The fall 2021 edition of our D86 Forward newsletter, which is being mailed to nearly 38,000 residences and businesses in our community this week, features the following items:

You can access an electronic version of the newsletter by visiting https://bit.ly/3k98Rzx.

During the board of education meeting on Oct. 28, there was an update on the steps we are taking and work we are doing to help achieve the mission and vision of the district's strategic plan. These efforts include the creation of an online scorecard that features the key performance indicators (KPIs) we are using to monitor and measure our progress on the plan and its corresponding goals and strategies.

You can access the scorecard by visiting http://scorecard.cecweb.org/hinsdale86.

A recent graduate and current student from Hinsdale Central earned perfect scores on their Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

Abigail Antinossi, who graduated from Central in 2021, is one of 31 students in the world who earned a perfect score on the exam for United States Government and Politics. Meanwhile, senior Shriya Mehta is one of 375 students in the world who earned a perfect score on the exam for Research.

We congratulate Abigail and Shriya on this extraordinary accomplishment. We also want to thank Chris Wilbur (U.S. Government and Politics), Mark Wollschlaeger (Science Inquiry and Research) and all of our other devoted AP teachers for everything they do to support the success of our students.

Charlie Nilles from Hinsdale South was selected to swim at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, which are being held in Orlando, Florida June 5-12, 2022. Charlie qualified for this incredible opportunity by taking first place at Special Olympics state-level competitions in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

We congratulate Charlie on this tremendous accomplishment, and wish him the best of luck at the games.

The following faculty and staff members were selected as the winners of Hinsdale Central's Make A Difference Award for the first quarter of the 2021-22 school year.

These individuals earned this recognition for going above and beyond the call of duty for our students.

We congratulate all of the winners, and thank them for everything they do on behalf of the Red Devil community.

Mary Zaleski, who teaches Spanish at Hinsdale South, has been named a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). She was nominated for this award by Elijah Robinson, who is one of her former students and a member of NSHSS. Below is what Elijah said about Ms. Zaleski in his submission.

"Ms. Zaleski is one of the nicest and most helpful people I know. When I transferred to Hinsdale South during my junior year and in the middle of a pandemic, she made sure to help me as much as possible. I was always able to go to Ms. Zaleski whenever I had an issue or if I wanted to talk. She's a fantastic teacher and kept the class running smoothly during remote learning. Although I transferred from Hinsdale South, Ms. Zaleski still helps me to this day, especially with college. Finally, she is also a district leader in anti-racism, which helps minorities like me have a voice in areas where we aren't heard."

The Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction recognizes people for the impact they have as educators, leaders and role models. Those who are selected for this honor have access to special grant opportunities that can be used to attend professional conferences, pursue advanced degrees and compete for the NSHSS Educator of the Year.

We congratulate Ms. Zaleski on this well-deserved recognition.

Sally Belter, who is a world language teacher at Hinsdale Central and a social and emotional learning coach for the district, was selected to present at the 2021 Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Fall Conference. Her virtual presentation, which was titled “Interactive Google Slides and Sheets for the World Language Classroom," featured strategies for using Google Slides and Google Sheets to create digital activities and assessments that are engaging and visually appealing. She also taught teachers how to create interactive Google Slides for interpretive activities, self-checking Google Sheets for vocabulary and grammar practices, and digital versions of classic activities.

You can access additional information about the conference by visiting http://www.ictfl.org.

The Hinsdale Central varsity football team kicked off its quest for a state title with a dominant win over Sandburg. Quarterback Billy Cernugel threw for 183 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense recorded seven sacks en route to a 41-15 victory in the first round of the playoffs.

Next up for the Red Devils is a second round matchup against Glenbrook South. That game will be held on Nov. 6 at Dickinson Field.

We congratulate the team on a strong start to what we hope will be a long and successful postseason run.

Senior Chase Metcalf from the girls tennis team and senior Quartus Rassi from the boys cross country team were named the Hinsdale South Athletes of the Week for the week of Oct. 18.

Chase posted a 5-2 record on her way to a seventh place finish at state. Her performance, which earned South a 17th place finish overall at the tournament, helped her secure her spot as an all-state player. She is the first female tennis player from the school to accomplish that feat in 16 years.

Quartus Rassi is a senior leader and captain on the cross country team who made an impressive comeback following a serious injury last year. His performance consistently improved throughout the season, and he qualified for sectionals after running the best race of his high school career at the regional tournament.

We congratulate Chase and Quartus on this recognition

On Friday, Oct. 22, the students and faculty sponsors from Hinsdale Central's world language clubs engaged in some friendly competition during their annual International Olympics. Below are the results from the events that were held that day.

Hispanic Student Association - Gold

Latin Club - Silver

French Club - Gold, Silver and Bronze

Hispanic Student Association - Gold

German Club - Silver

Hispanic Student Association - Gold

International Club - Silver

German Club - Bronze

German Club - Gold

Hispanic Student Association - Silver

The students and staff from Hinsdale South's fine arts department will be presenting "RENT: School Edition" Nov. 11-14. The show, which focuses on the lives of several young artists and musicians from New York City who are struggling to survive and create, tells a powerful story about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today.

Below are the days and times of the performances.

Tickets, which are $15 for adults and $10 for students, will be available for purchase one hour before showtime.

You can access a more detailed breakdown of this data by building at https://bit.ly/3d93aws.

Employees who work in the administration building or are not assigned to a specific school - 98%

If you missed the edition of Board Briefs for the board of education meeting on Oct. 28, please visit https://conta.cc/3nIEqAP.