April 3, 2024

Dear Districts 67 and 115 Families, Staff, and Community:

We recently partnered with professional polling firm Fallon Research to gain quantitative and qualitative insights into community perspectives on our schools.

This survey engaged a randomly selected sample of 301 members of our community by phone and text, including District parents/guardians and residents who do not currently have students in our schools.

Results of current polling include:

• The quality of District 67 and 115 schools ranks as the most common factor attracting and retaining residents to Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Knollwood.

• Between 72 and 77% of respondents were pleased with the quality of the education in each of our school districts.

• A majority of those surveyed ranked the work of District 67 and 115 teachers as “excellent” or “good.”

• Taxes continue to be an area of concern for members of our community.

The full recorded presentations of our 2024 public opinion survey are linked below:

The Boards and I were pleased when we heard the principal Fallon researcher share that results like ours “are the envy of many of [his] clients.”

We value the candid feedback of our community. While we are pleased with these results, we recognize areas for continued growth and improvement. These findings will assist us in prioritizing our efforts and allocating our resources in the future.

All my best,

Matthew L. Montgomery, Ph.D.

Superintendent

• April 3
• 7:00 pm An Evening with Author Meg Kissinger at the Gorton Center
• April 4
  
• 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Coffee with Principal Lenart, followed by APT Meeting at CROYA
  
• April 8
• 7:00 pm Percussion Concert in the RMA
• April 9
• SAT Suite of Assessments
• April 11
• 6:30 pm LFHS District 115 Community Forum Referendum Update in Library
• April 12
• 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm Applause Board Meeting in Room 109
• April 16
• 6:30 pm Join Dr. Montgomery and Author Ellen Galinsky online for a virtual FAN event
• April 18-20
• 7:00 pm Musical - Mean Girls in the RMA (TICKETS)

• May 7, 2024 - Joint Meeting
  
• June 11, 2024 - Regular Meeting

Agendas will be posted prior to the meeting on the District 115 Board of Education website.

• Agenda - April 2, 2024
• Recording
• Superintendent's Report - April 2, 2024
• Check out our Student Engagement Annual Report video below or read it here!

Sara Boyle, representing LFHS PALS at the April 2 District 115 Board Meeting Impact Spotlight

Before Spring Break, we asked for your opinion about future Emergency Weather/Snow Days, and here are the results:

A majority, 70.1% of respondents agree that our school calendar should contain non-instructional "snow days."

Of that 70.1%, more than half agree that keeping two non-instructional days before moving to e-learning is preferred.

We want all taxpayers to have access to clear and timely information about our progress with the restoration and improvement projects funded by the 2023 referendum. Construction begins this summer. In this episode hosted by LFHS Student Reporter Evan Spezzano, we share information about the Capital Projects Advisory Committee.

Lake Forest High School is reviewing its interscholastic and intramural athletic programs to determine how to best accommodate the interest of our students. The results of the survey below will be used to evaluate current offerings as well as to make plans for future development. Thank you for your help!

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has recognized a number of District 115 educators with their 2024 Those Who Excel Award. This award honors those who have made extraordinary contributions to education within Illinois, making positive impacts within their school community.

This year’s Award of Meritorious Service recipients include: Carolyn Konz and Daniel Panfil.

The awards will be presented next month at a special banquet in Normal, IL.

Congratulations to all of our winners!

With over 92% coverage expected during the upcoming April 8 solar eclipse, students and staff are preparing to view the out-of-this-world occurrence. Monday’s total eclipse will be the last one visible in the United States, until the year 2045, passing through 13 states, including southern Illinois.

Learning about the eclipse during science units this week, students will head outside this upcoming Monday, weather permitting, to safely take in the rare event, wearing specialized solar-filtered glasses. The eclipse is predicted to peak at 2:07 pm and can be tracked here.

Please note: Ordinary sunglasses, including those with very dark lenses, are not safe for looking directly into the sun, including during an eclipse. Doing so may cause irreversible damage to your eyes. The use of solar filters within “eclipse glasses”, or hand-held solar viewers, is the only safe way.

Date: April 11, 2024

Time: 6: 30 pm

Location: Lake Forest High School Library 1285 North McKinley Road, Lake Forest

Many assumptions about adolescents are just plain wrong, argues Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute and former chief science officer at the Bezos Family Foundation and one of the foremost child development experts in the world. In The Breakthrough Years: A New Scientific Framework for Raising Thriving Teens, she challenges and debunks the many myths, misunderstandings, and stereotypes about adolescents while weaving research-tested ways to influence them for success during these impressionable and transformative years.

Galinsky will be in conversation with Matthew Montgomery, Ph.D., superintendent of Lake Forest School Districts 67 and 115 in Illinois. A proponent of lifelong learning, Dr. Montgomery is also the Lead Superintendent for Cohort and Partner Connections with the School Superintendents Association (AASA), co-chairs the AASA STEM Leadership Consortium.

Register below to join us on Zoom on April 16, 2024, at 7:00 pm!

It's so fetch! Mean Girls: The Musical hits the stage with your favorite characters from the movie, powerful music, and some serious laughs.

