Friday, August 19, 2011
D-15 proposes creating a STEM Academy for select students while its elementary schools alternate between teaching History and Science throughout the year.
Eighth-grade students’ academic achievement has a larger impact on their readiness for college by the end of high school then anything that happens academically in today’s high schools. – ACT Why isn’t science taught every day in Community Consolidated School District 15’s elementary schools? It shouldn’t be a question of money. The textbooks and skilled teaching staff are already in place. Private schools in the area teach both science and history daily. Why not District 15? As reported earlier this year, the district is exploring the possibility of creating a STEM Academy for select sixth, seventh and eighth grade students. The administration is expected to present its research on best practices in STEM education and a proposal to …
Friday, April 8, 2011
Is the fourth time a charm? Once again a trio of new faces joins the D15 Board
“The change it had to come, we knew it all along” - The Who The majority of voters motivated enough to cast a vote in the Community Consolidated School District 15 Board of Education election Tuesday agreed–a clean sweep of the school board was needed for a fresh start to begin. Granted there already has been significant turnover on the District 15 school board over the past three election cycles. Every spring since 2005, three new faces have been approved by the community. But the mix never was quite right. Voted into office in 2005 was current member Tim Millar and retired members Kelly Keenan and Wendy Rowden. Gerald Chapman, James Ekeberg and Sue Quinn were elected to replace three incumbents in 2007. Two years ago, …
Friday, April 1, 2011
Fourth Navigate15 session identified strengths and opportunities for improvement.
Skype, iTouch, iPads, interactive whiteboards and even a “smart” table. Participants at Navigate15's session focusing on technology learned that all are in use to some degree in Community Consolidated School District 15 classrooms–and the challenges the district faces in providing the same cutting edge education to all its students. Where is the proof that technology really does help the student learn? Is technology a perceived strength or just another chalkboard? How is technology used during a typical school day? Just a few of the questions brought forward by attendees after the presentation – that await an answer from the administration. While every school has two computer labs and every classroom is equipped with a teacher laptop and…
Friday, March 18, 2011
Candidates are willing to engage the community before the election but will it continue after the votes are counted Tuesday, April 5.
Is community engagement a high priority for our local school board candidates? It better be. On any school district organization chart, Community is at the top. They have one employee – the School Board. Every two years the Community has the opportunity to conduct a performance evaluation on those members whose terms are expiring yet want to continue to be employed. There is no tenure on school boards. New applicants have just as much a chance at proving themselves to the Community to secure one of those four-year positions. Over the past few weeks, Community Consolidated School District 15 and Township High School District 211 school board candidates had the opportunity to answer questions in public forums and complete questionnaires …
Friday, February 25, 2011
Should school board candidates accept money from a union for their campaign? It has been a common question at candidate forums in Palatine and the answer has been a resounding "No."
Should school board candidates accept campaign contributions from unions? Every local school board candidate asked that question at recent candidate forums has emphatically announced that they will not accept donations of any kind from a union. It is one subject – whether running for Community Consolidated School District 15 or Township High School District 211 – in which they all agree. In fact at last week’s Palatine Township GOP/TOPPER sponsored candidate forum, incumbent District 15 board president Gerald Chapman went further to address the issue. He explained that he told the district’s unions two years ago - when he was not running for re-election - that it wasn’t their responsibility to get involved in supporting candidates. …
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Plans underway to develop a Community Curriculum Advisory Committee as well as new student performance targets.
Perhaps it was the timing – it was the end of a four day weekend. Or maybe it was the weather. Regardless of the reason, the turnout for Community Consolidated School District 15’s second Navigate15 community engagement session on Jan. 18 was significantly less than the first one in November. The evening’s topic was curriculum. What do our children need to know to be successful in the future? Arguably the most important of the six discussion topics planned to get district residents involved and provide their input to set long term goals for the district. Much of the hour long presentation focused on the development of new Illinois Learning Standards designed to incorporate new math and English/language arts academic standards for K-12 …
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
I'm with the Band: Reflections of a high school band trip volunteer.
Did I really know what I was getting myself into eighteen months ago? That’s about the time I was asked by the Fremd Music Association if I would be willing to help coordinate the Fremd High School band trip to San Diego and Anaheim, California from Dec. 27 to Jan. 2. On the schedule were two parades, a performance on the USS Midway aircraft carrier and the Holiday Bowl halftime show. There also would be two early morning rehearsals, trips to the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld and Disneyland – not to mention beach time. The majority of the work would be done by Bob Rogers Travel, an agency devoted to educational and musical trips – and Fremd’s Director of Bands, Matthew Moore. My job would be to keep track of the paperwork. There were …
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Eighth graders to take high school entrance exams Dec. 4
It's that time of year again. All local area eighth graders who plan on attending either Palatine or Fremd High School will be taking their entrance exams next Saturday morning. These students - the Class of 2015 - are required to take the EXPLORE test which is the first of several in the ACT College Readiness series. Subject areas tested include English, mathematics, reading and science. Test results will be sent to parents Jan. 3 along with information on elective courses. The student’s actual test booklet and answers are handed out at the school’s Incoming Freshman Parent Night later that month. The EXPLORE scores, along with a student's current academic performance, are used to determine their freshman year course placement. This …
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Nominating petitions for District 15 and District 211 are due Dec. 13.
In case you haven't heard, there's an election coming up. Not the election on Nov. 2 when we choose a new governor, senator, state representative and vote Yes or No to the District 15 bond referendum. There is another election that in many ways is more important to the residents of Palatine Township. On April 5, 2011, voters will choose who will serve on the Board of Education for both Community Consolidated School District 15 and Township High School District 211. These will be people that we'll not only trust with the education of our children, but those we trust with our tax dollars. However, before a vote can take place – quality citizens need to step up and decide if they have what it takes to occupy a seat in the boardroom. Now …
42.121056
-88.035202
Joseph M. Kiszka Educational Service Center
580 N 1st Bank Dr, Palatine, IL
/articles/quality-counts-for-school-board-members
300513
/locations/2231473
42.08098
-88.07791
G. A. McElroy Administration Center
1750 S Roselle Rd, Palatine, IL
/articles/quality-counts-for-school-board-members
299401
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Six years later and not much has changed in District 15
It was almost 5 ½ years ago when I attended my first Community Consolidated School District 15 Board of Education meeting and whether it was reasonable or not, they had me at the first drop of the gavel. Maybe it was the formality of the surroundings or the passion of the citizens in the room – whatever it was it ignited a spark that rapidly grew. At the time, the K-8 elementary school district was immersed in controversy. The February 2005 tax rate increase referendum failed by less than 200 votes. A school board election quickly followed in April. Three of the 4 incumbents were unseated including the president. The newly formed Board of Education disagreed on whether the entire $12 million of cuts previously announced actually had …
42.121056
-88.035202
Joseph M. Kiszka Educational Service Center
580 N 1st Bank Dr, Palatine, IL
/articles/secrecy-controversy-and-politics
300513
/locations/2067924
Catherine
12:47 pm on Monday, September 19, 2011
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