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Weather-Related Cancelations Feb. 5

February 5, 2019, 4:00 pm
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Due to the ice storm expected in our area, school events running past 6 pm this evening have been rescheduled or canceled. Schools are communicating directly with families.

Before-school activities at the high schools have been canceled for Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

The YMCA’s Safe ‘n Sound program will still operate after school today and is expected to operate tomorrow.

We will monitor the weather throughout the night and if needed announce any decision regarding school tomorrow morning by 6 am.
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Portrait of a Graduate

December 12, 2018, 10:59 am
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This fall, the district asked a diverse group of stakeholders to come together to identify the community's aspirations for all students and create the district's Portrait of a Graduate. The stakeholders included parents, teachers, students, business leaders, representatives from higher education, and area non-profits. Through a series of meetings, this group affirmed the value of rigorous academics, but also discussed the idea that today's educational experience must be intentional about fostering the skills young people need to thrive in a complex, rapidly changing world.

The group identified six core competencies needed to succeed, no matter what path a student takes after graduation. The competencies include creativity and innovation, communication, critical thinking and problem solving, citizenship, flexibility and adaptability, and resilience. Once the core competencies were identified, a survey was done to gather feedback from the larger community. Ninety-one percent of survey respondents agreed with the core competencies.

Superintendent Karen Sullivan said the Portrait of a Graduate provides a guide for the district. "We know these are the things our community wants us to focus on as we prepare our students for the future. We need to make sure our work aligns with the competencies."

Watch the video below or visit the webpage to learn more about the district's Portrait of a Graduate.

Portrait of a Graduate Video

Portrait of a Graduate Logo
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Board Message on Aurora’s Route 59 Plan

February 14, 2019, 2:47 pm
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Dear District 204 Community,

The Aurora Planning Commission met February 13, 2019 to discuss revisions to the City of Aurora’s Comprehensive Plan for the Route 59 Corridor. The city had previously asked for feedback and the district encouraged residents to attend the city’s December 6 open house where the plan was available for review.

The district still has concerns about this plan and its proposed changes in zoning and land use along Route 59 which have the potential to significantly impact our school district. Specifically, we are concerned about increased student enrollment that could necessitate changing school boundaries and create the need for additional classroom space on the north end of the district. We also have concerns about the financial implications to the district as the city considers potential economic incentives that may be offered to future developers. Although this is a plan from the city of Aurora, these changes have the potential to impact our entire district.

On behalf of the Board of Education, I had the opportunity to address the Planning Commission during the public comment portion of last night’s meeting. You can read the remarks at the link below.

District officials will continue to monitor the plan as new developments are brought forth, and we will update our community when relevant information becomes available.

On behalf of the Board of Education,

Michael Raczak
President
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A+ Award Recipient at the Crouse Education Center

February 20, 2019, 3:34 pm
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The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation and District 204 honored Jeannie Dina, Indian Prairie’s Registration and Residency Administrative Assistant, with the A+ Award.

You can watch the A+ Award team’s surprise visit to recognize Jeannie for “Making a Difference” at A+ Award video.

Jeannie received three nominations from District 204 families. As part of her job, Jeannie connects families facing challenges, including homelessness, with community support. One of the nominators, parent Katrina Washington, described Jeannie as compassionate and supportive. “I can honestly say that she has a special gift to help others and to love them back to the fullness of life,” Washington said.

Jeannie has worked in District 204 since 2003, and has been in her current role since 2014. Assistant Superintendent Laura Johnston shared that Jeannie “touches the hearts of so many as they are struggling.”

Her coworkers echoed the sentiment and said Jeannie has a special gift for always thinking of others and supporting families in need. Upon receiving the award, Jeannie humbly said, “I want to bring kindness. I want to give them some peace that they can move forward.”

Wells Fargo Advisors is partnering with IPEF and District 204 to help recognize one staff member each month for making a difference for students. To celebrate these outstanding staff members, Wells Fargo Advisors is donating $500 for the staff member to use in supporting programs and students in the district.

You can nominate a staff member at A+ Award.
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National Merit Finalists Announced

February 21, 2019, 11:32 am
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The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced 45 students from District 204 have advanced to Finalist standing in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. These students were selected for their exceptional academic promise and are continuing in the competition for National Merit Scholarships awarded this spring.

National Merit Finalists from Metea Valley High School are: Ankitha Damisetty, David James, Olivia Jaudes, Kathleen Pankow, Svanik Tandon, Andrew Wang, and Kevin Yu.

