School District 57

Dear District 57 Families,

I hope this message finds you well and that your summer is off to a wonderful start. While your children enjoy this well-deserved break, our district is hard at work preparing for their upcoming school year to ensure a smooth and successful start for all. You will read about some of the exciting momentum and initiatives in the Board of Education meeting highlights below.

As we celebrate Pride Month in June, I want to reaffirm District 57's unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming community for everyone. This month, and always, we honor the diversity that makes our community unique and vibrant. May this month be filled with pride, acceptance, and unity for all.

It was truly wonderful to have the opportunity to recognize our Lincoln Middle School Track & Field State Qualifiers at last night’s Board of Education meeting. These talented students demonstrated remarkable dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship throughout the season. We are immensely proud of their achievements at this year’s IESA State Track & Field meet.

Our students excelled in various events, showcasing their hard work and commitment. Michael P placed 12th in the high jump, Kevin O secured 12th place in the discus, and Bobby W achieved 13th place in the 1600m and 16th place in the 800m. Nevalyn M earned 11th place in the long jump, and our 4 x 200m relay team, comprised of Leila E, Lila Z, Olivia G, and Grace S, finished 15th. We are especially thrilled to celebrate our medal winners: Helen H (8th place, 1600m), Ashley S (7th place, 1600m), Juliana M (5th place, 1600m), Olivia G (5th place, 400m), MaryTherese K (3rd place, high jump), and our 4 x 400m relay team of Leila E, Lila Z, Grace S, and Bella P, who placed 5th.

Track & Field has the highest participation of any sport at Lincoln, with well over 100 students each season. This success would not be possible without the dedication and expertise of our coaches: Steve Shaffer, Kelly Bailey, Abbey Grabowski, and Chris Tsichlis. Thank you for your unwavering commitment and support of our student-athletes.

I wanted to share some exciting highlights from last night's Board of Education meeting. You can watch the meeting in its entirety here.

Westbrook Welcomes New Principal

Firstly, I am thrilled to announce the Board's approval of Marty Heffner as the new principal of Westbrook School for Young Learners. We are confident that Principal Heffner will be a wonderful addition to our community, bringing extensive experience and a passion for early childhood education. Families are invited to meet Principal Heffner at a "Popsicles in the Park" event at Westbrook on August 1st at 5pm. You can view the segment of the Board Meeting discussing Principal Heffner's appointment here.

Architect Gives Proof-of-Concept Presentation

Last night, we listened to an insightful presentation by our architects, who confirmed the feasibility of several proposed options to address our facility's challenges. These options are initial proof-of-concept designs exploring space requirements, site feasibility, cost, and the possibility of construction during the school year without significant disruption. Here is a brief overview of the key concepts presented:

1. 2-Story Addition for Full-Day Kindergarten at Westbrook School:

• Description: A larger two-story addition on the east side of Westbrook, connecting existing wings and extending north to add significant Kindergarten capacity, a new cafeteria, and multipurpose rooms.

• Pros: Increased Kindergarten capacity, improved accessibility, and better circulation.

• Cons: Potential need for additional funding and overlap with the school year during construction.

• Cost: Estimated between $15.4 million and $19.2 million.
  
  

2. Phased Renovation of Existing Lincoln School:

• Description: Significant renovations focusing on building conditions, systems, and maintenance without changing room sizes or layouts.

• Pros: Adjustable scope to fit funding, improved energy efficiency, and no zoning process required.

• Cons: Limited space and educational environment improvements, multiple summer construction phases.

• Cost: Estimated between $11.5 million and $14.4 million.
  
  

3. Significant Addition to Replace A&B Wings and Renovate C Wing at Lincoln School:

• Description: A new two-story building replacing existing wings, expanding capacity, and renovating the C wing.

• Pros: No student displacement, increased capacity, and all new or improved classrooms.

• Cons: High funding requirements, temporary disruption to outdoor activities, and full zoning process needed.

• Cost: Estimated between $58.5 million and $68.9 million.
  
  

4. New 3-Story School to Replace Existing Lincoln School:

• Description: A complete replacement of Lincoln School with a new three-story facility, providing modern and flexible learning environments.

• Pros: No displacement during construction, alignment with future curriculum, and significant operational savings.

• Cons: Highest funding requirement, longest construction period, and temporary disruption to parking and bus access.

• Cost: Estimated between $66.9 million and $77.9 million.
  
  

You can view the segment of the Board Meeting discussing the architect's presentation here and access the presentation files here.

Related to the architecture presentation, we heard a report from the District's community engagement firm. They shared the Phase 1 Community Engagement process, aimed at planning for the future of our schools. Here are the key points from their report:

1. Community Engagement Overview:

• We engaged the community to gather feedback on how to implement the state-mandated full-day kindergarten by 2027 and to identify other desired improvements in our schools.

• 308 residents participated through our Community Committee and online feedback forms, showing a strong interest in shaping the future of our district.
  
  

2. Key Findings:

• Our community values the personalized attention and supportive environment we provide, which helps our students thrive despite having the largest class sizes and lowest spending compared to peer districts.

• There is a significant challenge ahead: the State of Illinois requires us to implement full-day kindergarten, but we currently lack the space and staff to meet this mandate without additional funding.

• Community feedback highlighted a desire for improved learning environments, enhanced safety, dedicated STEM spaces, smaller class sizes, and better support for teachers and staff.
  
  

3. Community Preferences:

• The Community Committee unanimously preferred to collaborate on a community-driven plan for school improvements rather than pulling resources from other areas, which could increase class sizes and reduce extracurricular activities.

• 77% of the general public also supported this collaborative approach.
  
  

4. Next Steps:

• We will continue engaging the community through August 2024. In Phase 2, we will present a range of possible projects and funding options based on the feedback received.

• We will host public engagement sessions and gather more input to ensure our plans reflect the community's priorities. See the flyer below for dates, times, and locations.
  
  

Your feedback is essential as we work together to create a plan that meets the needs of our students and community. We appreciate your ongoing support and involvement in this critical process. You can view the segment of the Board Meeting discussing this update here.

Lastly, I presented a report on the Year 1 summary of our 2023-2028 Strategic Plan. This comprehensive plan outlines our district's goals and initiatives for the next five years. In the first year, we have made significant strides in several areas, including enhancing student learning environments, improving safety measures, and supporting our teachers and staff with new resources and training. We are excited about the progress made and look forward to building on this foundation in the coming years. You can view my report to the Board here.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with our district. We look forward to a successful and collaborative school year ahead.

In the spirit of education,

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