Columbus Day, NO SCHOOL
October 11: Institute Day, NO SCHOOL
October 12:
Delegate Assembly Meeting, 7pm, Park LRC
October 13: Board of Education Meeting, 7pm, Park LRC
October 15: Forest Road 29th Annual Used Toy Sale, 8am-1pm. Register
here.
October 21: Congress Park Fall Carnival, 6:30-9:30pm, CP Gym
October 26: Delegate Assembly Meeting, 7pm, Park LRC
October 27: Fall Band Concert, 7-9pm, Park Jr. High Auditorium
October 27: Board of Education Meeting, 7pm, Park LRC
October 28: Ogden's 1st Annual Monster Mash, 7-11pm, Hinsdale Community House (Adults only)
October 28: Barnsdale Road Spirit Day
October 31: Happy Halloween! (Please check your school's calendar for parties and/or
parade times)
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La Grange School District 102 | 708-482-2400 | 333 N. Park Road |
La Grange Park, IL 60526 |
www.dist102.k12.il.us
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