National Merit Finalists from Neuqua Valley High School are: Achutha Balaji, Shalakha Bonthu, Akshay Dugar, Sean Fu, Christopher Guo, Rekha Iyer, Leah Kunneth, Rishelle Manda, Claire Mikulcik, Nilesh Mukherji, Aaditya Nandakumar, Sumana Nukala, Tejas Ogale, Indraneel Pai, Nate Passaro, Jennifer Pochyly, Bryan Qiu, Isha Sharm, Adam Song, Andrew Song, Christopher Song, Hari Sridhara, Jeffrey Tang, Philip Wang, Kevin Wu, Megan Wu and Eric Xu.

National Merit Finalists from Waubonsie Valley High School are: Connie Chen, Michael Chen, Pranav Jaikumar, Soomin Kim, Shruti Kolli, Samyag Madrecha, Charles T. Olson, Mihir K. Rao, Ryan S. Ruhde, Eshan A. Shah, Crista J. Thyvelikakath.

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Volunteer of the Month: February

February 21, 2019, 11:39 am
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Susan DeeWaard has been a volunteer in District 204 for several years, taking on numerous volunteer positions at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Because of her dedicated service, she is being named the BMO Harris Bank District 204 Volunteer of the Month.

Susan has three daughters who attend Gregory Middle School and Neuqua Valley High School. Her school volunteerism began several years ago at Builta when her daughters were in elementary school. More recently, her volunteer work involves a variety of activities, including the greeter desk coordinator at Gregory Middle School and the Marching Wildcats Uniform Committee Chair. This role entails maintaining over 150 uniforms so that they fit each student and are clean and ready to go for each performance.

One of her nominations states "Through her efforts at Gregory and Neuqua alike, Susan has gone above and beyond in helping students in District 204 whether on their way to their classrooms or heading out to the marching band field. It is clear that she recognizes the value of having community support for both academics and the arts."

Susan says that volunteering within our schools gives her the opportunity to model civic responsibility and service for our students. She enjoys building relationships with faculty and students while helping to ease some of the everyday workload of staff.

Volunteer of the Month Check Photo
(l to r) Steve Severson, Gregory Middle School Principal | Adrian Mendieta, BMO Harris Bank | Susan DeeWaard, Volunteer of the Month | Mario Osorio, BMO Harris Bank | Melissa Plaskota, teacher

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 Volunteer of the Month.
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Message from the Board

February 27, 2019, 1:52 pm
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Dear District 204 Community,

In our February 14, 2019 message to our community, we said we would continue to provide you with relevant updates regarding the City of Aurora’s Comprehensive Plan for the Route 59 Corridor. Last night, the Aurora City Council approved the first development in this plan, a senior housing development called Cedarwood, to be built on vacant land at 75th Street and Ogden Avenue. While the board supports the addition of senior housing to the mix of residential options in the community, we have repeatedly expressed concern to the city over the economic incentives offered to the developer. The agreement includes creating a tax increment finance (TIF) district for the development. Doing so precludes the district from receiving any property taxes for the next 23 years beyond the current very low taxes generated from the vacant land assessment.

The City’s Comprehensive Plan for the Route 59 Corridor includes the possibility of creating other TIF districts as incentives for developers. The next one likely to be discussed is a TIF on a residential property that will produce students for our district. If the City continues to create TIF districts, we will receive additional students from developments without adequate funding to support their education. This will have a negative impact on our entire district.

On behalf of the Board of Education, Board Secretary Cathy Piehl had the opportunity to address City Council to express our concerns during the public comment portion of last night’s meeting. You can read the remarks at the link below.

District officials will continue to have conversations with City officials and monitor the plan as new developments are brought forth. We will also continue to update our community when relevant information becomes available.

On behalf of the Board of Education,

Michael Raczak
President
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STEM Partnership School Student Selection Process

February 28, 2019, 11:29 am
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If you would like your child to be considered for enrollment in the John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School for the 2019-20 school year, please refer to the student selection procedures in the PDF below.

Si desea que su hijo sea considerado para la inscripción en la escuela para el año escolar 2019-20, consulte los procedimientos a continuación que se utilizarán para el proceso de selección de estudiantes.

