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Professional Singer & '99 Grad to Perform at 25th Anniversary Event

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Professional opera singer and 1999 Waubonsie Valley High School graduate, Tamara Wilson will join the line-up for the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation's 25th Anniversary Celebration on March 21, 2014, at Wentz Concert Hall in downtown Naperville.

Wilson has performed in 14 countries on 5 continents in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Australia Opera House. Upcoming engagements include tours in France and Spain.

The evening will feature a variety of performances, including selections by all three of our nationally acclaimed high school music programs and talented alumni. Come hear success stories, both past and present, that celebrate District 204 and the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation.

Find out more about this special evening at 25th Anniversary Celebration.

A limited number of tickets are still available through the Wentz Hall box office. Proceeds from the evening benefit the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation.


Enroll in District 204's Preschool Program

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Indian Prairie School District 204's preschool is now accepting applications for the 2014-15 school year.

Prairie Children Preschool offers early childhood education for children ages three and four who reside in District 204. The preschool is located at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. The program is staffed by highly qualified teachers who are certified by the State of Illinois.

Classes are offered for 2.5 hours, 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday. Tuition is $245 a month.

For more information or to schedule a parent tour, call 630-375-3030 or visit www.preschool.ipsd.org.

Districts Approve Agreement for STEM Partnership School

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The John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School at Aurora University is several steps closer to reality, with all three partner school district boards formally approving the agreement for the initiative. West Aurora School District 129 and East Aurora School District 131 approved the agreement Monday night, and Indian Prairie School District 204 approved last week.

"This is the moment we have anticipated for several years," said Aurora University President Rebecca L. Sherrick. "I speak in behalf of the Aurora University community and our many corporate, nonprofit and civic partners in thanking the East and West Aurora and Indian Prairie school districts for endorsing this powerful new model. We look forward to opening the John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School in August of 2014."

The John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School on the Aurora University campus will serve students in third through eighth grades in the West Aurora, East Aurora and Indian Prairie school districts. It will be staffed through a unique professional development strategy that will engage teachers from the partner districts as faculty while they complete AU graduate coursework in STEM fields and become leaders in mathematics and science education.

"We are excited to enter into this partnership through Aurora University and look forward to offering this opportunity to our students," said Kathy Birkett, Indian Prairie School District 204 Superintendent.

Construction of the 30,000 square foot facility began last autumn, and the building will open this August. The curriculum for students has been developed through a unique collaboration between area educators and local corporations, covering the STEM fields as well as art, music and more. The structure itself will serve as a teaching tool, with a green roof, solar panels, a wind turbine, and other elements that will result in LEED Gold certification.

The $12 million construction cost is being funded by donations from corporations and foundations, the state of Illinois and Aurora University. Instructional expenses will be covered by district per-capita budgets, and AU will fund ongoing operational costs.

Fifty students from each school district will have the opportunity to attend the school at no additional cost. Aurora University will arrange a series of parent meetings where more information will be shared regarding application and admission procedures. University officials anticipate those meetings will occur in early spring.

More information on the John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School is available at:

stem.aurora.edu

STEM School FAQ

Robots in Action at 25th Anniversary Event

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Attendees at the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation's 25th Anniversary Celebration at 8 pm on March 21 at Wentz Concert Hall will have the chance to see several of Neuqua Valley High School's WiredCats VEX Robotics teams in action. In January, the Foundation provided funds to help sponsor a robotics tournament with 26 teams from around the state.

Proceeds from this special evening will help support programming, including STEM related initiatives like VEX Robotics.

The evening will also feature a variety of performances, including selections by all three of our nationally acclaimed high school music programs and talented alumni. Come hear success stories, both past and present, that celebrate District 204 and the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation.

Find out more about this special evening at 25th Anniversary Celebration.

A limited number of tickets are still available through the Wentz Hall box office. Proceeds from the evening benefit the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation.

STEM School Parent Information Nights

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Parents from each participating district who are interested in enrolling their child in the John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School are invited to attend a Parent Information Meeting on any of the three dates listed below.

West Aurora School District 129
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
6:30–7:30 p.m.
West Aurora High School Cafeteria
1201 W. New York Street, Aurora

Indian Prairie School District 204
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
7:00–8:00 p.m.
Crouse Education Center Board Room
780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora

East Aurora School District 131
Thursday, April 3, 2014
6:00–7:00 p.m.
East Aurora High School Auditorium
500 Tomcat Lane, Aurora

The John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School on the Aurora University campus will serve students in third through eighth grades in the East Aurora, Indian Prairie and West Aurora school districts.

