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Letter to District 89 Families

October 31, 2018

Dear District 89 families,

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) just released the new State Report Card highlighting academic progress and focusing on the well-being of the whole child. Having just completed a comprehensive 5-year Strategic Plan, we welcome this opportunity to build on the great work of our teachers and staff and look forward to including parents, families, and community partners in our efforts.

We at School District 89 hold high expectations for all students, and the state holds all schools to the same high standards. For the first time ever, the state’s funding and accountability systems recognize that different schools in different communities need different supports to reach those same outcomes – just as each individual child needs different tools and encouragement to succeed.

The state’s support and accountability system now includes a summative designation, an overall description of a school’s service to students based on multiple factors and compared to other schools in the state. The summative designation allows the state to direct additional resources and supports to the schools that historically have not received what they needed to thrive.

All schools in Illinois will qualify for one of the four summative designations below:
english chart

We are delighted to report, due to the continued dedicated work of all stakeholders, that all District 89 schools have received the ranking of commendable status.

We are committed to continuous improvement and to providing the supports for every child to succeed. I deeply believe we have the capacity to help all our children thrive. This simply highlights our continued commitment to provide the necessary resources and opportunities to make our teachers and student successful. Below are some of the resources recently provided:

• Resources

        • Updated curriculum resources to support teaching and learning in Pre-K through Grade 8 classrooms which provide content-rich curriculum programming and instructional practices that support the attainment of the Common Core State Standards
        • Expanded Bilingual Programming
        • Increased Instructional Coaching District-wide
        • Newly hired Instructional Technology Coordinator to support technology integration and online learning for all grade levels
        • Implemented a variety of intervention programs Dreambox, Lexia, Compass Learning, Raz-Kids, with 24-hour access for families
        • Increased high quality, robust after-school programming
        • Expanded community partnerships which increase family engagement and provide additional resources to our families
        • Integrated Staff Development Academies and Parent Universities enhancing instruction and motivating learning

    • Accomplishments/Awards

      • Grant funding awarded from the BOSCH Community Fund supporting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Learning
      • Expansion of the Preschool For All Program (PFA) having recently been awarded the Competitive PFA Grant for $1,780,055 to serve 480 students
      • Stevenson Middle School earning the “Illinois Horizon Schools to Watch” designation from the Association of Illinois Middle-Grade Schools (AIMS) which highlights academic excellence
      • Improved recognition levels for school-wide PBIS implementation
      • Experienced a record number of students competing in State, Regional, National and even Global levels. Students competed in Spelling Bee, Destination Imagination (STEM), SeaPerch underwater robotics, Special Olympics, Fine Arts and Sports.
      • District 89 has created a 5 year Strategic Plan: “Building The Future”
      • Established an Educational Foundation
      • Received a Grant from the Steven Hunter Youth Foundation -WozU Coding Program
        (1st District in Illinois to receive the grant)

      As evidenced by our increased achievement, these investments in teaching and learning in District 89 are paying dividends for our students.

      Our NWEA MAP Data shows:
      • In Math, our student scores have nearly tripled over three years, from 2015 to 2018.

      • In Reading, our student scores have nearly doubled over three years, from 2015 to 2018.

      • In Science, our student scores have more than doubled over two years from 2016-2018.

      Each year, our district spring to spring overall results have improved from the previous year and we are committed to sustaining and continuing this upward growth meeting grade-level expectations and beyond!

      Sincerely,

      Dr. David Negron
      Superintendent