 | District 15 Special Olympians won three gold medals at the State Winter Games, which were held February 4-6 at Chestnut Mountain Resort in Galena. Led by coaches Terri Storino (center) and Amanda Carlstrom (white), Tyler Connelly (red) won gold in the 100-meter snowshoeing race, and Faith DiPaolo (green) and Dylan Raess (black) each won gold in the 50-meter snowshoeing race.
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Board names new Deputy Superintendent
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Matthew Barbini
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The District 15 Board of Education appointed Matthew J. Barbini to be the District's new deputy superintendent of schools during its February 12 meeting. Dr. Barbini currently serves as assistant superintendent of student services in North Shore School District 112. He has held that position since July 2007. In all, Dr. Barbini brings to District 15 a total of 16 years of experience in education. Prior to serving in his current position for the past seven years, Dr. Barbini served for three years as the director of special education for Valley View School District 365-U. Before becoming an administrator, he served for six years as an LD/ED resource instructor - two years at Warren Township High School and four years at Downers Grove South High School. Dr. Barbini holds a bachelor's degree in education with emphasis in special education from Illinois State University, a master's degree in education with emphasis in administration from Northern Illinois University, and a doctorate in educational administration from Northern Illinois University. "The District is fortunate to welcome Matt to the leadership team. He is a skilled administrator with a proven track record of making a positive impact on the students he serves. I am confident he will make a significant contribution to the District 15 community" said Scott Thompson, Ed.D., superintendent of schools. Dr. Barbini will officially begin his new role with District 15 on May 27.
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Four teachers earn National Board Certification
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According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), four District 15 teachers recently earned their National Board Certification - the highest credential available to American educators. Those teachers are: - Beth de Anda, a sixth-grade teacher at Lake Louise School, earned her certification in Early Adolescence English/Language Arts.
- Molly Mahoney, a third-grade teacher at Jane Addams School, earned her certification as an Early Childhood Generalist.
- Lynn Piper, a self-contained SEAL (Social-Emotional Academic Learning) teacher at Marion Jordan School, earned her certification
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in Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood Exceptional Needs. - Cathleen Rustman, a junior high multiple needs teacher at John G. Conyers Learning Academy, earned her certification in Early Childhood Through Young Adulthood Exceptional Needs.
"Please join us in congratulating these dedicated professional educators," said Carole Einhorn, the District's teacher induction facilitator. Their certification means District 15 remains among the state's leaders in number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) with a total of 78, and  | |
Lynn Piper
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earning National Board Certification is as important now as it has ever been, said Mrs. Einhorn. "With the current emphasis on Common Core and on rigor - rigor for student work, rigor for lessons - there has to be rigor for teacher thinking, too," she said. "The certification process requires in-depth analysis and reflection upon what teachers are doing in their classrooms, which helps propel them to a level of performance that will drive their students toward greater rigor, as well."
Simply put, earning National Board Certification -
meeting those rigorous standards - helps teachers become the best educators they can be, said  | |
Cathleen Rustman
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Mrs. Einhorn.
"Teachers who go through this process talk about how deeply it impacted their thinking about what they do," she said. "They are so much more aware of what they do and why they are doing it. They are aware of their own thinking processes, and they are much more focused on results - on genuine evidence of student learning. Can students take the content and skills that have been taught and apply them in meaningful ways? To what degree can students articulate their thinking processes? These are just some of the questions National Board candidates address as they complete the National Board Certification process."
Read more about District 15's 2013 Class of NBCTs.
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 Six D15 schools continue
to earn NEU membership
Six District 15 schools - Lake Louise, Lincoln, Virginia Lake, Gray M. Sanborn, Stuart R. Paddock, and Frank C. Whiteley - recently learned their re-applications to continue their membership to the No Excuses University (NEU) Network of Schools were approved. To renew their memberships in this prestigious network of "like-minded" schools, these six schools were required to demonstrate their commitment to developing and maintaining the NEU's "Six Exceptional Systems" on their campuses. They proudly earned this recognition by continuing to demonstrate a commitment to college readiness and through efforts to ensure all children meet or exceed standards in reading, writing, and math no matter their challenges. The NEU mission continues to play a key role in the culture of these schools, and the "Six Exceptional Systems" are used by these schools every day and continue to positively impact students and staff. Read more about District 15 schools' renewed NEU memberships.
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Plum Grove Junior High MATHCOUNTS Team
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District 15 'mathletes' are headed
to state MATHCOUNTS competition
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Kinllen Peng
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Plum Grove Junior High's MATHCOUNTS team is once again headed to state after taking first place in its chapter competition, which was held Saturday, February 1, at Oakton Community College. For the sixth year in a row, Plum Grove's team took first place in the North Suburban Chapter of the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers' MATHCOUNTS competition. Members of Plum Grove's MATHCOUNTS team are Kevin Chen, Suchet Kumar, Kevin Wu, and Flora Zheng. The team is coached by Marianne Schultz and Dr. Krish Revuluri. The team will now move on to compete at the state contest, which will be held Saturday, March 8, in Lisle. However, members of Plum Grove's MATHCOUNTS team won't be the only District 15 representatives at the state MATHCOUNTS competition, as Kinllen Peng, a sixth grader from Winston Campus Elementary, also qualified to compete at state as an individual and taking first place in the competition's Oral Countdown Round. MATHCOUNTS teams from six other District 15 schools participated in the chapter competition, but did not qualify to advance to state. Walter R. Sundling Junior High finished in fifth place, Marion Jordan School finished in 10th place, Hunting Ridge School finished in 11th place, and Winston Campus Junior High finished in 12th place. Teams from Pleasant Hill School and Winston Campus Elementary also participated, but did not place in the top 40 percent of teams that competed. In individual competition, 21 District 15 students scored in the top 25 percent of the more than 200 students who participated in the chapter contest. Read more about District 15's MATHCOUNTS teams.
