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Message from the Superintendent

June 3, 2013, 2:02 pm
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District 204 Community,

I want to take a moment before the last day of school to thank you for all your support this year. We saw some changes with the State's new ISAT scoring, implementation of Common Core, and expansion of our Bring Your Own Technology initiative. We also saw the launch of the Volunteer of the Month program, which acknowledged the hard work of selfless individuals who contributed greatly to our schools. Hearing their stories underscores what I always say -- District 204 is great because of strong parent and community support.

I also want to thank our community members who took the time to contact their state legislators to urge them to support the bill calling for a one-year moratorium on creating new virtual charter schools. The bill passed the senate and was signed by Governor Quinn. This one-year waiting period will allow clarification of rules related to funding and other areas for a "bricks and mortar" charter school vs. an online charter school.

We are very proud of the student successes we continue to build together. Enjoy the time you will soon have with your children.

Sincerely,
Kathy Birkett
Superintendent
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April Volunteer of the Month

April 24, 2013, 11:10 am
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As a child growing up in Greece, Tom Lakiotis’ parents taught him that it is better to give than to receive and instilled a love of volunteering in their son. For the past 15 years, Tom has volunteered his talents as a photographer, chef and chaperone for the music department at Gregory Middle School, where he is being recognized as the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month.

“I love doing things for others. The school is an extension of my family,” Tom said. “It’s an honor to be recognized.”

When his children were in the orchestra, Tom often volunteered to serve as a chaperone on field trips. Although his three children have all graduated, he continues to volunteer every year to take all the music department yearbook photographs. He attends the band, orchestra and chorus concerts to capture photographs of the students performing. The yearbook has a beautiful section each year devoted to the music department that features his photography.

Every few years, Gregory Middle School hosts a large music festival. Several years ago, Tom offered to cook for all the judges and all the teachers who attended the event. Today, he not only continues to cook for about 100 judges at Gregory, but he also provides meals for music festivals at Crone, Hill and Granger Middle Schools.

Tom has always encouraged parents to get involved in their children’s schools. “It allows you to keep a pulse on what’s happening with their education as well as their personal development,” he said.

As a lifelong learner who went back to school to become a certified teacher, Tom has been invited into the classroom to present on Ancient Greek and Roman Histories and first-person accounts on the geography and the peoples around the Mediterranean Sea. He was a substitute teacher at Gregory, and recently learned to drive a school bus and has a regular route in the district.

“I enjoy the camaraderie with students, teachers and parents. It’s very fulfilling,” he said. “I volunteer to give back to the community for all those who helped me.”

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.


Volunteer Tom Lakiotis has been invited into the classroom to present on Ancient Greek and Roman history.
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Network Maintenance Scheduled: 7/11 - 7/13

June 20, 2013, 9:39 am
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Due to scheduled maintenance, District 204's Technology Services staff will need to shut down some critical servers and network equipment that will affect the entire District.

This outage will begin at 5:00PM on Thursday afternoon (7/11) and is expected to return to operation late afternoon/early evening on Saturday (7/13). During this outage, the following services will not be available:

  • IPSD email
  • Voicemail
  • Student Information System
  • All District Web Sites
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April Volunteer of the Month

April 24, 2013, 11:10 am
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As a child growing up in Greece, Tom Lakiotis’ parents taught him that it is better to give than to receive and instilled a love of volunteering in their son. For the past 15 years, Tom has volunteered his talents as a photographer, chef and chaperone for the music department at Gregory Middle School, where he is being recognized as the District 204 BMO Harris Bank Volunteer of the Month.

“I love doing things for others. The school is an extension of my family,” Tom said. “It’s an honor to be recognized.”

When his children were in the orchestra, Tom often volunteered to serve as a chaperone on field trips. Although his three children have all graduated, he continues to volunteer every year to take all the music department yearbook photographs. He attends the band, orchestra and chorus concerts to capture photographs of the students performing. The yearbook has a beautiful section each year devoted to the music department that features his photography.

Every few years, Gregory Middle School hosts a large music festival. Several years ago, Tom offered to cook for all the judges and all the teachers who attended the event. Today, he not only continues to cook for about 100 judges at Gregory, but he also provides meals for music festivals at Crone, Hill and Granger Middle Schools.