2019-20 John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School Enrollment Info (PDF)
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Learn About School Board Candidates

March 13, 2019, 3:42 pm
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There are several online opportunities for community members to learn about school board candidates running in the April 2, 2019 election. Three seats on the seven-member board of education will be filled in the upcoming election. Those elected will serve four-year terms. The following candidates are on the ballot: Gautam Bhatia, Natasha Grover, Carole M. Jones, Justin J. Karubas, and Mark Rising.

Videos are available of the recent candidate forums at the links below. In addition, NCTV has individual interviews with candidates online.

Video of February 25 forum

Video of February 26 forum

Video of March 11 forum
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Team IPEF Registration is Now Open

March 14, 2019, 9:21 am
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The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation invites you to become a member of Team IPEF to help make a difference for your school. Participate in the Healthy Driven Naperville Half Marathon or 5K on Sunday, October 20, 2019 and be part of a community working together to provide opportunities for our students.

Visit Team IPEF for registration information.

Last day to register is April 15, 2019.
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A+ Award Recipient at Neuqua Valley

March 15, 2019, 11:36 am
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The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation and District 204 honored John Gelsomino, media teacher at Neuqua Valley High School, with the A+ Award.

You can watch the A+ Award team’s surprise visit to recognize Gelsomino for “Making a Difference” at A+ Award video.

Student Erin Kuehner nominated Gelsomino and credits him with helping her find her passion in media and filmmaking. She described him as collected, sympathetic, and generous. “Mr. G’s passion for teaching students is unmatched. There is a certain bond he creates with his media students. He is the perfect idealization of a teacher, to a point where he’s not someone I see for one period a day, but a mentor, and a friend,” Kuehner said.

Gelsomino shared that he thoroughly enjoys teaching. “Sometimes just being able to be there to listen and maybe give some advice is what I try to do,” Gelsomino said.

Wells Fargo Advisors is partnering with IPEF and District 204 to help recognize one staff member each month for making a difference for students. To celebrate these outstanding staff members, Wells Fargo Advisors is donating $500 for the staff member to use in his or her school.

You can nominate a staff member at A+ Award.
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New Principals Announced

March 18, 2019, 7:21 pm
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District 204 announced new leadership for several schools starting July 1, 2019. Neuqua Valley High School, Gregory Middle School, Scullen Middle School and Kendall Elementary School will all have new principals next school year.

Neuqua Valley High School Assistant Principal Dr. Lance Fuhrer was named the school’s next principal. Dr. Fuhrer has worked at Neuqua Valley since the school opened in 1997. He taught social studies and served as the English Department Chair before becoming assistant principal in 2006. Dr. Fuhrer earned his bachelor’s degree from University of Missouri, his master’s from Northern Illinois University and his doctorate from Aurora University. He is replacing Dr. Bob McBride, who is leaving for a position outside the district.

Scullen Middle School Principal Leslie Mitchell is moving to the principal post at Gregory Middle School. A graduate of District 204, Mitchell attended Gregory Middle School and Waubonsie Valley High School. She returned to the district to teach middle school and held assistant principal positions before serving as Scullen’s principal for the past two years. Mitchell holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Iowa and a master’s degree from DePaul University. She is replacing Steve Severson, who is retiring.

Scott Loughridge, assistant principal at Scullen Middle School, will fill the principal vacancy created by Mitchell’s move to Gregory. He has served as the school’s assistant principal since 2014. Prior to joining District 204, he was a teacher and a dean at middle schools in Bolingbrook and Romeoville. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio, and holds master’s degrees from Vandercook College of Music and Benedictine University.

Breah Jerger will be Kendall Elementary School’s new principal. Since 2016, Breah has served as the student services coordinator at Patterson Elementary School. Prior to working in District 204, Breah worked as an administrator and teacher in Yorkville and Plainfield school districts. She also taught in Highland Park, IL and Greenwood Village, CO. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Northwestern University and her master’s degree in educational leadership from University of St. Francis. She is replacing retiring principal Lena Guerrieri.
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Volunteer of the Month: March

March 21, 2019, 11:02 am
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Anu Desai has been volunteering in District 204 for the past ten years. Because of her commitment to fundraising at Still Middle School, she is being named the BMO Harris Bank District 204 Volunteer of the Month.

Anu has a son who is a freshman at Waubonsie Valley and a daughter in 7th grade at Still Middle School. Her school volunteerism began when her son started kindergarten. She has led multiple PTA committees such as Science Fair, STEM and PDAC. Anu also served as the PTA President at White Eagle Elementary School and Vice President and Fundraising Chair at Still Middle School.

