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DHS:
HPHS:
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District 113 Board of Education
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Annette Lidawer, President
Julie Gordon, Vice President
Michelle Culver
Debbie Hymen Alena Laube Stacey Meyer
David Small
NOTE: If you wish to receive Board meeting notifications and agendas via e-mail, please click here and update your preferences by checking the Board meeting notifications box.
Board Briefs:
Sept. 8
At its September 8 meeting, the District 113 Board of Education:
--Observed a moment of silence in memory of longtime District 113 Board member Harvey Cohen
--Discussed next steps in the superintendent search process; a committee of two board members will look at search firms and recommend two firms, in addition to HYA, for the Board as a whole to interview before making their selection. It was reiterated that much of the initial work and process has already been accomplished, and the District owns all products of that work.
--After lengthy discussion during the August 17 and September 8 meetings, voted not to support Deerfield District 109's request to withdraw from the North Suburban Special Education District
--Approved Policy 2-250 (Access to District Public Records), Policy 3-40 (Superintendent), 3-50 (Administrative Personnel Other Than the Superintendent), and Policy 3-60, Building Principal
Click here to view the full Sept. 8 meeting packet as posted to the District 113 website.
Click here to view the video recording of the Sept. 8 meeting.
**Board Briefs is intended to be a quick summary of key Board decisions and discussions. Detailed minutes of each meeting are posted to the Board of Education page following their approval at a subsequent Board meeting. The Board meetings are also recorded on video and posted to the Board page and the Board Meetings playlist on YouTube.
COMING UP FOR THE BOARD:
September 21 will be the Board's first 3S meeting, where 3S stands for students, staff and schools. The Sept. 21 meeting will feature a presentation by the Math departments at both high schools. Click here for more information about this new meeting format!
On October 5 the Board will hear a construction update from Perkins + Will and Gilbane.
The October 19 3S meeting will feature a presentation by the science departments at both high schools, as well as recognitions in honor of School Bus Driver Appreciation Day and Principal Appreciation Day.
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District 113
dates to note
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September 14
Rosh Hashanah--no school
September 21
Board of Education 3S meeting, 7:30 p.m., Administrative Building, 1040 Park Avenue West, Highland Park
September 23
Yom Kippur--no school
September 30
Policy Committee meeting, 7:45 a.m., Administrative Building, 1040 Park Avenue West, Highland Park
October 5
Board of Education meeting, 7:30 p.m., Administrative Building, 1040 Park Avenue West, Highland Park
October 7
Strategic Plan Retreat, 5:30 p.m., Administrative Building, 1040 Park Avenue West, Highland Park
October 12
Columbus Day--no school
October 13
Institute Day--no school
October 14
Policy Committee Meeting, 7:45 a.m., Administrative Building, 1040 Park Avenue West, Highland Park
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District 113 update
from Dr. Herrick
On August 26, we welcomed thousands of students back for the first day of  the 2015-16 school year at Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools. I have had the opportunity to visit both buildings multiple times since classes began, and the energy and enthusiasm is palpable! With the first few weeks of the school year now under our belts, I'd like to take a few moments to update you on some exciting things happening in District 113.
First, a brief introduction: I am excited to be serving as Interim Superintendent of Township High School District 113 for the 2015-16 school year, having spent 12 years as superintendent of the high-achieving Cedarburg School District in Wisconsin before retiring in 2013. Prior to that I served for eight years as a high school principal and four years as a high school associate principal; I have also worked as a teacher, college instructor, and athletic recruiting coordinator. In conducting my research before accepting the position here, I was impressed by the numerous indicators of a highly successful school district, and my early observations certainly bear this out. We have a very committed school board, creative and dedicated staff, capable administrative teams, focused and talented students, and supportive families and community.
As we as a district strive for continuous improvement, my plan this coming year is to work collaboratively with stakeholders to continue to advance various processes, to provide oversight and support for endeavors already under way, and to bring a fresh perspective to the table. My overarching goal is that District 113 will be better because I was here.
The 2015-16 school year promises to be filled with opportunities and challenges alike.
Giving our students and teachers the tools they need to succeed in a digital world is an important endeavor for District 113, and 2015-16 marks the second year of our phased-in 1:1 rollout. Freshman Chromebook distribution went extremely smoothly at both schools thanks to our conscientious and hard-working technology staff, and each of our freshmen, sophomores and juniors now have a Chromebook to use throughout the day and at home.