Tom has always encouraged parents to get involved in their children’s schools. “It allows you to keep a pulse on what’s happening with their education as well as their personal development,” he said.

As a lifelong learner who went back to school to become a certified teacher, Tom has been invited into the classroom to present on Ancient Greek and Roman Histories and first-person accounts on the geography and the peoples around the Mediterranean Sea. He was a substitute teacher at Gregory, and recently learned to drive a school bus and has a regular route in the district.

“I enjoy the camaraderie with students, teachers and parents. It’s very fulfilling,” he said. “I volunteer to give back to the community for all those who helped me.”

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.


Volunteer Tom Lakiotis has been invited into the classroom to present on Ancient Greek and Roman history.
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Superintendent Announces Retirement

July 16, 2013, 6:26 am
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Dear District 204 Community,


At last night's board of education meeting, I informed the board members of my intention to retire when my contract expires at the end of the 2013-14 school year. After next June, I will have spent 35 years working in education, and I couldn't be more pleased that my entire career has been with District 204.


I've seen tremendous growth over the years. Our community has expanded, we have built new schools, and our student population has increased significantly. Through all the changes, there have always been a couple of things that remained the same. Our students have always been eager to learn, our staff has been passionate and dedicated, and our parents have been supportive. Those constants have provided tremendous rewards to me personally over the past three decades. Together, we have been and will continue to be committed to doing what is best for our students in every way.


As superintendent, I am particularly proud to have led this district at a time when we are seeing the highest academic achievement in the history of our district. I have also led our district through some difficult financial challenges in order to maintain a balanced budget. We have cut more than $40 million from our budget since 2009, all while striving to have minimal impact on the classroom. We also prioritized equipping our students with 21st Century Skills so they can best succeed after graduation. The U.S. Department of Education asked District 204 to join the League of Innovative Schools along with 17 other districts. Through this participation, we were the first district in our area to launch a Bring Your Own Technology program in the classroom.


I am also appreciative for the strong support our district receives from the community. As a board member for various organizations, I am often the "bridge" that connects our district with businesses and other civic groups. As superintendent, it has given me great joy to share our district's success stories throughout our community, and there are so many stories to tell.


I look forward to building on our successes this coming year and continuing to share our stories with all who will listen.


Sincerely,

Kathy Birkett

Superintendent


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Brooks 2013-14 School Supply Lists

July 18, 2013, 11:09 am
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U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools

April 24, 2013, 12:37 pm
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U.S. News & World Report collected data on more than 21,000 public high schools to create its list of the 2013 Best High Schools. The report features profiles of the 4,805 highest-scoring schools in the nation. Schools were ranked within each state, as well as on a national stage, so families can see how their public high school stacked up against rivals within the community and across the country. U.S. News ranked Neuqua Valley High School 563 in the nation and 23 in Illinois. Waubonsie Valley High School was ranked 1,127 in the nation and 46 in Illinois. Metea Valley was not ranked, as twelfth-grade data was not available at the time of the study. Schools were awarded gold, silver, or bronze medals based on state proficiency standards, how well they prepare students for college, and other factors. Both Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley received silver medals.


The methodology to produce the rankings included reviewing test scores, state assessments and college-level coursework, such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs. Information about the methodology used by U.S. News & World Report is available online. 


You can see the list of the top high schools in the state at Best Illinois High Schools.


A complete list of all U.S. high schools ranked in the report is online at 2013 Best High Schools.


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Kindergarten Preview Day on August 14

July 23, 2013, 9:24 am
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All students registering to attend Kindergarten in District 204 this fall are invited to attend the Annual Kindergarten Preview Day for Transportation and Food Service on August 14 at Still Middle School from 9 am to Noon OR 1 pm to 3 pm.

This is an opportunity to get information on student bus transportation, safe walk routes to school, and the school lunch program. Representatives from food service and transportation will be available to answer questions.

Kindergartners who will ride the bus are encouraged to come to have their picture taken and receive their bus ID badge. For walkers, safety officials will be available to share information on safe walk routes.

