Inside - Village of Gurnee

+
August 2014
Volume XLI, No. 3 (Special Issue)
What’s
Inside
Page 2 - Gurnee Days 2014
Keeping Posted(+)
Page 3 - School District Reports
This past spring, the Village met with representatives of each of our three local school
districts (50, 56 and 121) to discuss how we might better partner to communicate. This special
edition of Keeping Posted (entitled Keeping Posted+) is the direct result. Inside you will find
all the normal information you expect from Keeping Posted with additional articles and
features from each of the school districts on their programs, activities and honors. We hope
you enjoy the combined format and opportunity to see the work our various organizations
perform to make Gurnee an excellent place to live, work and play. For any questions, please
refer to the individual governments' contact information inside this issue.
Mayor's Message
PageAcademy
3
Page 12 - Citizen Police
What a great summer so far and it isn’t over yet! I hope you and your
family have had the opportunity to check out the new Goliath ride at Six
Flags Great America and the new Mariano’s on Grand Avenue. These are
both wonderful, new additions to the community and enhance the already
diverse number of fun activities and shopping options we have in the Village!
With summer comes construction season, and the Village appreciates
everyone’s patience and understanding as construction ramps up around the Village. We work
closely with other agencies to ease congestion and will continuously update you on the status of
projects throughout the summer on our website at www.gurnee.il.us.
Last but not least, the annual Gurnee Days celebration is quickly coming up! A full schedule
of events is available in this issue of Keeping Posted on page 2. Thank you to the Gurnee Days
Corporation and the many volunteers who make this family-friendly festival a staple of our
community. I’m very much looking forward to having a chance to visit with many of you during
Gurnee Days and hope you all enjoy it and have a safe remainder of the summer.
Krysti Kovarik
Mayor
THE VILLAGE OF GURNEE
325 N. O’Plaine Road • (847) 599-7500 • www.gurnee.il.us
1
Village News
Village Meetings
www.gurneedays.com
Village
Board
August
Planning
& Zoning
August
Other
Boards
August
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
August
August
Sept.
4
18
6
20
7:30 p.m.
21
18
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
August
Sept.
Oct.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Sept.
Sept.
25
8
7:30 p.m.
Sept.
22
7:30 p.m.
Sept.
29
7:30 p.m.
3
Gurnee Days
28
7:00 p.m.
17
7:30 p.m.
All Village meetings are held at
Village Hall (325 N. O'Plaine Road)
unless otherwise noted. Schedule
subject to change. Meetings in red
and outlined in black are Committee
of the Whole meetings where no
formal action is taken. Meetings in
green are Economic Development
Committee meetings and meetings
in purple are Civil Service Meetings.
Seasonal Reminders
No Parking on Village Streets
Between 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.
The Police Department would like to
remind all residents that no parking is
allowed on Village streets between the
hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. year-round. Any
vehicle found to be in violation of this will
be ticketed. For any questions, contact the
Police Department at (847) 599-7000.
EAB-Infested Trees Need to be
Removed
The Public Works Department would
like to remind all residents that emerald
ash borer, an invasive insect that kills ash
trees, is still present in the community
and destroying trees on private property.
If your tree appears to be thinning or
dead, please contact a certified arborist to
assess and possibly remove it. For more
information contact the Public Works
Department at (847) 599-6800.
August 7 - 10
42nd Annual
"Lil' Bit Country, Lil' Bit Rock N' Roll"
DAILy ScHEDULE:
Thursday, augusT 7Th
10:00 a.m. - Noon
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
8:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Bike Rodeo
Testimonial Dinner
Sounds of Summer Concert
Teen Pool Party
Woodland MS
Holiday Inn
Viking Park
HC Aquatic Center
Gurnee Farmer's Market
Bike Rodeo
Storytime Extravaganza
Amusement Rides
Movie in the Park: Despicable Me 2
EP Park
Fire Station No. 1
Viking Park
Viking Park
Viking Park
VP Band Shell
Viking Park
VP Band Shell
Viking Park
saTurday, augusT 9Th
7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Golf Tournament
7:30 a.m.
10K Race/Fun Run**
10:00 a.m. - Noon
Public Works Open House
10:00 a.m. - Noon
Fire Dept Open House
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Gurnee Days Art Show
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Mother Rudd Open House
11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Food Booths
11:00 a.m.
Great Gurnee Adventure
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Police Dept Open House
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Exhibits - Games
11:00 a.m.
Baby Contest
11:00 a.m.. 2 & 4:30 p.m. "The Emperor's New Clothes"
Noon - 4:30 p.m.
Stage Events
Noon - 11:00 p.m.
Ribfest
3:15 p.m.
Rib Eating Contest
1:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Amusement Rides
2:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Free Parking Lot Shuttle
4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Ice Cream Eating Contest**
5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Evening Entertainment
9:30 p.m.
FIREWORKS
HeatherRidge
WTHS O'Plaine
Kilbourne Road
Old Grand Ave
Viking School
Mother Rudd
Viking Park
Viking Park
Police Station
Viking Park
VP Band Shell
Viking MS
VP Band Shell
Viking Park
Viking Park
Viking Park
Stops near VP
Viking Park
Viking Park
Viking Park
sunday, augusT 10Th
8:00 a.m. - Noon
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Noon
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
2:45 p.m. (after parade)
Viking Park
Viking Park
VP Band Shell
Viking School
Viking Park
Viking Park
Old Grand Ave
Viking Park
Mother Rudd
Viking Park
VP Band Shell
VP Band Shell
Viking MS
Friday, augusT 8Th
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
10:00 a.m. - Noon
10:00 a.m.