The presenter will be Allison Sherman, Director of John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School. Before being appointed to lead the STEM Partnership School, Ms. Sherman previously served as District 204's Director of Core Curriculum.

Information addressed includes:

Concept of the John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School
Curriculum and courses of study
Student application and selection process

A question and answer session will follow the presentation, which will be conducted in English and Spanish.

For more information, visit stem.aurora.edu.

Illinois 5Essentials Survey for Parents

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Teachers, parents, and middle and high school students across Illinois have the opportunity to participate in the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey was designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child's school from the perspective of teachers, parents, and students.

As a parent, your voice is essential to help us understand the conditions at your child's school and guide improvement. The Illinois 5Essentials Survey is administered online by the University of Chicago, on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education. The state will provide survey results for individual schools only if a school has at least 30 percent of parents take the survey. If you have children attending more than one school, we ask that you complete the survey for each school. All survey responses will be kept confidential.

To take the parent survey:

1. Visit Parent Survey.

2. Type DuPage as "County."

3. Type your school's name into the "School" field and select your school.

The Illinois 5Essentials Survey identifies five indicators that can lead to important student outcomes, including test score gains. Research has shown that schools strong on these indicators are ten times more likely to improve student learning.

The five indicators that effect school success are:

Effective leaders
Collaborative teachers
Involved families
Supportive environments
Ambitious instruction

Illinois 5Essentials Survey FAQ

Online Courses for High School Students

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Educators from Naperville District 203, Indian Prairie District 204 and Wheaton Warrenville 200 joined forces to create Extended Learning Opportunities (eLo). This program is designed to engage students and ensure their success by providing meaningful and high-quality online learning opportunities. The three school districts are jointly offering the following online courses for the 2014-15 school year: Government, Consumer Economics, English, Geometry, Health, Chinese, US History, and Web Design. Courses will be taught by current teachers from Districts 200, 203, and 204.

Students who are interested in taking an online course next year should talk with their counselors now.

More information is available below.

March Volunteer of the Month

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BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month

While some parents might choose just one school organization in which to be involved, Luis Rivera volunteers his time with both the Athletic Booster Club and the Choir Parents Association at Waubonsie Valley High School. For his dedication in supporting students and teachers, he is being recognized as the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month.

Ever since his son, Andres, was in elementary school, Rivera has helped coach his sports teams, including football, baseball and soccer, and has volunteered at Gombert Elementary and Still Middle Schools. When his son began attending Waubonsie Valley High School four years ago, both became much more involved in sports and music. Rivera was vice president of the Booster Club and served as president of the Choir Parents Association.

Andres was on the Warriors football team and he was one of only six freshmen who auditioned for and became part of Sound Check, one of the top-rated show choirs in the country. Rivera has been there to see it all at every sporting event and performance, both in the audience and working behind the scenes as a volunteer.

“I feel volunteering at their schools is an important part of helping them grow up and also to be part of their lives,” Rivera said.

Although Andres is graduating from Waubonsie Valley this year, Rivera’s volunteering won’t end. His daughter, Bianca, will be a freshman at the high school this fall.

“There is so much that the kids can do and so much that the parents can help out with,” Rivera said. “It takes the whole community to support our kids and there is a strong group of parents at the high school who provide that support, but we can always use more help.”

BMO Harris Bank is helping District 204 recognize one volunteer each month who has generously given his or her time to support District 204’s students and schools. To celebrate these outstanding volunteers, BMO Harris Bank is donating $1,000 to the volunteer's school. To nominate an outstanding volunteer, visit http://ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/Volunteer.


Luis Rivera was named District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month for March because of his extensive involvement with Waubonsie Valley’s music and athletic programs over the years.


Photo (l to r) Waubonsie Valley Principal Jason Stipp, District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month recipient Luis Rivera, Nicki McIntyre – BMO Harris Bank-Branch Manager 95th Street, and Chris Michalski – BMO Harris Bank Market President-Naperville.

Assistant Superintendents Appointed

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At Monday night's meeting, the District 204 Board of Education appointed Doug Eccarius as Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources, and Dr. Louis Lee Jr. as Assistant Superintendent, Teaching and Learning. Eccarius will be replacing Karen Sullivan, who was named District 204's superintendent, and Dr. Lee is replacing Linda Rakestraw, who is retiring. Both have held positions previously in District 204.

Superintendent Kathy Birkett said, 'We are pleased to welcome two experienced administrators to the district who will continue our tradition of excellence and student-centered learning."

