IPSD 204 News Feed

Google Science Fair Finalist

Neuqua Valley High School freshman Trisha Prabhu was named one of 15 global finalists for the 2014 Google Science Fair. She was nominated for her project, "Rethink: An Effective Way to Prevent Cyberbullying." Her research examines if adolescent students are less likely to post harmful messages on social media sites if they are first presented with an alert to rethink their decision. Trisha is heading to Google Headquarters later this month to present to a panel of judges. The Grand Prize winner will receive a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Expeditions and $50,000 in scholarship funding. The Grand Prize winner's school will also receive $10,000 toward classroom computing or science lab equipment.

In addition, Google's Voter's Choice Award will be decided by public vote. Voting takes place September 1 through Sept. 14 at googlesciencefair.com. The winner will be announced at Google's awards ceremony on September 22 in Mountain View, California. The Voter's Choice Award winner will receive a $10,000 project development grant from Google.

Senior Captures First Place in Essay Contest

Waubonsie Valley High School senior Calvin Chu captured First Place in the 11th and 12th grade division of an essay competition hosted by DuPage County NAACP Youth Works. Students were asked to describe what purpose-driven leadership means and provide details on how they plan to become a purpose-driven leader. Winners were announced at the recent Fourth Annual College Readiness and Scholarship Fair.

Board of Education Receives State Recognition

District 204's Board of Education is one of 18 school districts throughout the state to receive the Illinois Association of School Board's 2014 School Board Governance Recognition designation. This recognition is designed to acknowledge those school boards that have engaged in activities and modeled behaviors that lead to excellence in local school governance in support of quality public education. Boards are evaluated on various criteria, including how new board members are trained, having an agreed upon code of conduct, commitment to professional development, implementation of a formal superintendent's evaluation process, and connection with the community on issues of importance.

School Board President Lori Price said it is an honor to receive this distinction. "It represents the dedication and desire to develop as highly effective board members, which results in a higher achieving district. This recognition is a testimony to the board's commitment to not only excellence in governance, but excellence in our schools," Price said.

What is Senate Bill 16?

Last July, the Illinois Senate Education Funding Advisory Committee was tasked with recommending ways to improve public education funding in Illinois, which has remained unchanged since 1997. If enacted into law, SB16 will make sweeping changes in how the state funds education and those changes will have a negative impact on District 204.

The state's current system has multiple funding sources, each with separate rules and regulations. The committee recommended that 96 percent of state education dollars be combined under one funding formula, with the exception of funds for early childhood education, capital projects and special education. The recommendation of creating one funding formula is aimed at providing greater equity among districts throughout the state.

SB16 does not increase the level of education funding, but changes the way in which limited state funding is distributed to school districts. Generally, school districts with higher assessed property values will receive much less state funding. Other districts will receive much more in state funding. As written, SB16 provides a special cost benefit to Chicago Public Schools. Under SB16, the state will now assume teacher pension costs for Chicago Public Schools, which represents a substantial cost savings for the district.

SB16 also does not address the issue of the state not being able to meet its current obligations to fund education. For the past three years, the state has underfunded all school districts by 11 percent.

How will SB16 impact District 204?

The financial impact on our school district is significant. The district's budget will be reduced by $10.1 million over four years. This is a loss of 41 percent in state revenue. A $10.1 million revenue reduction would equal a loss of approximately 135 teachers. District 204 will have the third largest reduction in state funding among the 862 school districts in Illinois. The district is at the top of the list of DuPage County reductions.

If passed into law, District 204 would once again be placed in a position of reviewing programs and class sizes in order to stay within its budget. Over the past several years, a reduction in funding already forced the district to cut $40 million from its budget. Finding areas outside of the classroom to cut an additional $10.1 million would be difficult.

At $10,636, District 204 already has the lowest operating expenses per pupil for unit districts in DuPage County. The district also operates below the state average of $11,842. Simply put, there aren't many remaining areas outside of the classroom to cut.

What can you do?

SB16 has already passed the Senate. You can see how your Senator voted here.

