![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/u/backgrounds/custom_bg-631f8eb930ecee3ce3b149b2-0f5d861e8307.jpg)
![Logo](https://cdn.smore.com/u/thumbs/7dcf/thumb-405bb15a013f41a9c29fc9116e20c8bf.png)
Trimester 2 Newsletter
Trimester 2 – March 2023
![Trimester 2 Newsletter Trimester 2 – March 2023](https://cdn.smore.com/u/844a/cfd5cc4db21f5134c8cf5261739dc228.jpg)
From Dr. Stawick...
It is hard to believe the second trimester is over. The school year is certainly flying by. The third trimester is always full of family events, concerts, and end-of-year celebrations. I hope you and your families are able to enjoy many of them.
In the last edition of Inside 146, we asked what you would like to learn more about. We used those responses to craft this edition. Below, we have information from Curriculum Department about standardized testing, elementary report cards, and homework guiding principles. Details on our social and emotional programs is provided by our Director of Student Services. Our Director of Buildings and Grounds also gives an update on district-wide projects.
Engagement with our families is paramount to our success. Please be sure to complete the form below to let us know what you would like to learn more about in the next issue.
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?
Inside Curriculum
Standardized Assessments
By Wendy Wolgan, Director of Curriculum
District 146 students take standardized assessments each year. The results from these tests are used in instructional planning and determining focus areas for student learning. For a complete list and schedule of this year’s assessments, click here.
Standardized test results are used throughout the District. At the administrative level, scores are used to evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum and develop school-wide goals. Teaching teams at the buildings study results to enhance student learning.
The results are considered by teachers to adjust instruction to meet student-specific needs. Parents also receive results, which are often a springboard for engagement between parents and teachers, initiating meaningful communication about a student’s learning. Students learn more and have a better school experience when schools and families are partners in the process.
The District considers the whole child, not only assessment results, when gauging student success. Our balanced approach includes academics, critical thinking, digital skills, collaboration, creativity, social and emotional development, and physical well-being to promote success for all students.
Homework Guiding Principles
By: Wendy Wolgan, Director of Curriculum
While developing our Strategic Plan, we identified the need for consistent practices across the District. The curriculum department has since began working towards more cohesion in homework assignments. The outcome is a set of Homework Guiding Principles that can be viewed here.
The curriculum department gathered teacher teams, a parent focus group, administrators, and our Board of Education to assess the purpose, relevance, and time spent on homework. Parents and students in grades 3-8 were also surveyed on their views of and experiences with homework.
District 146 believes in educating the whole child. We also believe, and research supports, that meaningful and appropriate homework can extend classroom learning. Homework also supports the whole child by connecting learning to skills children use in other areas of their life (sports, games, etc.). Homework should reinforce classroom learning, responsibility, and positive work habits.
The Homework Guiding Principles guide teachers in assigning homework that:
- has a clear academic purpose focused on specific learning goals
- demonstrates student learning that is used to adjust instruction based on performance
- promotes ownership by offering choices and being personally relevant
- instills a sense of competence as the student can successfully complete it without help
As these guiding principles are being utilized by staff, we will continue to reflect on and improve our homework practices.
Elementary Report Card Updates
By: Carey Radke, Curriculum Coordinator
Earlier this year, District 146 began studying our elementary school report cards to identify and amend areas for improvement. During our discussions, teachers agreed on the skills that would be assessed in each trimester and departments came to a consensus on which standards should be learned and when. These decisions will add consistency in curriculum pacing and reporting.
The elementary schools will continue to use standards-based reporting. In standards-based reporting, assessments and report card grades reflect the student’s progress towards meeting learning standards. Grading is on a scale that does not use points.
The standards-based grading scale is:
4: enriched understanding/above standard
3: meets/applies standard correctly
2: partial understanding of standard
1: not yet developed/well below the standard.
An updated report card for our elementary grade levels will be introduced for the 2023-2024 school year. Report cards are expected to be streamlined, so parents may see a report card with fewer pages than they are used to.
Inside Student Services
By: Kelly Voliva, Director of Student Services
As part of our commitment to social and emotional learning, District 146 has long implemented the practices researched by Safe and Civil Schools and Second Step.
Safe and Civil Schools provides a researched-based, positive behavioral framework designed to create productive, safe, and respectful learning environments. The goal of Safe and Civil Schools is to give our staff techniques to help all students behave responsibly and respectfully.
The CHAMPS curriculum, which is part of Safe and Civil Schools, is used throughout our buildings as a framework for teaching student expectations and staff responses. Families in the schools may notice CHAMPS expectations posted in the classroom, hallways, and other common areas that serve as quick reminders for students
District 146 also follows a social and emotional curriculum called Second Step. Second Step builds social and emotional competence and foundational learning skills, and is aligned to Illinois’ Social and Emotional Learning Standards. Specific time in a student’s day is set aside to directly teach social and emotional skills. Lessons are delivered in a developmentally appropriate way, using scenarios relatable to students at each age level.
Teachers across the District also use supplemental tools created by the Second Step bullying prevention unit. This unit focuses on building trust with staff members to report bullying and provides students with specific strategies to report incidents of bullying.
District 146 reinforces social and emotional learning throughout the school year, as it is embedded in other curriculum areas and other school-wide events.
- Fierke recently hosted their first “SEL Night.” Students and parents learned about and participated in yoga and other calming strategies, took part in crafts tied to their social and emotional curriculum, and read together.
- This year’s first and second grade concert at Fulton was based on the book “One,” a story about standing up to bullies and supporting one another. This is an example of our schools connecting literacy, music, and social emotional learning.