The following informational stations will be available:

School Meal Program: Preview the elementary lunch line with your kindergartner, including menus and nutritional information. Your child can also visit with ACE, Aramark's mascot.

MyPaymentsPlus.com: Find out how to manage your kindergartner's meal account and pay fees on-line using MyPaymentPlus.com.

Student Transportation and Safe Walk Information: Find out how to view your kindergartner's bus route information online, receive bus rules, and bus safety information. Students can come see Buster the Bus and climb on board a real bus. Information about test riding the bus on "Mock Day" with your kindergartner will be available.

HR Imaging: Learn how your kindergartner will use his or her student ID in elementary school. School picture dates will be available.

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Board Message on Superintendent Search

July 23, 2013, 10:48 am
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Dear District 204 Community,


In response to Dr. Birkett's announcement to retire at the end of the 2013-14 school year, the Board of Education began the process of selecting a new superintendent. The first step is that we authorized sending a request for proposals to search firms that might assist in the process.


The proposed timeline for selecting a search firm is:

  • August 12: Request for proposals due

  • August 19: The Board will evaluate proposals received

  • September 9 and 10: The Board will meet with search firms

  • September 23: Search firm selected


We will continue to provide you with updates as the process moves forward and a search firm is selected.


Sincerely,


Lori Price
President
Board of Education
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Sign Up is Open for the Warriors on the Run 5K

July 26, 2013, 6:32 am
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Calling All Runners,

Join us for the first ever Warriors on the Run 5K on the Waubonsie Vally High School Property. The event takes place Sunday, Sept 22 at 9 am and will act as a kick-off to Homecoming Week. The cost is $25 for individual or $80 for a team of four, download registration form now at www.warriorsontherun.com

Go Warriors!
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Foundation Honors Top Students

April 24, 2013, 2:46 pm
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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' 11 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– Joyce Lin (Kathryn Parenti) and Samatha Steier (Kathryn Parenti); Business– John Meyer (Brian Veit), Cole Lettieri (Claudio Torres) and Michael Loffredo (Christopher Rohde); English– Zoe Krey (Leonard DePasquale), Sean Fisher (Kristin Grapenthien) and Alyssa Ensminger (Matt Grigas); Family and Consumer Science– Alyssa Luurtsema (Sally O’Rourke) and Lori Obendorf (Megan Trant); Math– Anna Petersen (Dave Luedtke), Nachiket Joshi (Christopher Rohde) and Alexandra Peltier (Megan Trant); Music– Jonathan Tatar (Nathan Bramstedt), Kelly Koronkowski (Lynne White) and Jieun Kang (Mark Liu); Physical Education– Matthew Karlins (Craig Tomczak), Lindsay Raczak (Leonard DePasquale) and Kathleen Adolf (Eric Anerino); Science– Daniel Zhuang (Jessica Thomas), Tony Wu (Jeff Schmela) and Shreyas Vissapragada (Scott Kupiec); Social Studies– Kelsey Pukelis (John Riddle), Jenna Nygren (Jessica Thomas) and Kimberly Rothenberger (Ryan Doherty); Media, Technology and Engineering– Maddie Collins (Patrick Feulner) and Matthew Marsh (Andrea Palmer); World Languages and English Language Learners– Roger Roglans (Anne O’Neil), Sarah Hamilton (Scott Gregory) and Alexander Pronger (Patrick Feulner).


Neuqua Valley students, followed by their influential educators, are: Art– Kathy Tae (Robert Driscoll) and Katherine Dannessa (Steven Jones); Business– Tyler Rund (Kevin Geers), Victoria Haumann (Joseph Moreau) and Jennifer Augustian (Julie Hanson); English– Sharanya Sathyaprakash (Laura Dabezic), Andrew Beebe (Michael Rossi) and Veronica Mickley (Gillian Schneider); Family and Consumer Science– Emily Oscarson (Maddalena Camilleri) and Erin Kelley (Nathan Bramstedt); Math– Christie Jeung (William Savage), Alex Liu (William Savage) and Hariharan Ravi (Casey Solgos); Music– Virginia Randall (Susan Smith), Alex Stumphauzer (William Jastrow) and Tara Safavi (Tanya Carey); Physical Education– Brian Stevenson (Bill Jastrow), Erica D’Ambrose (Julie Bannack) and Dennis Thurow (Bill Savage); Science– Kenneth Hoffmann (Bart Carbonneau), Jamie Harkey (Ann Back) and Venkata Surapaneni); Social Studies – Kevin Wei (Kelli Tufo), Chad Myles (Tammy Schutzenhofer) and Shannon Price (Lisa Ryder); Media, Technology and Engineering– Craig Halicki (Corey Duzan) and Suzanne Nuyen (John Gelsomino); World Languages and English Language Learners– Haley Nippert (David Brouwer), Meha Desai (Lisa Lehman) and Jeffrey Ohmer (Gail Derrow).


