

Trimester 2 Newsletter
Trimester 2 – March 2024

From Dr. Stawick...
Dr. Jeff Stawick, Superintendent
The last trimester of the school year has begun! We are so proud of our students and all they accomplished during Trimester 2. It was filled with concerts, spirit weeks, family nights, spelling bees, and the District Math Challenge. In addition to regular classes, students sat for standardized tests and continued their social emotional learning.
In this edition of our trimester newsletter, you will hear from our directors of Curriculum and Student Services. Dr. Wolgan explains how standardized test results are used at the classroom, school, and district levels. Mrs. Voliva offers a sample of the social emotional curriculum that teaches and reinforces positive behaviors at school.
Both of these topics were chosen by you, our families, from the survey in last trimester’s newsletter. This newsletter is tailored to the information our families want. Please be sure to take a moment to complete this trimester’s survey so we know the information you are looking for.
I hope everyone has a fantastic third trimester! I know our students will continue to make us proud.
District Spelling Bee
Fierke Family SEL Night
District Math Challenge
Question of the Trimester
Please click below to answer this trimester's question:
What topics would you like to read more about in upcoming issues of the Trimester Newsletter?
- Health and Wellness
- Educational Technology
- Community Partnerships
- Tips for Summer Learning
- Transitioning from Elementary to Middle School
Inside Curriculum
Standardized Testing and Results
By Dr. Wendy Wolgan, Director of Curriculum
Standardized testing is used to assess students' academic performance and measure their understanding of curriculum standards. These tests typically follow a uniform format and scoring system, resulting in consistent evaluation across various classrooms and schools.
Families are most familiar with the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) and Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) standardized tests. IAR is administered annually, while MAP is administered three times a year in most grades.
Teachers use standardized test results to help identify strengths and weaknesses in their students' learning. The data help teachers guide instructional decisions and curriculum adjustments. Standardized testing is also utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching methods and school and district programming.
Standardized testing is just one of many factors used to measure the progress and development of well-rounded students in District 146. As educators, we acknowledge that no test provides a complete picture of student performance.
Classroom performance, teacher observation, and other evidence help provide additional information about student learning. Specific questions about your child's test results can be directed to your student’s teacher or the school principal.
Inside Student Services
Social Emotional Curriculu
By: Kelly Voliva, Director of Student Services
Students are shown to be more successful in school when they form positive relationships with those around them, and when they feeling safe at school. Our SEL curriculum provides the foundation for that success.
District 146 uses the Second Step curriculum for social emotional learning from preschool through 8th grade. Second Step helps students develop executive functioning skills, healthy peer and adult relationships, goal-setting skills, and empathy. Included in the SEL curriculum is a Bullying Prevention unit that includes specific strategies for reporting incidents of bullying. More information about Second Step can be found on their website.
District 146 schools also utilize the Safe and Civil Schools program, including the CHAMPS curriculum. Save and Civil Schools provides a researched-based, positive behavioral framework designed to create productive, safe, and respectful learning environments.
CHAMPS is implemented in all District 146 schools. When you visit our buildings, you will see signs and posters referring to the CHAMPS program in classrooms, hallways, and other common areas. For more information on Save and Civil Schools, please visit their website.
Inside Buildings and Grounds
Facility Improvements
The parking lots at Fulton are looking a little brighter lately. All 19 parking lot light fixtures at Fulton were replaced in February with LED fixtures. The District is receiving energy incentive rebates from ComEd and will see future savings from a reduction in the electricity used to power the new LED fixtures.
New stage curtains were recently installed in Central’s cafetorium. The new curtains replaced the 23-year old maroon curtains which began to tear. The new front curtains, chosen by CMS staff, are blue and compliment Central’s school colors. The new curtains, which are inherently fire resistant, will no longer require regular fire-retardant chemical treatment.
Student Success Stories
District Spelling Bee
The 13th annual District 146 Spelling Bee was held at Central Middle School on Tuesday, February 6. The top two students from each school's Spelling Bee participated in the District Bee.
Fierke Education Center: Ben Cyscon and Kelvin Falcatan
Fulton School: Sofia Hammad and Elijah Connell
Kruse Education Center: Monica Jiang
Memorial School: Cameron Frazier and Brenton Kurtyak
Central Middle School: Riley Carone and Anya Kleis
The District 146 Spelling Bee Runner Up was Monica Jiang. The Champion was Anya Kleis, who went on to compete at the South Cook ISC Scripps Spelling Bee on March 6.
Congratulations to all participants, and to Anya on her win!
District Math Challenge
The District’s Math Challenge was held on February 21. Based on total points from the Mental Math and Written Computation tests, the top two students in each grade level earned a spot to represent District 146 at the South Cook Math Bowl in May.
Math Bowl Representatives:
Grade 1: Mirian Nwakor (Fierke) and Lia Broholm (Fulton)
Grade 2: Vincent Huba (Fierke) and Kairo Metcalf (Memorial)
Grade 3: Sameer Abusamra (Kruse) and Jacob Holbrook (Memorial)
Grade 4: Kailey Mackrow (Fulton) and Arav Patel (Kruse)
Grade 5: Ayhem Mahd (Kruse) and Peyton Rogers (Memorial)
Grade 6: Robert Gonzalez and Riley Zilly
Grade 7: Jocelyn Mireles and Cullen Rapacz
Grade 8: George Cook and George Les
Those students placing third overall in the Math Challenge serve as alternates and may go to the Math Bowl if any of the top two scoring students are unable to attend.
