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Virtual Backpack
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There are a number of new events and activities
posted, including:
- Wonder Lake Baseball & T-Ball
- WNHS Cheer Clinic
- NWMS PTO Rummage Sale
- Challenger Center Summer Camps
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Have You Liked Us
on Facebook?
Be sure to "like" the
D200 page so that updated information
from the District will appear on your
Facebook News Feed.
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Looking Ahead
Bd of Education Meeting Clay PDC, 7:00pm Tuesday, Feb. 9
Half Day Attendance
(Conferences)
Thursday, Feb. 11
Parent-Teacher Conferences
2:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 11
NO SCHOOL
Parent-Teacher
Conferences
8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 12
NO SCHOOL
Presidents' Day
Monday, Feb. 15
One Hour Late Start
Wednesday, Feb. 24
Go to the Calendar or Upcoming Events sections of the district website for a detailed listing of all events by school, month,
day or type.
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Learn More About Our Schools
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Board of Education
Camille Goodwin,
President
Carl W. Gilmore,
Vice President
Russ Goerlitz,
Secretary
Paul J. Meyer
Jerry Miceli
Bill Nattress
David Shinherr
Superintendent
Dr. Mike Moan
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In support of healthy hearts, Ms. Pool's entire first grade class at Prairiewood Elementary wore red on the American Heart Association's national "Wear Red Day" on February 5th.
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WNHS Principal Brian McAdow is Named Associate Superintendent
As a result of the pending retirement of Mark Heckmon, the
current Associate Superintendent for Human Resources and Operations, a comprehensive application process was conducted to fill the position. More than 40 applicants were screened and eight finalists were selected to meet with an interview team comprised of representatives from the district's administrative and teaching staff. At its meeting on December 15th the Board of Education approved the hiring of current Woodstock North High School Principal Brian McAdow as the next Associate Superintendent, effective July 1, 2016.
Mr. McAdow joined District 200 in July, 2007 and oversaw the final stages of the construction project at Woodstock North High School, making all the necessary preparations for the school's opening in August 2008. He has served as the Principal at Woodstock North High School for the past eight years. Prior to joining District 200 McAdow served as a teacher, Dean of Students and Assistant Principal at Leyden High School District 212 in Northlake, Illinois from 1997-2007. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Social Sciences, and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership, both from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mr. McAdow and his family reside in Woodstock
In fulfilling the role of Associate Superintendent, McAdow will provide direct support to Superintendent Moan as well as supervision to the Human Resources, Transportation and Food Service Departments. In addition, he will work directly with parents and families who have specific issues that require attention from a district-level administrator.
Upon accepting the position of Associate Superintendent, McAdow stated, "I am very excited for this opportunity and for the ability to be a part of the District 200 administrative team. I firmly believe that we will continue to improve and expand upon the high quality education that we provide to all students and I am I honored to be a part of this process."
Congratulations to Mr. McAdow on his appointment to this new role.
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Congratulations, Illinois State Scholars!
Twenty-six Woodstock High School seniors and 22 Woodstock North High School seniors have been recognized as Illinois State Scholars for 2016. The honor is awarded annually by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (IASC) which is the state's central provider of college aid. Only the top ten percent of seniors from the nearly 800 high schools in Illinois qualified for this distinction which is based on a combination of SAT or ACT Exam scores, academic performance, and class rank at the end of the junior year.
"It is always an honor to announce another extraordinary group of State Scholars," said Eric Zarnikow, ISAC executive director. "At a time when postsecondary education could not be more important to future job and career success, these students have demonstrated the kind of effort and dedication that will help them advance not only their futures, but the future of the state as well. We wish each of them the best as they pursue their chosen educational path."
While the recognition does not provide a monetary award, being named a State Scholar is an impressive honor that can be listed on applications for college admission and scholarships. Each recipient received a certificate from the IASC, and the Scholars were honored by the Board of Education at its January 26th meeting.
Congratulations to this year's Illinois State Scholars for their outstanding academic accomplishment.