Principal Kimmer Cornish says Anu is an outstanding volunteer at Still Middle School and a valued member of their PTA. "Anu realized that the membership donations alone were not covering the financial needs of the building. Anu planned a 'Write a Check' fundraiser in which parents and students do not have to go out to sell anything and they can make a tax deductible donation to the PTA which will directly fund the Still Gives program, teacher grants and other student activities," Cornish said. Through the combined efforts of Anu and the committee members, they raised nearly $12,000 and were able to donate $4,000 to the Still Gives program, which supports families in need.

Anu was very grateful to receive this honor. "I have tremendous respect for everyone who volunteers and I know they will agree that the work itself is very rewarding | to receive an award is the cherry on top," Anu said.

Volunteer of the Month Check Photo
l to r: Adrian Mendieta, BMO Harris Bank | Kimmer Cornish, Still Middle School Principal | Anu Desai, Volunteer of the Month | Mario Osorio, BMO Harris Bank

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 Volunteer of the Month.
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Remember to Vote on Tuesday, April 2, 2019

April 1, 2019, 10:52 am
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The district encourages residents to vote in all contests on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

School board candidate information:

There are several online opportunities for community members to learn about school board candidates running in the April 2, 2019 election. Three seats on the seven-member board of education will be filled in the upcoming election. Those elected will serve four-year terms. The following candidates are on the ballot: Gautam Bhatia, Natasha Grover, Carole M. Jones, Justin J. Karubas, and Mark Rising.

Videos are available of the recent candidate forums at the links below. In addition, NCTV has individual interviews with candidates online.

Video of February 25 forum
Video of February 26 forum
Video of March 11 forum

The information below will help you determine the location of your polling place:

For DuPage County residents:
DuPage County Election Commission or 630-407-5600

For Will County residents:
Will County Clerk’s Office or 815-740-4620



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Explore 204: Animal Rehab & Rescue

April 3, 2019, 3:21 pm
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“My favorite part is helping out the animals. I love it when we actually get to meet them.”— Astha Singh, student

Last year, high school students formed a club centered around their common love of animals. The Animal Rehab and Rescue Club brings together students to do volunteer projects in the community. Club members regularly visit shelters to volunteer and deliver homemade toys and treats for cats and dogs. They even collaborated with a local shelter to host an adoption event to help find forever homes for the animals.

Watch this month’s Explore 204 to learn more about Animal Rehab and Rescue.
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A+ Award Recipient at Brooks Elementary

April 5, 2019, 11:16 am
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The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation and District 204 recently honored Elaine Archey, a teaching assistant at Brooks Elementary School, with the A+ Award.

You can watch the A+ Award team’s surprise visit to recognize Archey for “Making a Difference” at A+ Award video.

Brooks Elementary parent Paula Meyers nominated Archey and described her as compassionate and kind. “Regardless of how good or bad the day is, she is always smiling with a positive attitude. She is my son’s favorite part of school and mine as well. We are so lucky to have met Elaine, and I can't even begin to imagine where my son would be without her help,” Meyers said.

Archey has been working in District 204 since 2008 and said that she enjoys working with students. “It’s so much fun to see their progress,” Archey said.

Wells Fargo Advisors is partnering with IPEF and District 204 to help recognize one staff member each month for making a difference for students. To celebrate these outstanding staff members, Wells Fargo Advisors is donating $500 for the staff member to use in his or her school.

Nominate a staff member by visiting A+ Award.
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Revised 2018-19 School Calendar - Last Day June 6

April 8, 2019, 7:21 pm
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At the April 8, 2019 Board of Education meeting, the board approved the amended 2018-19 school calendar to adjust the last day of school due to the emergency days used for the extreme weather this winter.

The new last day of school is now Thursday, June 6, 2019.

The link below has the approved revised school calendar.
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Superintendent's Message

April 9, 2019, 8:49 am
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Dear District 204 Community,

At last night’s board of education meeting, I informed the board members of my plan to retire when my contract ends in June 2020. At the end of my term, I will have spent 23 years working in Indian Prairie and I can proudly say it has been an honor and a privilege to lead this district for the past 5 years.

When the time comes, I will leave this district with an abundance of memories of the amazing things our students have achieved and the tremendous support shown from our parents and community. I will also be forever grateful for the outstanding work done by our staff each day to support our students.

As superintendent, I am proud of the work that we have accomplished together over the past 5 years. We continued to prepare our students for their futures through exploring the use of technology in learning, we focused on social emotional learning to build resiliency in our students, we advocated for fair and equitable school funding with leaders in Springfield, and our students set records in achievement. None of these things would be possible without your support.

