Speaking with Stawick
Speaking with Stawick is the blog of District 146 Superintendent Dr. Jeff Stawick. Please subscribe for update notifications to be sure you don't miss the latest news and information from the administration.

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As you know, many government offices, banks, and schools will be closed on Monday, November 12 in observance of Veterans Day. However, District 146 schools will be in session.

We see the Veterans Day holiday as an opportunity to teach our students why we have a day to honor Veterans. The intention is for students to interpret Veterans Day as a time for reflection and thanks rather than a day off of school.

Throughout the day, our students and staff reflect on the sacrifices made by Veterans and current service members. Each school will be doing something special on that Monday. Some will have ceremonies, some will display a Missing Man Table, and some will have in-class discussions. All schools, however, will stress the importance of thanking our Veterans.

Each year, Central Middle School invites Veterans who are family members of students and staff to a ceremony at the school. All CMS students attend the ceremony. The band and chorus perform, students hand out small tokens of appreciation, and a guest speaker reminds us why we are there. 

I invite you to view the Veterans Day Ceremony as we stream it live at facebook.com/CMSTwisters. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, November 12. A video of the ceremony will remain on the Facebook page afterwards. We hope you can join our students and staff as we honor our Veterans.
Posted by superintendent  On Nov 06, 2018 at 3:30 PM
  
This post corrects and offers additional information on the designations written about in the previous post, "Telling Our Story."

In my last post, I mentioned Central Middle School was designated by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) as Underperforming. This designation came as a result of PARCC scores for two student subgroups.

Just today, I received word from ISBE that after further review, Central will not be designated as Underperforming, but as Commendable. As a matter of fact, Central, Fierke, Fulton, and Memorial are have all been designated as Commendable. I am also excited to announce that Kruse has been designated as Exemplary. Schools designated as Exemplary are in the top 10-percent of all schools in Illinois. 

As stated in my previous post, the District values more than just PARCC scores and data from the Illinois State Report Card. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to take a look at the District’s new Dashboard to see first-hand how our schools strive to educate the whole child.

When we first heard that Central would be designated as underperforming, we began working on an improvement process that targeted the two subgroups identified by ISBE. Be assured that we will continue this work to achieve high levels of learning for all students in District 146. 
Posted by superintendent  On Oct 31, 2018 at 11:09 AM
  
Later this month, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will be releasing the 2018 School Report Cards. The School Report Cards offer information on topics like standardized test scores, demographics, and finances.

Along with the impending release of the School Report Cards, ISBE has notified the District that Central Middle School has been designated as “underperforming with targeted support.” This designation comes as a result of PARCC test scores for two student subgroups at Central: English Learning students and Students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP). We are excited for the opportunity to utilize ISBE resources and continue our improvement. 

The underperforming designation provides us with additional funding from the state that help our improvement plan. The District has already begun working on the improvement process internally.

There is no doubt the information provided in the School Report Cards is useful, but the District values more than just PARCC scores. The information we value tells the story of District 146 and demonstrates how our schools enrich the education and lives of each student. We are excited to tell you that story through a new public dashboard.

On our dashboard you will find information about our social/emotional curriculum that helps shape the whole child. Also included is data on our English Language Learner students and our inclusive teaching styles, which highlight the District’s pride in our diversity. We also highlight our award-winning students, clubs, programs, and departments.

Screenshot of Dashboard

You can find the District’s dashboard by clicking here. I invite you to look over the data, strategies, and objectives we provide. There are many links to documents, videos, and photos embedded within the dashboard that illustrate our story in ways the State Report Card cannot. The Dashboard is a living tool that will continue to evolve as we update it with new data, ideas, and strategies for success. I hope you find the information as valuable as we do. If you have any comments after viewing the information, I would love to hear from you. 
Posted by superintendent  On Oct 19, 2018 at 10:39 AM
  

At the beginning of the school year, I invited you to take part in a survey regarding a potential Parent University program. I wanted to gather information on possible topics and the best time and place to host these events. We had a wonderful response, and I want to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey. 

In addition to the topics we offered, many thoughtful suggestions and comments were submitted in the survey. This affirms that our families crave involvement in their children’s education. After reviewing the survey results, I am surprised at how evenly the responses are distributed. There are so many topics that families want to learn more about.

With the survey results in mind, our administration team and I have been working on the best way to make this information and interaction available to our families. Through our work and discussions, our thinking has evolved in terms of Parent University “classes.” Instead, we think it will be more beneficial to add a parent component to the things we already do as a District.

At both a district and school level, we have since hosted events that encourage parent engagement and education. Some events are being tested at certain buildings prior to being offered at others. These events and activities include:

  • Breakfast with the Superintendent with discussions regarding the upcoming full-day kindergarten program. 
  • English classes for parents who have a first language other than English.
  • Reading and Math Enrichment Nights showcasing what and how students are learning, and encouraging parents to take part in the process.
  • Side-by-Sides that invite parents into classrooms to experience part of their child’s school day.
  • Ready for Kindergarten parent classes for those who have children from birth to five years old.
  • Student-led conferences with parents and teachers to set individual, class, and family goals.

Next year, a parent component will be included in each School Improvement Plan. The District will continue to host events like Breakfast with the Superintendent and other town-hall-style meetings where parents can learn about specific topics and ask the administration questions. 

Ultimately, the richest relationships we can foster are those between the parent, student, and teacher. The District is committed to continuing our efforts to involve, engage, and educate parents, and we look forward to improving this partnership.

Posted by superintendent  On May 03, 2018 at 11:25 AM
  
District 146 schools will be in session for the Veterans Day holiday. We schedule classes on this day to offer our students an opportunity to learn about and contemplate the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. 

Some of our schools hold ceremonies to give students the opportunity to show their gratitude to local veterans through song, video, and small tokens of appreciation. In many instances, students also have the opportunity to visit with our local veterans following the ceremony, getting to know more closely those who have fought for us. 



Some of our schools will also be raising money for organizations benefiting veterans and creating thank you cards to be delivered to veterans’ homes. All of our schools, however, will reflect on the importance and meaning of the holiday.

The lessons our students learn during our Veterans Day activities will last a lifetime. District 146 looks forward to honoring our veterans for the sacrifices they have made.
Posted by superintendent  On Nov 06, 2017 at 10:40 AM
  
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