WHS Illinois State Scholars
Front row, L to R: Alyssa Brewer, Karen Mendez-Avila, Aesha Soni
Middle row, L to R: Tess Devinger, Amanda Gelasi, Leighanne Pala, Brecken Overly, Amy Zhang, Megan Hansen, Katie Ferguson, Lizzy Kruse, Marissa Krueger
Back row, L to R: Fernando Orozco Cruz, Brian Peiffer, Greg Rowan, Austin Zalke, Jordan Loacker, Patrick McGrath, Lee Evans, Tim Larson, Spencer Stumpff, Maclain Thornton, Brian Chang, Michael Brookstein
Not pictured: Annah Ellingson, Natalia Olivas
WNHS Illinois State Scholars Front row, L to R: Gloria Padilla, Yekaterina Taylor, Bella Biwer, Anna Gabrielson, Avery Keesee, Gwendolyn Paulsen, Katarzyna Mucha, Tania Guarneros, Madison Patenaude Back row, L to R: Danielle Chamberlain, Madeleine Emmons, Kelly Eames, Megan Frasik, Ariel Granat, Jared Zientz, Austin Elliott, Connor Freeman, Mark Richards, Ian Andersen, John Stevens, Zachary Thornton Not pictured: Timothy Kempster
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Staff Spotlight on Kristen Sauber
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The 1:1 technology initiative in District 200 is in full swing  and that means a large uptick in the number of devices and the implementation of the ReadyGEN literacy curriculum at Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center, and Mary Endres and Olson Elementary Schools. At Mary Endres and Olson, Literacy & Technology Coach Kristen Sauber has been working with teachers to support them as they learn how to teach in a digital environment.
This is Mrs. Sauber's second year in the position, but her first  year working with only Mary Endres and Olson staff members. Previously, she worked with teachers in the 1:1 technology pilot from kindergarten through high school, demonstrating her flexibility and effectiveness. In her role as a Literacy & Technology Coach, Mrs. Sauber works to increase the capacity of the teachers to implement the ReadyGEN curriculum with fidelity, while helping the students to demonstrate their learning in new ways using the available technology. Kristen co-teaches lessons, facilitates whole group professional development, and works with grade levels to ensure that our teachers have everything that they need to be successful in our digital environment. Her strong instructional background and her well-developed interpersonal skills have made her an integral part of our district and we are lucky to have her on our team. |
New Program Helps Students Achieve
Reading Success |
In previous editions of e-Focus we have presented a preview of technology initiatives, followed by a more in-depth exploration of the Canvas learning management system, and the ReadyGEN literacy program for students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. This month we will feature the Read 180 program.
This year at Creekside and Northwood Middle Schools a new intervention program, Read 180, is being piloted to help students who are reading below grade level. This research-based program was designed and developed 15 years ago and has impacted over 1.6 million students nationwide. This year D200 has 125 middle school students involved in the program in grades 6 through 8.
The Read 180 (R180) program is provided to students who are not identified with special educational needs but who are reading
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improve their reading skills. |
more than one year below grade level. Students participate in the R180 program during one of their two literacy periods and during study hall. The 90 minute R180 block consists of whole group instruction, small group instruction with the teacher, independent reading time, and a digital-based individualized instructional learning system that is designed to improve student literacy by targeting their areas of need.
The first half of the school year has focused on teacher training
and getting the program up and running. Teachers have had the opportunity to work with a specialized R180 coach who observes their implementation of the program and provides feedback for areas of strength and improvement. The building principals have also participated in trainings to help them analyze the program's data in order to improve the program and determine when a student should be dismissed or move on to other more intensive reading interventions.
At the end of the year we will analyze the progress of the R180 students and compare it with those students who were not in the R180 program to determine how to move forward with the program in the future. Some of the early results we have received after this first semester of implementation indicate that about 10% of the enrolled students are potentially ready for dismissal from the program. We anticipate that by the end of the year that number will grow.
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| 2015 PARCC Assessment Results Released |
Last Spring students in grades 3 through 8 and high school participated in the first Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Assessments. Tests were given in the areas of Reading and Math to students in grades 3-8; high school students in the Algebra II class took the high school Math test; and students in the Junior English class took the high school English test. Tests to all students were given in two parts. The first part took place before Spring Break in March and the second part took place in late April and early May. The final results of the 2015 tests were not released until right before Winter Break. During parent conferences in February, parents will receive copies of their child's 2015 PARCC test results.
The test results will look different than other results parents may have received in the past. Unlike previous tests that informed a parent if their child had met a set of skills at the current grade level, these tests are designed to show how prepared the student is for the next grade level. Previous tests were scored on 4 levels (Exceeds, Meets, Below Expectations and Academic Warning). The PARCC assessments are scored on a 5-point scale as shown below.
PARCC Assessment Overall Performance Levels
5 - Exceeded Expectations - Your child demonstrates that he/she has skills over and above those expected for the next grade level.
4 - Met Expectations - Your child demonstrates that he/she has skills ready for the expectations of the next grade level.
3 - Approaching Expectations - Your child demonstrates that he/she has met many of the skills expected in the next grade level and may need additional assistance in some areas.
