School District 57
From the Desk of the Superintendent
May 17, 2024
Dear District 57 Families,
With the school year a mere weeks from ending, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to you and your family for another wonderful school year. It’s always a bittersweet time for everyone, with feelings of joy, relief, sadness, and gratitude. Our district is blessed to have remarkable students, teachers, staff, administrators, and families that collectively champion for an outstanding education and social experience for all. We are all so incredibly fortunate to have our District 57 family, a family that extends beyond summers, graduations, and relocations.
Last night’s Board of Education meeting welcomed some incredibly special guests: students from our school's Principal Advisory Councils briefed the Board on their experiences. As part of our 5-Year District Strategic Plan, “Goal 1: Outstanding Student Experiences” emphasizes expanding student voice and engagement. In line with this goal, each school in District 57 now offers students the opportunity to provide feedback and share their ideas with their building administrators through Principal Advisory Councils. Special thank you to the students - Zach Y. (5th grade, Lions Park), Brynn H. (8th grade, Lincoln), Anna N. (8th grade, Lincoln), Elliott S. (2nd grade, Fairview), and Jack W. (5th grade, Fairview) - and their families for taking the time to bring the Principal Advisory Council effort to life for the Board. You can learn more about the council by watching this District 57 Spotlight Series video below, and hear the students’ report to the Board here.
May marks Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, a time when we honor the rich cultural heritage and significant contributions of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. District 57 proudly celebrates this vibrant diversity, recognizing the profound impact and legacy of Asian/Pacific Americans in shaping our shared history and community. From advancements in technology and medicine to influential achievements in the arts and civil rights, their contributions have enriched our society in countless ways.
Below are a few additional highlights from last night’s Board meeting. You can watch the meeting in its entirety here.
District Equity Leadership Team Update
At last night’s Board meeting, I presented an update on the District Equity Leadership Team (DELT), a committee focused on enhancing educational equity within our district. This team is composed of dedicated parents, teachers, administrators, and board members who are committed to ensuring every student receives the support and resources they need. You can read the DELT memo in its entirety here.
Below are a few highlights from the memo:
DELT has developed a new equity statement for District 57: “D57 pursues educational equity by analyzing data to provide every D57 student with supports, resources, and opportunities aligned to their individual needs for their continuous growth and development as students and contributing members of society.”
To improve communication with our diverse families, we piloted the use of Pocketalk devices, which provide real-time translation in over 80 languages. These will be distributed to key staff members and made available to families and students who need them. Additionally, we are in the process of implementing additional tools that will help us better engage with families and ensure that everyone has access to important school information.
We are committed to understanding and addressing discrepancies in academic and behavioral data across different student groups. This ongoing effort involves collecting and analyzing current data to better support all students, particularly focusing on reading and math proficiency and suspension rates.
Recognizing the need to enhance the school climate at Lincoln Middle School, we have introduced several programs, including the 5-Star System to reward positive behaviors and CHAMPS for effective classroom management. We've also implemented a student belonging survey to ensure every student feels supported and valued.
Professional Development: Our administrative team is receiving ongoing professional learning to strengthen leadership and support systems.
Continuous Improvement: DELT will continue to meet annually to review progress and set new priorities.
Community Firm Update
District 57 contracted the EOSullivan Consulting group to help understand the community’s position and opinions related to the full-day kindergarten mandate requiring District 57 to offer this additional education by the 2027-2028 school year, and the space & capital improvement concerns at both Westbrook School for Young Learners and Lincoln Middle School. At last night’s Board meeting, we presented the Board with EOSullivan’s timeline of services and deliverables. You can view the portion of the Board meeting discussing the update here.
I want to thank you for taking the time to read this message. Your dedication and commitment to your child’s education is valued deeply.
In the spirit of education,
Dr. Mary Gorr
Dr. Mary Gorr
Email: mgorr@d57.org
Website: https://www.d57.org/
Location: 701 West Gregory Street, Mount Prospect, IL, USA
Phone: 847-394-7300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dist57/
Twitter: @dist57