News From the May Board Meeting
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Former Tech Facilitator Returns to Enhance Teacher Support
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Judi Epcke has been named the new Instructional Technology Coordinator for District 28. Judi served as a technology coach for five years with the district before taking her current position as Director of Instructional Technology and Learning Spaces in the Lake Forest District 27.
A team of teachers, support staff and administrators interviewed four finalists. “Judi stood out among the applicants for several important reasons, including her knowledge of technology integration and its impact on student learning; her experiences with innovative learning spaces; and her familiarity with many Apps, including Google Apps for Education. Additionally, Judi understands the importance of building relationships and providing high-quality professional development for staff,” Superintendent Larry Hewitt, Ed.D., said.
Judi's first priorities will be to oversee the Learning First initiative and work with developing innovative learning spaces. She began her career as a classroom teacher in District 27, where she spent 17 years before becoming a technology director in Kildeer District 96. She joined District 28 in August 2007 and worked as a district technology facilitator for five years.
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Board Recognizes Student Science Fair Winners
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Students Morissa Lambert and Nate Muhl presented their science projects that achieved state recognition
at the
Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Exposition in Peoria on April 28.
Morissa Lambert, 8th grade, presented her project on influences impacting political party affiliation and Nate Muhl, 7th grade, presented his project studying plant vitality.
Northbrook Junior High students brought home 17 gold awards, six silver awards and three special awards. Morissa received one of three special awards received by NBJH students.
Mark Frye introduced the students to the board and provided an overview of the program. Other instructors involved include Pam Mendelson, Amber Paull.
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Setting Direction With Navigate 28
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The Board of Education’s recently approved strategic plan is intended to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of educational programs for children.
The resulting plan, called Navigate 28, will guide the work of the district for the next five years and beyond.
With this renewed vision as our guide, we will empower our students to be creative designers, curious explorers, and global thinkers who respect diversity and use technology ethically.
Work has already begun to map high priority strategies. In an effort to bring this work to the community, the district created a video that outlines the work of the strategic planning committee and how we will strive to attain these goals with our renewed vision.
This video will be posted on all digital communication channels and linked in a printed newsletter delivered to every resident within District 28 boundaries.
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Three Teachers Join District Team
David Mangless, a full-day kindergarten teacher from Oak Brook, will join the Meadowbrook team; Meg Marienthal, a veteran third-grade teacher from Antioch, will join the Greenbriar team; and Megan Roberts Esterling will return to Greenbriar in a permanent second-grade teaching position after serving as a maternity leave substitute last year. Read their full bios on the district’s
New Staff Page.
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Westmoor Prepares for Summer School
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While teachers and staff at Northbrook Junior High are preparing to pack up their classrooms to make way for new carpeting, Westmoor School is preparing to be the hub of summer activity as the host of the summer school enrichment program.
Rosanne Dwyer, Ed.D., Director of Student Services, reported district staff is working through logistics and scheduling for a smooth transition. Class offerings were limited due to the move, and all classes are nearly full, she said. There will be about 400 students attending classes.
Dr. Dwyer said they are doing their best to provide the smoothest transition possible. Parents should allow extra time for pick-up and drop-off.
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Real Lawyers Bring Their Case to Fifth-Graders
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Was Jack Bean guilty of stealing Henrietta the Hen? Or, was there enough reasonable doubt to believe he didn't do it?
Fifth-graders across District 28 were engaged in a mock trial May 22 to answer those questions with volunteers from the Legal and Intellectual Property Department at Astellas Pharma in Northbrook. The volunteers brought a mock trial program created by the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago to each school.
The program teaches grade school children about due process and the jury system by taking them through a fictional court case (State v. Bean) in which Jack Bean has been accused of criminal trespass and theft of a goose that lays golden eggs.
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Lisa Kistler, associate general counsel for Astellas US LLC, discusses testimony in the mock trial of State v. Bean in Ms. Verne’s classroom at Meadowbrook School. Volunteers worked with fifth-graders across the district.
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The students serve as jurors in the case, weighing all of the evidence and rendering a verdict. Annie Morrison, a Greenbriar parent and former Meadowbrook and Westmoor student, and her colleague Lisa Kistler brought the program to District 28.
”The fifth graders were excellent jurors. They weighed the evidence, considered the charges and deliberated with their peers to ultimately reach a verdict in the case,” said Morrison, assistant general counsel at Astellas US LLC.
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Little Free Libraries Open
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When Greenbriar Librarian Colleen Sanchez spotted a crafter selling hand-made "Little Free Libraries" at a roadside stand, she knew it was the opportunity to bring the national movement to Northbrook.
Each elementary school is opening a Little Free Library. Each school chose how to decorate it and collect books to launch the project. Leah Goldberg, left, helped organize a book drive to stock Westmoor's LFL. Watch for a video explaining the project and the 'rules' next week on social media and the website.
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STAY CONNECTED TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DISTRICT 28!
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#TLC28
District 28’s official hashtag! You can search the hashtag on Twitter or Facebook to monitor posts from teachers, administrators and the district accounts. This hashtag helps us tell the story of Teaching, Learning and Caring in District 28.
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