Dear D57 Families,
Happy St. Patrick's Day! May the luck of the Irish be with you! ☘️
It’s incredible how much there is to celebrate this month. March marks not only National Women’s History Month where we honor the countless contributions women have made to society, but it also marks National Disability Awareness Month where we celebrate and encourage those with disabilities to lead meaningful, fulfilling lives. March also brings with it the official start of the spring season and with that a well-deserved spring break for students, staff, and families.
I encourage all District 57 to attend a special presentation on Thursday, April 13 at 7 P.M. by Lincoln Middle School Principal Eric Larson and Mount Prospect Police Officer Greg Sill about social media, cyberbullying, and the mental health impact of social media on students. You can RSVP for this event by clicking here.
A wealth of information was shared at last night’s Board Meeting. I’ll summarize some key points here, but as a reminder, you can always view a Board Meeting you’ve missed by following the meeting’s webcast link.
The D57 Education Foundation’s annual fundraising gala will be held on April 15 from 6:30 pm-11:30 pm at the Old Orchard Country Club. Tickets can be purchased here. The D57 Ed Foundation is an independent organization that organizes fundraisers and develops community partnerships to directly benefit D57’s schools. I hope to see you at the gala!
Members of the Lincoln Wrestling Team were honored last night for their successful season, placing 3rd at Sectionals and representing Lincoln at State. These students showed commitment to the sport and the team, steadily improving their skills throughout the season. Way to go, Lincoln!
Fairview’s Principal Dan Ophus highlighted the new student-run, student-focused “Friendly Falcons.” This group of 4th-grade students exemplified community leadership and spirit by proposing and implementing a tutoring program for 3rd-grade students. The Board of Education recognized these students for their ingenuity and kindness. To learn more about the Friendly Falcons, you can watch this video.
As most of you know, D57 and the Mount Prospect Park District (MPPD) are partnering to create a new playground for Lions Park Elementary School students. Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, Jason Kaiz, Ben Kutscheid from the Mount Prospect Park District, and David Torres from Nicholas & Associates, Inc. updated the Board last night on the progress of the project and its current timeline. Project leaders are reviewing feedback received from the recent community-input event during which people were asked their opinions on three concept designs for the park. Using this feedback, a final design will be created. Preliminary timelines estimate a late-fall 2023 completion date, but the project may push to spring 2024 if building permits and materials take longer than expected. However, the existing playground will remain in place and useable until the new playground is unveiled.
Dr. Kristin Vonder Haar, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning, presented a 2022-2023 school year curriculum review for the middle school computers class and “Project Lead the Way” (PLTW) classes. New computer courses were designed for 6th-8th grades to align with the Illinois Computer Literacy Standards and D214 Information Technology Pathway. PLTW was evaluated to ensure they aligned with District 214’s Career Pathways. You can view the Curriculum Review Cycle here. Michelle Walsh, the Learning Resource Center (LRC) Director at Lincoln Middle School, updated the Board on the LRC’s framework for learning, which included fixed lessons on computer literacy, media literacy, cutting-edge design thinking to solve problems, research, digital citizenship, coding, and more. Mark Fijor, Director of Technology, updated the Board on the professional development plan for the district’s instruction and technology coaches, who support high-impact teaching and learning practices throughout the district.
Mark Fijor also presented a list of technology updates to the Board, including internet upgrades and cybersecurity measures.
Lastly, after 19 years as assistant principal at Lincoln Middle School, Randy Steen will be retiring from this role in June. He will give D57 one more year, serving as a classroom teacher during the 2023-2024 school year before his formal retirement at the end of June 2024.
Thank you for taking the time to read through all of this information - it was quite a lot! If you haven’t already, take a moment to read our recent D57 newsletter. I sincerely thank you for your ongoing partnership and commitment to the district. Have a wonderful weekend!
In the spirit of education,
Dr. Mary Gorr
Superintendent of Schools
Mount Prospect School District 57