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina's reign, she learns the hard way that you can't cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

With dynamic songs for young performers, Mean Girls is an anthem to friendship, loyalty, girl power, and being true to yourself.

Performances will be held in the RMA on…

• April 18, 2024, 7:00 pm
• April 19, 2024, 7:00 pm
• April 20, 2024, 7:00 pm

At Lake Forest High School, we are committed to supporting all graduates after they leave our halls. As our alumni discover their professional passions, we want to connect them with potential employers and mentors who can offer both opportunity and insight.

We are asking businesses and nonprofits, local, out of state, and abroad, to consider submitting available employment (permanent and temporary) and internship positions to be posted on our LFHS ALUMNI EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WEB PAGE, housed here on the *Lake Forest High School website.

We also recognize great value in pairing more established professionals with young alumni, as well as alumni who are considering new professional paths. If you are willing to serve as an LFHS ALUMNI MENTOR to alums who are interested in learning more about your field, please insert your contact information below.

The LFHS ALUMNI Employment and Mentor web page is set to go live during April 2024.

We appreciate the ways in which many of you have partnered with LFHS in the past, and we are excited to provide these forums for the mutual benefit of our alumni, businesses, and nonprofits.

If you have any questions, please contact us at lfhsalumni@lfschools.net.

*Please note that the Employment and Mentor Webpages, while intended for LFHS ALUMNI use, can be accessed by the wider public. Lake Forest High School and LFHS ALUMNI are not responsible for monitoring connections outside of these forums, and will not be held liable for any unforeseen outcomes, professional or otherwise.

We are excited to announce another Community Coffee for Districts 67 and 115 at the Gorton Center on April 24, at 6:30 pm! These events will provide an opportunity for the community to connect and engage informally with members of our school board and administration. This event is open to all with the goal of building connections and fostering a stronger, more informed community.

Date: April 24, 2024

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: Gorton Center, 400 E Illinois Rd, Lake Forest, IL, 60045

On Friday, March 15, 2024, the LFHS Foundation traveled the halls visiting the staff and students to whom grants were awarded. It was a day filled with excitement and joy. We are deeply grateful to our generous community because your support makes this all possible!

Check out the video of Grant Day below!

The links below are just a few examples of the many amazing articles written by the staff of the Forest Scout Student Newspaper. You can find their website here.

The District utilizes Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Follow us to learn more about celebrations, student achievements, and District news!

There are always a lot of amazing things going on at LFHS, but we'd like to highlight a few things that happened before Spring Break for you:

Monica Lee, a senior leader in the Agency, is at the forefront of human spaceflight programs, and is a passionate advocate for STEM and STEAM, dedicating her time to supporting non-profit organizations and mentoring youth, empowering the next generation of leaders.

Thank you, Monica, for taking the time to talk to and inspire our Scouts!

We are thrilled to share the most recent recipients of our Scout Way Awards! These exceptional Scouts embody our values and showcase outstanding dedication, leadership, and service. Join us in congratulating them for their remarkable achievements!

TEDxLFHS, held on March 20, was a tremendous success! Every year, LFHS hosts a TEDxLFHS event to highlight students and their ideas worth spreading. The theme of this year’s event was “Rising Tides” and featured the talents of seven incredible student speakers, two entertaining emcees, four fantastic musical performances, and nine student animators, all run by a team of twenty dedicated student volunteers.

We want to thank everyone who made this event possible and congratulate our student speakers and performers for their outstanding contributions. It takes a lot of bravery to get up on stage and share your thoughts and feelings with a live audience, and these students did it with grace and passion.

Thank you for your support and if you missed it, check out the livestream footage on tedxlfhs.com!

• April 10: Bubble Ball! 7:30-8:30pm at Deerpath Park. Get the parent signed waiver at CROYA.com.
• April 17: 1st round of High School Exec Elecetions + Chopped! (CROYA Edition)
• April 24: 2nd round of High School + Karaoke
• Want to run for exec, but not sure what position you want to run for? Check out the position descriptions here!
• CROYA Founder’s Award applications are out! Seniors can apply for a one-time $1500 award by sharing about their time involved in CROYA. Click here for the applications.

Follow us on Instagram (@croyalflb) or find us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.

Hey, D115 Community! See all of our upcoming community events through the Community Events Page on our website. Here is a preview of what you'll see:

Summer Jobs at LF Parks and Rec!

Lake Forest Parks & Recreation is hiring teens ages 16 or older (15 with a work permit) to serve as Lifeguards, Beach Guards, and Camp Counselors for the summer of 2024.

Lake Bluff Park District Summer Jobs

Apply for your summer job now! Camp, aquatics and more now open!

Gorton Center Event: Fly Fishing Film Tour

April 7, 2024, 1:00 pm & 4:00 pm

FAN Event - The Menopause Brain

April 8, 2024, 7:00 pm

FAN Event: There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension

April 11, 2024, 7:00 pm

FAN Event - Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divide

April 15, 2024, 7:00 pm

• APS TrueNorth Family Newsletter - March 22, 2024
• APS TrueNorth Family Newsletter - March 8, 2024