Waubonsie Valley students, followed by their influential educators, are: Art– Kayla Scott (Phil Galow) and Erika tePoele (Joshua Chodoroff); Business– Kyle Neese (Angie Hysjulien), Michael Nicholas IV (David Owles) and Allyssa O’Brien (Mike Dwyer); English– Alec Kestler (Ray Piccininni), Brian Franklin (Jonathan Pardys) and Nadia Fayoumi (Jen Kastner); Family and Consumer Science– Emily Navoy (Gayle Thanepohn) and Katherine Drone (Phil Galow); Math– Kelly Mathesius (AJ Ruopoli), Melina Moussetis (AJ Ruopoli) and Gytis Savukynas (Jen Brinkman); Music– Rebecca Steele (Joshua Chodoroff), Alex Tadevich (Mark Meyers) and Monica Sliva (Krista Halvorson); Physical Education– Taylor Hughes (James Donahue), Timothy Eckert (James Donahue) and Jack Cicchini (Bernadette Jacobs); Science– Kyle Wong (Elaine Modine), Imesh Samarakoon (Carl Armstrong) and Sonia Kamdar (Samantha Sinding); Social Studies– Muhammed Alikhan (Ray Piccininni), Emma Burck (Nate Gehrt) and Nadia Gonzalez (Susan Fuhrer); Media, Technology and Engineering– Austin Johnson (Angela Zdenovec) and Sean Sarkauskas (Steve Skorup); World Languages and English Language Learners– Noelle Linden (James Donahue), Sarah Goldberg (Debra Samuelson) and Mariam Siaj (Terence Wister).


The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation was created 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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Superintendent's Message on Virtual Charter School

April 24, 2013, 4:28 pm
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Dear District 204 Community,


We need your help. You may have seen in the news that 18 school districts in the area received a proposal from Virtual Learning Solutions to operate an online charter school in all 18 districts. District 204 was included in this proposal. The online school would be open to students in kindergarten through grade 12. Funding for the online school would come directly from state dollars that normally go to fund our districts. We find this problematic at a time when state education funding is challenging at best. The proposal calls for Virtual Learning Solutions to receive $8,000 in state funding for every District 204 student who enrolls in the online school. If the student drops out of the online school and wants to return to District 204, the funds remain with Virtual Learning Solutions.


In addition to a loss in state funding, there are also serious concerns about K12 Inc., the for-profit company that is contracted to run the online charter school. At a public hearing in March, our Board of Education questioned a representative from K12 Inc. Based on K12 Inc.'s responses at that hearing, we have concerns about the online school's curriculum, quality of teachers, support for students with special needs, low test scores, lack of extra-curricular opportunities, and graduation rate. 


In Illinois, charter schools must be approved by local school boards. If they are not approved, the charter school can appeal to the Charter School Commission, which is operated by the Illinois State Board of Education. Although all 18 local school boards voted down the proposal, Virtual Learning Solutions has said it will appeal the decision with the Charter School Commission. The Commission may supersede local control and overturn the decisions made by local school boards.


Legislators in Springfield have already started the process of placing a one-year moratorium on the establishment of new virtual schools through House Bill 494. If passed and signed into law, this bill would allow Springfield to study and gather as much information as possible before approving these controversial online schools.


HB 494 has already passed the House and is expected to be voted on by the Senate very soon. This is where we need your help. We are asking parents to call Illinois Senate President John Cullerton and your state senator to ask them to support HB 494. If you decide to email your senator, a suggested message is below.  