5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m. - 10:45 p.m.*
8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Dog Frisbee Championship
Gurnee Idol
Food Booths
Beer Garden & Entertainment
Pancake Breakfast
Scoop the Loop Car Show
Zumba Party
Gurnee Days Art Show
Food Booths
Exhibits -Games
GURNEE DAYS PARADE
Childrens' Pony Rides/Petting Zoo
Mother Rudd Open House
Amusement Rides
Stage Events
Talent Show
"The Emperor's New Clothes"
* Friday Beer Garden & Entertainment will begin at 7:30 or 15 minutes after Gurnee Idol.
** Events require fee or advance registration. Register for the 10K Race & Ice Cream
Eating Contest at http://www.gurneeparkdistrict.com/special-events.
Special thanks to our
PLATINUm
SPONSORS:
SHUTTLE
SERVIcE
RETURNS IN 2014
Free
shuttle
bus
service will again be
available this year on
Saturday, August 9th
from parking lots near
Viking Park.
WANT mORE
INFO?
Get all the info on
Gurnee Days events
and more only at
www.gurneedays.
com!
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Woodland District 50
Roshaunda Henson Named D50
"Teacher of the Year"
Elementary
East
Reading
Specialist
Roshaunda Henson was recognized by the
Village of Gurnee in April as one of its three
Teachers of the Year for 2014, an award
issued for the first time in 2014 to recognize
excellent teachers from District 50, Gurnee
District 56 and Warren Township District
121.
“Roshaunda Henson is an excellent
representative of the hundreds of talented
teachers that comprise our faculty,” said
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joy A.
Swoboda. “Roshaunda has a gift that leads
her to influence children, support the
district’s strategic plan and model positive Henson working with students in the classroom.
expectations both in and out of the classroom.
She impacts education and students alike.”
Born and raised in Belleville, IL, Henson joined Woodland in 2002 as a second grade teacher
at Elementary East. She taught second grade for 10 years before becoming a second grade
reading specialist. During her time at Woodland, Henson has been awarded various grants by
the Woodland Educational Foundation for technologies in the classroom. She has served on
various district committees and was a team leader for two years.
Henson earned her undergraduate degree in education from Eastern Illinois. She continued
her education to receive graduate degrees from St. Xavier University in Curriculum and
Instruction, Concordia University for her administrative certification and Dominican
University for her reading specialist certification.
District Info
About District 50
Woodland Community Consolidated
School District 50 is an elementary
school district covering early childhood
through Grade 8. The seventh largest
school district in the State of Illinois,
it has over 6,400 students and covers
portions of Gurnee, Grayslake, Park
City, Third Lake, Old Mill Creek,
Wadsworth, Lake Villa, Waukegan
and Libertyville as well as the entirety
of Grandwood Park and Wildwood.
Officials
Board oF EducaTion:
Dr. Mark Vondracek, President
Vince Juarez, Vice-President
Chris Schrantz, Secretary
Bill Barnabee
Tony DeMonte
Terry Hall, CPA
Dr. Carla Little
suPErinTEndEnT:
Dr. Joy A. Swoboda
Schools
Woodland Primary:
17366 W. Gages Lake Road
(847) 984-8700
“I consider myself to be a lifelong learner,” said Henson. “As I grew older I would spend
time in my mom’s classroom, even when I would come home from college to work with her
and her kids. I was able to see the impact they had on educating and reaching students needs
(academic, social, and emotional). My parents have always been my number one role models
and best teachers.”
Woodland ElEmEnTary EasT:
17261 W. Gages Lake Road
(847) 984-8800
Though Henson attributes her success to her parents, the impact she has made on students,
staff and parents is clearly evident at her school, Woodland Elementary East.
Woodland ElEmEnTary WEsT:
17371 W. Gages Lake Road
(847) 984-8900
Henson has also assisted with the advancement of the district’s 2013-2017 strategic plan.
Incorporating technology into the curriculum and focusing on the integration of Common
Core State Standards have been major initiatives within the strategic plan.
“Ro has applied for grants to get additional technology, provided training for teachers on
incorporating technology into their lessons, and is the school’s point person for technology
support,” said Principal Dr. Kenneth Hyllberg. “She supports our second grade teachers in
developing lessons that will prepare their students for college and careers in the 21st century.”
Woodland inTErmEdiaTE school:
1115 N. Hunt Club Road
(847) 596-5900
Woodland middlE school:
7000 Washington Street
(847) 856-3400
“I consider myself very fortunate for having the opportunity to work with an amazing group
of students and staff,” said Henson. “They inspire me to work with sincerity and dedication.”
WOODLAND cOmmUNITy cONSOLIDATED ScHOOL DISTRIcT 50
1105 N. Hunt Club Road • (847) 596-5600 • www.dist50.net
3
District Finances
Budget & Reporting Documents
Copies of District 50's budget, teacher's
contract and required compensation
disclosures are all available on the
District's website at www.dist50.net/
publicinfo. Residents with questions
are encouraged to contact the District's
Administrative Offices at (847) 5965600.
Woodland District 50
District Accomplishments During Academic
Year 2013/2014
Academic year 2013/2014 was an exciting period for the District, which made major
achievements in a number of areas. Below is a sampling of the various projects that were
completed and awards that the District received during this year:
•
Operating Cost Data
Operating Costs Per Student:
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
•
$10,364
$10,266
$11,266
$10,977
$10,067
2013 Woodland Tax Rate:
•
4.651 (median figure of all nearby Lake
County Elementary School Districts)
Financial Recognition
(Illinois State Board of Education):
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
•
Recognition
Recognition
Review
Recognition
Recognition
Financial Recognition is a distinction
awarded to an Illinois school district
based on five factors: (1) fund balance
to revenue ratio, (2) expenditure to
revenue ratio, (3) days cash on hand, (4)
short-term borrowing remaining and
(5) long term debt margin remaining.
