VVSD Supt. Dr. Keith Wood’s Update to the Board at the October 21 Meeting
VVSD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Keith Wood provided an update to the Board of Education at the October 21 Regular Meeting. Since Oct. 21-25 is Bus Safety Week, Dr. Wood shared a reminder about the importance of safety practices for both bus riders and bus drivers. Dr. Wood also reminded the community that parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for Oct. 24 & 25.
VVSD Staff Spotlight- Yazmine Mendoza, Dual Language, Language Arts Teacher, A.Vito Martinez Middle School
While the COVID pandemic put most of the world into a pause, it also provided the impetus for Yazmin Mendoza to pursue a dream. Yazmin always wanted to be a classroom teacher, but circumstances and opportunities never seemed to align properly.
During COVID, the job she was working basically went away, and Yazmin decided it was time to make her dream happen. As schools re-opened, she began applying for classroom teacher positions and it just so happened that her bilingual skills and teacher certifications lined up perfectly with the position she currently holds as a Dual Language 6th and 7th grade English Language Arts teacher at A. Vito Martinez Middle School.
Bolingbrook Board of Trustees Proclaims November 15 School Board Members Day
The Village of Bolingbrook Board of Trustees approved a proclamation by Mayor Mary Alexander Basta designating Fri. Nov. 15 as School Board Members Day in Bolingbrook. VVSD Board of Education Members President Steve Quigley, Vice President Victor Zack, Secretary Debbie Sykora, Member Victoria Sutterlin, and Supt. Dr. Keith Wood attended the meeting to thank the Mayor and the Village Board for their recognition.
The proclamation states designating a day to honor VVSD School Board Members is “a way to honor those citizens who devote their time and energy for the successful education of our children and future leaders.”
Romeoville HS Junior ROTC Receives Two National Awards
Cadet Captain Raed Slim Receives Legion of Valor, RHS Named JROTC Honor School for 4th Year in a Row
Romeoville High School’s United States Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps officially added two more honors to their already impressive list of accomplishments. In a ceremony held in the JROTC Classroom on Tue. Oct. 22, RHS welcomed USMC Training and Education Regional Director Maj. Luke Wright as he officially presented awards for Distinguished Naval Honor School to the RHS JROTC Unit, and the Legion of Valor to RHS 12th grade student Cadet Capt. Raed Slim.
Cadet Capt. Slim is one of only four students to receive this award among 25,000 cadets nationwide for activities during school year 2023. “I want to thank the members of my unit both past and present for pushing me to always be better,” Cadet Capt. Slim said. “More importantly, I thank my parents for their support.”
This is the fourth year in a row the RHS USMCJROTC has earned designation as a Distinguished Naval Honor School, an honor that goes to the top 20% of the programs in the country.
“This certainly exemplifies our program’s high caliber and commitment to success,” said RHS Senior Marine Instructor MGySgt Jonathan Couturier. “Our program instills in our youth, the importance of setting goals, working hard to achieve those goals, and facilitates a great sense of accomplishment.”
The objectives of the RHS USMCJROTC program are to develop leaders, build character, and create informed, patriotic, and responsible citizens, while also developing young adults who are physically, mentally, and morally fit, preparing them for higher education, life careers and public service.
“It is outstanding that one of our programs is receiving recognition on a national level,” said VVSD Board of Education President Steve Quigley. “Congratulations to Cadet Captain Slim and to the Romeoville HS JROTC program. We are proud of all the JROTC students in the United States Marine Corps JROTC at RHS, and the United States Air Force JROTC at Bolingbrook High School.
VVSD Hiring Now for 2024-25 School Year
VVSD is still hiring for a wide range of positions for the 2024-25 school year with an emphasis on adding to our teams of paraprofessionals, lunchroom/playground aides and special education teachers.
We are also seeking new team members including guest teachers, bus drivers, operations & maintenance, nutrition services, and special education staff.
VVSD’s employment opportunities offer schedules for staff members that are in synchronization with school schedules, making VVSD a great choice for parents who need to have their work schedule match up with the school hours, and Winter and Spring Break for their children. To see all VVSD job opportunities and to apply, visit www.vvsd.org/jobs
VVSD Nutrition Services to Provide Free Meals to Students During 2024-25 School Year
VVSD students pre-kindergarten through 12th grade are offered both a free breakfast and lunch meal each school day during the 2024-25 school year. These meals are offered for free by the National School Lunch Program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture through the Community Eligibility Provision for the 2024-25 school year.