Eccarius is currently the assistant superintendent of human resources for Community Consolidated School District 181 in Burr Ridge. At District 181, he also served as principal of The Lane Elementary School in Hinsdale; director of the district's summer school program; and assistant principal and athletic director at Clarendon Hills Middle School. He began his career in education in 1997 as a seventh-grade math and geography teacher at District 204's Gregory Middle School. He has a bachelor's degree in education from Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal, a master's degree in education, leadership and administration from North Central College, and he is pursuing a doctor of education in administration from Aurora University.

Currently, Dr. Lee is principal of Oswego East High School in Oswego School District 308. He previously served as assistant principal of District 204's Granger Middle School; associate principal of Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort; and was a science teacher at Cooke Magnet School in Waukegan. During his tenure at Lincoln-Way East, he taught chemistry and also served as a football coach, dean, assistant principal for attendance and assistant principal for student services. In his new role, Dr. Lee will oversee District 204's three high schools. He received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois, a master of arts in education with a concentration in school administration and a doctorate in educational leadership, both from Lewis University. He is also an adjunct professor at Lewis University, where he teachers graduate level courses in education.

STEM School Application Materials

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Parents who are interested in enrolling their child in the John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School should submit the application materials below. The John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School on the Aurora University campus will serve students in third through eighth grades in the East Aurora, Indian Prairie and West Aurora school districts.

If you could not attend a Parent Information Meeting, the March 26 meeting will be available on March 27 at www.204tv.org.

More information on the STEM Partnership School is available at:

STEM School FAQ

stem.aurora.edu

Board Appoints Administrators

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The Board of Education approved the appointment of Brad Hillman as Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. He will oversee the district's seven middle schools beginning July 1.

Hillman has 15 years of experience at the middle school level, starting with his first teaching position at Lincoln Junior High School in Naperville School District 203. While working at Lincoln, he received District 203's Teacher of the Year Award. His first administrative position was in Plainfield School District 202, where he served as dean of students at Ira Jones Middle School. He later worked for three years as an assistant principal of District 204's Scullen Middle School before being named principal of Bryan Middle School in Elmhurst District 205. His leadership at Bryan Middle School helped secure National Blue Ribbon School recognition from the U.S. Department of Education. Since 2011, he has served as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in Elmhurst.

Hillman has extensive experience in all areas of middle school operations, with emphasis in student assessment, school improvement planning, staff development, and special education.

Hillman earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from North Central College and his Master of Education degree from University of Illinois. He is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Northern Illinois University.

The board also approved the appointment of Montrine Johnson as assistant principal of Neuqua Valley High School and Joe Sweeney as assistant principal of Crone Middle School.

Revised Last Day of School

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Four weather emergency days were used this school year (January 6, 7, 27 and 28, 2014).

Therefore, the official last school day for Indian Prairie School District 204 students for the 2013-14 school year will be Friday, June 6, 2014, and the last day for staff will be Monday, June 9, 2014.

Parent Meeting for New Online Courses

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Parents of high school students are invited to attend an informational meeting at 7 pm on Wednesday, April 23 at the Crouse Education Center (780 Shoreline Dr., Aurora) to learn more about new online courses offered for high school students next year. Parents will learn about the benefits of online learning, the courses available, and how to register your child for an online course next year.

This new program is a partnership with courses designed and taught by teachers from District 204, Naperville District 203, and Wheaton-Warrenville District 200. As a leader in technology and innovation, District 204 continues to provide the best learning opportunities for our students so they are college and career ready.

For more information, visit Online Courses or contact Stacey Gonzales, Director of Instructional Technology, at stacey_gonzales@ipsd.org.

April Volunteer of the Month

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BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month

For two mornings every week, Jerry Hein is a drill sergeant at Longwood Elementary School. In this role, he isn’t making kids do push ups, but he does help students flex their academic muscles by learning vocabulary words and math facts. For his dedication in supporting students and teachers, he is being recognized as the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month.

After retiring from BP Amoco, Hein was a tutor with an early intervention program for kindergarten students for seven years. After that position was phased out, he began volunteering at Longwood where his stepdaughter is a teacher. He works with students two days a week drilling them on sight words or basic math facts.

“Part of my goal is to make sure that the students are going to be successful,” he said. “If someone doesn’t help them, they will fall behind.”

When Hein arrives at the classroom, the students are eager to learn their vocabulary words or to work on their math skills. After working with the students, he keeps a detailed record of each student’s progress and increases expectations as students master their skills.

Growing up on a farm near Crown Point, Ind., Hein was one of 10 children. He credits his family with developing his ability to work with various groups of children.

“I am using people skills and seeing what works for each child,” he said. “Volunteering at Longwood is rewarding to see the students grow, but it also helps me feel that I’m doing something worthwhile.”

