D47 parent liaison and event organizer Jacki Rubio, keynote speaker Susan Pryor (Center for Teaching and Biliteracy) and Dual Language and ELL Director Amy Mosquera at Dual Language Family Education Night event on Feb. 15.
crystal lake elementary district 47
FALL/WINTER HIGHLIGHTS
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Dual Language Family Education Night On February 15, 2017, approximately 120 dual language families from across the district gathered at Hannah Beardsley Middle School for Family Education Night, the first district-wide, dual language event. The event kicked off with a family dinner and community partner expo, where parents could browse tables and learn about community organizations and resources. Following dinner, parents tuned into keynote speaker Susan Pryor from the Center of Teaching for Biliteracy and attended educational breakout sessions while children participated in a workshop with structured activities supervised by D47 staff and student volunteers. More than 20 informational breakout sessions spanned various topics, from how to support a second language at home and motivate your child to use a second language to helping your child transition to middle school and plan ahead for college.
Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 CORE Center 300 Commerce Dr. Crystal Lake, IL 60014 815.788.5000
communicator
winter 2017
Educational excellence for all students is our passion and commitment.
dual language family education night LGMC Education Day Jeff Prickett: Golder award finalist 8th grade DC trip digital citizenship week/project b3 D47 partners with food pantry erin's law: be seen & heard presentations STEM/hour of code RbMs writing contest winners NEW: bilingual leadership academy SUPERINTENDENT's MESSAGE D47 goals & road map MEET SCOTT KUBELKA Kindergarten registration IMPORTANT DATES financial focus operations update follow us! Click here TO ACCESS d47 board meeting agendas and minutes.
Dr. Kathy J. Hinz Superintendent
With PBIS, behavioral expectations are taught in much the same way any core curriculum subject is taught – by modeling and reinforcing positive behaviors. Schoolwide expectations for behavior are set by a school’s PBIS team and put into a matrix (see example below). This matrix is then shared with students and staff and is posted throughout the building to keep expectations front and center. “I think of the matrix this way: ‘We are all part of a family. [North] is our house and these are our rules,’” says North principal Steve Scarfe. Scarfe, new to North this year, came from an assistant principalship at Kingsley Elementary in Evanston last year and has also served Rockford, Des Plaines and Belvidere school districts in a variety of administrative capacities and is well versed in PBIS. While completing his Type 75 internship at Belvidere Central Middle School, he set up their Tier 1 and Tier 2 PBIS programs. Tier 1 and Tier 2 refer to a basic principle of the PBIS approach, which identifies students at risk of behavior problems in one of three categories: primary, secondary and tertiary. To learn more about these categories, click here. INSERT LINK.
RBMS Hosts LGMC Education Day Bernotas Middle School was the site for Leadership Greater McHenry County’s (LGMC) Education Day event on January 26, 2017. LGMC educates and inspires professionals to engage in community leadership through a nine-month leadership program, whereby participants learn about various facets of McHenry County, including government, law and justice, health care and education. The LGMC class of 2017 spent the morning at Bernotas, where they were welcomed by Superintendent Dr. Hinz and provided an overview of the McHenry County educational system through a poll facilitated by Bernotas students and eighth grade language arts teacher Brittany Stefani. The class learned about restorative justice and Senate Bill 100 from expert and Bernotas Principal Jeff Prickett, then toured classrooms to observe the intersection between technology and instruction to see how Chromebooks have been incorporated into the classroom. The morning concluded with a panel discussion on school finance with Dr. Tim Mahaffy (Superintendent-Fox River Grove District 3), Risa Hanson (Chief Financial Officer-Woodstock District 200) and Dave Lawson (Director of Finance-McHenry District 156).
Bernotas Middle School Principal Named as Finalist for Golden Apple/ Stanley C. Golder Leadership Award Bernotas Middle School Principal Jeff Prickett has been named a finalist by Golden Apple for the 2017 Stanley C. Golder Leadership Award. The award honors the exemplary performance and excellence in school leadership of a principal or head of school from the Chicagoland area. The award is presented in memory of Stanley C. Golder, a founding board member of Golden Apple. Nominated by fellow educators and community members, this year’s finalists have served as principal or head of school at one or more schools for at least five school years. The selection criteria for the leadership award is based on personal excellence; balanced and collaborative leadership; commitment to student achievement; and expertise in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Mr. Prickett joined District 47 in 2014 as principal of Bernotas Middle School. Previously, he served as principal for an elementary and middle school in Round Lake, and as an assistant principal in McHenry. During the 2015-16 school year, he was named Kishwaukee Region’s Middle School Principal of the Year by the Illinois Principals Association (IPA). On behalf of the IPA, Prickett has traveled around the state of Illinois this school year leading talks on restorative justice in response to Public Act 99-0456 (formerly Senate Bill 100). He recently completed his doctoral degree in educational leadership from National Louis University and serves on the board at the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) McHenry County. A Celebration of Excellence in honor of the 10 finalists (and 34 finalists for the Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching) will be held on Saturday, March 4th at the Hilton Rosemont Chicago O’Hare. Event details and additional details about the Stanley C. Golder award are available at goldenapple.org/celebration.