It is expected that SB16 will be discussed and possibly voted on by the House this fall. This is where we need your help. We are asking parents to contact your Illinois Representative and ask them to vote no on SB16.

District 204 is served by the following Representatives:

State Representative Darlene Senger (sengerstaterep@gmail.com, 630-420-3008)

State Representative Stephanie Kifowit (stephanie.kifowit@att.net, 630-585-1308)

State Representative Mike Fortner (mike.fortner@sbcglobal.net, 630-293-9344)

State Representative Natalie Manley (repmanley@gmail.com, 815-725-2741)

State Representative Tom Cross, (815-254-0000)

Additional resources on SB16

Legislative Education Network of DuPage County's presentation to District 204's Board of Education on Sept. 8, 2014 is below. You can also watch the Video.

A list of DuPage County school districts and the financial impact of SB16 is below.

BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month

When her oldest son started kindergarten, Lori McSpadden went back to school, too, and volunteered in a variety of roles at Fry Elementary School. She was the head room parent, then chair of the Spring Fling committee, which is the school’s largest fundraiser. She served as the Fry PTA vice president and is currently the PTA president. She gives tirelessly of her time in school and in the community. For her dedication in supporting students and teachers, she is being recognized as the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month.

“Volunteering for me is a way of life, of being aware and compassionate about others and truly ‘being the change you want to see in the world,'" she said. “Knowing that I made a difference in the life of a child and seeing their smiles is the greatest reward I could ever receive.”

Last fall, Lori chaired the school fundraiser for Fry, which raised a record amount of money for the school. She is currently working on another fall fundraiser for the 2014-2015 school year and will co-chair the Spring Fling for the sixth year in a row. Additionally, she volunteers on a handful of other program committees at Fry.

When she’s not at school, she is the team mom for her sons’ football teams and helps raise money to create dream rooms for children with critical illnesses for Special Spaces Chicagoland.

A broadcasting major in college, she credits filming a documentary on the homeless during her senior year with being a call to action to serve others through volunteer work. After seeing the need in the community, she started a program called “Hearts Out to The Homeless,” which provided clothing, food, blankets and other necessities to the homeless. She has been giving back ever since.

“There are so many educational enrichment opportunities and social opportunities that the school can use to enhance the education of our kids if there are volunteers to implement them,” she said. “The more parent volunteers there are in a school, the more opportunities and experiences the children receive.”

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.

Lori McSpadden, two-term Fry Elementary PTA President, was selected as the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month for September.

Photo (l to r) Tony Fuerte, Senior Personal Business Banker, BMO Harris Bank – 95th Branch Office, District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month recipient Lori McSpadden, and Fry Elementary Principal Laurel Hillman.

Last July, the Illinois Senate Education Funding Advisory Committee was tasked with recommending ways to improve public education funding in Illinois. The result of the task force was the creation of Senate Bill 16 (SB16). If enacted into law, SB16 will make sweeping changes in how the state funds education.

The financial impact on our school district is significant. The district's budget will be reduced by $10.1 million over four years. This is a loss of 41 percent in state revenue. District 204 will have the third largest reduction in state funding among the 862 school districts in Illinois. The district is at the top of the list of DuPage County reductions.

District 204 invites community members to attend one of the following informational meetings to learn more about SB16 and the impact it will have on our district:

September 24, 2014, 7 pm
Crone Middle School
4020 111th Street, Naperville

September 25, 1 pm
Crouse Education Center
780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora
Spanish translation provided.

September 25, 2014, 7 pm
Granger Middle School
2721 Stonebridge Blvd, Aurora

September 29, 2014, 7 pm
Still Middle School
787 Meadowridge Drive, Aurora

September 30, 2014, 7 pm
Hill Middle School
1836 Brookdale Road, Naperville

October 1, 2014, 7 pm
Scullen Middle School
2815 Mistflower Lane, Naperville

October 2, 2014, 7 pm
Gregory Middle School
2621 Springdale Circle, Naperville

October 8, 2014, 7 pm
Fischer Middle School
1305 Long Grove Drive, Aurora

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced 31 students from District 204 were named Semifinalists in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Approximately 16,000 Semifinalists throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $34 million that will be offered next spring.