A status of "recognition" indicates
overall strong scores in each of these
five factors and good fiscal health.
•
•
Over $250,000 in savings achieved through receiving grant funds: Over the school
year, the District applied for and received $277,000 in grant funds, which benefit
Woodland students directly in enhanced programming and amenities. Grant
funds can also help keep taxes low by covering the costs of certain programs or
improvements.
Silver LEED Status at Woodland Primary: Woodland Primary School became the
first elementary school in the State of Illinois to achieve Silver Status Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification for existing buildings.
The LEED program recognizes "green buildings," or the promotion of sustainability
in building design. Woodland Primary was also named a US Department of
Education Green Ribbon School in April 2014. The award acknowledges the school’s
achievements in taking a comprehensive approach to green schools.
New Fitness Facility at Woodland Intermediate: Woodland Intermediate School
began the school year with a healthy addition to its grounds, a new fitness station.
Located on the west side of the school, the fitness station will be used by students
during the day to support healthier living through the school's curriculum while also
being available to the community after school hours. The Woodland Educational
Foundation was able to partially fund the grant that was submitted by two Woodland
employees.
Joint Recognition with Gurnee Police Department by the National School Public
Relations Association: Woodland earned national recognition from the National
School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for its exemplary public relations
efforts to collaborate with the Gurnee Police Department on a school safety video
that was filmed in February of 2013. The "Attention Students and Staff" safety video
that has been shared throughout the United States and internationally to 1,628 police
departments and school districts received the Golden Achievement Award through
NSPRA. The award recognizes the clear execution of the four main steps in a public
relations program: analysis of the need, planning to meet the need, execution and
communication of the program and formal evaluation.
ZCenter Community Impact Award: District 50 received the ZCenter Community
Impact Award at the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center's annual community luncheon
June 13. Woodland is the first school district to receive this award which recognizes
an organization for its collective efforts to promote prevention of sexual assault and
abuse and the healing of its survivors. Honorees have made significant impact on the
issue of sexual violence by promoting Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center (ZCenter) and
its services, inspiring action and engaging employees and community members in
the mission to end sexual violence.
Woodland Middle Receives Health Recognition: Woodland Middle School was
recently awarded Blue Ribbon Recognition by the Illinois Association for Health,
Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (IAHPERD) this spring. Woodland Middle
School is one of four middle schools in Illinois to receive this recognition. The Blue Ribbon
Recognition Program is a voluntary program to recognize excellent Health programs.
Lessons were aligned to meet the Illinois Learning Standards, the National Health
Standards, and the Social Emotional Learning Standards for middle school health.
4
W
mic
4
Woodland District 50
Student Achievement at Woodland:
A Focus on Educating All Children
The education that Woodland
provides has undergone many
changes over the past year.
Woodland’s Dual Language
program has rolled up to 1st
grade this year. Students in the
Dual Language program are
taught their academics half of
the day in English and the other
half of the day in Spanish. The
program is intended to have
students fluent in both English
and Spanish by 5th grade.
Woodland Primary Dual Language students working at various
listening and literacy stations.
The new Illinois State Standards
A Snapshot of 2013-2014
have also been a concentration of
Test Score Data
Woodland this last year. Even
with these new higher standards,
MAP Comparison
ISAT Comparison
68
Woodland students continue to 70
grow academically and score 65
66
higher than Illinois averages. 60
66.3
The 2014 Illinois Standards
64
55
62
60
Achievement Test (ISAT) results
63.4
showed a slight increase in the 50
62
50
62.5 62.6
percent of students reading at 45 50
grade level compared to last 40
60
2013
2014
Reading
Math
year. In mathematics, the District
2013 Scores
saw an increase of 2.9% in the
NWEA National Average
number of students performing
2014 Scores
Woodland Scores
at grade level when compared
to 2013. Eight of 12 grade level
subjects had improvements in 2014 with remaining grades/subjects featuring slight
declines.
The District also uses an internal test called the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP).
Much like with ISAT performance, Woodland continues to score higher than the national
average in both reading and math. The average 8th grade student leaves Woodland at
the 60th percentile nationally in mathematics and 62nd percentile nationally in reading
when measured by the MAP test.
Woodland Music Groups Earn High Marks
This past year, all of Woodland Middle School's music groups, including band and choir,
performed exceptionally well at their respective Illinois Grade School Music Association's
(IGSMA) organization contests. The Concert Choir earned a perfect score in March while
the school's Symphonic Band 1 & 2 students both earned an overall Division 1 Rating. For
more information on Woodland's music programs, visit the District's website at www.
dist50.net.
Student Recognition
Academics
Woodland would like to congratulate
the following groups and individuals
on all their success this past year:
• Sixty-four 8th grade students were
inducted into Woodland Middle
School's chapter of the National
Junior Honor Society this year.
• Thirty-five 7th graders were invited
to participate in the Regional
Science Fair competition in March.
• Woodland Middle School honored
205 students who earned at least a
3.5 grade point average each quarter
of their middle school years with
the President’s Education Award.
• Seventh grader Saranya Menon
earned a spot as a finalist in the Lake
County Spelling Bee Finals. She was
one of just 12 students from across
the county participating in the finals.
Athletics
Woodland would like to congratulate
the following teams on all their success
this past year:
• This was the first year Woodland
Middle School offered Cross
Country as an interscholastic
sport for its students. seventy-one
students (32 boys and 39 girls)
participated in the sport. The
regular season consisted of four
meets. The girls’ squad placed 2nd
at the Northwest Suburban Grade
School Conference meet and the
boys’ placed 4th.