Jeff Prickett, Principal Bernotas Middle School
D47 Eighth Graders Experience Presidential Inauguration on Historic Trip to Washington, D.C.
In January, a group of nearly 200 students and educators from District 47 witnessed history as they traveled to Washington, D.C. for the annual eighth grade trip. Hosted by EF Explore America, the four-day trip featured tours of the Smithsonian Museums, Arlington Cemetery, Mount Vernon, and a night tour of Washington, D.C. On Inauguration Day, the D47 group gathered on the National Mall to watch President Trump take the oath of office and deliver his inaugural address via Jumbotron. Later that day, students attended an inaugural ball with hundreds of other middle school students across the country. Students also had an opportunity to take a guided tour of Washington, D.C. that included the Washington Monument, the FDR and MLK memorials, as well as a walking tour of Capitol Hill. For the past three years, District 47 has offered eighth graders a trip to Washington, D.C. but the trip typically takes place in June. Last year, the District and the Board of Education voted to change the date of this year’s trip so students and staff could experience this historic event. Hannah Beardsley Middle School Principal Cathy Alberth served as a chaperone on the trip. “We’re thrilled our students were given an opportunity to witness the inaugural process and gain a better understanding of how we function as a government in a democratic society,” she said.
Digital Citizenship Week Eighth graders teach fifth graders how to "Be Smart, Be Safe, Be Kind" Online This year, Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 designated the week of January 30-February 3 as “Digital Citizenship Week” to teach and remind students how to manage their online reputations, deal with issues such as cyberbullying, and conduct themselves safely online. Upon entering middle school last fall, sixth, seventh and eighth graders received Chromebooks and took part in an educational program about digital citizenship called Project B3. Under the guidance of Project B3 founder Matt Batt and facilitator Tarah Luster, select eighth graders served as leaders and mentors at each middle school to deliver a series of presentations to their peers about being smart, safe and kind online. This year, as part of Digital Citizenship Week, these same eighth grade students from Hannah Beardsley, Bernotas and Lundahl middle schools took their Project B3 teachings on the road to share their knowledge and expertise with fellow fifth graders at all nine District 47 elementary schools. “Due to the fact that many students in our elementary buildings now have cell phones, we thought it was important to extend the Project B3 program to a younger audience,” said Dave Jenkins, assistant superintendent of technology services. Jenkins credits the District’s icoaches (instructional technology coaches) for coming up with the idea and for helping with the necessary preparations to carry it out. “Our hope is that by teaching our younger students how to safely use technology, it might instill safe practices earlier on and prevent them from making detrimental mistakes going forward.”
Digital Citizenship Week (cont'd)
District 47 is committed to the idea of educating students and families about the importance of digital citizenship. Besides teaching students how to be smart, safe and kind online, Batt presented to parents on the same topic last fall through a program called The Parent Feed at the District’s Parent University event. During the discussion, Batt walked parents through the top 10 most popular apps for kids and provided suggestions and advice on handling digital responsibility at home.
McHenry County youth now have a new way to anonymously text concerns to and get help from licensed mental health professionals. To learn more, watch this video,
District 47 Partners with the Crystal Lake Food Pantry D47 Schools Donate 8,000+ Pounds of Food Each year in November, District 47 participates in the Community Harvest Food Drive to benefit the Crystal Lake Food Pantry. This year D47 schools collected 8,558 pounds of food, an increase of nearly 25 percent over last year! In addition, the Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers Association (CLETA) held a fundraiser in November to benefit the food pantry, whereby staff members make a donation in exchange for an opportunity to wear jeans for a day. This year the CLETA jeans fundraiser collected $4,585 for the pantry. The local food pantry serves nearly 700 families per month who live within District 47 and 155 school boundaries. In addition, the pantry is involved with the Feeding America Backpack Program, a partnership with the Northern Illinois Food Bank, which sends food home with students on a weekly basis during the school year. According to Denise Barr, coordinator of community relations, the schools look forward to the drive every year. “Doing for others is a character trait reinforced through the District’s Character Counts and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) programs. The drive teaches students what it means to be good citizens, unites us as a school community, and connects us to the community at large.” At the end of December, the Crystal Lake Food Pantry moved to a new location at 42 East St. in Crystal Lake. The pantry went from 3,500 square feet at its old location to approximately 30,000 square feet at the new one! Besides an increased capacity for storage, the East Street location provides space for community partners who provide supplemental services for patrons. The new location is a one-stop-shop, where clients can receive health screenings, nutrition counseling and even take classes on food preparation in the pantry’s new kitchen in addition to shopping for food in the newly designed grocery store.
