Simon Says - Thoughts from your Superintendent
With just over two weeks before the Illinois 5Essentials Survey closes, we are inching closer to our goal of 35% parent participation across the district! Gower West is right there at 33% and Gower Middle will need a boost as we head into Spring Break as they are just approaching 20% as of this morning!
Gower has been a regular in the Top 10% of all 3,500 schools across the state for over a decade and, with March Madness in the air, it's time for us to make another run!!! Be encouraged to take the survey today!!! Each year, I look forward to sharing the feedback we receive at our June Board meeting as it helps us set our annual goals for improvement and the same is true this time around. I am a firm believer that organizations cannot grow without feedback and I thank you for giving yours! Feel free to attend one of our Board meetings or visit our Superintendent Reports page to stay informed on how we are doing across each of the 5 Essentials.
I also want to highlight the work of the Community Stakeholder Team and share my tremendous sense of gratitude to this group of over 50 Gower parents, staff and community members! This team played a major role in the development of the district's Strategic Plan which was unanimously approved by the Board of Education at our meeting last night. As you may recall from previous updates, 2025 marked the 20 year anniversary for our district motto - Children at their Best!
I am pleased to report that our motto has stood the test of time and was preserved by the CST as we head into the next quarter of the 21st century. Our motto is the rallying point for all of the work that we do in service to the Gower Community. 'Children at their Best!' Simple. Focused. Personal. Meaningful. Profound. I've shared the following sentiment often and was glad to see the CST embrace the the same commitment - "A child's education isn't a dress rehearsal. We have one chance to get it right."
The Community Stakeholder Team also worked to shape our mission statement - the reason we exist - as follows: Empowering children to be their best today to lead a better tomorrow! The group also helped align our vision statement - what we aspire to - to bring the necessary focus to the experience for our students: Ensure an environment that cultivates confident, compassionate, and innovative learners to actively shape and enrich the world. The Board of Education enthusiastically approved these elements of our Strategic Plan along with the district's Belief Statements and Strategic Goals. For a copy of the approved Strategic Plan, you can visit our Board of Education page or use this direct link.
I understand and fully appreciate the difference between words and action and it is a tremendous advantage knowing that we have the high quality and committed staff, a supportive Board of Education, an incredibly engaged parent community, and an amazing group of hard-working students to bring each of these statements to life!
The countdown to Spring Break is upon us and I hope you have a chance to enjoy some peaceful 60 degree weather here at home or, better yet, bring some warmer weather back with you for the final turn of the 2025-2026 school year if you are traveling. As always, if you would like to discuss this or any other Gower Community topic further, please reach out to me directly at vsimon@gower62.com.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Dr. Simon
Superintendent of Schools
Regular Board Meeting Summary: The Board meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. and began with the Bard Salute and recognition of the Gower Middle 7th Grade Girls Volleyball Team. The team made Gower History by winning the Regional and Sectional Championships to qualify for the state tournament. Coach Stankiewicz commented on how well the team played together and got along as a group. She also shared that the team would be back next year with an even bigger trophy! Go Gower!!!
The meeting continued with the monthly Superintendent's Report. The Superintendent's Report included information on the adoption of a new K-8 Social Studies Curriculum as well as Preliminary Staffing Plan for 2025-2026. The Superintendent's report also included updates across each of the 5Essentials for Effective Schools: Ambitious Instruction, Supportive Environment, Involved Families and Community, Collaborative Teachers and Staff, and Effective Leaders.
The Board reviewed a series of reports, approved a series of action items as part of a consent agenda including updated policies, personnel actions, and contracted services for landscaping and financial auditing. The Board also approved the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and gave their highest regard to the Community Stakeholder Team that made the work possible. The Board unanimously approved three separate administrator contracts for Melissa Capizzi, Principal of Gower West; Meg Hoff, Assistant Principal of Gower West; and Julie Schiffler, Assistant Principal of Gower Middle. Congratulations to our administrative team!
The Board did enter Executive (closed) session at 8:05 p.m. for the purpose of selecting a person to fill a public office due to a vacancy. The Board returned to open session at 9:32 p.m. and took no further action other than to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 9:32 p.m. The Board is prepared to make a recommendation for an appointment to the Board through formal action as part of the April 30th Board meeting. This will take place after the results of the April 1st Consolidated Election are confirmed and the newly elected Board members have taken the oath of office and are formally seated.
It is important to note and recognize that Board President Ryan Asmus who has served on the Board of Education for the last 16 years will be cycling off of the Board as will Board Secretary, Sarah Smith who has served on the Board of Education since 2020. The Board recognizes and gives thanks for the service of our outgoing Board members and will do so again formally as part of their last meeting on April 30th. Thank you, Ryan and Sarah. Your selfless dedication and commitment to the Board of Education and to the Gower Community serve as a model of public service, volunteerism, and support for public education.
The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting is scheduled for April 30, 2025 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.