Approximately 1.4 million students in 22,000 high schools entered this year's National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors.

National Merit Semifinalists from Metea Valley High School include: Karthikeya Achar, Antonio Busot, Olivia Dorencz, Ashwin Kannan, Avik Laha, Lebohang Molefe, and Kevin Slater.

National Merit Semifinalists from Neuqua Valley High School include: Anand Abraham, Armghan Ahmad, Venkat Atluri, Robert Barr, Nicholas Buckley, Katherine Chung, Jessica Ding, Michelle Ding, Tiffany Jeung, Jacqueline Keshner, Shannon Kollasch, Stephen Leung, Cheryl Liu, Rachel McMullan, Henry Michalski, Elizabeth Moye, Yaseen Saleh, Manu Sankar, Sameet Sapra and Avni Singh.

National Merit Semifinalists from Waubonsie Valley High School include: Krishna Appalaneni, Calvin Chu, Julianna Dantzer, and Alison Schenone.

National Merit Semifinalists

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced 31 students from District 204 were named Semifinalists in the 60th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Approximately 16,000 Semifinalists throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships worth more than $34 million.

Approximately 1.4 million students in 22,000 high schools entered this year's National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors.

National Merit Semifinalists from Metea Valley High School include: Karthikeya Achar, Antonio Busot, Olivia Dorencz, Ashwin Kannan, Avik Laha, Lebohang Molefe, and Kevin Slater.

National Merit Semifinalists from Neuqua Valley High School include: Anand Abraham, Armghan Ahmad, Venkat Atluri, Robert Barr, Nicholas Buckley, Katherine Chung, Jessica Ding, Michelle Ding, Tiffany Jeung, Jacqueline Keshner, Shannon Kollasch, Stephen Leung, Cheryl Liu, Rachel McMullan, Henry Michalski, Elizabeth Moye, Yaseen Saleh, Manu Sankar, Sameet Sapra and Avni Singh.

National Merit Semifinalists from Waubonsie Valley High School include: Krishna Appalaneni, Calvin Chu, Julianna Dantzer, and Alison Schenone.

National Achievement Scholarship Semifinalists

More than 1,600 African-American high school seniors were named Semifinalists in the 51st Annual National Achievement Scholarship Program. These scholastically talented students now have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 Achievement Scholarship awards worth $2.5 million. More than 160,000 high school juniors from all parts of the United States requested consideration in this year's National Achievement Scholarship Program when they took the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Semifinalists are the highest-scoring program entrants in each region.

The following Neuqua Valley High School students were named National Achievement Scholarship Semifinalists: Evelyn Darden, Darby Hickson and Geraldine Serwald.

Economic Educator of the Year

Econ Illinois named White Eagle Elementary teacher Kerry DiFusco as Outstanding Economic Educator of the Year. DiFusco was selected for her leadership in the field of economic education and for her efforts in cultivating a learning experience where students are encouraged to be sound decision makers in economics. Under her guidance, students annually participate in the Stock Market Game, InvestWrite competitions, and the Illinois Economic Concepts Poster Contest. This is the second time in three years that DiFusco has been recognized by Econ Illinois. In 2012, she was one of 10 Illinois teachers to receive a Stars in the Classroom Award.

Do you know an outstanding District 204 staff member who is making a difference for our students?

The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation (IPEF) has a long history of celebrating District 204 educators. More than 800 educators have received the IPEF's annual Influential Educator Award.

IPEF is teaming up with District 204 to introduce the new A+ Award. This monthly award recognizes District 204 staff members who go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of our students.

Anyone can nominate a District 204 staff member for the A+ Award. Nominations must include an essay (up to 500 words) describing how this staff member has positively impacted students. We strongly encourage student nominations. Parents, alumni, and community members are also encouraged to submit a nomination.

Nominations are due by the 10th of each month.