• Woodland Middle School’s 6th
and 7th grade boys’ basketball
prevailed as Northwest Suburban
Grade School Conference (NWSGS)
champions.
• Woodland Middle School’s 8th
grade girls’ Green Team earned the
NWSGS Conference championship.
• Woodland Middle School’s 8th
grade girls’ White volleyball
team prevailed as Northwest
Suburban Grade School Conference
champions.
5
District Finances
Bond Rating Upgrade
The District recently received notice
from Standard & Poor's (S&P's) Rating
Service that its bond rating had been
upgraded to AA+ with a stable outlook.
This is significant because, as the
Board continues its good stewartship
of taxpayer dollars and refinances the
District's debt, this upgrade will allow
the District to easily sell bonds at lower
interest rates.
S&P cited the District's strong fiscal
health as well as its participation in the
strong Chicagoland economic market
and strong income and fund balances
and moderate overall debt as other
factors in the upgrade.
Bank Qualified Bond Refund
On February 20th, 2014, Board President
Dr. James Blockinger executed a
bond refund on behalf of the Board of
Education. In order to save taxpayer
dollars, the Board of Education elected
to refund $9.5 million of the original
bonds used to fund the $28.5 million
capital project the District launched in
November 2010 through issuing new
municipal bonds to cover that amount.
These new bonds have a lower interest
rate than the original bonds, which will
save taxpayers an estimated $500,000
over the total life cycle of the bonds.
Operating Data
Financial Recognition
(Illinois State Board of Education):
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Recognition
Recognition
Recognition
Recognition
Recognition
Financial Recognition is a distinction awarded
to an Illinois school district based on five factors:
(1) fund balance to revenue ratio, (2) expenditure
to revenue ratio, (3) days cash on hand, (4) shortterm borrowing remaining and (5) long term
debt margin remaining. A status of "recognition"
indicates overall strong scores.
Gurnee District 56
Summary of Academic Year 2013/2014
What a year at Gurnee District 56! The year began
with the distribution of iPads to every student in the
District. For the first time ever, District 56 students
would use iPads as their primary learning tool for the
entire school year. In November, the District received
international status by receiving the Distinguished
Program Award for its 1:1 initiative from Apple. Only
20 programs worldwide from elementary schools to
university level received the coveted award. See page 7
for all the details on this extraordinary program.
With this recognition, schools from across the United
States contacted and visited us to learn about our
program. The demand to visit the District was so great
that in order to protect learning, visits were limited
Sheryl Gray (left) and Dr.
to one day per week. At the end of the year, at an Mrs.
Jennifer Glickley (right).
international technology conference, ISTE, in Atlanta,
Gurnee District 56’s 1:1 iPad program was one of the
five featured programs in the three-day conference, and participants were required to
pay an additional fee to attend the presentation.
Two District administrators, Dr. Jennifer Glickley and Mrs. Sheryl P. Gray, were named the
Lake County Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year respectively by their colleagues,
and Mrs. Gray was later chosen as the Assistant Principal of the year for the entire state
of Illinois. Dr. Glickley has been deeply involved in transitioning the District's bilingual
program to River Trail School and has assisted a traditionally underserved community,
the District's Hispanic families, in becoming more involved with the D56 culture. Mrs.
Gray has focused on helping the District's African-American families join and participate
in the District and helped the District integrate new reading strategies into the classroom
to assist developing readers. These awards speak volumes about the performance of these
two leaders and the accomplishments of the District as a whole.
Mrs. Judy Lawrence, a retired first grade teacher from River Trail School, was also named
as the District's Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Lawrence spent over 20 years with the District
and was a member of the District's Instructional Leadership Team, helped pilot the
Children's Progress Academic Assessment (CPAA) and was a leader in finding ways to
use the CPAA data to enhance learning. Dr. Hutton cited her as "a shining star in a sea of
outstanding teachers at Gurnee District 56."
With all of those accomplishments, the highlight of this school year was the extraordinary
performance of our students on MAP tests as they demonstrated unprecedented academic
growth (see page 8 for full details). The success of our students can only be attributed to
the outstanding performance of our staff and the tremendous support of our parents.
The staff, including bus drivers, custodians, maintenance workers, secretaries, teacher
assistants, and certificated staff, adopted the philosophy of a professional learning
community, and every adult accepted responsibility for the learning of every child. Their
relentless pursuit of this ideal allowed us to achieve unparalleled success this year.
The Board of Education and Superintendent are looking forward to building on this
success as they develop a new five-year strategic plan during the 2014-2015 school year to
move this District toward preeminence.
GURNEE ScHOOL DISTRIcT 56
3706 Florida Avenue • (847) 336-0800 • www.d56.org
6
6
Gurnee District 56
District 1:1 Initiative Recognized as a
"Distinguished Program" by Apple
On November 4th, 2013, Gurnee District 56 received notification that its 1:1 iPad Initiative
had been selected as an Apple Distinguished Program for 2013-2015. The District was
recognized by Apple for creating an exemplary learning environment characterized by
innovation, leadership and educational excellence.
Apple established five criteria that selected programs needed to demonstrate in order
to receive the coveted award: visionary leadership, innovative learning and teaching,
ongoing professional learning, compelling evidence of success,and a flexible learning
environment. The District developed an iBook that illustrates its commitment to these
concepts, and the public is encouraged to view that iBook, which can be accessed from the
District website (www.d56.org). This iBook has been used nationally and internationally
in assisting school districts to move toward a 1:1 learning environment. Mr. Tim Cook,
Apple's CEO, also referenced the District's iBook at the Apple Shareholders' meeting in
the spring of 2014.