How You Can Help The food pantry accepts food donations year-round and is always looking for volunteers to help with a variety of tasks, including stocking shelves to rescuing food at local grocery stores to serving clients at weekly food distributions. To find out how you can help, visit http://www.clfoodpantry.org/volunteer.
President Bill Eich helps with improvements to the Crystal Lake Food Pantry's new building, located at 42 East St.
D47 Partners with the Crystal Lake Food Pantry (cont'd)
“The Crystal Lake Food Pantry is very grateful for the partnership we have with District 47 and the support they provide. Their willingness to fundraise and host many food drives throughout the year, especially our Community Harvest Food Drive, has had a profound impact on solving hunger in our community. During the school year D47 schools have been especially proactive in helping us reach more of our neighbors who need food assistance, especially through the Feeding America Backpack Program, which provides weekly food to many families who are not able to come into our food pantry. Now that we have officially opened our new facility expanding our efforts to serve more in our community, we look forward to strengthening this partnership with the many teachers, social workers, administrators and staff in District 47 who care about solving hunger.” -Bill Eich, President Crystal Lake Food Pantry
Special Guest Victor Pacini Teaches Students How to “Be Seen and Heard” In accordance with a state mandate regarding Erin’s Law (Public Act 96-1524), Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 hosted a series of presentations this fall called Be Seen and Heard©, a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program for students in grades PreK-8. Erin’s Law is an Illinois state mandate that holds school districts responsible for implementing an age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education program for students in grades PreK-12. Funded by a grant through the McHenry County Community Foundation, Be Seen and Heard© is an age-appropriate, engaging discussion facilitated by professional speaker Victor Pacini that focuses on the difference between safe and unsafe touch and the importance of having a trusted hero, someone a child trusts and can turn to for help. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, the information associated with the program was presented in a thoughtful manner by Pacini and varied by grade level. Parents were invited and encouraged to learn more about the presentations during several parent information nights held prior to Pacini’s visit. “We are grateful to the McHenry County Community Foundation for its continued interest in addressing and supporting the social-emotional needs of our students,” said Superintendent Dr. Kathy Hinz. Last fall, the Foundation partnered with District 47 in rolling out and funding MCHELP - an anonymous texting service for all youth in McHenry County. For more information about MCHELP, see page 6. To learn more about Erin’s Law, visit www.erinslaw.org.
Woods Creek students participated in "unplugged" lessons to develop skills in creating very specific step-by-step directions. First and second graders did an activity called Move it! Move it! using hand signals and cardinal directions to step on a grid and find a target. Fourth graders wrote code using symbols to color patterns on a grid. They traded their secret codes and solved the puzzles. Primary students were engaged in coding using Kodable.
STEM Students Practice Computer Coding during "Hour of Code"
South (left) and North (right) students learned computer coding through games like Flappy Bird, Star Wars, Moana, and Minecraft.
D47 STEM students engaged in computer coding activities in December as part of Code.org’s “Hour of Code” initiative that aims to expose students worldwide to the field of computer science.
Through Hour of Code, Coventry students were introduced to "paired programming" in order to develop teamwork and collaboration when creating and solving code.
Glacier Ridge second graders read a picture book called "Hello Ruby, Adventures in Coding" and then played a coding game called "Find the Gem" that mimics the story from the book. The goal was to "code" Ruby to the gem and then instruct her to pick up the gem and return home.
"Hour of Code" (cont'd)
Scholastic writing contest winners (left to right): Front: Abbi Getty and Maggie Noftz At left: Samantha Blake and Lucy Metz Back: Joseph Scaravalle At right: Tessa Hunter and Sophie Kershaw Not pictured: Brooke Tomkins and Vanessa Morales
Bernotas Seventh Graders Earn Top Honors in Scholastic Writing Contest The Belin-Blank Center of the University of Iowa recently named winners of the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing contest, which included writers in grades 7-12 who submitted nearly 10,000 entries to the 2017 competition. Four Bernotas seventh graders received the Silver Key recognition, awarded to only the top 7-10 percent of applicants: Samantha Blake for her science fiction story, Reality Jump Tessa Hunter for her flash fiction story, Exploration Sophie Kershaw for her poems, Scars, and Bees Brooke Tomkins for her poem, Life Happens Seven students received Honorable Mentions, awarded to only the top 10-15 percent of applicants: Lucy Metz for her flash fiction story, Alone Tessa Hunter for her flash fiction story, Brilliance Joey Scaravalle for his humor piece, Burrito Tessa Hunter for her poem, Endless Walk Abi Getty for her short story, So There I Was Vanessa Morales for her short story, Doom in the Forest Maggie Noftz for her short story, The Adventure of PiPi the Pom Pom
Scholastic Winners (Cont'd) All recipients are students from Mrs. Belinda Strebel’s seventh grade extended curriculum language arts class. Strebel requires her students to pursue publication outside her classroom each year. “Very few seventh-graders are recognized out of the thousands of middle and high school students who submit their works to this competitive Scholastic contest," she said. "We are so proud of these amazing, talented students!” Students are invited to attend a Scholastic celebration at the University of Iowa in mid-March. To read more about the Scholastic contest and to view students’ works online, go to www.belinblank.org/scholastic and click on See the Awards.