I am pleased to report that $114 million in construction projects to enhance the learning environments at Deerfield and Highland Park High School -- $89 million of which comes from the 2013 referendum and $25 million from the District's own funds -- continue to proceed on time, on budget, and on scope. We are incredibly excited about the results thus far and very much looking forward to the end product in 2017.
For details regarding the work that was accomplished this summer, check out our Facility Updates section below; you can also visit www.dist113.org/facilityupdates for the latest photos and information. HPHS used a number of strategies to help students adjust to the new routes around the halls and campus as the referendum work continues; click here to check out the story!
We are grateful for the community's continued support and flexibility while this work progresses, and we plan to showcase our new spaces thus far by hosting community tours once the Vine lot at HPHS and the library and pool at DHS are complete later this fall. Separate from the referendum, this summer we also completed the installation of environmentally-friendly permeable pavers in the Wolters Field parking lot; we will dedicate this space just prior to the varsity DHS vs. HPHS crosstown football game on Friday, October 2.Please join us!
Work continues on the development of a Strategic Plan to guide us as a District in the years to come. Over the next several months we will be embarking on in-depth discussions around our four key areas of focus: To maximize academic achievement and social/emotional growth for all students; to provide strong, visionary leadership and governance; to serve as effective financial stewards of District resources; and to foster collaboration within the District and community. We will be seeking input and assistance from our stakeholders as we work to broaden the framework of our strategic plan into an actionable, living document that grows with the District.
In keeping with our strategic plan goal of serving as effective financial stewards of the District's financial resources, I want to update you on the District's financial position. While there is much financial angst in our nation and state, the District has maintained its strong financial standing despite continued reductions in revenues from various sources, and continues to win awards for financial planning and stewardship. This past spring the District also received a Aaa credit rating, the highest possible rating, for the issuances of the final referendum bonds and working cash bonds to fund additional health/life safety work at both schools.
On August 17 the Board of Education approved a spending plan for District 113 for 2015-16 that reflects the continuation of all programs and services for students, as well as the maintenance of strong fund balances. Unfortunately, fund balance is being used to address some expenditures in this fiscal year, which has resulted in a deficit budget. We will continue to face challenges moving forward as the CPI, which is the primary driver of our revenues, is projected to remain nearly flat for at least the next several years. We are also monitoring many other items currently being discussed by the State legislature that could have a direct impact on our budget. As we plan ahead to avoid dealing with a crisis, rather than reacting when these situations occur, we will continue to proactively identify potential areas for cost savings, as well as additional sources of revenue. Click here to view the presentation on this year's budget and future considerations.
Be sure to read through the rest of this issue of 113 Connects for information on our students' continued academic achievements, including on the ACT and on Advanced Placement exams, as well as in the National Merit Scholarship program; three District 113 employees and a community volunteer who received Those Who Excel awards from the Illinois State Board of Education for making a difference in the lives of our students; our new staff and our staff service awards; the Board of Education's new 3S meeting format; summer learning in District 113; the continuation of our Text a Tip resource for students; our Education Foundation's "Don't Eat Home for Homecoming" fundraiser; and news from our schools.
There is much to celebrate and much to look forward to, and we thank you for your continued support. It's going to be a wonderful school year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Daryl Herrick
Interim Superintendent
Township High School District 113
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Facilities updates
Our referendum projects to enhance the learning environments at Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools continue to proceed on time, on budget and on scope.
Significant work was accomplished over the summer and will continue this fall; we are appreciative of the community's continued support. Be sure to visit www.dist113.org/facilityupdates for the latest updates!
Click here to view the construction update presentation that was shared at the July 13th Board of Education meeting.
Did you know: Window replacements throughout DHS and HPHS are allowing more natural light into the classrooms, gymnasiums, and other learning and gathering spaces; studies have shown that natural light can help to boost students' academic performance!
This summer...
The DHS gymnasium (above) was completed.
Work continued on the IHSA competition-size pool at DHS (above), scheduled to be complete by late fall 2015.