While the Board is proud to have received this award, it has repeatedly cited the work of
its staff, who tirelessly sought ways to make the iPad a great learning tool for students.
As the Superintendent visits classrooms on a weekly basis, he is able to observe the new
learning opportunities that are now available to students through the use of the iPad as
a curriculum delivery tool. Although the national award is fantastic, the highlight for the
Board of Education was it is an award that the District received based on the contributions
from our entire school community, staff, parents and students.
With the receipt of this award, Gurnee School District 56 has evolved into a significant
voice in innovative practices both nationally and internationally. School districts visit the
District on a weekly basis, and staff members are routinely invited to conferences that
look at what is working in schools today. The Board is proud of the honor, but it is most
excited about the innovative learning now occurring in classrooms everyday.
NJHS Inducts New Members
The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is the highest academic award available to
District middle school students. To be inducted, students must meet the following
stringent criteria: scholarship, leadership, character, citizenship and service. Unlike most
awards, recipients must remain accountable after receiving the award and must continue
to demonstrate these qualities on a daily basis.
In spring 2014, the following students received invitations to join:
Viking Middle School:
6th Grade:
Theodore Anderson
Allison Berens
Bailey Holman
Connor Kerkorian
Macy Kocen
Mikey Kocen
Domenico Nichilo
Emily Roeck
Valerie Sanchez
Hailey Smith
7th Grade:
Alex Batke
Shekinah Cortez
Michael Osuji
Bengamin Villafan
8th Grade:
Jacqueline Garcia
Kirsti Linna
Mabel Scroggins
Hannah Weiss
Amanda Yoder
District Info
About District 56
Gurnee School District 56 is an
elementary school district covering
early childhood through Grade 8.
It services portions of a number of
communities
including
Gurnee,
Wadsworth, Waukegan and Beach
Park.
Officials
Board oF EducaTion:
Dr. Jim Blockinger, President
Tim Roegner, Vice-President
Brian Weir, Treasurer
Mark Pos, Secretary
Helen Scott
Odie Pahl
Becky Kotsinis
suPErinTEndEnT:
Dr. John Hutton
Schools
sPaulding school:
2000 Belle Plaine Road
(847) 662-3701
PrairiE Trail school:
13600 W. Wadsworth Road,
Wadsworth
(847) 623-4333
rivEr Trail school:
333 N. O'Plaine Road
(847) 249-6253
viking middlE school:
4460 Old Grand Avenue
(847) 336-2108
River Trail School:
6th Grade:
Peter Micksch
Rick Moe
Andrew Nisipeano
Jack Ramsden
Sean Rector
Riley Schroeder
Collin Sorge
7th Grade:
Alyssa Kucharski
Caroline Kucharski
7
Student Recognition
Actors Perform at National Festival
Viking Drama students were invited
to perform at the International Jr.
Thespian Festival in Dallas, Texas this
past year. The students' performances
were outstanding, and once again,
allowed the rest of this country to see
the great things that are occurring at
Gurnee District 56 schools. Mrs. Pionke
could not have been more proud of
the students and offered her review of
their performance, “We hit a home run,
and the kids are now complete rock
stars. They were fabulous, and I could
not be more proud of them. Everyone
was at their best, the pit band, actors,
parents and my amazing crew, with
limited resources. I would not hesitate
to do this again in the future. I would
like to extend special congratulations
to Megan Orante and Cole Even for
advancing to national competition at
the senior level in June for their duet
acting."
This was a special opportunity for the
Viking Drama Department.
Music Notes
This year, both the Viking Symphonic
Band and Viking Choir performed
at the Illinois Grade School Music
Association's Contest in March and
received first place ratings.
At the last band concert of the year, Mr.
Jeff Worth was recognized by the DoRe-Mi Club for his 33 years of service
to the District. It was Mr. Worth’s last
concert at D56 as he retired at the end
of the school year.
Mr. Worth's final concert.
Gurnee District 56
D
District MAP Scores Soar
It is with great excitement and pride that the Board of Education announced student
performance results for the 2013-2014 school year. In the Spring of 2013, Dr. Hutton
asked the staff to research the District's past MAP test results and report to him the
average end-of-year scores for reading and mathematics for the last five years. That
average in both subjects was approximately 57%. That means that 57% of our students
met or exceeded their expected growth target by the end of the school year. The District
calls this, “One year’s growth for one year of instruction” in its Vision statements.
Dr. Hutton and Mrs.Thorsen, the Assessment Coordinator, discussed what they thought
would be a lofty but attainable goal for improving student growth. Mrs. Thorsen said
that a 2-percentage point gain would be an ambitious and attainable goal. Dr. Hutton
was not satisfied with that much improvement and felt that more D56 students could
and should meet their growth goals. Therefore, the District’s 2013-2014 student growth
goals for both reading and mathematics became 62%.
The number, “62%” became the District's mantra. All staff members were committed
to reaching that goal and being "all-in" with the District's plans. As one staff member
described it, "We were all pulling on the same rope." Together, the District managed to
reach and exceed that goal this past academic year.
The total percentage of students meeting or exceeding their Target Growth Goal in
reading as measured by the MAP test was 64% while the total percentage meeting
the goal in mathematics was measured to be 71%. The District far outperformed its
expectations in both disciplines and achieved new heights in excellence.
Kindergarten and first grade students did equally well as measured by their new
achievement test entitled Children’s Progress Academic Assessment. 85% of
kindergarteners met or exceeded their targets in reading, and 75% met or exceeded
their targets in mathematics. First graders averaged 80% meeting or exceeding in both
reading and mathematics.
This is truly an historic accomplishment for the students and staff at D56. For more
information on this topic, visit the District's website at www.d56.org.