Bernotas Seventh Grader Wins DAR American History Essay Contest Besides being recognized for her short story in the Scholastic contest, Vanessa Morales was also recently recognized as the seventh grade winner of the Kishwaukee Trail Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) American history writing contest. The contest was established to encourage young people to think creatively about our nation's great history and to learn about history in a new light.The contest is open to students in public, private, and parochial schools, and registered home-study programs. This year, students in grades five through eight were encouraged to write a journal entry about the national parks and Morales used her experience from a family vacation as a basis for her winning piece. She will attend an award ceremony at McHenry County College in March to be recognized for her achievement. Bernotas Seventh Grader Honored at MLK Interfaith Breakfast Bernotas seventh grader Akwasi Quarcoo took second place in an essay writing contest and was honored at the MLK Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at D’Andrea Banquets on January 16, 2017. Started in 2014, the annual contest is open to all area sixth, seventh and eighth graders in McHenry County and is sponsored by FaithBridge, a consortium of faith-based communities in McHenry and Lake counties and the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. Quarcoo read his essay at the Interfaith breakfast. To watch via video, click here. For a written transcript of Quarcoo’s essay, click here.
D47 Bilingual Parent Leadership Academy Launches for Spanish Speakers This fall, District 47 launched a Bilingual Parent Leadership Academy for native Spanish-speaking parents whose children are enrolled in the District’s dual language program. Funded by the government’s Title I program, the academy is designed to inform, train and empower Latino families to become leaders in the school community and engaged in their child’s education. Potential candidates were identified in the fall by D47 dual language teachers and the District’s Bilingual Parent Advisory Council (BPAC). Twelve native Spanish-speaking parents submitted applications and are currently enrolled in the year-long program. The academy consists of monthly educational leadership seminars delivered in Spanish with topics ranging from an overview of the country’s education system and parents’ educational rights to community resources and panel discussions with school and District leadership. Besides attending the seminars, participants are required to attend specific events throughout the school year, including dual language family nights, a PTO meeting and a District 47 school board meeting. When the program culminates in May, those who have fulfilled the program requirements will receive a certificate of completion at a recognition dinner and their family members will be invited to attend. Graduates of the program will then have an opportunity the following school year to assist with the next class of leadership trainees and continue efforts to expand the program and fulfill its mission. “It truly takes a village to educate our children and it is our desire to have all parents engaged in this process,” said Amy Mosquera, District 47's dual language and ELL director. According to Superintendent Dr. Kathy Hinz, “By empowering our Latino families to become leaders in the school community, we are deepening the home-school connection and increasing opportunities for involvement in our schools. This serves to enhance the educational environment for all students.”
PBIS (cont'd)
Dr. Kathy J. Hinz Superintendent As we are all aware, there are pros and cons to the advances in technology and the use of social media. One thing is certain: new technology and social media has dramatically and permanently altered the way we communicate with one another and has expanded opportunities for learning and making new connections. In District 47, we use Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms to showcase the hard work of our teachers and students and to highlight the exciting things happening in our buildings. In addition, many of our staff members use social media to communicate with and engage our parents and to show the creativity and learning going on in their classrooms. Our students, at the discretion of their parents, may also use social media and text messaging to communicate with and stay connected to one another and to the world at large. As educators, we see most of this change as positive and exciting as social media has created a whole new level of engagement within the educational arena. However, we recognize that the use of technology and social media also brings with it new responsibilities for all who interact with it. While most social media posts are positive, inquisitive or encouraging in nature, occasionally we see posts by people who are hurting or experiencing challenges and who may use technology as a way to communicate something negative, hurtful, or harmful, either to themselves or others. Our digital footprint is a permanent reflection of who we are, what we support/believe in, and how we treat others. We need to remember that students and other adults learn about us and from us as we model appropriate use of social media and technology. Our goal should be to model social media as a positive, supportive tool instead of a critical and/or destructive one. When we are made aware of postings that state or suggest harm to students, we take these posts seriously and do our best to respond as quickly as possible to the situation, involving local authorities like the Crystal Lake Police Department as needed. Unfortunately, social media posts can spread like wildfire to a broad audience before the facts or truth can be explored and/or determined, which can sometimes be more harmful than the original post. We feel it is our duty to proactively communicate with parents that we are aware of these situations as they arise and that we are responding appropriately - without getting into specifics. There are several reasons for not citing specifics in our