The new three-court gymnasium at HPHS (above) was completed and is now open to P.E. classes and athletics per the original phasing plan. This plan calls for the new HPHS gym to be open for competitions and events in 2017, upon completion of the adjacent building that will house the restrooms and other P.E. spaces such as a yoga gym and dance studios. Per the phasing plan, work will begin on this adjacent building upon decommissioning of the old HPHS pool, and the current HPHS Exhibition Gym will continue to be used for competitions and events until construction is complete.
Exterior masonry restoration of the historic, 102-year-old B Building at HPHS (above) began this spring and continued this summer.
Also at HPHS, additional classrooms were renovated (above left), excavation and concrete work for the pool addition foundations began (above right), and work commenced on expansion of the Vine Avenue visitor and staff parking lot, which is slated for completion in mid-fall.
The commons and cafeteria (above) at DHS were renovated.
The DHS library renovation/expansion (above) is well underway, and is scheduled to be completed in late fall 2015. The photo features two of the beautiful library skylights that were donated to DHS! Additional classroom renovations will take place at DHS next summer.
Unrelated to the referendum projects, District 113 also completed the second and final phase of the installation of environmentally-friendly permeable pavers at HPHS's Wolters Field parking lot (above). This project was designed to improve traffic flow, as well as the condition of the lot. District 113 will dedicate this new lot just prior to the start of the HPHS/DHS crosstown varsity football game on Friday, Oct. 2; please join us!
Monthly Update
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District news
Twelve D113 students named National Merit Semifinalists
Twelve Township High School District 113 students have been named Semifinalists in the 61st annual National Merit Scholarship program: Anne Greene, Corey Novick and Thomas Wehner from Highland Park High School, and Tara Cruise, Benjamin Edelstein, Zachary Frischer, Aarohi Mahableshwarkar, Benjamin Sachs, Ariel Sheffey, Asher Silverglade, Ilyssa Silverman and Dana Suri from Deerfield High School. These academically talented seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships that will be offered next spring.
Approximately 1.4 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Semifinalists will learn in February whether they have advanced to the Finalist level, and all National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists.
DHS, HPHS students continue trend of high academic achievement
Township High School District 113 students continue to achieve at extremely high levels on various academic measures, including the ACT and Advanced Placement tests. This is a testament to the outstanding teaching and support staff who work with our students each day and a reflection of the investment our students and families have made in education. Click here for the full story.
Four in D113 named statewide
Those Who Excel winners
Three Township High School District 113 staff members and a community  volunteer were chosen as recipients of 2015 Those Who Excel awards from the Illinois State Board of Education for going above and beyond in the service of students.
Each year, ISBE's Those Who Excel awards program honors outstanding teachers, administrators, student support personnel, educational service personnel and community members for their exceptional contributions to schools throughout the state. Candidates are nominated by their local schools or people in their communities.
This year, four members of the District 113 community will be recognized during ISBE's Those Who Excel banquet in October: Highland Park High School Math Department Chair Debby Finn, HPHS counselor Pablo Alvarez, Deerfield High School security team member Tim Benton, and DHS parent volunteer Lori Zwart.
District 113 welcomes new staff,
honors staff for service
District 113 welcomed approximately two dozen new certified staff members for 2015-16.
New to the District 113 administrative team are Dr. Daryl Herrick, Interim Superintendent; Dr. Christopher Dignam, Deerfield High School Principal; Tiffany Chavez, Director of Student Support Services; and John Sprangers, Interim Director of HR.
New to HPHS are Leonard DePasquale, English Department Chair; Joseph Horeni, HPHS PE/Health teacher; Radmila Olshansky, Applied Arts teacher-dance; Jennifer Rodriguez, Special Education teacher; Jonathan Rowley, Athletics Director; Kia Sosa, Social Studies long term substitute; Michael Viken, PE/Health teacher; Alyssa Wilson, PE/Health teacher; and Anthony Woldeit, Math teacher.
New to DHS are Courtney Bohannon, Math long term substitute; Maja Donev, Math teacher; Kim Daniel, Social Studies teacher; Carly Micheles, PE/Health/Traffic Safety teacher; Emily Nowicki, Applied Arts teacher; Danielle Ripkey, PE/Health/Traffic Safety teacher; Nicole Schroeder, Spanish teacher; Marc Szulc-Cieplicki, Math teacher; Beatriz Wagener, Special Education teacher; Kimberleigh Wiley, College Counselor; and Christopher Ytzen, Applied Arts teacher.