I look forward to continuing the momentum with you through next year.

Sincerely,

Karen Sullivan
Superintendent
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Board Message on PE Legislation

April 9, 2019, 11:03 am
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Dear District 204 Community,

The Board of Education wants to make you aware of pending legislation that could negatively impact our district. Senate Bill 1189 (sponsored by Senator Linda Holmes) and House Bill 2234 (sponsored by Representative Sonya Harper) call for a change to school code that will increase the specific number of minutes of physical education instruction, making it the only subject that will have mandated minutes per week and a daily requirement.

Indian Prairie has a long history of excellence in physical education. Our physical education departments and teachers have won numerous awards and accolades from professional organizations and others. We understand the importance of teaching our students about physical activity and well-being. However, increasing the legal requirement for the amount of time physical education is taught will have a negative impact on other educational programs.

For Indian Prairie to be in full compliance with the bill as currently written at the elementary level, we would need to hire 21 additional full-time physical education teachers even though we currently offer PE three times a week, daily recess, and movement breaks within our classrooms. In at least nine of our elementary buildings we do not have the appropriate amount of gym space to fully implement this bill. At the middle school level we offer daily physical education, but we would be short on the weekly minutes. This would require us to change the middle school schedule and decrease time for academic subjects or eliminate one of the elective courses for our students (e.g., music, art, foreign language, technology, etc.). At the high school level, this bill would not allow our students to count health or driver’s education toward their physical education requirement. This means students would have access to one less elective course.

While well meaning, this bill has significant negative implications for the education of our students. We are currently planning to spend a portion of next year’s state funding to lower class sizes at our Title I buildings, provide additional support for reading in those buildings to improve academic achievement, and increase mental health providers across the district. If this bill becomes law, we will not be able to do these things. We will need to spend our funds on hiring physical education teachers.

There are ways to make your opinion known. One is to contact your representative and urge them to oppose Senate Bill 1189 and House Bill 2234.

Sincerely,

Michael Raczak
President
Board of Education

District 204 is served by the following (find your state Representative and Senator by your home address here):

State Representative District 41, Grant Wehrli (41districtdirector@gmail.com, 630-696-4160)
State Representative District 84, Stephanie Kifowit (stephanie.kifowit@att.net, 630-585-1308)
State Representative District 98, Natalie Manley (repmanley@gmail.com, 815-725-2741)
State Representative District 97, Mark Batinick (batinick@ilhousegop.org, 815-254-0000)
State Representative District 49, Karina Villa (staterepkarinavilla@gmail.com, 630-326-9319)
State Senator District 49, Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (bertinotarrant49@att.net, 815-254-4211)
State Senator District 21, Laura Ellman (laura.ellman@gmail.com, 630-453-5488)
State Senator District 42, Linda Holmes (lindaholmes42@gmail.com, 630-801-8985)
State Senator District 25, Jim Oberweis (senatoroberweis@gmail.com, 630-800-1992)
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District Partners with 1Million Project Foundation

April 9, 2019, 11:38 am
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The district announced a new partnership with the 1Million Project Foundation to provide qualifying high school students with free hotspots and free access to high-speed Internet for up to four years. Parents received an invitation to participate in the program in early April. Those who qualify will receive their hotspots in August.

With network support from Sprint, the 1Million Project Foundation’s mission is to help one million high school students who do not have reliable home Internet access achieve their full potential by giving them devices and free high-speed mobile Internet access. By providing free connectivity for up to 4 years they are helping eliminate the homework gap that can exist among low-income families.

Eligible students will receive a free hotspot along with:

—10GB of free high-speed wireless data each month

—Free, regularly-updated Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) compliant content filter with every device

District 204’s mission is to inspire all students to achieve their greatest potential. With help from this program, the district is making tremendous progress in ensuring equity of opportunity for all. Students who previously faced challenges in connectivity outside of school will be now be able to complete homework assignments, collaborate online with other students, communicate with teachers, study for the SAT and more.

Chief Technical Officer Adam Smeets said he hopes to have strong participation from families. “We want as many students as possible to take advantage of this opportunity. It's the first step in our Technology Plan in support of our families and students. With a focus on digital equity and the homework gap, families who previously faced challenges with connectivity outside of school no longer need to seek out options for Internet access for their child to complete school work,” Smeets said.
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