CCSD15 Staff Newsletter
January 16, 2020
Happy New Year from Superintendent Laurie Heinz!
Dear D15 Staff:
Although we are already halfway through the month of January, it is my first chance to wish you a very Happy New Year! I hope you have settled back into a nice school routine and are excited to dive into the second half of the year. I know I am looking forward to continuing the work we have underway across the District.
Facilities Update
At the January Board of Education meeting, the Board voted to extend its due diligence period on the Park Place property at Rand and Dundee Roads for another 90 days. The Board and administration have been considering this space for an additional elementary school serving the northeast section of Palatine. During the meeting, the Board discussed needing more time to determine if a 21st school is needed, and if so, if Park Place is the right location.
Additionally, the board decided to hear from a school organizational planning company at its next meeting. They would like to see if they would be able to provide more targeted guidance and help us continue to move through the boundary work that began last year. The goal will be helping us get to a point of decision making on how to address both capacity issues and facility needs across our 20 schools. We will continue to update you on the conversation as it progresses.
One-five Foundation’s Annual Campaign: Flexible Seating in LRCs!
The one-five Foundation and its donors have been incredibly generous to our district over the years, funding everything from sensory rooms, to LEGO Robotics leagues in our schools. This year, they are reaching even higher, with a goal of making a larger impact than ever before. This is so exciting!
Part of one-five Foundation’s Annual Campaign for the next several years is to outfit every LRC with flexible seating! This is a lofty goal of raising close to $200,000 for the cause, but we are optimistic that we will get there. Thank you to the staff that contributed to the one-five staff giving campaign this year. We had 89 staff members donate a total of $5,040!
To assist in the planning and overall vision for this district-wide flexible seating plan, the district will be putting flexible seating in Gray M. Sanborn’s LRC this year! Once Sanborn’s space is complete, we will be able to showcase the space for potential donors and community members to learn the impact that flexible seating has on student learning, engagement and achievement.
If you’d like to donate to the cause, you can make a donation through the one-five Foundation’s website. The annual 50/50 Raffle (formerly the 529 Raffle) benefitting the one-five Foundation will also begin February 1. Stay tuned on communication regarding the raffle!
Holly Cocanig Pighini
As you may already know, one of our longtime colleagues, Holly Cocanig Pighini, passed away last week. Holly was not only a wonderful educator, but she was also a mother, a wife, a daughter and a friend to many of us. Thank you to those of you who were able to support her family and pay your respects at her funeral. Holly’s passion for teaching and dedication to District 15 made a positive impact on so many—myself included. She will be greatly missed.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, I am excited to be moving confidently into the second half of the 2019-20 school year together. Your efforts in our schools, classrooms and supporting facilities are valued and make a difference in the lives of our students and their families each and every day. It is why I become more and more #proudtobe15.
I hope to see you around the district during one of my Walk and Talk sessions soon. Happy 2020!
District 15 Spelling Bee!
D15 Spelling Bee Winner Gabriel Paredes of LL
Spelling Bee Contestants
D15 Spelling Bee Runner-Up Vihaan Mane
Mileage Rates for 2020
Mileage rates are announced in January every year. The new mileage rate starting January 1st is .575/mile.
It is recommended at this time to send in your mileage reports that ended on December 20, 2019, if you haven’t done so already. The mileage rate for 2019 was .58/mile. The links below will give you the mileage distance between schools and district locations and the reimbursement form.
Principals, Assistant Principals, and teachers that travel can send their reports to Pam Seick. If you have any questions, please email Pam at seickp@ccsd15.net or call x 3105.
D15 Phishing Scam
You may be aware that on Dec.18, we ran a simulated phishing security test to determine what our vulnerability would be if a real phishing attack were to happen to our users. Our percentage of users who fell for this attack was 20.5 percent.
Phishing is the process of trying to gain access to sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and other personal identifiers by pretending to be a credible entity. Phishing is usually done by sending out bulk emails to try to avoid spam filters.
Cybercrime is getting more serious by the month. Hackers are getting smarter about tricking people into clicking on fraudulent links or opening up malicious attachments in emails. It can happen to you personally on your own computer and email as well.
Because of this, the District has decided that it is very important that everyone gets comprehensive security awareness training (note: this hasn’t been officially decided yet but indications are we will be using some sort of additional security awareness training for our staff). We need to defend our District and staff against cybercrime, and security is everyone’s job. You are the last line of defense in keeping our District safe.
The Technology Department will never ask for your password or ask to verify your password via email.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Substitute Teacher Training Sessions Continue
D15 Standout Staff: Amy VanDyke!
Amy is an ESL teacher at Carl Sandburg Junior High School and was nominated by Kim Dolson & Laurie Olson.
"Amy has been the general education part of the co-teaching special education team for 8th grade ELA at Sandburg for several years. Amy has an amazing ability to bring out the best in staff and students. She is quietly strong and fierce! She makes anyone she works with better.
She connects with some of the most challenging students in the building by validating them and sparking in them a desire to be the best versions of themselves. Her class is challenging and she holds her students to the highest expectations. She works her students hard, all the while, supporting her students, cheering them on and believing in them every step of the way. She goes above and beyond to help her students meet those expectations and be successful members of her classroom. She genuinely cares for each and every student that she encounters. Amy brings a positive attitude into the building everyday and is willing to do whatever it takes to help the building run smoothly and efficiently.
Amy has also worked very hard at making our Wildcat Warehouse a reality at Sandburg. Students are excited and motivated to earn gotchas to spend at the store. She keeps the store stocked with materials that interest a variety of students, manages student workers and coordinates gotcha drawings in homerooms to help reward students’ positive behaviors. The staff and students at Carl Sandburg benefit daily from the hard work of Amy VanDyke."
—Kim Dolson & Laurie Olson
Congratulations, Amy!
Share your positive school news!
If your event has already passed, please send a brief description and photos to Morgan Delack via email.
Thanks for partnering with us to share the great things happening in District 15!
Morgan Delack
Email: delackm@ccsd15.net
Website: www.ccsd15.net
Location: 580 North 1st Bank Drive, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-3204
Facebook: facebook.com/CCSD15
Twitter: @D15Schools