District 113 also recognized nearly two dozen staff members (pictured below) for reaching significant employment milestones with District 113.
Honored for 20 years of service were Joe Bucolo, Judi Elman, Paul Harris, Tom Koulentes, Traci Jacobson, Reyes Mendoza, Cynthia Powers and Pat Sassen at HPHS; and Mary Boote, John Bruss, Blanche Esgar, Greg Kapsimalis, Bettie Liberles, John Motzko, Herb Regan and Kathleen Stone at DHS.
Honored for 25 years of service were Frank Avona, Scott Shallenbarger and Paul Swanson at HPHS; and Alicia Akers, Dawn Bryson and Kevin LeFevre at DHS.
Text a Tip continues to be a valued resource for D113 students
This past spring, Districts 106, 109, 112 and 113, in partnership with the  Jordan Michael Filler Foundation, the City of Highland Park, the Village of Deerfield, and the Village of Bannockburn, launched a program called Text-a-Tip, which continues to be a valuable resource for our students.
Text-a-Tip allows teens to find anonymous, immediate help if they are struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, depression, difficult family situations, bullying, or any of the many challenges they face today. Text-A-Tip is staffed with local counselors provided by LEAD (Linking Efforts Against Drugs), a non-profit organization focused on promoting healthy family relationships and preventing alcohol and drug use and other risky behaviors by youth.
A large part of the funding for Text-A-Tip has been provided by the Jordan Michael Filler Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that was established in memory of Jordan Filler, who grew up in Highland Park and succumbed to heroin addiction at the age of 23. The Foundation creates awareness of drug addiction. Check out our Community Corner below for information on the upcoming 5K being hosted by the Filler Foundation in partnership with Community the Anti-Drug.
District 113 staff participate in summer learning opportunities
In Township High School District 113, summer was a time of learning and growth for students and staff alike.
Again this year, District 113 offered a variety of summer school courses for Highland Park High School and Deerfield High School students including Consumer Economics, Graphic Design, Introduction to Programming, World Literature, Creative Writing, Etymology, Music Essentials: Bach to Rock, Mural Design and Creation, Summer Dance Workshop, Summer Theatre, and various math, science and social studies classes.
Our teaching staff is dedicated to continually honing and improving their  craft to better serve students. Many participated in a variety of learning opportunities this summer, including more than a dozen classes sponsored by District 113 and taught by administrators, District 113 staff, and outside facilitators. Workshops centered on the District's Equity goals and the integration of technology/utilization of the Chromebook.
Board of Education restructures
meeting format
In keeping with the District 113 Board of Education's goal of better communication, outreach and transparency to all constituencies, the Board meeting format has been restructured for the 2015-16 school year. While the Board of Education has historically held two business meetings a month, this year the first meeting of the month will be a regular business meeting while the second meeting will be a 3S meeting, where the 3S stands for students, staff and schools.
This new format is intended not only to provide an opportunity for the Board to celebrate -- and gain a better understanding of - District 113's students, staff and schools, but also to help conduct Board business more efficiently. During 3S meetings, the Board will hear reports from students, staff and community groups and do deep dives into the academic departments at HPHS and DHS, leading to an improved understanding of the important work being done in the schools on a daily basis.
The full schedule of Board meetings for 2015-16 can be found on the District 113 website at www.dist113.org/boardofeducation. The first 3S meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 21, and will feature a presentation by the Math departments at both schools.
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Points of Pride:
News from our schools
DHS physics classes design towers
From a free kit that Deerfield High School Science Department Chair Judi Luepke received from the National Building Museum on "Designing for Disaster" grew a tower-building activity incorporating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). Students in her freshman physics classes recently worked in teams to engineer towers to withstand fan-generated "wind" while containing costs and aesthetically modifying their designs. "It was a great way to introduce mechanical equilibrium!" Luepke said.
HP math teacher competes on Jeopardy!
 Highland Park High School math teacher Andy Anderson recently fulfilled a longtime dream of competing on the game show Jeopardy! Windy City Live surprised him on air August 19 with the news that he had been selected as a contestant; his taping took place a few days later, and his show will air September 15.