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Sarah Griswold
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District 15 champ takes first
at north suburban spelling bee
Sarah Griswold, an eighth grader at Walter R. Sundling Junior High, is now two for two. On January 23, Sarah won the District 15 Spelling Bee, which qualified her to compete in the Suburban Cook Northern Area Spelling Bee. That contest was held Tuesday, February 4, at Joseph Sears School in Kenilworth, and Sarah took first place in that competition, as well. Sarah went 17 rounds against 28 formidable opponents to win the competition, which toughened midway through when officials abandoned the study lists that had been provided for the students and instead used words that were not as familiar to the students: mascot, newton, mootable, nemesis, kielbasa, mukhtar, physicist, rapturous, liquefaction, vancourier, quadrivial, adieu, cinephile, nectarivorous, tonsillitis, voilà, and the winning word, eviscerate. Sarah is now set to compete in the Regional ISC Suburban Cook County Spelling Bee, which will be held Wednesday, February 19, at McClure Junior High in Western Springs. The winner of this competition will advance to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will be held May 25-31 in Washington, D.C.
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 Fourth grader wins Winston's Winter Chess TourneyThe Winston Campus Junior High Chess Club hosted its Winter Chess Tournament on Saturday, February 8.
The tournament was open to all K-8 students in the District, and 75, including a significant number of girls, participated. Each participant played five rounds of chess, and the overall winner with five wins was Aadit Bennur, a fourth grader at Winston Campus Elementary.
WCJH Chess Club Winter Chess Tournament Winners  The WCJH Chess Club's Winter Chess Tournament was organized by René Carranza, Winston Campus Junior High principal, and teachers Chris Lucht (STEM/science) and Matt Gaspar (seventh-grade social studies). This was the club's second Districtwide chess tournament of the year. It will likely sponsor another competition this spring.
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 Olympic speed skating referee
visits Whiteley third graders
A visit from a local speed skating expert prepared third-grade students at Frank C. Whiteley School for the arrival of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Long-time Palatine resident Greta Hall from the International Skating Union (ISU) visited Whiteley's third graders to share her experiences as an Olympic speed skating referee. Mrs. Hall has been involved with speed skating for many years. In fact, she was inducted into the National Speed Skating Hall of Fame in 2007. She served as president of the Amateur Speed Skating Union - the first and only woman to hold that position - and at the time of her retirement in 2010, she was the only female on the International Skating Union's list of 25 referees for short-track speed skating. Mrs. Hall was a referee at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lilliehammer, Norway, and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. She also refereed numerous ISU World Championships and World Cups from Asia to North America to Europe, and many U.S. domestic championships, as well. While visiting Whiteley, Mrs. Hall shared some of her fondest memories and showed students some of the memorabilia and gifts she has collected throughout the years. However, she donated many of her unique keepsakes from her collection to a museum in her hometown on Prince Edward Island in Canada.
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 Hunting Ridge fifth graders
help Ethiopian orphanage
 Students in Liz Stephan's fifth-grade class at Hunting Ridge School recently raised funds to send 11 boxes of books they collected and friendship bracelets they made to an orphanage in Ethiopia. Mrs. Stephan and her students paired up with Chris Olszewski, a past Peace Corps volunteer, to send the books and dictionaries to Yeshalom Anti-Aids and Orphan Vulnerable Children Care Association. This orphanage is located in the town of Wolaita Sodo, 370 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and it provides disadvantaged youth with clothing, school materials, and HIV/AIDS prevention awareness. Students from Mrs. Stephan's class led the school's effort to raise funds by going on the morning announcements and stopping by classrooms in order to collect the money and books. Their effort was supported by Scott Thompson, Ed.D., District 15's superintendent of schools. He opened the doors to the District's warehouse so that unused dictionaries and books could be provided to the orphanage. "Thank you to the generous students, parents, and teachers, for their time, talent, and treasure that was given so generously to others in need," said Mrs. Stephan.
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SPARK to discuss sensory integration disorders
 SPARK (Special Education Parents Accessing Resources and Knowledge) will hold its fourth meeting of the 2013-14 program year on Monday, February 24, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Walter R. Sundling Junior High, 1100 N. Smith Street, Palatine.
Building off the SPARK theme for the school year - "Getting the 260 on Your Child" - the meeting, which is titled "Sensory Integration Disorders," will feature Becky Malonie, head of occupational therapy at Arlington Pediatric Therapy. She will show parents what sensory issues are, how to recognize them, and some tricks to use at home or at school.