You can find your state senator's contact information online at www.voteguide.com  where you can enter your home address and you'll get a list of your elected representatives. District 204 is served by four state senators: Linda Holmes, Mike Connelly, Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, and Jim Oberweis. You can call Senate President John Cullerton at 217-782-2728.


It's not that we don't support online education; it's that we don't believe that the for-profit K12 Inc. and Virtual Learning Solutions provide a better educational opportunity for our students.


Thank you for your support.


Kathryn Birkett, Ed.D.


Superintendent


Sample message to send to your Illinois State Senator:


As a constituent in your district, I'm asking that you support HB 494, which proposes a one-year moratorium on creating new virtual charter schools in Illinois. Time is needed to investigate the effect of virtual charter schools, including evaluating student performance, online charter school costs, and regulation governing virtual charter schools. As a taxpayer, I'm concerned about state funding being diverted from my local school district to pay for students to attend a virtual charter school. I'm also concerned about the quality of the education and level of support provided to students who would attend a virtual charter school. Please support HB 494 so that we can assure students in our community are best served. 


Members of the Illinois State Senate serving District 204:


Linda Holmes, 42nd District, senatorholmes42@gmail.com


Mike Connelly, 21st District, senatorconnelly21@gmail.com


Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, 49th District, bertinotarrant49@att.net


Jim Oberweis, 25th District, senatoroberweis@gmail.com


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Network Maintenance Scheduled: 8/1 - 8/3

July 31, 2013, 9:39 am
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Due to scheduled maintenance, District 204's Technology Services staff will need to shut down some critical servers and network equipment that will affect the entire District.

This outage will begin at 5:00PM on Thursday afternoon (8/1) and is expected to return to operation late afternoon/early evening on Saturday (8/3). During this outage, the following services will not be available:

  • IPSD email
  • Voicemail
  • Student Information System
  • All District Web Sites
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Foundation Honors Top Students

April 24, 2013, 2:46 pm
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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' 11 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– Joyce Lin (Kathryn Parenti) and Samatha Steier (Kathryn Parenti); Business– John Meyer (Brian Veit), Cole Lettieri (Claudio Torres) and Michael Loffredo (Christopher Rohde); English– Zoe Krey (Leonard DePasquale), Sean Fisher (Kristin Grapenthien) and Alyssa Ensminger (Matt Grigas); Family and Consumer Science– Alyssa Luurtsema (Sally O’Rourke) and Lori Obendorf (Megan Trant); Math– Anna Petersen (Dave Luedtke), Nachiket Joshi (Christopher Rohde) and Alexandra Peltier (Megan Trant); Music– Jonathan Tatar (Nathan Bramstedt), Kelly Koronkowski (Lynne White) and Jieun Kang (Mark Liu); Physical Education– Matthew Karlins (Craig Tomczak), Lindsay Raczak (Leonard DePasquale) and Kathleen Adolf (Eric Anerino); Science– Daniel Zhuang (Jessica Thomas), Tony Wu (Jeff Schmela) and Shreyas Vissapragada (Scott Kupiec); Social Studies– Kelsey Pukelis (John Riddle), Jenna Nygren (Jessica Thomas) and Kimberly Rothenberger (Ryan Doherty); Media, Technology and Engineering– Maddie Collins (Patrick Feulner) and Matthew Marsh (Andrea Palmer); World Languages and English Language Learners– Roger Roglans (Anne O’Neil), Sarah Hamilton (Scott Gregory) and Alexander Pronger (Patrick Feulner).


