Gower 62 Community Newsletter
April 18, 2024
Another Record Breaking Year!!!
The promise of 2024 being a year of 'Excitement and Noteworthy Developments' has been on full display! Thank you for taking part in another record breaking year. After setting an all-time high in 2023 for parent participation on the 5E Survey (46%), the Gower Parent Community broke that record this year with a rate of 51%!!! Your voice plays such an important role in our continuous improvement efforts and the 55% from Gower West and 45% from Gower Middle is a big help! Thank you!
Making the Final Turn - Let's Not Rush Things! 😊
With only five weeks remaining in the 2023-2024 school year, the sentiment of 'We're in this Together!' is important to share once again. Second only to our district motto - Children at their Best! - the idea that each of us plays an important role in being able to maintain and continuously improve a safe and welcoming environment that is conducive to student learning. Recent reports of some 'close calls' and 'not so polite' exchanges between parents in our drop-off and pick-up lines tell me that this is a good time to remind everyone that the spring requires a bit more caution from everyone when they are traveling near our school campuses. The warmer weather is sure to bring more bicycles, scooters, and skateboards; more younger siblings in tow, and more groups of students walking to and from school.
The support we receive from the Burr Ridge and Willowbrook Police Departments is amazing, but they have not been able to be on-site every day to support the busiest times in our parking lots. This is where the strength of the Gower Parent Community kicks in. Remember, it only takes a few impatient u-turns, one or two speedsters in a hurry, or a single distraction on the phone that can cause far more harm than losing an extra minute or two at arrival or dismissal. If you're thinking to yourself, '...and this is why we can't have nice things.', you are not alone:) We're in this Together!
As the end of the current school year is in sight, each of our school leadership teams are inspired by the high level of parent engagement and participation throughout the 2023-2024 school year. Lots of support and lots of encouraging partnerships since the school year began. It does not go unnoticed and it is certainly never taken for granted. And to set another record in parent participation on the 5Essentials Survey this year is just amazing. To put a finer point on the 51% parent participation rate this year - I fully expect that will be in the Top 5% of all school districts across the state. Wow! You can expect to hear more from each of our schools in the coming weeks to collect more personal and anecdotal feedback about your experience in Gower. Be encouraged to share your feedback. Think of this round as going a bit deeper. What's been working? What hasn't? What questions do you have? The exact kinds of questions that will help our school leaders point the needle in the right direction and make good on the promise embedded in our district motto - Children at their Best!
As mentioned in the Community Newsletter throughout the year, we have been supporting a school leadership transition at Gower West for some time now. If you have visited the Main Office at Gower West recently, you may have noticed that Mrs. Capizzi and Mrs. Hoff have relocated and are now, quite literally, front and center. What an amazing opportunity for a head start and to get a firm grip as the baton is passed from one of the best to do it.
And where in the world is Mrs. Gina Rodewald? 😊 Oh! She is still very much here at Gower West! The only difference is that she is now able to do almost exclusively what she loves the most - spending time with the amazing students of Gower West! 🤗 It was the students that drove Mrs. Rodewald to be a 'Teacher with a capital T' in every sense of the word over 30 years ago, and it is the students today that still drives Mrs. Rodewald to be one of the best Principals I have had the pleasure to serve with as she is making a very special final turn of a school year here with us in Gower 💙💚
As we enter the last month of the school year, I want to encourage the Gower Community to visit the Gower PTO website as well as the Gower Foundation website. There are a number of activities scheduled through the end of the school year, including the PTO Trivia Night on 4/27 at the Five Seasons Family Sports Club in Burr Ridge and the Foundation sponsored Fine Art Symposium Family Night and Fundraiser on 5/18 at Gower West. If you have not attended a Gower Middle Spring Musical before, please join us on 4/25 or 4/26 to see Matilda, Jr. from 7-9 p.m. It is sure to be another great show!
Thank you for your ongoing support of our school district and, as always, if you would like to discuss any other Gower Community topic further, please reach out to me directly at vsimon@gower62.com.
With appreciation and a thumbs up for all of our safe drivers across the Gower School Community,
Dr. Simon
Superintendent of Schools
Board of Education Meeting - Regular & Organizational Meeting 4/16/2024
Regular Board Meeting Summary: The meeting was called to order and members of the Boy Scouts led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. There was no public comment offered from those in attendance. Principal Murphy and Science Olympiad Coaches Heather Canapary and Sarah Haney recognized the Gower Middle students who participated in the Middle School Science Olympiad this year. The students received certificates and were congratulated by the members of the Board. Principal Rodewald and Assistant Principal Capizzi were also on hand to present the Gower West students who are participating in the West Suburban Consortium for Academic Excellence (WSCAE) Art Show with certificates to recognize their work.
The meeting continued with the monthly Superintendent's Report. The Superintendent's Report included a separate report of the Grade 5-8 Science Curriculum Recommendation (Appendix A).
The Board reviewed a series of additional monthly reports, as well as the preliminary FY25 Transportation and Operations & Maintenance budgets and the final 2023 Tax Levy allocation. A number of Board policy revisions were approved as part of the district's 4-year revision cycle, as well as new K-4 science curriculum.
At 7:47 p.m., the regular meeting was adjourned and the annual Organizational Meeting was called to order. Mr. Ryan Asmus was nominated and unanimously approved to remain Board President for the coming year. This will be Mr. Asmus's final term as President and final year as a Board member, bringing a 16 year tenure of service to the District to a close. Ms. Nagla Fetouh was nominated to remain Vice President and Ms. Sarah Smith was nominated to continue serving as Secretary - both approved unanimously. The District's Chief Financial Officer, Brian Riegler, was appointed as the District's Treasurer and I (Kate Schillinger) was appointed as the Board Recording Secretary. The Board established the times, dates and location of the monthly board meetings for the 2024-2025 school year. Beginning in August, regular board meetings will move from the third Tuesday of each month to the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., with one exception in September, to account for the annual budget timeline. Board members were appointed to serve on Board Committees and the Board recognized and affirmed the Board Charter adopted in September of 2021. The Organizational Meeting was adjourned at 8:04 p.m. and the board returned to the regular meeting.
The Board did enter Executive (closed) session with the purpose of discussing (1) "Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees." 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2) at 8:07 p.m.
The Board returned to open session at 9:12 p.m. and shared that they were pleased that the ongoing negotiations are 'on-track' according to the Anticipated Collective Bargaining Timeline published earlier in the school year. No further action was taken and the Board adjourned the meeting at 9:12 p.m.
The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting is scheduled for May 14, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Gower School District Board Room, Gower West, south end of campus Door #B22. As always, you are invited to attend and share your thoughts and feedback with the Board.
Board Salute
The Board recognized the Gower Middle students who participated on the Middle School Olympiad team this school year. Congratulations to the students for their hard work! The faculty sponsors are Ms. Heather Canapary and Ms. Sarah Haney. More information can be found in the formal board report linked here.
Board Salute
Congratulations to the Gower West students who are participating in the West Suburban Consortium for Academic Excellence (WSCAE) Art Show on Saturday, April 27! More information on the art show can be found in the formal board report linked here.
Early Release Day on April 19th!
Tomorrow, April 19th, is an Early Release Day for all students!
Gower West - 7:45 am - 11:00 am
Gower Middle - 8:30 am - 11:45 am