SPARK's previous meeting on February 3 (rescheduled from January 27) was titled "Emotional Self-Regulation," and it was designed for parents of children who get easily frustrated, and parents who become frustrated while trying to calm their children. It helped parents understand the cycle of escalation, identify preventative techniques, and apply practical solutions..
Read more about SPARK, including a recap of its February 3 meeting.
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District 15 Board to host Community
Communication Forum on March 1
Community Consolidated School District 15's Board of Education will host its second Community Communication Forum of the 2013-14 school year on Saturday, March 1, at 9 a.m. at the Joseph M. Kiszka Educational Service Center, 580 N. 1st Bank Drive, Palatine.
During the forum, a panel of Board members and District administrators will take questions from the community regarding the District's implementation of the state's new Common Core Standards.
The Board's Community Communication Forums are designed to create additional opportunities for community members to share feedback with, and ask questions of, Board members and the administration on a variety of topics. Board members who are participating in the forums cannot share their personal opinions, nor can they take action on issues discussed at the forums unless the whole Board does so at a regular Board meeting.
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Wolves offer District 15 Family Day on March 2
 Be there to enjoy all the excitement when the Chicago Wolves face off against the Iowa Wild on District 15 Family Day, Sunday, March 2, at 3 p.m. at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.
For this game only, the Wolves are offering a choice of two great ticket packages for District 15 families to choose from. A portion of the proceeds from each package purchased will benefit the District Fifteen Educational Foundation.
- PACKAGE A: Includes a ticket and a Wolves hat for just $21.
- PACKAGE B: Includes a ticket for $19.50.
To attend District 15 Family Day at the Chicago Wolves, download the flyer and order form, which outlines how to purchase tickets by mail, phone, or fax.
There is a $4 service fee for all ticket orders, and all orders must be received by noon on Friday, February 28. Tickets are subject to availability, and all sales are final.
For more information on tickets, contact Stefanie Evans at 847-832-1939 or skevans@chicagowolves.com. For more information on the Foundation, visit www.ccsd15.net | Foundation, or contact Donna Kennedy, Foundation coordinator, at 847-963-3160 or kennedyd@ccsd15.net.
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Community Consolidated School District 15
The mission of Community Consolidated School District 15 is:  "To produce world-class learners by building a connected learning community." Producing world-class learners in today's complex and fast-paced world is the single most important responsibility of the district. Schools, teachers, administrators, and support staff work together to ensure that all students enrolled in district schools receive the highest quality of educational opportunities that will not only enable them to meet or exceed state standards, but also will position them for success in future educational and career endeavors. Community Consolidated School District 15 is the third largest elementary district in Illinois, serving a diverse population in all or part of seven northwest suburban communities: Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, South Barrington, Arlington Heights, and Schaumburg. District 15 has fifteen elementary schools, four junior high schools, and one preschool early childhood center and alternative public day school. For more information, please visit the District's website, www.ccsd15.net. |
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| Be sure to check out the flyers from nonprofit groups, intergovernmental agencies, and other business partners online at www.ccsd15.net | Links | D15 E-Flyers.
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Looking Ahead
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February 18Teacher Plan Day, no student attendance February 24-March 21
Illinois Alternate Assessment, Grades 3-8 per decision of IEP team
February 24SPARK Event, 'Sensory integration Disorders," 7-8:30 p.m. at WRS March 1
BOE Community Communication Forum, 9 a.m. at ESC
March 2District 15 Family Day at Chicago Wolves, 3 p.m. at Allstate Arena in Rosemont March 3-14Illinois Standards Achievement Test, Grades 3-8 in reading and math and Grade 4-7 in science March 10
SPARK Event, Resource Fair, 7-8:30 p.m. at WRS
March 12BOE Regular Meeting, 7 p.m. at WRS March 14Grades 1-6 Progress Reports IssuedVisit District 15's Events Calendar
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CONNECTIONS is a quarterly newsletter for Community Consolidated School District 15 parents and the community. It is prepared by the Communications Department and is distributed via e-mail.
It can be viewed at www.ccsd15.net | Our Services | Communications Department |
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An online version of District 15's 2013-14 Parent/Student Handbook can be viewed at www.ccsd15.net | For Parents/Students | Parent/Student Handbook. |
 Thank you
for joining
our e-mail list! | D15 E-News is published by the Communications Department and offers our school community a convenient way to stay informed about the positive events happening in the district. District 15 values your privacy, and does not sell, rent, or give any contact information for its students or families to outside parties. Questions?
Please contact
Sandy Cramer at cramers@ccsd15.net.
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Community Consolidated
School District 15580 N. 1st Bank Dr. Palatine, IL 60067 847-963-3000 www.ccsd15.netBoard of EducationPeggy Babcock
PresidentRichard L. Bokor Vice PresidentJames G. Ekeberg SecretaryScott Herr Gerard Iannuzzelli David W. Seiffert Manjula Sriram
Superintendent of SchoolsScott B. Thompson, Ed.D.
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