Intergovernmental Partnerships
Over the last few years, District 56 has been partnering with other local goverments to
better direct resources, provide better service and save on costs. One such successful
partnership was the intergovernmental agreement between Gurnee School District 56
and the Gurnee Park District which will result in an extension of Viking Park onto the
site formerly occupied by the Gurnee Grade School building. Upon completion of the
project, two new soccer fields and a substantial increase in parking spaces will be made
available to the community. Both Districts believe that this project will be a significant
enhancement in the quality of life offered to citizens in this community and make the best
use of former district-owned land.
Gurnee District 56, Warren District 121, and the Village of Gurnee also established
an intergovernmental agreement that resulted in a new transportation center being
developed on Northwestern Avenue. Formerly, this land was simply being used solely for
the Village's water tower and had little further development value. Partnering prevented
the unnecessary purchase of new land and will keep costs down for all three entities.
8
8
Warren Township District 121
District Appreciates Community Support
On October 8th, 2013, the Warren Township High
School (WTHS) School Board welcomed members
of the Warren community to attend a dedication
ceremony showcasing the completion of the new
addition at the O’Plaine Campus. The addition
includes 10 new science classrooms, a digital lab
classroom, special education offices, meeting rooms
and teacher offices. The southwest courtyard was
also renovated to accommodate a new weight room,
locker room, bathrooms and a viewing area for the
swimming pool.
The addition to the District's O'Plaine
Campus.
This addition was made possible by a School Construction Grant Program from the State
of Illinois and also in part by Warren Township High School District 121. Warren applied
for the grant in 2003. At that time, the application was placed on the consideration
list but had not moved forward. Warren continued to communicate their interest in
building more classrooms with the Capital Development Board during the next nine
years.
The School Construction Grant is designed to address the shortage of classroom space
due to population growth or aging buildings. Eligibility is based on enrollment and
needs of the district. To qualify for entitlement, school districts must meet minimum
enrollment requirements and have available their matching funds.
On February 16th, 2012, Governor Quinn announced the recipients of more than $623 million
in capital funds to improve schools across Illinois. Thirty-one districts were approved for the
state funding in 2012. These projects were certified by the Illinois State Board of Education
(ISBE) and the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB).
Warren received $11.5 million from the School Construction Grant to provide much needed
classroom space. The School Board approved an allocation of $600,000 for the construction
project from developer donation fees, which are restricted for building additions and land
acquisitions, and $700,000 in the cash fund designated for capital purposes. This provided
for the entire project to be completed at a cost of nearly $12.8 million.
With the support of the Warren community, the local matching funds were met when
two building referendums were passed in 2004 and 2008.
District Info
About District 121
Warren Township High School
District 121 is a comprehensive fouryear high school with an enrollment
of approximately 4,300 students. The
second largest high school in Lake
County, Illinois, District 121 covers
over 50 square miles and includes all
or part of Beach Park, Gages Lake,
Grandwood Park, Grayslake, Gurnee,
Millburn, Old Mill Creek, Park City,
Third Lake, Wadsworth, Waukegan
and Wildwood.
Officials
Board oF EducaTion:
John R. Anderson, President
David J. Grum, Vice-President
Barb Conway, Secretary
Liz Biondi
Catherine Campbell
Michael B. Munda
Vacancy (TBD)
suPErinTEndEnT:
Dr. Mary Perry Bates
Schools & Facilities
almond camPus:
34090 Almond Road
(847) 662-1400
o'PlainE camPus:
500 N. O'Plaine Road
(847) 662-1400
In 2004, the community approved a $15.5 million bond issue for the O’Plaine Campus.
These improvements added 10 new classrooms, the installation of air conditioning, a fire
sprinkler system throughout the building, renovation of the auditorium and a two-story
addition shared by the cafeteria and the library.
In a shared facility with District 56,
a Transportation Center is located at
3801 Swanson Court, Gurnee. Warren
and Gurnee 56 share bus transportation
services for their students.
In 2008, the community approved a $30 million bond issue for the Almond Campus.
This bond issue paid for the addition of 10 new classrooms, renovating storage space
into four classrooms, expansion of the cafeteria into the adjacent fine arts theater and
construction of a new fine arts facility onto the existing Almond Campus. The money
was also used for improvements in the Almond and O’Plaine parking lots for traffic
circulation and student safety and improved access roads at the Almond Campus and
construction of a District office.
Warren 121, Gurnee 56 and Woodland
50 have a shared van service for
transporting special needs students.
These shared services help reduce
transportation costs for each of the
districts.
WARREN TOWNSHIP HIGH ScHOOL DISTRIcT 121
34090 Almond Road • (847) 662-1400 • www.d121.org
9
District Awards
Academic Recognitions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
College
Board’s
Advanced
Placement (AP Honor Roll, 3
consecutive years (increase in AP
enrollment)
86% Pass Rate on Advanced
Placement (AP) Exams
Washington Post Award, 4
consecutive years, 2009 to 2013, (top
4% in the Nation)
Newsweek Award, 2010 and 2013,
(top 4% in the Nation)
Achieved 2013 Adequate Yearly
Progress (AYP) targets in Reading
Foreign Language Lab (International
and National recognition)
Flipped Classroom (International
and National recognition)
Project
Discovery
(National
recognition)
Warren’s Average ACT Score is
22.3 (State average is 20.2)
Financial Recognitions
7:30 p.m. Credit
Ratings History
(Moody's and Standard & Poor's):
2011
2009
2007
2001
AA+
AA
A+
Baa2
S&P
S&P
S&P
Moody’s
Financial Recognition
(Illinois State Board of Education):
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2003
Recognition
Recognition
Recognition
Recognition
Recognition
Recognition
Watch
Financial Recognition is a distinction
awarded to an Illinois school district
based on five factors: (1) fund balance to
revenue ratio, (2) expenditure to revenue
ratio, (3) days cash on hand, (4) shortterm borrowing remaining and (5) longterm debt margin remaining. A status of
"recognition" indicates overall strong scores
in each of these and good fiscal health.