All nominations submitted will be kept for consideration until the end of the current school year.

Individuals are limited to submitting one nomination per year.

Nominees must be currently employed by District 204.

To nominate a District 204 staff member, visit A+ Award.

Pasta Party & Pep Rally features marathon runner’s incredible story

Don Kern is a Guinness World Record holder, who ran seven marathons on seven continents in 25 days, 18 hours and 10 minutes. The community is invited to hear his compelling and inspirational story during a Pasta Party & Pep Rally from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7 at Waubonsie Valley High School, 2590 Ogden Ave., Aurora. Tickets are $22 and will help support the Team IPEF Naperville Marathon & Half Marathon runners who are raising money for the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation (IPEF). A pasta buffet, sign making station and donation are included in the ticket cost. Order tickets online at Pasta Party & Pep Rally.

Kern's running adventures have included completing 247 marathons or longer races with his best streak being 109 consecutive calendar months running at least one marathon from March 2003 to March 2012. His words will offer motivation for all, especially runners participating in the 2nd Annual Naperville Marathon & Half Marathon on Nov. 9. Kern didn't start running until he was 37. His total lifetime mileage through April 30, 2014, was 24,570 miles. His goal is to surpass 24,902 miles, the span around the earth. His amazing story is told in his book, "...And the Adventure Continues." Copies will be available for purchase at the event.

Team IPEF has 31 charity runners participating in the Naperville Marathon. Each has selected a school and pledged to raise at least $250. Half goes to their designated school and half to the IPEF to support district-wide programs.

2014 Team IPEF Members
Brookdale: Mary Howicz and Roy Kozlowski
Builta: Jodi Wojcik
Clow: Janice Nolte
Crone: Stacy Bella
Georgetown: Yoni Espinoza and Lily Mertes
Granger: Mary Kelly
Gregory: Vivian Makropoulos
Indian Plains: Tulin Akin
Longwood: Terry Sullivan
May Watts: Bryan Jaffe
McCarty: Kate Sidio
Metea Valley: Kristen Flanders
Neuqua Valley: Billy Ghighi and Mike Rossi
Prairie Children Preschool: Kristine Black
Springbrook: Jackie Kohorn
Steck: Nancy Fister and Randy Sidio
STEPS: Kate Bruno and Patty Smith
Waubonsie Valley: Taylor Drefunski and Jason Stipp
Welch: Terri Nauman and Joan Buerstetta
Young: Jon and Dawn Malartsik
IPEF: Jim Dickerson and Kevin Owen

To order tickets to this event, visit Pasta Party & Pep Rally. For more information about the IPEF, visit www.IPEF204.org.

Procedures for the coming April 7, 2015, Consolidated Election (including Board of Education seats) have changed significantly. For example, instead of picking up and filing nomination petition forms at their local school district office, candidates must do so with the DuPage County Election Commission.

The first day that candidates could lawfully circulate nominating petitions for signatures was September 23, 2014. The period for filing nominating papers runs from December 15 to December 22, 2014. District 204 will have three seats up for election in 2015. Candidates are elected to serve a four-year term.

For more information, contact the DuPage County Election Commission, 630-407-5600.

BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month

Jennifer Straub is the daughter of two educators and she knows firsthand the difference that good teachers can make in a child’s life. When her oldest child started kindergarten, she began volunteering at May Watts Elementary School. For the past eight years, she has served on several committees and also in leadership positions on the PTA board. For her dedication in supporting students and teachers, she is being recognized as the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month.

Jennifer has been involved in many projects at May Watts. She developed a program called “Tea Chats,” which she hosted in her home, to facilitate open and honest conversations between parents and staff members in order to bridge families of different cultures. For her efforts, she was recognized in 2013 with the District 204 Parent Diversity Advisory Council Equity Champion Award.

In addition, Jennifer served as the vice president and president of the May Watts PTA, the DJ for the Back-to-School ice cream social, Fun Fair coordinator, a room parent, a Library Media Center volunteer and a volunteer for math, field trips, parties, PE and book presses. Currently, she is the welcome committee chair and the fifth grade farewell co-chair. She also volunteers as PTSA president at Hill Middle School, where her son is in seventh grade.