communications. First, providing details about a situation may endanger a student’s right to privacy and yield undue and harmful criticism. In addition, it can exacerbate a situation and create more hype online, which can lead to further untruths and false information being circulated. Finally, citing specifics can also impede a police investigation. Students/adults do not always understand the potential ramifications behind their actions when posting online. If good judgment is not used, students and adults alike can quickly find themselves in a bad situation, where their online and offline reputation is at stake. This is part of the reason District 47 chose to bring Project B3 training to our middle schoolers last fall, our 5th graders this winter, and the adult version, called The Parent Feed, to parents at Parent University in November. Project B3 educates students about how and why it’s important to be smart, safe and kind online while The Parent Feed teaches parents how to protect their student online and introduces the latest apps. We recognize that anyone can very quickly tarnish their own or someone else’s reputation with a lack of judgment and one click. This is yet another reason we feel it is our responsibility to protect our students and families by handling these sensitive situations privately, to preserve the self-esteem and self-respect of the student and his/her family, who at the same time learn a valuable lesson. In closing, we ask you to trust our use of discretion when handling sensitive situations involving students and to understand that it can take time to determine the source, scope and validity of social media posts. We take the well-being of our staff and students seriously. Our number one goal has always been and will continue to be the safety and security of our students, staff and schools.
As we are all aware, there are pros and cons to the advances in technology and the use of social media. One thing is certain: new technology and social media has dramatically and permanently altered the way we communicate with one another and has expanded opportunities for learning and making new connections. In District 47, we use Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms to showcase the hard work of our teachers and students and to highlight the exciting things happening in our buildings. In addition, many of our staff members use social media to communicate with and engage our parents and to show the creativity and learning going on in their classrooms. Our students, at the discretion of their parents, may also use social media and text messaging to communicate with and stay connected to one another and to the world at large. As educators, we see most of this change as positive and exciting as social media has created a whole new level of engagement within the educational arena. However, we recognize that the use of technology and social media also brings with it new responsibilities for all who interact with it. While most social media posts are positive, inquisitive or encouraging in nature, occasionally we see posts by people who are hurting or experiencing challenges and who may use technology as a way to communicate something negative, hurtful, or harmful, either to themselves or others. Our digital footprint is a permanent reflection of who we are, what we support/believe in, and how we treat others. We need to remember that students and other adults learn about us and from us as we model appropriate use of social media and technology. Our goal should be to model social media as a positive, supportive tool instead of a critical and/or destructive one. When we are made aware of postings that state or suggest harm to students, we take these posts seriously and do our best to respond as quickly as possible to the situation, involving local authorities like the Crystal Lake Police Department as needed. Unfortunately, social media posts can spread like wildfire to a broad audience before the facts or truth can be explored and/or determined, which can sometimes be more harmful than the original post. We feel it is our duty to proactively communicate with parents that we are aware of these situations as they arise and that we are responding appropriately - without getting into specifics. There are several reasons for not citing specifics in our communications. First, providing details about a situation may endanger a student’s right to privacy and yield undue and harmful criticism. In addition, it can exacerbate a situation and create more hype online, which can lead to further untruths and false information being circulated. Finally, citing specifics can also impede a police investigation. Students/adults do not always understand the potential ramifications behind their actions when posting online. If good judgment is not used, students and adults alike can quickly find themselves in a bad situation, where their online and offline reputation is at stake. This is part of the reason District 47 chose to bring Project B3 training to our middle schoolers last fall, our 5th graders this winter, and the adult version, called The Parent Feed, to parents at Parent University in November. Project B3 educates students about how and why it’s important to be smart, safe and kind online while The Parent Feed teaches parents how to protect their student online and introduces the latest apps. We recognize that anyone can very quickly tarnish their own or someone else’s reputation with a lack of judgment and one click. This is yet another reason we feel it is our responsibility to protect our students and families by handling these sensitive situations privately, to preserve the self-esteem and self-respect of the student and his/her family, who at the same time learn a valuable lesson. In closing, we ask you to trust our use of discretion when handling sensitive situations involving students and to understand that it can take time to determine the source, scope and validity of social media posts. We take the well-being of our staff and students seriously. Our number one goal has always been and will continue to be the safety and security of our students, staff and schools.
SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE
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online and offline reputation is at stake. This is part of the reason District 47 chose to bring Project B3 training to our middle schoolers last fall and to our fifth graders this winter, and the adult version, called The Parent Feed, to parents at Parent University in November. Project B3 educates students about how and why it’s important to be smart, safe and kind online while The Parent Feed teaches parents how to protect their student online and introduces the latest apps. We recognize that anyone can very quickly tarnish their own or someone else’s reputation with a lack of judgment and one click. This is yet another reason we feel it is our responsibility to protect our students and families by handling these sensitive situations privately, to preserve the self-esteem and self-respect of the student and his/her family, who at the same time learn a valuable lesson. In closing, we ask you to trust our use of discretion when handling sensitive situations involving students and to understand that it can take time to determine the source, scope and validity of social media posts. We take the well-being of our staff and students seriously. Our number one goal has always been and will continue to be the safety and security of our students, staff and schools.
SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE (CONT'D)
District 47 Goals & Road Map District 47 goals and road map are designed to identify priorities, provide focus, and support our mission of Educational Excellence for All Students. The goals and road map affirm our long-standing commitment to continually improve and enhance the learning opportunities we provide our students. Goals By June 2019, all grade levels will reach high growth (or score above the 50th percentile) compared to national norms in reading and math on the MAP assessment. By June 2019, all buildings will receive culture/climate ratings from the parent and administration surveys at 90% or higher. Road Map for 2016-2019 First Year Implementations Math Expressions (K-5th) 1:1 Chromebooks (grades 6-8) Restorative Justice (Alternatives to Suspension/SB100) Ongoing Implementations PBIS in All Buildings (2nd year) ELL 3-Year Plan (2nd year) MAP Learning Continuum (2nd year) Enhanced/Streamlined Communication to Stakeholders via Teacher Websites School/District Mass Communications Active Committee Work/Discussions** Early Childhood Programming RtI Updates/Revisions Typical flow for the Road Map - Items are discussed/developed in an active committee. If recommended for implementation, the committee then seeks the appropriate supports and approval. Items are then placed on the calendar for first year implementation. Following the first year, items are kept on the ongoing implementation list until the initiative is enculturated enough to have a standing committee put in place to monitor annually or as needed. **The District utilizes both active and standing committees. The purpose of active committees is to meet frequently for a focused amount of time in order to discuss and recommend how to: 1) implement a new initiative selected by the District, 2) implement an initiative required by the State and/or US Dept. of Ed, and/or 3) make recommendations to a process/initiative already in place within the District. The purpose of standing committees is to meet annually or as needed to monitor “in place” initiatives to ensure that they continue to be supported and/or recommended for an active committee if change might be needed.
MEET SCOTT KUBELKA, ASST SUPT OF STUDENT LEARNING
Prior to joining District 47 as Assistant Superintendent of Student Learning, you served as Director of Curriculum and Assessment at Community Consolidated High School District (CCHSD) 155. What attracted you to serving in this role at the elementary level? First, it was a wonderful opportunity to continue serving a community that I am fond of while also reconnecting to my roots as an educator, which began at the elementary and middle school levels. Early in my career I served as a first, fifth and sixth grade teacher, as well as an elementary principal. I look back fondly on those experiences and welcomed the chance to reconnect. How does your experience at the high school level translate to the work you are doing in District 47? Eleven years in District 155 provided me with some special insight in terms of the necessary skills and experiences that best set up students for success especially in the transition from middle school to high school. Also, it provided me an understanding of what students should be expected to know and do upon high school graduation -- again, this type of knowledge allows me to have a perspective that spans Pre-K through 12th grade. In my current role I am provided an opportunity to coordinate and facilitate teams of teachers, specialists, and administrators with the purpose of establishing the strongest foundation possible for our students. We aim to set them up for success. District 47’s mission statement is educational excellence for all students. In your opinion, what are our pillars for success in carrying out this mission? Quality instruction, rigorous and engaging curriculum, as well as a collaborative relationship with our community including our parents. In your current role, you oversee the planning, delivery and evaluation of the teaching experience from both the instructor and student sides. Where are you focusing your efforts this year? There are many priorities for the Department of Student Learning. We always strive to support the staff to best meet the needs of their students. We continue to build upon past successes and work collaboratively in many areas, including but not limited to refining a balanced literacy framework, supporting professional development in regards to C3 social studies standards, piloting a sixth grade math adoption, researching and building capacity around an innovative middle school instructional and science curriculum known as modeling, implementing social-emotional screeners, supporting the needs of our dual language learners, providing quality professional development opportunities for staff in a variety of areas, as well as incorporating physical education testing that will monitor student’s progress in key areas.