DHS Reciprocal Exchange Program
featured in national publication
Deerfield High School's Reciprocal Exchange with Rodez, France, was one of nine programs from across the nation to be featured in a recent issue of The Language Educator magazine, published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Click here to read more!
Charities invited to apply by Sept. 25 to be considered as Charity Drive beneficiary
Highland Park High School is now accepting applications to be considered to be the recipient of the 2016 Charity Drive fundraiser. All materials need to be submitted by September 25. Over the past two decades, HPHS's annual Charity Drive, which takes place during February, has raised more than $2 million to support worthwhile charities.
The application, timeline and criteria for selection can be found on the Highland Park High School home page under the Charity Drive link, or by clicking here. A few glitches in the online form that were reported earlier this month have since been resolved; charities who tried to fill out a 2016 application previously but weren't able to submit it are asked to please try again.
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Education Foundation news
The District 113 Education Foundation is gearing up for a busy year supporting the District's innovative educational efforts and is asking for the community's help in continuing its mission. Through the Foundation's Don't Eat Home for Homecoming fundraiser, residents can enjoy delicious meals at some of the finest local restaurants while supporting innovative programming for District 113 students at the same time.
To support its 2015-16 grants program, the Foundation is selling coupon cards that allow the holder to "buy one get one free" at many local restaurants during Homecoming Week October 4-11. The Foundation is appreciative of this year's participating businesses, which include Arriva Dolce, Biaggis, Bluegrass, Buffos, Café Central, Claim Company, Cluckers, Cookers, Frost, Highland Pop, La Casa de Isaac, Love that Spice, Michaels, Ristorante Abruzzo, Sushi Badaya,and Uptown Diner.
Coupon cards are offered for $20 each, and will be available at select school events. The Foundation will also send a coupon card to anyone who makes a general donation of $20 or more to the Foundation via their website, www.district113foundation.org, in September.
Don't Eat Home for Homecoming is one of the annual fundraisers that allows the Foundation to provide grants in support of innovative teacher and staff-initiated programs at Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools for science, math, the arts, languages, English, social studies, general education and culture, as well as at-risk students, which are not otherwise funded by the school district budgets. Over the past 8 years, the Foundation has funded more than 100 grants totaling more than $200,000 in support of programs such as Latin Dance, Diversity Leadership, Performing Arts, Robotics, Science Olympiad, Marine Sciences, Beyond Homework, the Spanish and French Libraries, interactive whiteboards, Writer's Week, the Literary Festival and many more. The District 113 Education Foundation receives funding from a broad base of businesses, individuals and alumni.
Additional information about the Foundation, including upcoming events, grants awarded, board members, and how to donate, as well as information on how to purchase an Honor an Educator card to recognize a District 113 staff member, can be found on the Foundation website at www.district113foundation.org.
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Community Corner
Community The Anti-Drug partnering with Jordan Michael Filler Foundation for 5K
Community, The Anti-Drug is partnering with the Jordan Michael Filler Foundation to host the Foundation's annual 5K walk/run on Saturday, September 19 in Highland Park. The event is free and open to the public. For more information and to register, visit www.jmff5k.org.
Highland Park Historical Society to screen new film The History of Highland Park
The Highland Park Historical Society will be screening its new film, "The History of Highland Park," during a premiere event on October 8 at Ravinia Festival's Bennett Gordon Hall. Students are free when accompanied by an adult. Call (847) 432-7090 for reservations, or visit http://www.highlandparkhistory.com. Proceeds will be used to restore the Stupey Cabin.
Community Partners for Affordable Housing offers opportunities
Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) is a local non-profit  that provides affordable rental and ownership housing opportunities. If you are interested in applying for the program, please contact CPAH directly at (847) 681-8746. CPAH highly recommends attending an information session to learn more about the program. The next session is October 6 at 7 p.m. at CPAH's office, 400 Central, Suite 111, Highland Park. Please let CPAH know if you plan to attend.
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Township High School District 113, consisting of Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools, serves the communities of Deerfield, Highland Park, Highwood, Bannockburn and Riverwoods. 113 Connects is designed to share timely, relevant information about District 113 and its two high schools with parents, community members, alumni, and others who are interested in how we are living out our mission. If you have any questions/comments regarding 113 Connects, or have an article/photo idea for the publication, please contact Director of Communications Jennifer Waldorf at jwaldorf@dist113.org or (224) 765-1018.
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