“I think it is important to have constant and informative communication among the teachers, staff and parents,” she said. “Our teachers and staff give so much of themselves, who wouldn’t want to give back to them? And teachers can’t do it alone. Just like the old saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ it takes a community to educate our children.”

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://www.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/Volunteer.

Jen Straub, two-term May Watts Elementary PTA president, is the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month for October.

Photo (l to r) Nicki McIntyre, Branch Manager, BMO Harris Bank – 95th Branch Office, District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month recipient Jennifer Straub, and May Watts Elementary Principal Brian Lecrone.

Every day more than 17,000 students pass through the hallways of the five high schools within District 204 and District 203. Recently, NCTV17 invited media students from Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley, Naperville Central, and Naperville North to each create a video news story showcasing something happening within their schools.

These five stories come together in a new show called "Hallway Happenings" which will premiere on Tuesday, October 21 at 9:30 PM on Channel 17 in Naperville (Comcast & WOW!) and Channel 99 (AT&T Uverse). Viewers who live outside Naperville can also watch the show at the same time via live stream at NCTV17.com.

The show will continue to air on the Channel 17 for two weeks and is also available on-demand at www.nctv17.com/schoolprogramming.

District 204 appreciates NCTV17 for sharing these school stories; all of which were produced by the next generation of multi-media journalists. Go inside your local high schools by tuning in to "Hallway Happenings."

Dear District 204 Community,

The way the state assesses student performance has changed over the past two years. And that change continues this year, as the state has moved away from the Illinois Standard Achievement Test (ISAT) and is introducing the Partnership of Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). Students will take the PARCC for the first time this spring.

At the October 20 Board of Education meeting, we reviewed student performance from last spring's state mandated tests. District 204 students continue to perform well above state averages, even with changes to the testing material. In 2013, the ISAT included material to address 20 percent of Common Core State Standards. In 2014, the content shifted to 100 percent focus on the Common Core State Standards.

In looking at our results, District 204 students score 18 to 27 percent higher than state averages in reading and math. In science, the range was 11 to 28 percent higher than state averages.

Globally, we saw minimal change from last year, even though the material covered on the test changed to focus on Common Core. Our teachers deserve credit for all the work they have done over the past several years to align our curriculum with the new more rigorous Common Core Standards.

We continue to have a district goal of narrowing the achievement gap experienced by state identified student groups. We saw growth in several groups, especially in the area of math for Black, Hispanic, and Limited English Proficiency students.

The district's 2014 ACT composite score of 24.1 remains significantly higher than the state average of 20.7 and the national average of 21.

I invite you to review the achievement presentation materials from the board meeting. You can find the presentation slides and video online. The state will have individual school report cards for 2013-14 available online after October 31, 2014.

Karen Sullivan
Superintendent

District 204 needs judges for the 2015 District Science Fairs. Judges do not have to work in a scientific field, but it is helpful if judges understand how a Science Fair works. Having a degree in science isn't as necessary as having an understanding of kids.

Judges are needed for the following dates and locations:

Neuqua Valley High School
Saturday, January 24, 2015, 8 to 11:30 a.m.
For NVHS, Scullen, Crone, and Gregory

Metea Valley High School
Saturday, January 31, 2015, 8 to 11:30 a.m.
For MVHS, WVHS, Granger, Hill, Still, and Fischer

If you are interested in volunteering, complete the form on the district's website at Science Fair Judges

Confirmation and more specific details will follow. Please share this information with others who may be interested in judging.

This event is made possible through funding from the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation.

Dear District 204 Community,

When we first shared with you the potential impact of Senate Bill 16, many of you said that you wanted more information. Thank you to the hundreds of community members who attended the eight informational meetings we held over the past few weeks. For those of you who were unable to attend, please see the resources section below for more information.