- 4th and 5th grade Art Club members at Kruse created a mural to represent the beauty in inclusivity and diversity. The new art will hang in the front hallway for all to see as they enter the building.
Memorial’s Student Council recently planned and advertised a Random Acts of Kindness Week. Students posted positive messages on every locker and on bathroom mirrors, posted signs around the building, and promoted kindness all week.
- Weekly updates from Central’s principal, Dr. Clarke, include a section from their social workers that offers families information and advice. Topics have included “Beating the Winter Blues,” “Self-Care Tips,” and “Safe Social Media Use.”
District 146 social workers often work alongside families to set goals for students at school and at home. They also connect families to outside resources when needed. Additionally, the District has a community resource webpage families can access at any time. Please click here to view our resource page.
Fulton students perform "One" during their Spring Concert.
Members of the Kruse Art Club pose next to the art work they created.
Parents and students at Fierke attended the first ever SEL night.
A sign encouraging kindness posted by a Memorial Student during Random Acts of Kindness Week.
Inside Buildings and Grounds
By: Matt Shanahan, Director of Buildings and Grounds
The buildings and grounds department has a number of upcoming projects planned in addition to the team’s routine responsibilities.
The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) project at Central Middle School is nearing completion. A new chiller is scheduled to be installed during Spring Break. HVAC preplacement projects are scheduled to take place this summer at Fierke and Kruse.
This summer, 43 water fountains will be replaced across the District. Over half of those fountains will include a bottle filler. ESSER II grant funds are being used for this project.
Students at Kruse and Fulton will soon have new playground features. The south playground at Kruse will be replaced this summer. At 20 years old, it is currently the oldest playground equipment in the District. Basketball hoops will be installed at Fulton. It is the only elementary school currently without hoops.
Inside the Schools
Students, families, and staff have always looked forward to the District Spelling Bee and the District Math Challenge. Both were held during the second trimester.
Spelling Bee
The winner and runner up from each school spelling bee advance to the District-wide bee. On February 7, the 10 finalists bravely stood in front of a large audience in Central’s cafetorium for 15 rounds. This year’s District Spelling Bee participants were were:
Central- Riley Carone (7th) and Jacob Kunst (8th)
Fierke- Ryan Fitzpatrick (5th) and Logan Smith (5th)
Fulton- Sofia Hammad (4th) and Tamiloreola Ijale (4th)
Kruse- Monica Jiang (3rd) and Anya Kleis (5th)
Memorial- Elizabeth Carpenter (4th) and Jimmy Nottke (4th)
In the end, the top two spellers were Anya Kleis and Monica Jiang. Anya won the District Spelling bee and advanced to the South Cook Scripps Spelling Bee on March 8. There, Anya took first place! She is the first District 146 student to become the Champion at the South Cook bee. She is now preparing for the Regional ISC Scripps Spelling Bee on March 28. Congratulations and good luck to Anya!
Participants of the District 146 Spelling Bee.
Students participate in the District 146 Spelling Bee.
Runner up Monica Jiang (left), and District Champion Anya Kleis (right).
Math Challenge
The District 146 Math Challenge was held on February 23. Participants and winners were recognized at Awards Night on March 2.
To qualify for the Math Challenge, students took preliminary tests at their home school. At each elementary school, the top four students from each grade level one through five move on to compete in the District Math Challenge. The top 16 students from each grade level at the middle school also compete in the District challenge.
The Math Challenge was split into four events. The first two events, Mental Math and Written Computation, were individual tests. Students also competed in two team events that reflect the type of situations students will encounter in school, higher learning, and their careers.
The two students with the highest scores in each grade level will move on to represent District 146 in the South Cook Math Bowl. Congratulations to the students advancing to the Math Bowl:
Grade 1: Elliott Allphin and Kairo Metcalf
Grade 2: Adam Jaffal and Jacob Holbrook
Grade 3: Finn Combs and Monica Jiang
Grade 4: Matthew Lowczyk and Peyton Rogers
Grade 5: Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tamer Altarifi
Grade 6: Amira Rashad and Cullen Rapacz
Grade 7: Liam Geist and Allen Ledesma
Grade 8: DJ McCarthy and Zachary Orbon
For a complete list of winners from the Math Challenge, please click here.
To view a video from the Math Challenge, please click here.
Fierke Participants
Fulton Participants
Kruse Participants
Memorial Participants
Seventh Grade Participants
Eighth Grade Participants
March
21: District Art Festival
21: District Choral Festival
24: Half-Day Attendance
27: Spring Break Begins
April
3: Spring Break Ends, Students Return
10: Board of Education Committee of the Whole
7: No School
10: Board of Education Meeting
14: Multi-Needs Olympic Day
19: No School- Parent Teacher Conferences
20: No School- School Improvement Day
21: No School
25: Young Authors Celebration
26: Kindergarten Screening
27: Preschool Screening
27-28: South Cook Math Bowl
May
1: Board of Education Committee of the Whole
3: 8th Grade Recognition Night
8: Board of Education Meeting
25: Half-Day Attendance
26: No School- Institute Day
29: No School- Memorial Day
30: 8th Grade Graduation
June
5: Board of Education Meeting
7: Half-Day Attendance
7: End of Trimester 3
7: Last Day of School
July
10: Summer School Programs Begin
August
3: Summer School Programs End
District Leadership
Board of Education
Darcy Nendza, President
Julie Berry, Vice President
Rick Lloyd, Secretary
Dean Casper, Member
Patty Chlada, Member
Jill Dunlap, Member
John Malloy, Member
Administration
Dr. Jeff Stawick, Superintendent
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