Neuqua Valley students, followed by their influential educators, are: Art– Kathy Tae (Robert Driscoll) and Katherine Dannessa (Steven Jones); Business– Tyler Rund (Kevin Geers), Victoria Haumann (Joseph Moreau) and Jennifer Augustian (Julie Hanson); English– Sharanya Sathyaprakash (Laura Dabezic), Andrew Beebe (Michael Rossi) and Veronica Mickley (Gillian Schneider); Family and Consumer Science– Emily Oscarson (Maddalena Camilleri) and Erin Kelley (Nathan Bramstedt); Math– Christie Jeung (William Savage), Alex Liu (William Savage) and Hariharan Ravi (Casey Solgos); Music– Virginia Randall (Susan Smith), Alex Stumphauzer (William Jastrow) and Tara Safavi (Tanya Carey); Physical Education– Brian Stevenson (Bill Jastrow), Erica D’Ambrose (Julie Bannack) and Dennis Thurow (Bill Savage); Science– Kenneth Hoffmann (Bart Carbonneau), Jamie Harkey (Ann Back) and Venkata Surapaneni); Social Studies – Kevin Wei (Kelli Tufo), Chad Myles (Tammy Schutzenhofer) and Shannon Price (Lisa Ryder); Media, Technology and Engineering– Craig Halicki (Corey Duzan) and Suzanne Nuyen (John Gelsomino); World Languages and English Language Learners– Haley Nippert (David Brouwer), Meha Desai (Lisa Lehman) and Jeffrey Ohmer (Gail Derrow).


Waubonsie Valley students, followed by their influential educators, are: Art– Kayla Scott (Phil Galow) and Erika tePoele (Joshua Chodoroff); Business– Kyle Neese (Angie Hysjulien), Michael Nicholas IV (David Owles) and Allyssa O’Brien (Mike Dwyer); English– Alec Kestler (Ray Piccininni), Brian Franklin (Jonathan Pardys) and Nadia Fayoumi (Jen Kastner); Family and Consumer Science– Emily Navoy (Gayle Thanepohn) and Katherine Drone (Phil Galow); Math– Kelly Mathesius (AJ Ruopoli), Melina Moussetis (AJ Ruopoli) and Gytis Savukynas (Jen Brinkman); Music– Rebecca Steele (Joshua Chodoroff), Alex Tadevich (Mark Meyers) and Monica Sliva (Krista Halvorson); Physical Education– Taylor Hughes (James Donahue), Timothy Eckert (James Donahue) and Jack Cicchini (Bernadette Jacobs); Science– Kyle Wong (Elaine Modine), Imesh Samarakoon (Carl Armstrong) and Sonia Kamdar (Samantha Sinding); Social Studies– Muhammed Alikhan (Ray Piccininni), Emma Burck (Nate Gehrt) and Nadia Gonzalez (Susan Fuhrer); Media, Technology and Engineering– Austin Johnson (Angela Zdenovec) and Sean Sarkauskas (Steve Skorup); World Languages and English Language Learners– Noelle Linden (James Donahue), Sarah Goldberg (Debra Samuelson) and Mariam Siaj (Terence Wister).


The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation was created 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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Back-to-School Information

August 5, 2013, 5:24 am
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First Day of School


The first day of school is Thursday, August 22.


This year's school calendar is online at 2013-14 Calendar.


Transportation


Bus route information will be available on the Transportation home page no later than August 15.


Please know that the start of each school year brings with it the potential for some overcrowding on buses. During the first few weeks of school, especially on high school bus routes, rider counts fluctuate as students explore their various methods of transport. We ask for your patience as bus drivers and school administrators take daily head counts of high volume routes and adjustments are made to route assignments to accommodate route needs. If you have an issue regarding transportation, please contact your school.


Answers to common transportation questions are online at Transportation FAQ.


Food Service


Helpful resources for school food service are available online on the Food Service home page.


To maintain compliance with the USDA Paid Lunch Equity guidelines, the price of a plated school lunch increased by $0.10. The elementary lunch meal is $2.45 and the secondary lunch meal is $2.50.


This year we are excited to welcome Aramark as our new food service provider. While your student will continue to see the same friendly faces in the cafeteria this year, new personnel at the management level will result in positive changes for the food service program. Please keep an eye on the food service home page for updates, introduction of new menu items, and additional nutritional news.


New Proof of Vaccination Required


Significant increases in pertussis cases (also known as whooping cough) have led to the Illinois Department of Public Health requiring all students entering, advancing, or transferring into 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grades to show proof of receiving one dose of Tdap vaccine (defined as tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis). District 204's Health Services Department shared this change with parents in April, but staff would like to remind parents of the information, as the district is required to exclude students from school without proof of the Tdap vaccine.