Math Bowl Alternates:
Grade 1: Joshua Kitaka (Memorial)
Grade 2: Elliott Allphin (Fierke)
Grade 3: Adam Jaffal (Kruse)
Grade 4: John Cyscon (Fierke)
Grade 5: Ryan Kenny (Kruse)
Grade 6: Aiden Kostur
Grade 7: Gwenyth Sands
Grade 8: Liam Geist
Congratulations to all Math Challenge Participants! Best of luck to the District 146 representatives to the South Cook Math Bowl! We are proud of you all! For a photo slideshow of the 2024 Math Challenge, please click here.
CMS Boys Basketball
The 7th Grade Boys Basketball team won the Southwest Interscholastic Conference (SWIC) conference and placed first in the SWIC tournament this year. They played impressively all season and went undefeated. Congratulations to the team!
CMS Band
CMS Winter Guard
The CMS Winter Guard team has been on a roll this year. So far they have racked up two first place wins at competitions held at Naperville North High School and Minooka High School. They will be performing at CMS on April 5 and in the circuit championships at Andrew High School on April 6. Congratulations and good luck!
Inside the Schools
Central Middle School
Students have been busy creating beautiful artwork in class this month. Sixth grade students learned about color theory and color schemes. They focused on the artist Jasper Johns using stencils to design a project in his style involving such principles of design as rhythm, movement, and pattern, and the art elements of shape and color.
Seventh grade students learned about the history of Illuminated Manuscript, resulting in students composing their own illuminated letter incorporating the principles of emphasis and the element of line and space.
8th Grade students enjoyed working on Two Point Perspective Cityscapes after learning about Filippo Brunelleschi who invented this mathematical form of linear perspective in the early 1400’s. Their cityscapes utilized such elements of art as line, space, and value and such principles of design unity and balance.
Fierke Education Center
Earlier in the trimester, the Fierke Media Center was buzzing with excitement as students in 1st through 5th grade sampled a variety of new books. The book tasting at “Cafe Stinger” offered students a sample of the new books available in the media center.
The tables in the media center were decked in red checkered tablecloths, and students sat together to “taste” a variety of books. The fresh books and setting transformation added extra excitement and made the tasting a huge success. Since the event, the media center has seen an increase in circulation, holds placed, and excitement over these new books and reading as a whole.
Fulton School
Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students performed mini musicals based on children's books. Students sang, danced, and played instruments while learning about the importance of individuality, acceptance, and gratitude through the lens of social-emotional learning.
The Kindergarten program was based on the book “Spoon” by Amy Rosenthal. It focused on accepting oneself, appreciating the differences that make each person special, and learning the invaluable lesson that celebrating diversity enriches the collective melody of life. You can watch the program here.
The 1st and 2nd grade class musicals were based on the children's book “Not Norman" by Kelly Bennett. The program nurtured a feeling of gratitude, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Click here to watch the 1st grade program. The 2nd grade program can be found here.
Kruse Education Center
The Kruse Student Council made February's theme "kindness." The students coordinated a spirit week with themed days that encouraged students to talk about friendship and acts of kindness. Some of the themed days included "Kingdom of Kindness- dress like royalty and bestow kindness on others, and "Double the Kindness- twin with a friend and talk about the meaning of friendship."
The Student Council also created a Kindness Tree. Each student at Kruse decorated a heart with wrote a positive message or an idea for a random act of kindness. The hearts were attached to the tree near the cafeteria to spread positivity. Families even had an opportunity to send a "love" note to their child, with over 225 messages of kindness sent to Kruse students.
Memorial School
The Memorial Choir recently had an opportunity to travel to Naperville for a very special performance. The Choir presented their movie-themed repertoire on the Wentz Concert Hall stage at North Central College. The audience was none other than the Naperville Concert Choir, who in turn performed for the Memorial Choir.
The Choir had a great experience and learned a lot from their trip. For a video of their performance, please click here.
March
25: Spring Break Begins
April
1: BoE Committee of the Whole Meeting
2: Students Return
8: Board of Education Meeting
10: No School/District Closed
19: CMS Spring Musical
20: CMS Spring Musical
26: No School- Institute Day
May
2: South Cook Math Bowl- Grades 5-8
3: South Cook Math Bowl- Grades 1-4
3: District 146 Olympics
3: Illinois SuperState Band Competition
6: BoE Committee of the Whole Meeting
11: Kruse 50th Anniversary Celebration
13: Board of Education Meeting
14: Band Banquet
23: Half Day Attendance for Students
24: No School- SIP Day
27: District Closed- Memorial Day
29: 8th Grade Graduation
30: Step-Up Day for 5th Grade
June
3: Board of Education Meeting
4: Half Day Attendance for Students
4: Last Day of School
District Leadership
Board of Education
Darcy Nendza, President
Julie Berry, Vice President
Rick Lloyd, Secretary
Dean Casper, Member
Patty Chlada, Member
Jill Dunlap, Member
Amy Hamernick, Member
Administration
Dr. Jeff Stawick, Superintendent
Dr. Wendy Wolgan, Director of Curriculum
Kelly Voliva, Director of Student Services
Jeff Charleston, Business Director/CSBO
Vern Bettis, Director of Technology
Matt Shanahan, Director of Buildings and Grounds
Brooke Dundas, Coordinator of Bilingual Education
Brianne Oliver, Special Education Coordinator
Carey Radke, Curriculum Coordinator