District 47 kindergarten registration for the 2017-2018 school year was held on February 22-23, 2017. If you missed this and still need to register your child, please call the CORE Center at 815.788.5000 as soon as possible to make an appointment. The CORE Center is open between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. To expedite the registration process, parents are encouraged to complete the New Student Registration Packet (see links below) and bring it to their appointment, along with proof of residency and their child's birth certificate. Note: Fees are not due at the time of registration. To view student fees for the 2017-2018 school year, click here. All families are encouraged to register early as this helps with appropriate staffing and class size! New Student Registration Packet - English New Student Registration Packet - Spanish Kindergarten Eligibility/Required Documents To be eligible to attend kindergarten during the 2017-2018 school year, a child must be five (5) years old on or before September 1, 2017. State law does not require a child to attend school until he/she is six (6) years of age. A parent or guardian must be present and provide: BIRTH CERTIFICATE, an original or certified copy is required. This is a State law; your child will not be registered without one. Hospital certificates are not acceptable. PROOF OF RESIDENCY (see below) If you are a homeowner: current property tax bill in parent/guardian name copy of closing documents with property address and signatures of both buyer and seller purchase contract with property address and signatures of both buyer and seller (contracts within 30 days; closing documents required after closing date) If you are renting a home or an apartment: Current rental agreement with property address, signatures of both landlord and tenant, and expiration date of the lease term (new lease required upon expiration) Affidavits of residency are available for those without the above listed proof of residency. Affidavits must be completed by the person you are residing with or the landlord of the property. That person must provide the proof of residency in one of the above forms. Affidavits MUST be notarized. NOTE: If you do not have the documents noted above, you will not be able to register your child for kindergarten.
2017-2018 kindergarten registration
Important 2016-2017 Dates March 2017 3/6 - Board of Education meeting (CORE Center, 7pm) 3/11 - Wehde Fun Fair and Silent Auction (11am-2pm) 3/18 - Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge (1pm-3pm) 3/20 - Board of Education meeting (CORE Center, 7pm) 3/25-4/2 - Spring Break (school resumes 4/3) April 2017 4/14 - No school 4/17 - Board of Education meeting (CORE Center, 7pm) 4/26 - Early release day** May 2017* 5/1 - Board of Education meeting (CORE Center, 7pm) 5/5 - D47 art show 5/15 - Board of Education meeting (CORE Center, 7pm) 5/17 - Early release day** 5/23 - “Fly Up” Day at D47 Middle Schools for Incoming Sixth Graders 5/29 - Memorial Day (no school) June 2017 6/2 - Last day of attendance (if no “snow days”) 6/19 - Board of Education meeting (CORE Center, 7pm) *2017-18 online enrollment begins in May! **On early release days, K-5 buildings dismiss at 2 p.m. (AM only Kindergartners are released at normal 11:30 a.m. time). Middle school buildings dismiss at 1 p.m. Note: 8th grade Honors Night will be determined after Spring Break.
2016-17 Budget At the District 47 Board meeting on September 19, 2016, the Board passed a balanced budget for the 2016-17 school year. Click here to review this budget on the District’s website. Within this budget, the Board abated $1 million to the District’s taxpayers to help offset the amount of taxes that were needed to cover annual bond payments. Please refer to the Tax Levy section below for more detailed information regarding what an abatement means for a property taxpayer. The revenue the District anticipates to receive for the 2016-17 school year is broken down as follows: The expenditures the District anticipates for the 2016-17 year are as follows:
FINANCIAL FOCUS
financial FOCUS
Tax Levy and Abatement At the District 47 Board of Education meeting on December 12, 2016, the Board approved the 2016 tax levy and a $1 million tax abatement to ease the financial burden on taxpayers. The District 47 Board also approved a tax abatement of $1 million last year (2015) from the District’s debt service levy. This means that, rather than relying on new taxpayer dollars, District 47 used its operating fund or cash reserves to make a portion of the debt payments. The abatement amount was determined to keep the portion of a homeowner’s property taxes attributable to D47 relatively flat in 2016 as compared to the previous year. As the overall Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV) of the District increases at an amount greater than the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the tax rate itself will actually decrease. However, it is important to note that this doesn’t guarantee that a homeowner’s tax bill will decrease. For instance, if the value of a home increases based upon an updated assessment, the actual tax bill could increase. On the other hand, if there has been no change in assessed value, the portion of the tax bill attributable to District 47 will most likely decrease. In this scenario at the current tax rate, the owner of a $200,000 home would see a decrease of approximately $145. For more on this, see the tax levy presentation below: 2016 D47 Tax Levy Presentation For information on how property taxes support District 47, see the Property Taxes FAQ document below: Property Tax FAQs While maintaining a balanced budget, the Board of Education and the administration continue to explore ways to fund projects and streamline costs while supporting the District’s mission of educational excellence for all students. NEW: District Dashboards The District is compiling financial “dashboards” to provide the community with a snapshot of its various operations. This area can be found on the District’s website under the About Us tab. While this section is still under construction, the links below show a spending comparison between District 47 and the state of Illinois. Instructional Cost/Student Historical Cost per Student vs. State Operating Cost/Student Historical Operating Cost per Student vs. State