BMO Harris Bank is helping District 204 recognize one volunteer each month who has generously given his or her time to support District 204’s students and schools. To celebrate these outstanding volunteers, BMO Harris Bank is donating $1,000 to the volunteer's school. To nominate an outstanding volunteer, visit http://ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/Volunteer.


Jerry Hein was selected as the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month for his involvement as a math and reading tutor Longwood Elementary.


Photo (l to r): Nicki McIntyre, BMO Harris Bank – Branch Manager – 95th Street, with Jerry Hein, District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month, and Longwood Elementary Principal Laura Devine-Johnston

Special Ed Meeting for Home-Schooled Students

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On May 8, 2014 at 1:00 p.m., a meeting conducted by Indian Prairie School District 204 will take place at the Crouse Education Center, Room C-11. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the district's plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities who attend private schools and home schools within the district for the 2014-15 school year. If you are a parent of a home-schooled student who has been, or may be identified with a disability, and you reside within the boundaries of Indian Prairie School District 204, you are uged to attend. If you have further questions pertaining to this meeting, please contact Pam Shaw at (630) 375-3000.




April 2014 Facilities Assessment

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Administrators presented a facilities assessment report to the Board of Education at its April 21, 2014 meeting. The report included data from a study conducted by EMG Corporation on the district's 35 buildings, which have a total of more than 4 million square feet. The purpose of the study was to determine maintenance needed at each building over the next 20 years.
 
The Board of Education is expected to schedule a workshop next to determine a priority list of projects throughout the district for administrators.
 
For slides and video from the presentation, please visit Facilities Assessment

STEM School Student Enrollment

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District 204 has received 478 applications for the 50 total seats available in grades three through eight at the John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School on the campus of Aurora University. A lottery will be held at 5 pm on Tuesday, April 29 at the Crouse Education Center to select students for the 2014-15 school year. An automated electronic process will be used to randomly select students per grade level. Parents do not need to be present.

A letter will be mailed to parents who have applied to notify them that their child has been accepted or has been placed on a wait list. Parents will receive notification by May 5. Due to confidentiality, notification will be via mail only and not be given by phone.

More information on the STEM Partnership School is available at:

STEM School FAQ

stem.aurora.edu

District 204 High Schools Ranked Nationally

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District 204 is home to three of the most challenging high schools in the country according to the latest ranking of top schools by the Washington Post. Since 1998, the newspaper has released its annual ranking based on a formula that includes the number of college-level tests given at a school in the previous year divided by the number of graduates that year. This year's list includes 2,116 schools across the nation, including Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley.

To view the complete list and see the schools in our area, visit America's Most Challenging High Schools.

National Merit Scholarship Corp. Winners Named

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National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the District 204 seniors who received awards as part of this year's program.

Five District 204 seniors were selected National Merit Scholars and each will receive $2,500. These students were selected from more than 15,000 outstanding finalists. Selection was made by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who reviewed academic records, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official. National Merit Scholars from Metea Valley are Hye Eun Kim, Indorica Sutradhar and Austin Yu. Neuqua Valley National Merit Scholars are James He and Alyssa Liu.

Four District 204 students were named National Achievement Scholarship winners. The National Achievement Scholarship Program is an academic competition established to provide recognition for outstanding Black high school students. Winners are selected from more than 1,600 outstanding finalists based on consistently high academic performance. Each winner receives a $2,500 scholarship. Neuqua Valley winners include Roland Dewgard, Sydney Gathe, and Avery Stephenson. Waubonsie Valley's winner is Anthony Itambo.

Four students were also named Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship winners. Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of the scholarship sponsor. Corporate Scholarship winners include Brooke Eber from Metea Valley, and Saumya Jain, Kathryn Speckels, and Avery Stephenson from Neuqua Valley.

IPEF Excellence in Education Honorees

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The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation (IPEF) announced the honorees for this year's Excellence in Education program. Each year, the IPEF recognizes students from each of the high schools' academic departments based on their academic performance, a minimum score of 25 on the ACT, and leadership qualities. As part of the recognition, each student is asked to name a teacher who served as a source of inspiration for his or her academic success.