Since our last update, Senate Bill 16 continues to be discussed in school districts throughout the area. Additionally, the president and CEO of the Naperville Chamber of Commerce took a stand against SB16, saying that "SB16 in its current form, is a property tax increase for our residents and businesses." SB16 will be the topic of discussion at the Chamber's meeting in November.

Our Board of Education also passed a resolution in support of education funding reform at its October 14, 2014 meeting. In doing so, the board recognizes the need for education funding reform; however, it opposes SB16 as it is currently written. You can read the resolution at the link below.

Thank you to all our parents who contacted their representatives asking them to vote NO on SB16 as it is currently written. If you haven't contacted your representative, you can find contact information and suggested points to discuss under "What can you do?" at SB16 Information.

The bill is expected to be discussed in the House this fall and we will continue to monitor its progress and bring you updates as appropriate. I'll also be sharing information with parents during my ongoing school visits arranged through our PTA/PTSAs for my Listening Tour.

Sincerely,
Karen Sullivan
Superintendent

SB16 Resources

SB16 Summary Handout
SB16 PowerPoint slides
SB16 Video presentation
Legislative Breakfast video
www.edgeillinois.com
District update from Sept. 9, 2014

The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation is hosting an online auction now through November 7, as part of its Team IPEF fundraising efforts.

You can bid on items, including private skyboxes for the 2015 High School Graduation ceremonies for all three high schools, golf packages, artwork, dining, and more.

Visit Team IPEF Auction to see items and place your bid.

Team IPEF has 31 runners who are participating in the 2nd Annual Naperville Marathon & Half Marathon on Sunday, November 9. Team IPEF members are helping to raise funds for their selected schools and the IPEF. Half of all funds raised go to support district-wide IPEF funded projects like teacher grants, science fairs and the Fine Arts Festival. The other half goes directly to the school of their choice. Collectively, team members have raised more than $18,000. The top three fundraisers' schools will receive additional funding.

Current leaders are:
1. Vivian Makropoulos, Gregory Middle School, $1802
2. Jackie Kohorn, Spring Brook Elementary School, $1560
3. Jason Stipp, Waubonsie Valley High School, $1480
4. Patty Smith, STEPS, $1310
5. Nancy Fister, Steck Elementary School, $1285

Visit Team IPEF Auction to see items and place your bid.

You can also track runner fundraising updates on Twitter and Facebook.

Team IPEF Runners and Schools
Stacy Bella, Crone Middle School
Kate Bruno, STEPS
Joann Buerstetta, Welch Elementary School
Jim Dickerson, Cowlishaw Elementary School
Taylor Drefcinski, Waubonsie Valley High School
Yoni Espinoza, Georgetown Elementary School
Nancy Fister, Steck Elementary School
Kristen Flanders, Metea Valley High School
Billy Ghighi, Neuqua Valley High School
Mary Howicz, Brookdale Elementary School
Bryan Jaffe, May Watts Elementary School
Mary Kelly, Granger Middle School
Jackie Kohorn, Spring Brook Elementary School
Roy Kozlowski, Brookdale Elementary School
Vivian Makropoulos, Gregory Middle School
Dawn Malartsik, Young Elementary School
Jon Malartsik, Young Elementary School
Lily Mertes, Georgetown Elementary School
Terri Nauman, Welch Elementary School
Janice Nolte, Clow Elementary School
Kevin Owen, Young Elementary School
Mike Rossi, Neuqua Valley High School
Kate Sidio, McCarty Elementary School
Randy Sidio, Steck Elementary School
Patty Smith, STEPS
Jason Stipp, Waubonsie Valley High School
Teresa Sullivan, Still Middle School
Terry Sullivan, Longwood Elementary School
Jodi Wojcik, Builta Elementary School

Advanced Placement Scholar

Neuqua Valley High School senior Anand Abraham was named a 2014 Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar. Anand was one of three students in Illinois to earn the distinction this year, completing 20 college-level courses and scoring above average on those advanced placement exams. He received the highest score possible on 17 of the 20 exams.

