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As I work at my desk, I look out at the forest preserve behind Central and am reminded of the wonder of nature here in Palos. As the leaves try to realize their full color potential, I think of our students and teachers here in 118 finishing their first learning quarter of the school year. Every day when your child comes to school, he or she enters a classroom where meeting the individual learning potential of every child is the essential goal of his or her teacher. At our board meeting last night, Dr. Margaret Johnson, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, presented our board of education with a comprehensive ISAT results report. As Dr. Johnson opened her presentation, she made reference to words of wisdom by world renowned business and education speaker Sir Ken Robinson. “We are now educating children who will be retiring in the year 2065. What do we know about the world of 2065...?” We are educating students in Palos 118 to enter a competitive vocational culture. Doing so involves directing our students toward mastery in the core skills of mathematics and reading. Once students reach and maintain mastery in these critical learning areas, we endeavor to move beyond the core skills to educate students in a way that expands and challenges the mind. We are proud of the consistent high achievement of our school district on standardized tests. Our goal is to maintain continual improvement in this area. But, more so, there is an urgency to educate our students to compete in a global society as adults. As a learning community, it is gratifying to look to the future as we set advanced goals for our students while continuing to score very well on tests such as the Illinois State Achievement Tests.

Illinois State Achievement Test Results

I am pleased to announce that over 92 percent of our students in Palos School District 118 either met or exceeded grade level expectations in reading, math, and science according to the 2007 ISAT results. ISAT measures individual student achievement relative to the Illinois Learning Standards. The results give parents, teachers, and schools one measure of student learning and school performance.

Board of Education

At its October 16 meeting, the Board of Education recognized our Palos 118 Educational Foundation. Last month’s annual Laps for Literature event raised $7,149.10 for our media centers. Foundation President Patricia Cooney thanked our principals and teachers for their cooperation. Of course, our principals remain appreciative to our Foundation for coordinating this annual event that has become a favorite 118 tradition. Watching students walk laps for books is a neat experience for all. The board also thanked TRIO for hosting a fantastic August fundraising event at TRIO restaurant in Palos Heights. Over 12,000 dollars were raised to help fund the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to furnish a state-of-the art applied technology laboratory at Palos South. The board also showed their true gratitude to the proprietor’s of TRIO. Former Foundation member Kathy Golding shared that TRIO generously donated 100 percent of food and beverages for the affair. As such, ALL proceeds from the event were directly applied to the Foundation’s applied technology lab project, a truly unusual fund raising triumph. We appreciate when our local businesses support our schools. Frequenting local businesses supports them in turn.

In other business, the board approved the appointment of Karen Mrozek as Principal of Palos East School for the 2008-2009 school-year. Board President Sheila Pacholski said that Mrs. Mrozek is the perfect candidate for the assignment and that the board is very pleased to approve her appointment. Mrs. Mrozek has been the Assistant Principal at Palos East for three years. Before her time at East, Mrs. Mrozek taught for 18 years in Riverside. She earned both her bachelor and master degrees at the University of Illinois. The appointment is bittersweet as Principal Patricia Creevy will retire at the end of this school-year. Board President Sheila Pacholski said that Mrs. Creevy has given her life and livelihood to Palos East and that she and Mrs. Mrozek are a perfect fit as school leaders. As superintendent, I am quite confident that Mrs. Mrozek’s transition to Principal of Palos East will be a smooth one. Karen is an excellent assistant principal and her work with Mrs. Creevy has prepared her to follow in her footsteps next year.

The board also approved a new school messenger emergency phone system to replace our current system. The new technology enables us to widen the parameters as they relate to how we communicate with parents in emergencies. The new system allows multiple phone numbers to be included on the blast system. In the case of an emergency, a parent will receive emergency notification from the school district on both cell and land line phones. Additionally, the system is capable of sending email notifications. Please remember, technology is not foolproof. However, in an ongoing effort to improve communication with parents in the case of emergency, we are implementing the most effective technology available for emergency communications. Please look for more information on school messenger in the next couple weeks.

Congratulations Palos South Boys Softball!

On Friday, October 5th, our Palos South boy’s softball team clenched the tournament championship for SWIC after also winning the conference in a heart pounding double header game. In the first of two games, our team was down by five runs; 5-0 in the bottom of the ninth--- only to come back and win the game. They then went on to win the second of the two games for the championship banner and trophy. What a victory for our young men! Congratulations to the entire Palos South team and to Coach Brett Morrow for his support and hard work.

Correction

On October 16, a superintendent letter was sent home with students. Please note that the letter sent to parents of Palos South students contains an error. In the second paragraph, the letter reads---“Beginning in 2006, students in grades three through eight are being tested yearly in math and science.” That sentence should read: “…students in grades three through eight are being tested yearly in math and reading.”

Comments and suggestions can be sent to econnect@palos118.org.