Warren Township District 121
Robert Mayne Named D121's
"Teacher of the Year"
Robert (Bob) Mayne, a retired English Teacher at WTHS. was recognized by the Village of
Gurnee in April as one of its three Teachers of the Year for 2014, an award issued for the first
time in 2014 to recognize excellent teachers from District 50, Gurnee District 56 and Warren
Township District 121.
Warren staff submitted nominations about their colleagues, which included information
about the teacher’s participation on a Professional Learning Team, the number of years
teaching at Warren, tenure status in the district, leadership contributions and support of
the District’s mission.
After nominations were received, Warren staff voted for Warren’s “Gurnee Teacher of
the Year" and selected Mayne as the recipient.
Mayne began his teaching career in 1979 working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs on
the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation at Oglala Community High School in South Dakota.
The Reservation is directly south of the Badlands National Park and the location of the
Wounded Knee National Historic site. Mayne taught English, journalism and psychology
at Oglala Community High School.
In 1984, Mayne relocated to the Chicago metropolitan area and taught primarily 7th and
8th graders in a variety of private schools. These schools included The Learning Place
in Valparaiso, Indiana, an alternative school for troubled youth, and several college
preparatory institutions, including Morgan Park Academy in Chicago, Forest Ridge
Academy in Hammond, Indiana and Elgin Academy in Elgin, Illinois.
Mayne began his teaching career at Warren in 1994. He taught a wide variety of English
courses, including AP classes at both the O’Plaine and Almond campuses. In 2008,
Mayne was hired as the lead teacher for the English Department at the O’Plaine Campus.
Mayne earned a Bachelors degree in History from Albion College, a secondary teaching
certificate from Saginaw Valley University, and a Masters degree in Liberal Studies from
Valparaiso University. Mayne
was twice awarded National
Endowment for Humanities
fellowships
for
summer In early 2014, WTHS received and practicing the lesson.
national attention on CBS Traditionally, these activities
seminars.
"Flipped" Classrooms News
Mayne reports that his family,
especially his wife, Dawn,
and their daughters, Marley
and Jane, are his inspirations
in teaching English. They
particularly enjoy reading
and discussing a wide range
of literature. Mayne also
attributes his success in
teaching to the numerous
colleagues who share his love
and passion for teaching.
News for its use of the
flipped classroom model. In a
"flipped" classroom, teachers
present lectures and lessons
on a video giving students the
ability to view these lessons
at home and replay them as
often as they need. Students
can learn for themselves
and at their own pace, and
parents can interact with their
student by seeing what they
are learning. When in class,
students work on applying
are done outside of the school
day with no access to a teacher
and questions have to wait to
be answered. Now, students
are able to interact with one
another and their teacher in
class where the real mastery
of the concepts is taking
place. The flipped classroom
reinforces
that
students
understand and master the
concepts before moving to the
next lesson. To view the story,
visit the District's website.
10
s
0
Student Recognition
Warren Township District 121
FIRST Robotics Team
District Finances
Residents with questions are encouraged to contact the District's Administrative Offices at
(847) 662-1400. Below are comparison charts of the District's tax rate and operating cost per
pupil compared with other Lake County high schools.
Tax Rates for Lake County High Schools (2009-2013)
Lake Forest District 115
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
1.069
1.101
1.191
1.322
1.259
Highland Park Deerfield District 113
1.748
1.921
2.167
2.178
2.207
Warren Township High School District 121
1.620
1.737
1.910
2.173
2.222
Mundelein District 120
1.763
1.967
2.165
2.439
2.487
Libertyville District 128
2.179
2.324
2.399
2.580
2.753
Adlai Stevenson District 125
2.185
2.306
2.465
2.751
2.959
Grant Township High School District 124
2.002
2.251
2.496
2.975
2.577
Antioch Lakes District 117
2.448
2.639
2.954
3.291
3.181
Zion Benton District 126
2.735
2.986
3.409
4.093
4.696
Grayslake District 127
3.195
3.497
3.824
4.556
4.244
Source: Lake County Government website.
Operating Cost Per Pupil for Lake County High Schools (FY 2009-2013)
FY 2009
FY 2010
FY 2011
FY 2012
FY 2013
Grant Township High School 124
10,757
10,841
11,189
11,159
11,262
Warren Township High School District 121
10,750
11,495
10,763
11,080
11,740
Mundelein District 120
12,286
12,492
12,296
12,994
12,501
Zion Benton District 126
11,733
11,948
13,693
13,607
13,381
Grayslake District 127
14,555
14,739
14,486
14,445
14,645
Antioch Lakes District 117
15,788
15,934
15,402
15,522
15,227
Adlai Stevenson District 125
15,171
15,603
16,871
16,839
18,287
Libertyville District 128
18,617
18,602
18,954
19,549
20,271
Highland Park Deerfield District 113
21,566
19,921
20,393
20,821
22,306
Lake Forest District 115
23,789
21,931
22,003
21,977
22,917
Source: Interactive Report Card, Illinois State Board of Education and Lake County Regional Office of
Education.
Project Lead the Way
Students interested in an engineering career have an opportunity to enroll in Project Lead
the Way (PLTW), which is a four-year pre-engineering program in the Industrial Technology
Department. PLTW was launched in August 2006 thanks in part to funding from Abbott
Laboratories. Students are immersed in real-world engineering projects through the program
that allows them to hone their analytical skills as they prepare for college. Each year, there are
nearly 430 students enrolled in Project Lead The Way. For more information, visit the District's
website at www.d121.org.