Students Achieve Perfect ACT Scores

Since last April, four District 204 students have received a perfect ACT score of 36. The students are Neuqua Valley High School juniors Natasha Gupta and Sarvasva Raghuvanshi, and Waubonsie Valley High School seniors Calvin Chu and Dominique Estes. Less than 1 percent of students taking the ACT nationwide achieve a perfect score.

2014 Teen Driver Safety Award

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White presented the 2014 Teen Driver Safety Award to Neuqua Valley High School. The Secretary of State’s Office selects only one high school each year for this prestigious award. Secretary White applauded the school’s use of technology to empower teens and parents and make its driver education classrooms virtually paperless.

Middle School Art Educator of the Year

The Illinois Art Education Association has named Donna Davis of Still Middle School the 2014 Illinois Middle School Art Educator of the Year. This annual award recognizes the exemplary contributions, service, and achievements of an outstanding art educator. Davis was selected on the basis of her commitment to visual art education as well as her wider contributions in the Northeastern Illinois region. She is a National Board Certified art educator in her 26th year of teaching. This is her fifth year at the middle-school level.

And the A+ Award goes to...

The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation and District 204 are pleased to announce Skaiste Zinkevicius, a 6th grade math teacher at Hill Middle School, is the first A+ Award recipient.

Zinkevicius received a surprise visit from the A+ Award team to recognize her for "Making a Difference" in District 204. You can watch her be surprised in her classroom at A+ Award.

Zinkevicius was nominated by parent Sue LaBarbera, who described "Mrs. Z" as someone who helped her son achieve his personal best. "It is easy to see Mrs. Z cares about the personal development of her students and their character. Her encouragement has been highly impactful to help my son build confidence, build strong friendships with positive people, and understand the importance and impact he can have in helping others and his community. Mrs. Z's overall compassion, enthusiasm, kindness and whatever-it-takes-attitude has been contagious to both the kids she teaches, and those she interacts with at Hill Middle School," LaBarbera said.

A District 204 staff member since 2007, Zinkevicius said her favorite part of being a teacher is working with her students. "I can't wait for every Monday to arrive. It's all about the kids."

Wells Fargo is helping IPEF and District 204 recognize one staff member each month who is making a difference for students. To celebrate these outstanding staff members, Wells Fargo is donating $500 for the staff member to use in his or her school. To nominate a staff member who is making a difference, visit A+ Award.

Naperville Marathon organizers announced that the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation (IPEF) was the Participating Charity Fundraising Champion for raising more than $31,000 in this year's race. A total of 26 charities participated in this year's Naperville Marathon partner program, and combined, raised nearly a quarter million dollars for local and national non-profit organizations. Just over 500 of the 6,000 marathon participants dedicated their race to a cause.

Thirty-one runners signed up to be part of Team IPEF and raise money for District 204 schools and the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation. Schools selected will receive half the funds each runner raised. The remaining money will go toward IPEF programming that supports district-wide initiatives like teacher grants, Young Hearts for Life cardiac screenings, and the Annual Science Fair.

A special thank you goes to the incredible efforts of the following individuals who participated in the inaugural Team IPEF:

Team IPEF Runner (School Supported)
Mary Howicz (Brookdale Elementary)
Roy Kowlowski (Brookdale Elementary)
Jodi Wojcik (Builta Elementary)
Jim Dickerson (Cowlishaw Elementary)
Janice Nolte (Clow Elementary)
Stacy Bella (Crone Middle School)
Yoni Espinoza (Georgetown Elementary)
Lily Mertes (Georgetown Elementary)
Mary Kelly (Granger Middle School)
Vivian Makropoulos (Gregory Middle School)
Tulin Akin (Indian Plains High School)
Terry Sullivan (Longwood Elementary)
Bryan Jaffe (May Watts Elementary)
Kate Sidio (McCarty Elementary)
Kristen Flanders (Metea Valley High School)
Billy Ghighi (Neuqua Valley High School)
Mike Rossi (Neuqua Valley High School)
Kristine Black (Prairie Children Preschool)
Jackie Kohorn (Spring Brook Elementary)
Nancy Fister (Steck Elementary)
Randy Sidio (Steck Elementary)
Kate Bruno (STEPS)
Patty Smith (STEPS)
Teresa Sullivan (Still Middle School)
Taylor Drefcinski (Waubonsie Valley High School)
Jason Stipp (Waubonsie Valley High School)
Terri Nauman (Welch Elementary)
Joann Buerstetta (Welch Elementary)
Dawn Malartsik (Young Elementary)
Jon Malartsik (Young Elementary)
Kevin Owen (Young Elementary)