2 - Partially Met Expectations - Your child demonstrates that he/she has met expectations for a few skills in the next grade level and may need additional time and intervention to meet many of the expectations in the other skill areas.
1 - Did not Meet Expectations - Your child demonstrates that he/she has met very few skills necessary for the next grade. He/she will probably need additional time and significant intervention to meet all of the skill areas of the next grade level.
In addition to an overall performance level score, each test is broken down into subtests that have scores represented by arrows.
↑ (Up arrow) - In this area your child did as well as or better than students who met expectations.
↔ (Left/Right arrow) - In this area your child did almost as well as students who met expectations.
↓ (Down Arrow) - In this area your child did not do as well as students who met expectations.
Parents may find that their child's score is lower than what they may have received in previous state testing. This is due in part to the increased rigor and expectations of the test as well as the manner in which the assessment is scored. In D200 we realize it is important to use a variety of sources to determine how well a child is performing in school and these tests represent one way in which we can assess a child's performance. These results have formed a new testing baseline for us as we work to improve learning for all students.
Please do not hesitate to ask your child's principal or teacher questions about the PARCC assessment. Since we are still learning all of the features of these new assessments, we may not have the exact answer right away. However, we will be able to discuss how we can partner with you to get the achievement results you desire for your child.
One final note: This year's PARCC assessment will be given in one part from April 18 until May 13. Students in grades 3-8 will take Reading and Math tests. Each test comes with 3 subtests. Students at the high school level enrolled in Algebra I will take a high school math test, and students in the Freshman English class will take the high school English test. These tests also come in three parts. More information on the 2016 PARCC assessments will be coming in a future edition of e-Focus.
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| Challenge Corps Students Excel in Robotics Competition |
During the 2015-16 FIRST LEGO League season, teams explored the world of trash - from collection, to sorting, to smart production and reuse. Although the audience mostly sees teams playing the Robot Game at tournaments, teams are also judged on Core Values, Projects and Robot Design. Students researched and provided solutions to questions about "techno-trash," plastic grocery bags and how to accelerate biodegradation of garbage bags.
District 200 was again well-represented at competitions
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The Wild West Waste Reducers at State competition
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throughout the year. Two Challenge Corps teams, the Wild West Waste Reducers from Northwood Middle School, and the Time Traveling Trash Trekkers from Creekside Middle School, did well enough at the Regional Tournament to advance to the State-level Northern Championship Tournament held on January 16 at Elgin Community College. In addition, a second Northwood team, the Bag Beast Brigade, earned the top Research Project Award at the Regional Tournament.
At the State competition, the Wild West Waste Reducers scored 517 points, and tied for 9th place. The Time Traveling Trash Trekkers earned 475 points, earning a 16th place finish.
Congratulations to these talented students!
Wild West Waste Reducers (Northwood):
Julian Anguiano, Erin Bigler, Emma Bremer, Luke Freeman, Samantha Keyzer, Makenzie Klesch, Daniel McCoy, Eleazar Miranda and Mackenzie Rogers
Time Traveling Trash Trekkers (Creekside):
Donovan Burns, Evan Fiorina, Max Hodory, Liam Spear, Adam Thomas, Tyler Waterson and Alex Wickersheim
Bag Beast Brigade (Northwood):
Jacob Brucker, Jessie Cicero, Mikayla Deehring, Melanie Dycus, Keegan Given, Andy Johnson, Olivia Pigliacelli and Jared Ritter
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D200 Students and Teacher Honored at Annual Conference
Each year, the Illinois Music Education Conference includes speakers, performances, clinic sessions and a variety of activities for music students and teachers. It also includes a number of honors for talented musicians in our state, and this year, those honored included two WHS students and a long-time D200 educator.
Woodstock High School junior Ryan Baier earned one of the
highest honors that a high school music student can achieve in this state. Ryan was selected to the All-State Choir, on the voice part Bass 2. This achievement places him in the top one-half percent of all choral music students in the state of Illinois.
Woodstock High School senior Katy Holub
was selected to attend the Illinois Music Educators All-State Future Music Educators Seminar. Katie attended the three-day seminar designed for students who aspire to be future music teachers.
In addition to the student achievements recognized, WHS teacher and Choral Director Paul Rausch was
awarded the Mary Hoffman Award of Excellence by the Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA). The award, named in honor of music educator Mary E. Hoffman, recognizes teaching excellence in music educators who have taught for at least 10 years at any level.
The 2016 ILMEA Music Education Conference took place in Peoria from January 27-30.
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