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School District 57

From the Desk of the Superintendent

School District 57 From the Desk of the Superintendent

Friday, October 6, 2023

Dear District 57 Families,


This fall - in conjunction with our new five-year Strategic Plan - the District introduced the Portrait of a Graduate, the culmination of a year-long study with the help of District Stakeholders into which we identified key skills and behaviors essential for every single District 57 learner. This exciting initiative reflects our passion for providing a comprehensive education that helps students reach their full potential in school and in life.


This year, our District 57 students will begin the work necessary to strengthen the five skill areas identified in the Portrait of a Graduate: collaborative, critical thinker, resilient, empathetic, and adaptable. A committee of dedicated staff and administrators was formed to develop a purposeful plan that will help our students define, identify, and explain the true meaning of each skill. With this plan, we hope to ensure students are able to develop their own definitions of the Portrait of a Graduate’s skills and recognize what each skill looks and feels like throughout their school day.

Thank you to the following D57 Team Members for their leadership on the Portrait of a Graduate Committee:

  • Karl Anderson, Assistant Principal, Westbrook

  • John Bonadurer, English Language Arts Teacher, Lincoln

  • Mark Fijor, Director of Technology

  • Abbey Grabowski, Math Teacher, Lincoln

  • Shannon Moncayo, School Psychologist, Westbrook

  • Mandy Steegmueller, Special Education Teacher, Westbrook

  • Kim Stortz, Instruction and Technology Coach, Westbrook

  • Eric Larson, Principal, Lincoln

  • Katelyn Lorenz, Literacy Support Specialist, Lions Park

  • Rachel Murphy, Third Grade Teacher, Lions Park

  • Dan Ophus, Principal, Fairview

  • Kelly Soderholm, Instruction and Technology Coach, Fairview

  • Amanda Spenner, Fifth Grade Teacher, Fairview

  • Elizabeth Straczek, Project Lead the Way Teacher, Lincoln

  • Dr. Kristin Vonder Haar, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning

  • Aaron Wilkins, Director of Professional Learning


This talented committee is scheduled to meet regularly throughout the 2023-2024 school year to plan a range of learning activities for each skill. They will also collect and review feedback from these activities to create age-appropriate and commonly accepted definitions and descriptors that will be useful for students.


To kick things off in October, we'll be focusing on Empathy in classrooms – a topic we're all eager to explore together! Empathy is at the core of kindness, compassion, and inclusion, and the committee selected Empathy in acknowledgment of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. I encourage all D57 Parents and Guardians to learn more about ways to report bullying and resources by clicking this link.


Students will learn about the remaining skills of the Portrait of a Graduate during the following months:

  • December - Critical Thinker

  • January - Collaborative

  • February - Resilient

  • March - Adaptable


In the spring, students will engage in self-reflection work that will inform our path moving forward over the next four years. Be on the lookout for updates and resources from your child's school. We are so thrilled to see this important work come to life.



In the spirit of education,

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Dr. Mary Gorr

District 57 Superintendent of Schools

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

Mary Gorr
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