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Stay Connected

August 6, 2013, 10:00 am
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With school starting soon, we want to remind you about the variety of ways you can find district information. In addition to receiving 204 e-News, you can stay in touch through the following:


Twitter @ipsd204


See what the district has Tweeted, then follow @ipsd204 to receive the latest news.  


204tv.org


Last year, community members watched more than 8,000 videos at 204tv.org. It's a convenient way to stay informed on topics being discussed in the district. You can also watch student videos from special events, such as the Mock DUI at Metea Valley.


District Website


The district's website, www.ipsd.org, is a comprehensive resource for parents. Information available includes the latest news, calendars, school lunch menus, transportation information, links to schools, and budget information. The website also features a "translate this site" button that provides translations into 59 languages.


BoardDocs


The Board of Education uses BoardDocs software to make all meeting agendas, minutes, and supporting documents available to the public. You can access the documents at the District 204 BoardDocs website. Documents are available 48 hours before each meeting.


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Do You Know an Outstanding Volunteer?

August 14, 2013, 9:44 am
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Do you know a volunteer in our schools who deserves special recognition? BMO Harris Bank is once again sponsoring the Volunteer of the Month program for the upcoming school year. Each month, a deserving volunteer will be honored and his or her school will receive $1,000.


Any District 204 staff member or community member can nominate a volunteer. The online nomination form is located at www.ipsd.org/volunteer. The first volunteer for the coming school year will be honored in September. Each nomination submitted will be kept on file for consideration during the 2013-14 school year.


More information about the program, including the nomination form, is at www.ipsd.org/volunteer.


 


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Helpful Information for the Start of School

August 19, 2013, 6:19 am
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Superintendent's Welcome Back Message

August 21, 2013, 3:55 am
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Dear District 204 Community,

Welcome to the start of a new school year. I hope you had an enjoyable summer with friends and family. Our staff has been busy this summer preparing for the return of our students. We can't wait to welcome them back.

There are a few new things to share with you. First, the safety and security of our students is always a top priority. We have a new procedure for visitors when they come to any of our schools. By the end of September, all schools will use the Raptor system, which helps track visitors, including volunteers, who enter our schools. All visitors will be asked to present a valid state issued ID that will be entered into the Raptor system. Once entered, staff will instantly receive alerts on people who may jeopardize school safety. We ask for your cooperation in presenting your valid state issued ID when entering a school. Your ID will be returned to you when you leave the building. Thank you in advance for helping to keep our schools safe.

You may have noticed a new district logo on our website. It was time to create a new logo that better reflected our district. The new logo is symbolic of many things--most importantly, that each student's educational path can be different and that all of our students experience growth. I have heard people say they see different things represented in the logo. Some see feathers represented. Others say it reminds them of something that would grow in a prairie. My favorite is from a student who said it reminds her of an open book. Whatever you may see in our new logo, know that it proudly represents all that is District 204.

We look forward to partnering with your family for a wonderful school year.

Sincerely,
Kathy Birkett
Superintendent
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District 204’s ACT Score Remains Solid

August 21, 2013, 6:41 am
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According to data released by ACT today, District 204’s composite score for the class of 2013 remained solid at 24.1. This year, ACT changed the way it reports the results of its standardized test. For the first time, composite scores for school districts include results for students who were allowed extended time to complete the test.

ACT officials note that this change affects the ability to make a direct comparison with previous years’ scores. Had the scores for students who required extended time been excluded again, this year’s composite score would be 24.6, an impressive increase from last year’s 24.2. Superintendent Kathy Birkett described the 0.4 increase as “significant growth, resulting in the highest composite score in the district’s history.”

Superintendent Birkett remained pleased with the district's score under the new reporting method. "We saw an insignificant change from last year's score, especially when considering the score now includes a larger group of students.”

District 204’s score of 24.1 continues to far exceed the state average of 20.6 and the national average of 20.9. Since the state required all juniors to take the test in 2003, District 204's ACT score has risen by more than 2 points.

The ACT consists of curriculum-based tests in English, mathematics, reading and science, designed to measure the skills needed for success in first-year college coursework. The test is scored on a 36 point scale.
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