School District 57

Dear District Families,

As we near October, I want to take a moment to emphasize the vital role that partnerships between our District, schools, and families play in the success of our students. Our shared commitment to education is what truly makes District 57 a special place. This message contains a number of important topics, and dedicating your precious time to reading it strengthens that partnership. For that, I thank you.

Today is the last day to express interest in serving on the District Equity Leadership Team (DELT), a committee dedicated to enhancing the quality of our students’ experiences. Please complete this form before midnight tonight. For more information about the time commitment involved, visit my September 18 “Superintendent’s Message” here. Additionally, in an effort to include the voices of parents who work regular business hours, we will offer a special DELT meeting on Wednesday, October 25 from 6-7 p.m. open to all D57 Parents/Guardians.

The deadline to complete the form for the Citizens Finance Advisory Council (CFAC) is Friday, October 13. This committee is made up of staff, parents, students, and community members and helps in the District’s financial projection process by providing input to the Board of Education to assist them in making financial decisions. This is a wonderful opportunity to understand how our District finances work while also becoming a meaningful part of the process. I encourage you to join.

Switching gears: our 2023-2028 Strategic Plan defines an ambitious vision for our District and a detailed roadmap for us to follow to get there. If you haven’t yet watched our video detailing the Strategic Plan video, you can view it here. In order to inform our community about the progress our District makes over these next pivotal five years, we are developing a user-friendly Dashboard - a dynamic display of the District’s performance in the various goal areas outlined in the Strategic Plan. More information on the Dashboard is coming soon!

Last night, the Board of Education met to discuss a variety of topics. You can access the full agenda here and a link to the recorded session here. Below are some highlights from last night’s meeting:

• Principal Katie Kelly celebrated the various ways Lions Park Elementary School works to grow student and staff collaboration - from International Dot Day to Opening Day activities for staff. Collaborative is one of the five key characteristics of a D57 Portrait of a Graduate, a characteristic all of our schools are working hard to foster in our students. Lions Park’s efforts toward collaboration include a number of Back-to-School events meant to strengthen peer and parent relationships. One in particular is their orientation event for incoming second graders and new students. 5th grade Lions Park peer mediators volunteered their summer time for this event where they presented an info session to the incoming students alongside Assistant Principal Breanna Grzybek and later were stationed throughout the building as student resources during their building tour. Pictured below are three peer mediators from the day, Lidia G., Anthony F., and Camila D. What a great demonstration of collaboration and partnership! Great job, students!

• Jason Kaiz, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, presented the 2023-2024 Final Budget to the Board during a formal Public Hearing to the Board. The budget is in good standing with a healthy, necessary surplus. By Illinois School Code, we are required to adopt a budget by September 30, the end of the first quarter. Last night the Board approved the final budget; you can view the budget presentation here.

• The Board celebrated the following certified staff members who have attained tenure at the start of the school year: Maureen Beishir, Katherine Ciruelas, Allyson Domalick, Christine Happ, Joanne Leigh, Jonica Morrison, Kacie O’Donnell, Rebecca Radoszewski, Tara Stephens, and Jocelyn Warner. Great work, staff - what an incredible accomplishment!

Lastly, September 15 through October 15 marks National Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration of the rich, diverse cultural and historical legacy of the Hispanic people. District 57 celebrates the remarkable achievements of people of Hispanic heritage and the wealth of cultural diversity connected together by common Latin roots. From Spain to Mexico, Panama to Puerto Rico, Ecuador to Chile, and Peru to the United States, this multicultural society reflects the strength diversity brings to our world. Within District 57, our students will celebrate the month with topical grade-level learning and activities.

I wish you a wonderful three-day weekend.

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