Warren Students Give Back
Each year, Warren students give back in inumberable ways to the community. This past school
year, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) held a Concert for Life on March 7th and raised
over $34,000 for the American Cancer Society. Further, National Honor Society students partnered
with St. Baldrick's, a childhood cancer non-profit organization, to raise almost $22,500. To learn
more about Warren's student organizations, visit the District's website at www.d121.org.
Warren’s FIRST (For Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and
Technology) robotics team recently
competed and won the Central Illinois
Regional for FIRST robotics teams.
This qualified the team to participate
in the World Championships in April
2014 in Pekin, Illinois. Sponsored by
Abbott Laboratories and Warren, 53
students and two WTHS staff advisors
participated in two regional events
and the World Championship event.
The team’s robot, 4296, finished 21st in
the Archimedes Division in the World
Championship tournament.
Blue Devil Champions
During the 2013-2014 school year,
many Warren athletes, teams, and
clubs performed successfully at
State
competitions
throughout
Illinois. Deserving recognition and
congratulations are the following: the
Girls’ Softball Team, bringing home a
first place trophy in State - the first girls
team to do so at Warren. Placing second
in State were the Boys’ Volleyball Team
and Boys’ Lacrosse Team. Warren’s
Devilettes captured the fifth place title
in IHSA State Dance. The Boys’ Varsity
Tennis Team placed seventh at the
IHSA State Competition.
The Speech Team’s Performance in
the Round, “10 Ways to Survive the
Zombie Apocalypse” took sixth place
at the State Finals.
Individuals placing in the State Finals
were: Emery Parker placing second
in the IHSA State Wrestling 160 lbs.
weight class; Brittny Ellis placing third
in the IHSA State 400 Meter Dash; and,
Brittny Ellis, Autumn Santos, Rebecca
Haight and Brynn Santos placing
eighth in the IHSA State 4 x 100 Meter
Relay.
For more information, visit the District's
website at www.121.org.
11
Keeping Posted
PRSRT STD
ECRWSS
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Gurnee, IL
Permit No. 45
325 N. O'Plaine Road
Gurnee, IL 60031
krisTina m. kovarik, mayor
Andy Harris, Clerk
villagE TrusTEEs
Jeanne Balmes
Stephen Park
Greg Garner
Cheryl Ross
Thomas Hood
Don Wilson
Postal Patron
Gurnee, IL 60031
villagE adminisTraTor
Patrick Muetz
villagE dEParTmEnTs and sErvicEs
Police, Fire and Medical Emergencies: 9-1-1
Police Non-Emergency: 847-599-7000
Fire Non-Emergency: 847-599-6600
Village Hall: 847-599-7500
Utility Billing: 847-599-7525
Community Development: 847-599-7550
Public Works: 847-599-6800
Visit us online at www.gurnee.il.us.
Don't live in Gurnee?
If you are in any of the Gurnee school districts but don't live in the Village,
find all the information for your community on these websites.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Beach Park: villageofbeachpark.com
Green Oaks: greenoaks.org
Grayslake: villageofgrayslake.com
Lake County: lakecountyil.gov
Lindenhurst: lindenhurstil.org
Park City: parkcityillinois.com
•
•
•
•
Old Mill Creek:
villageofoldmillcreek.org
Warren Township: warrentownship.net
Wadsworth: villageofwadsworth.org
Waukegan: waukeganweb.net
For the Village of Gurnee, visit our website: gurnee.il.us.
Village Update
For each issue of Keeping Posted, the Village will call out one or two
exceptional projects, events or employees that epitomize the Village’s
strategic goals of engaging the public, preserving our community and
quality of life or advancing our services in response to public needs.
Village Achieves "AAA" Credit Rating
In June, the Village was officially notified by Standard &
Poor (S&P) Rating Services that it had been upgraded from
its previous "AA+" credit rating to "AAA," the highest
possible credit rating. S&P credits the Village's strong local
economy and current finances, management and debt profile
as the reasons for the upgrade. This prestigious designation
puts Gurnee in the top 10% of communities in terms of
creditworthiness and will be a major factor in receiving lower
interest rates (and saving taxpayer dollars) in the future. For
more information, visit the Village's website: www.gurnee.
il.us.
Police Department CPA To Launch Again in August
The Gurnee Police Department will again be holding its
Citizen Policy Academy this fall. This 36-hour course gives
residents a working knowledge of the Department and its
various operations. Classes will be held every Thursday
beginning on Thursday, August 28th. For more information,
visit the Village's website at www.gurnee.il.us/police/cpa.
Be in the Know
Curious about new businesses or projects in the Village? Be in the know
with this listing of new or upcoming projects!
New Businesses:
• Mariano's: A new grocery store at 6655 Grand.
• Red Mango: A frozen yogurt and smoothie shop now
open at Gurnee Mills.
• Tactical Combat: A new indoor laser tag facility approved
to open at 820 Lakeside.
Other Projects:
• Zoning Ordinance Update: The Village's Zoning
Ordinance Update continues, and the Village is still
accepting public input. Please visit the Village's website
at www.gurnee.il.us/zoning_ordinance_update for
details.
• Construction Update: The Village's annual road
rehabilitation program will continue throughout the
summer and will resurface roads throughout the Village
including specific streets in Ravinia Woods, Fairway
Ridge, Country Trails, the Village's northeastern area
and Depot Road.
• Visit Us At Gurnee Days!: The Village's Police, Fire and
Public Works Departments will again hold open houses
this year at Gurnee Days. See the Gurnee Days schedule
on page 2 for details.
12