D47 Board of Education Approves Teachers Contract At their regularly scheduled meeting on January 17, 2017, the District 47 Board of Education approved a four-year contract with the teachers’ union, the Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers Association (CLETA). The tentative agreement was ratified by CLETA members on January 12. The Board approved the contract by a vote of 7-0. Discussions leading to the new contract were held throughout 2016 between members of the Board, District administration and representatives from CLETA. In a break from past contracts, the negotiated agreement covers a four-year period, beginning retroactively to August 2016 and concluding in August 2020. Previous contracts spanned a three-year period. Highlights of contract changes include a 3.75 percent increase to total salary dollars each year; changes to insurance and retirement benefits; and commitments between the Board, administration and CLETA to establish committees to implement changes in the delivery of professional development and review planning time for educators. "We are pleased to conclude the negotiations successfully with CLETA. Throughout the process, there has been open discussion pertaining to improving the delivery of education services for the students in District 47, and the dialogue will continue," said Board President Jeff Mason. "This contract keeps us competitive with the local market for educational professionals, so we can continue to attract and retain the very best teachers for our students and our community." “The Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers Association is proud of our members for their patience and professionalism during the negotiation process,” said CLETA Co-President Kristin Leidy-Semprit. “Throughout the many months of negotiations, both sides remained focused on fiscal responsibility and the welfare of students and teachers.” Co-President Heidi Marchetti added, “We take pride in our collaboration with District 47 administration and the Association looks forward to a continued partnership in making District 47 a great place to work and learn.”
State Sen. Pamela Althoff R-32nd District Email: cdanca@pamelaalthoff.net State Sen. Karen McConnaughay R-33rd District Email: senator@karenmcconnaughay.com State Rep. Allen Skillicorn R-66th District Email: allen@allenskillicorn.com or skillicorn@ilhousegop.org State Rep. Steve Reick R-63rd District Email: steve@steve463.com or reick@ilhousegop.org State Rep. Barbara Wheeler R-64th District Email: wheeler@ilhousegop.org
financial updaTE
School Funding Update On July 12, 2016, Governor Rauner created the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission to make recommendations to the General Assembly to revise the current school funding formula. The commission, comprised of 25 members who were designated by the governor and legislative leaders, met regularly and were tasked with making a recommendation by February 1, 2017 to the General Assembly and Governor. Released on January 31st, the report includes several recommendations that are similar to the Evidence-Based Model that the Vision 20/20 coalition endorsed as part of its blueprint for the future of public education in Illinois. To read the committee’s full report and recommendations, click here. While the commission chose to issue a report rather than to try and craft legislation, it is anticipated that the General Assembly will now draft legislation. It is anticipated that all school districts in Illinois will be impacted in some way by the recommendation and/or implementation of a new school funding formula. We continue to watch carefully proposed legislation as models to date have relied on reducing funding to District 47 in order to shift money to downstate districts and the City of Chicago, which the District doesn’t view as a fair end result for either our taxpayers or students. For a link to the education funding proposal of Governor Rauner’s recent budget update (2/15/17), click here. We encourage anyone with questions, comments or concerns about school funding to contact their local legislator, some of whom are listed below:
OPERATIONS update
Health Life Safety Survey and Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan Every 10 years, all public schools in Illinois undergo a mandatory Health Life Safety Survey by a licensed architect. Once complete, the survey is then submitted to the regional superintendent for review and forwarded onto the state. In the summer of 2016, District 47’s Health Life Safety Survey inspections took place at all 12 school buildings. Findings were presented to the District’s Board of Education in October 2016 to provide the Board with a comprehensive overview of facility needs for the next five years. Below is a link to the presentation from the October 2016 Board meeting that summarizes the Health Life Safety Survey results, prioritizes recommendations, and lays out a plan for completion of both deferred and high-priority projects. D47 Life Safety Survey & 5-Year-Plan District 47 Ensures Quality of Drinking Water Through Voluntary Water Testing Last fall, as part of our commitment to ensure a safe teaching and learning environment, District 47 hired an outside firm to conduct water testing in all District buildings. Water testing began over the winter break and was completed at the end of January. All “potable” (suitable for drinking) water sources, including drinking fountains and sinks used in food preparation, were tested in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Lead was among the contaminants tested and, according to the EPA, is not to exceed levels of 15 ppb (parts per billion). District 47 recently received water testing results and is pleased to report that the vast majority of water sources tested met or exceeded EPA standards. The handful of water sources that did not meet EPA standards have been shut off and are being repaired or replaced. For a water testing report summary, visit the District 47 website here. Subsequently, in January 2017, a water testing bill (HB6596) was passed by Congress in Springfield, which dictates that, going forward, all K-5 schools in Illinois must conduct water testing. The District will be monitoring the new legislation to determine proper implementation. To learn about the parameters of this new law, visit the Illinois General Assembly website.
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