Metea Valley students, followed by their influential educators, are: Art – Emily May (Kathryn Parenti) and Daniel Thomas (Karen Popovich); Business – Benjamin Reynolds (Brian Giovanini), Janaki Patel (Lacy Bugielski) and Michael Lawson (Ryan Rayburn); English – Brooke Eber (Adam Page), Kellee Clay (Kristen Kalivas) and Zachary Kolar (Barbara Thomas); Math – Vignesh Sarathy (Patrick Feulner), Emily Yoshikawa (Natalie Johnson) and Keith Kennedy (John Riddle); Music – Rose Thompson (Ryan Doherty), Victoria Turnbull (Glen Schneider) and Natalie Broschka (Nathan Bramsted); Physical Education, Health and Drivers Ed – Gianna Salerno (Ashley Hartke), Joel Delabre (Casey Solgos) and Samuel Hanson (Alyssa Battaglia); Science – Enkhzaya Amgaabaatar (Michelle Corlew), Mit Shah (Natalie Johnson) and Pranathi Gummadi (Margaret Stokes); Social Studies – Sabrina Im (Donald Pankuch), Tamara Zapata (Dave Luedtke) and Matthew Coley (Christopher Rohde); Media, FACS and TEE – Emily Dixon (Patrick Feulner), Conrad Long (Brent Bloem), Tess McAnally (Cindy Bell) and Rachel Sutphen (Corrine Higgins); World Languages and Early Language Learners – Steven Wei (Elizabeth Hagen), Gabriella Trevino (Heather Weisenburger) and Madison Moser (Ryan Doherty).

Neuqua Valley students, followed by their influential educators, are: Art – Angela Xu (Steven Jones) and Reilly Kincaid (Steven Jones); Business – Allison Kostopoulos (Todd Mertz), Michael Riesner (Matt Fehrmann) and Zach Dupre (John Hanson); English – Joseph Fabrigaras (John Desmond), Emilee Noh (Laura Dabezic) and Kathryn Sepeckels (William Savage, Jr.); Math – James He (Ardis Geighes), Nihar Sheth (William Yanisch) and Kevin Shah (Vanessa Liveris); Music – Katelyn Casey (David Johnston), Joyce Chung (Ann Heath) and Aaron Gatdula (Kelly Dimidik); Physical Education, Health and Drivers Ed – Morgan Smith (Jessie Lavin), Kayln Hugdahl (Laura McCarthy) and Nina Poloni (Shelby Thormeyer); Science – Katherine Guo (Jacqueline Burns), Jacob Hernandez (Michael Kennedy) and Anastassia Sorokina (Jacqueline Burns); Social Studies – Pallavi Sarup (Kelli Tufo), Saumya Jain (Kelli Tufo) and Anders Nelson (Tom Lakiotis); Media, FACS and TEE – Justin Killacky (Joanne Wagoner), Madison Goossens (Leslie Baumann), Jaclyn Kowalski (Corey Duzan) and Haley Champion (John Gelsomino); World Languages and English Language Learners – Avani Pai (Gregory Schwaegler), Shailja Sheth (Katie Ilic) and Kate Johnson (Emily Binde).

Waubonsie Valley students, followed by their influential educators, are: Art – Caroline Rubach (Phil Galow) and Madelyne Williams (Phil Galow); Business – Saaya Nath (Kim Haake), Madison Mullinax (Angie Hysjulien) and Casey Bucz (Brian Acevedo); English – Catalina Bode (Jen Kastner), Courtney Toth (Kim Haake) and Caitlyn Seed (Kelly Rose); Math – Demario Webb (Catherine McClure), Madeline Hunt (Jerrine Roderique) and Katie Benson (Cort Graske); Music – Cara Koepele (James Donahue), James O’Neill (Joshua Chodoroff) and Emily Palmeri (Mark Myers); Physical Education, Health and Drivers Ed – Alyssa Post (Dave Gowing), Matthew Carney (Matthew Ristow) and Erica Yu (Courtney Nowaczyk); Science – Gloria Griffin (James Donahue), Matthew Liu (Kelly Rose) and Darius Ansari (John Burck); Social Studies – Kayla Arroyave (Chris Wolak), Katyayni Gupta (Chris Wolak) and Anna Leger (Nate Gehrt); Media, FACS and TEE – Lauren Tarapchak (Mary Schobert), Kelly Connolly (Lynn Baranak), Jack Timberlake (Steve Skorup) and Tyler Klimcak (Brian Wience); World Languages and English Language Learners – Kushal Herur (Kelly Rose), Alyson Brinkman (Kim Haake) and Milap Madhu (Terry Wister).

The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation was founded in 1988 to complement and enhance the educational opportunities provided to students attending schools in District 204. With the help of private donations received from District businesses, civic organizations, parents and staff members, the Foundation supports the development of program enrichments and services not normally financed with tax dollars. A vital part of the Indian Prairie community, the IPEF provides "educational extras" that make the difference between a very good school system and an excellent one. For more information, visit IPEF.
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