No form is needed to receive these free meals. For more information, visit www.vvsd.org/food Households may complete a Fee Waiver Form to apply for school fee waivers and other financial benefits. The 2024-25 Fee Waiver Form can be found here: https://www.vvsd.org/families/pay-school-fees.
VVSD Family Reading Night
The VVSD Library Media Center Directors are excited to invite you to Family Reading Night on Thursday, November 21 This District-wide event is all about celebrating the magic of reading and how libraries foster a love for learning, all wrapped up in the theme “Readers are Leaders”.
Family Reading Night aims to ignite family fun around reading and highlight just how important reading is in our students’ lives. A diverse range of sessions will be available, featuring creative writing workshops, poetry readings, picture book read-alouds, informative sessions for parents, crafts, games, and more! Light refreshments will be provided while supplies last.
Event Schedule:
5:00 pm Doors open
5:30 pm Keynote speaker Adi Alsaid at the Lukancic Auditorium
6:10 – 6:30 pm: First round sessions
6:35 – 6:55 pm: Second round sessions
7:00 – 7:20 pm: Third round sessions
Our keynote speaker, Adi Alsaid, is a celebrated local author who knows just how to capture the hearts of middle-grade and young-adult readers.
Get ready for a night packed with awesome sessions for all ages; from early childhood all the way up to 12th grade and their families. There will be activities for everyone. Family Reading Night will be held at Lukancic Middle School, doors open at 5 pm for refreshments. Visit this website for more information: www.vvsd.org/FRN .
Fall is Theatre Season in Valley View!
Romeoville HS Presents “Peter/Wendy” in the RHS Little Theater
The Romeoville HS thespians present their 2024 Fall Play production of “Peter/Wendy” in the intimate setting of the RHS Little Theater Fri. Nov. 1 and Sat. Nov. 2 at 7 pm and in a matinee performance on Sun. Nov. 3 at 2 pm.
In this lyrical, atmospheric interpretation of Peter Pan, playwright Jeremy Bloom strips the familiar story down to its emotional essence. Peter lures Wendy away from her nursery to the magical world of Neverland, where she joins his adventures with Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily, and the menacing Captain Hook. A low-tech, inventive adaptation that pays homage to the darker themes of J.M. Barrie's original, Peter/Wendy will mesmerize audiences of all ages.
Tickets are available at the door: Adults $7, Students $5, free admission for children under age 10 years old.
Bolingbrook HS Brook Theater Present “Clue”
Bolingbrook HS Brook Theatre presents “Clue”, a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery by Sandy Rustin based on the cult movie classic derived from the popular board game of the same name. “Clue” is the comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out … who did it, where, and with what.
“Clue” takes to the stage at the Claar Family Auditorium at 7 pm on Fri. Nov. 1 and Sat. Nov. 2 and also for a Sun. Nov. 3 matinee at 3 pm. Tickets are $10 each when purchased online at theBrookTheatre.org or for $13 at the door.
A.Vito Martinez Middle School Presents “Murder on the 518”
In this play red-eye travelers on the westbound 518 are in for a surprise when first one passenger, and then another, mysteriously drop-dead right before their eyes — and just as the train is halted by a rockslide in an isolated canyon. Because the pair appears to have been poisoned, anyone and everyone in the train dining car is a suspect!
Performance dates are Fri. Dec. 13 at 6pm and Sat. Dec. 14 at Noon. Tickets available by cash purchase at the door only. Adults $5, Students $3, Children under 5 years old, no charge.
Brooks Middle School hosted the inaugural "EmpowerHer: Cultivating Confidence - A Conference for 8th Grade Girls" on Wed. Oct. 16 at Bolingbrook Golf Club. The conference focused on empowerment, self-confidence, and resilience, with the aim to equip attendees with the skills, knowledge, and support they need to navigate these challenges effectively and emerge as strong, confident individuals.
Secondary Experience Transition Program students made their annual visit to the VVSD Administration Center to sell Affy Tapples to raise money for STEP Student Activities.
“Medical Students” in the “AVM Medical Center” calculate surgical angles under the watchful eyes of “Doctors” Jenna Guajardo and Michelle Zakula for later use in “surgery”. Full disclosure, the 7th grade math students in Jenna’s and Michelle’s classrooms were working on their skills in calculating angles using word problems with medical themes.