Gower 62 Community Newsletter

Monday, November 25th is a full day of Parent Teacher Conferences in Gower and students are not in session. Tuesday, November 26th is a Teacher Institute Day and students are not in session, but they do benefit from being able to take part in our practice eLearning Day. This is an excellent way for our families to understand and become familiar with the eLearning process and gives everyone a chance to practice how we maintain continuity of learning on what would otherwise be an Emergency Day. We had over 90% student participation in our practice eLearning Day last year and look forward to another high turnout this year!

Knowing how tough midwest winters can be, it is important for everyone to be familiar with the process and to be prepared for when an Emergency eLearning Day is actually called. Visit our dedicated eLearning webpage under the Parents info tab on our school and district sites for more details about our program and be sure to review the eLearning FAQ to help answer any questions you may have. Remember, the 'e' is for 'engagement'!

Again, students are not in session on a Teacher Institute Day, but they will have access to the eLearning assignments no later than 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 26th. Our teachers will also be 'e'-vailable to help answer questions and guide students through the activities from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on this day. This is great practice for everyone involved and a great use of our Teacher Institute Day!

If you have any questions about the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences or eLearning Day, please contact the Main Office at Gower West or Gower Middle and we will be glad to help.

At around this time each year, I make it a point to remind the Gower School Community that change is inevitable; growth is optional. The repeating cycle of deliberate planning and action, followed by intentional adjustments based on feedback collected, works in our favor when it comes to continuous growth and improvement. That is why your feedback is so important to us and is so highly valued. It helps us to check on whether or not we are doing what we said we were going to do - closing the gap between our words and our actions - and really making sure that we are living up to our district motto, Children at their Best!

As is true each November, this cycle will be on full display in the Gower Community next week. With Parent Teacher Conferences on Monday, our parents will have an opportunity to check in, give and receive feedback, and gain some insight into the progress their child is making in a particular class or area of learning. This is a perfect opportunity to share your feedback with us as you consider the growth and development that your child has demonstrated in the first part of the school year. What's working? What's not? What would you like to see us do differently? Do more of? Less of? These are all excellent questions to answer in order to improve. Please keep in mind, our scheduled parent-teacher conferences next week are simply one way for your questions to be answered or for your concerns to be addressed. We are always open to receiving your feedback. Your Voice. Your Schools. We're in This Together!

The annual feedback cycle continues on Tuesday next week with our practice eLearning Day! Students are not scheduled for attendance on a Teacher Institute Day and this is our district's way of making the most out of that time. We want to ensure that our school community is ready if/when an emergency day is needed and an eLearning Day is scheduled in its place. We know how important preparation is and practicing the eLearning procedures as part of our Institute Day is a smart way to provide an option for our students, parents, and staff to know what to do, where to go, and what is expected of them on an eLearning Day. And keep in mind, when we talk about an eLearning Day in Gower... The 'e' is for 'engagement' :)

I know that I speak for many when I say, as an educator, that I am grateful to serve in a community that places such a high value on its Pre-K-12 school system and has such a high level of parent and community engagement. Our ongoing Core Stakeholder Team made up of 30+ parents is evidence of that. It has been a real pleasure to see some of the core values that drive our work really starting to shine through in the early drafts of our revised mission and vision. I look forward to sharing more on our Strategic Plan in the coming months.

Enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving break with your family and friends, and 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,

Dr. Simon

Superintendent of Schools

November 15, 2024 was School Board Members Day in Illinois. We recognize and thank our school board members who have donated their time to this community and given their commitment toward making Gower 62 schools a welcoming, safe place so we can live up to our district motto, Children at their Best!

Board Members: President, Ryan Asmus; Vice President, Nagla Fetouh; Secretary, Sarah Smith; Members Gena Lupo, Melissa Pitsoulakis, Evan Williams, and Ericka Polanco-Webb

Recording Secretary to the Board of Education, Kate Schillinger, 630.286.4929

Click here for the monthly Superintendent Reports and here for our meeting agendas.

Public Hearing Summary: The public meeting on the renewal of Gower's eLearning program was called to order at 7:00 p.m. The eLearning plan was shared in detail by Dr. Simon and the recommendation was made for renewal of the plan through the 2027-2028 school year to match the maximum renewal period allowed by the state. There were no public comments offered during the Public Hearing. The public meeting was closed at 7:03 p.m.

Regular Board Meeting Summary: The business portion of the Board meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. There was no public comment from the community. Dr. Simon used the public comment period to acknowledge that Friday, November 15, 2024 was School Board Members Day in Illinois. The Board members were presented with certificates to recognize their time and work on the Board of Education and their dedication to the Gower community.

The meeting continued with the monthly Superintendent's Report. The Superintendent's Report included information on the 2023-24 School Report Cards. The Illinois State Board of Education has made the 2023-2024 student performance data on IAR available to schools and to the public. This information can be found on the Annual School Report Card as a means to help support and increase parental engagement and build partnerships with community members and leaders. School Report Cards are accessible at www.illinoisreportcard.com. Gower West received an Annual Designation of Commendable and Gower Middle received an Annual Designation of Exemplary. Congratulations to both of our schools for being recognized for all of their hard work and dedication to their students and the Gower School Community.

The Board reviewed a series of reports, including the Tentative 2024 Tax Levy which will be presented to the Board for approval at the December 18th Board meeting. The Board reviewed a detailed report on Field Trip procedures and approved the Gower Middle School recommendation for an 8th grade class trip to Washington DC in early May. A number of Board policy revisions were also approved as part of a 4-year revision cycle, as was a contract for snow removal for the coming winter. Finally, the Board voted to approve the renewal of Gower's eLearning plan through the 2027-20208 school year.

The Board did not enter Executive (closed) session and the Board adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m.

The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting is scheduled for December 18, 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 saluted members of the Boys Cross Country Sectional and State Team! Due to our team’s outstanding performance at the IESA Sectional Meet, our team qualified to run at the

IESA State Meet this year! At the Sectional meet in Bolingbrook, every runner ran their fastest time of the year. This is the first time since 2010 that the Gower boys’ team has qualified for the state

meet. Congratulations to our runners and coaches, Mr. Greg Hey and Ms. Heather Canapary! Read more about the team's accomplishments in the board report.

Pictured left to right: John Pitsoulakis, Andy Flores, William Gibson, Luke Romeo, Eli Nigro, Alex Nigro, and Kyler Ruff

Tomorrow, Friday, is an Early Release Day. Monday is Parent-Teacher Conferences from 8 am to 2 pm. Tuesday is a practice eLearning Day from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. Wednesday through Friday is Thanksgiving Break. Have a safe and wonderful holiday!