With the turn of the calendar to October, we are well into the first quarter of the school year, and enjoying an exciting week of Homecoming activities!
District 115 opened the year with an enrollment increase of 121 students, with the greatest impact seen at grades 1, 2, and 6. Our senior graduating class of 456 students is now the smallest across all grade levels, with the largest being grade six at 505 students. Through proactive planning, we have made program and facility adjustments to accommodate the growth, as well as provided some much needed enrollment relief at a few schools. Throughout the school year, District 115 will review future enrollment projections, and work to align the student population with both the capacity of our schools and our students’ learning needs/opportunities.
In September, the Board of Education
approved a balanced budget, eliminating the projected $5.2 million deficit. The staff and administration spent much of last school year analyzing data and making changes to ensure we met the Board’s high expectations toward fiscal responsibility. At the October Board meeting, the financial conversation will continue with the presentation of a long-term (5 years) picture of the district’s financial health and projections.
As we continue to create new learning opportunities for our 6,281 students and facilitate new methods to raise student growth and achievement, I urge the District 115 school community to stay actively involved. Regardless of a student’s grade level, we need parents/guardians to engage as strong partners with the schools. Attending parent-teacher conferences, advocating for students, communicating with the teachers and administration, checking the mobile app/Home Access Center to review student progress, reading with children at home, attending district and school events, etc. are all avenues to support a home-school connection.
Thank you for your efforts to partner with the district, and please never hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns, comments, or celebrations!
Sincerely,
Dr. Timothy Shimp
Superintendent of Schools
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Join D115 as it celebrates Homecoming on Oct. 4!
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4:30 p.m.: Food trucks will serve food in the Yorkville Grade School parking lot: Grandma Rosies Sweet Treats, The Cookout on Wheels, The Pizza Puff Truck and Cocos Tacos
5:45 p.m.: The parade begins on Game Farm Road (
map)
Walk over to the football field immediately following the parade for a short community pep rally. At the pep rally, alumni, court members, and the football team will be introduced. Throughout the evening there will be performances by the cheerleaders, poms, and the step team. Winners of each division for homecoming floats will also be announced throughout the evening.
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Oct 9
Teacher Institute
Day
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Oct. 11
Parent-Teacher
Organization
Council
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Oct. 15
Board of Education Committees
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Oct. 16
Yorkville Educational Foundation
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Oct. 24
Superintendent's
Student Advisory Council
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Oct. 25
Early Dismissal/
Parent-Teacher Conferences
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Oct. 26
No School/
Parent-Teacher
Conferences
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Oct. 29
Board of Education Meeting
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Staff & Student Celebrations
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State Board welcomes YHS' Joshua Slavin to its Student Advisory Council
YHS student Joshua Slavin is one of 13 new members of the 2018-19
State Board Student Advisory Council. The council provides diverse student perspectives on Illinois education issues and has a front-row seat to observe how the State Board formulates policy. The council will research and present to the State Board on topics affecting students’ success in Illinois. Additionally, the council will continue to develop the
Student Voices microsite that provides space for students to ask and answer questions, and access resources about preparing for college and career.
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Three District 115 students selected for STEM Scholars program
YHS students Hamelynn Harzman, Sophia Jedziniak, and Michael Jedziniak (pictured above) have been selected to participate in the 2018-19
STEM Scholars program. The program's primary directive is to create regular channels of communication between students residing within the 14th Congressional District and their Congressman, Randy Hultgren, while advancing STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) issues in the students' schools and community.
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District 115 earns top national & state awards for its communication efforts
District 115 was among those recognized for outstanding communications during the
National School Public Relations Association's (NSPRA) and the
Illinois chapter's (INSPRA) annual contests. Superintendent Dr. Timothy Shimp and Director of Communications Kristine Liptrot, APR, received the prestigious Golden Achievement Awards at both the state and national levels recognizing exemplary work in all aspects of school public relations, for both the internal Heart of the Fox Recognition Program and Strategic Plan Awareness Campaign. Executive Assistant Cathy Anderson and Kristine Liptrot accepted the state's top award level--Award of Excellence-- for the district's redesigned
website.