Team IPEF would like to thank all who supported runners through donations, the online auction, attendance at the Pasta Party & Pep Rally, volunteering at the Spring Brook aid station, and most importantly, cheering for runners as they went 13.1 and 26.2 miles on Sunday.

For information on how you can support your school as a Team IPEF member next year, contact IPEF Executive Director Susan Rasmus at susan_rasmus@ipsd.org.

The Board of Education of Indian Prairie School District 204 has scheduled a public hearing for Monday, December 8, 2014 at 7:05 pm at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora, IL. Any person desiring to appear at the public hearing and present testimony may contact Jay Strang at 630-375-3070.

The Illinois School Code authorizes Boards of Education to levy a tax on the real property within the district to support its public schools. The Illinois property tax cap permits the Board to increase its tax extension by an amount limited to the Consumer Price Index plus any new property growth that may have occurred during the past year. The tentative levy is set at an amount to capture the taxes from this new growth.

The total levy request for 2014 is $247,672,045, an increase of 3% over the 2013 extension, or the actual amount the district received. Since the CPI applicable to the 2014 levy is one point two percent (1.2%), it is anticipated that the district will actually receive an estimated 2.3% overall increase, primarily from new growth.

Senate Bill 16 (SB16), the legislation that is proposed to change the school funding formula, is scheduled for a House Committee hearing on Tuesday, November 18, at 3 p.m. in the Capitol. You can review how this bill, as written, would negatively impact our district at SB16 Information

In addition to providing an opportunity for interested persons to testify either in favor of or against a proposed bill in person, the General Assembly also provides an opportunity for testimony to be submitted by people who are unable to attend a hearing.

If you are interested in making sure your opinion is part of the official record for SB16, here are the steps for submitting written testimony:

1. Go to www.ilga.gov
2. Scroll down the page and click on "GA Dashboard" (red text under Reports & Inquiry)
3. Click on "Register" on the left side and fill in your information (registration is recommended, but not required)
4. Click on "House," "Committee Hearings," and then on the "Month" tab
5. Click on the piece of paper icon to the right of the listed hearing "11/18/14, Appropriations- Elementary & Secondary Education Committee"
6. Click on "Create Witness Slip"
7. Fill out the form
8. In the Position section, click "Opponent" if you oppose SB16
9. Under "Testimony" you can have your written comments supplied to all committee members. This is optional. If you prefer, you can fax your written statement to 217-557-2165 or mail it to Illinois State House, Room 426, 401 S. Second Street, Springfield, IL 62706. Make sure that your written testimony is clearly marked at the top of the page: SB16 Testimony, and your name.
10. Fill in verification code
11. Click the box to accept the terms
12. Click "Submit"

If registered, you can go back and adjust your witness slip. If you do not register, you may not change your witness slip once it is submitted.

If you have additional questions about the process, please visit the FAQ.

Points of Pride

Senate Bill 16's Impact on District 204

September Volunteer of the Month

SB16 Informational Meetings

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists Named

Points of Pride

New A+ Award Recognizes Outstanding District 204 Staff

Event Features Guinness World Record Holder

School Board Election Information

October Volunteer of the Month

Media Students' Work Showcased on Hallway Happenings

Superintendent's Message on Student Achievement

Science Fair Judges Needed

Superintendent's Update on SB16

Team IPEF Auction Open Now through Nov. 7

Points of Pride

A+ Award Recipient Announced

Team IPEF Named Charity Champion

Public Hearing on 2014 Levy

Senate Bill 16: Let Your Voice Be Heard in Springfield