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CCGS leaders honored with a Heart of the Fox recognition
Circle Center Grade School leaders, Principal Gina Isabelli and Assistant Principal Tracy Anderson, were honored with a Heart of the Fox recognition based on a parent submission. "They have always worked with our daughter and our family to make sure her needs are met and that she feels a part of the school community," the parent wrote. "They have celebrated her every day over the past several years with their welcoming smiles, warm hugs, and general kindness and compassion."
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YHS Varsity Football players team up with Special Olympics
Special Olympics athletes from around Kendall County had a special opportunity to attend a Yorkville High School Varsity Football practice. These special athletes participated in various stations, received new jerseys, were treated to Rosati's pizza, and were named honorary Team Captains. The event was organized by the Timeout 4 Kids charity, run by YHS student Josh Slavin.
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Girls Volleyball players help Hoover Forest Preserve with restoration goals
Approximately 85 Yorkville Middle School and Yorkville High School Girls Volleyball players were active in the community helping Hoover Forest Preserve meet its
restoration challenge and play space initiatives. Work included preparing the Native American village, planting in the Hobbit-tunnel, weeding the nature play space, and weeding/planting enhancements in the rain garden area.
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Board of Education information is available through the district website at
y115.org/BOE with meeting agendas/documents and Board policies on the
eGovernance System site.
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The Board of Education approved:
- a change to the March 21-28, 2020 trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua (recently, EF tours has changed the travel safety rating of Nicaragua and no longer permits trips to the country)
- the revised K-6 information literacy technology curriculum with changes to build technological skills in learners beginning in first grade to prepare them for a 1:1 environment in fourth grade and beyond
- approved nine policies and placed the following policies on display: 6.300 - Graduation Requirements; 6.310 - High School Credit for Non-District Experiences; Course Substitutions; Re- Entering Students; and 7.260 - Exemption from Physical Education
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Goal 2: Community of Learners
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The Board of Education approved:
- 14 hires, 17 co-curricular hires, 1 leave of absence, 7 resignations, 4 co-curricular resignations, and 1 termination
- the following reports: Administrative Salary and Benefits, Teacher Salary and Benefits, Non-Certified Salary and Benefits, YMS/YHS Activities and Athletics, Co-curricular Job Description, and Teacher Retention
- including fifth- and sixth-grade students in the wrestling program at Yorkville Middle School to be competitive with other schools that are able to fill the lower weight classes with these younger wrestlers
- the addition of a grant-funded position of Early Childhood Coordinator who will work collaboratively with families, education staff, and community partners to ensure that the program meets the needs of the whole child
- the job description for a new position of Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) for Student Services to provide support for the special education staff (this new position is a re-purposing of a TOSA position that was recently vacated)
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Goal 3: Partnerships with Home & Community
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Board of Education recognized:
- Yorkville Educational Foundation Members
- Yorkville Middle School Students
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Yorkville Middle School students helped open the September Board of Education meeting by showcasing their school and its Cultural Awareness Committee during the monthly the Heart of the Fox presentation.
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Since its establishment in 2015, the Yorkville Educational Foundation has brought together individuals to support District 115 schools by fostering excellence in the teaching and learning experiences of students.
www.yef115.org
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Goal 4: Operational Excellence
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The Board of Education approved:
- the purchase of 150 Dell Latitude 5490 teacher laptops in the amount of $164,368 from CDW-G using Providence Capital Network, LLC as the leasing agent to provide a 48-month lease
- an amendment to the resolution adopting the Prevailing Rate of Wages for the 2018-2019 school year made on June 25, 2018 to reflect the most current rate of wages published by the Department of Labor on August 25, 2018
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