The District 54 School Board appointed two new principals and two new assistant principals for the 2013-14 school year at its May 16 meeting.

Julie Gluff

The Board appointed Julie Gluff as principal of Hale Elementary School for the 2013-14 school year. She will replace Brian Lawson who will become the principal at Nerge Elementary School.

“When I first started there, the students and parents told me how much I would love Nathan Hale and I told them I already did,” Gluff said, adding that she attended Hale School as a child. “I learned so many things beyond academics during my years at Nathan Hale School as a student. I aspired to be like the teachers I had.”

Gluff is currently the assistant principal at Hale and Dooley elementary schools. She has also served as a Title I Director for District 54 and a teacher at Lakeview Elementary School. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in special education from Northern Illinois University, as well as a master’s in educational leadership from Roosevelt University.

Nell Haack

The Board appointed Nell Haack as principal of Collins Elementary School for the 2013-14 school year. She will replace Laura Rosenblum who will become the principal at Lakeview Elementary School.

“I did start my education in District 54 several years ago as a kindergartner at Hoover Elementary School. I have had the good fortune to continue my education in District 54 as an adult,” Haack said. “I am so excited to serve District 54 and to work alongside the exceptional staff at Collins Elementary School.”

Haack is currently the assistant principal at Einstein Elementary School and previously served as assistant principal at Aldrin Elementary School, a mentor for new teachers and a literacy coach, sixth grade teacher and Reading Recovery teacher at Link Elementary School. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree in elementary education and educational leadership from Roosevelt University.

Catherine Kurtz

The Board appointed Catherine Kurtz to replace Haack as assistant principal of Einstein Elementary School for the 2013-14 school year. Kurtz is currently an instructional coach for District 54. Previously she was a classroom teacher and Reading Recovery Teacher at Fox Elementary School.

“To the staff at Einstein, what you have accomplished this year is a remarkable change,” Kurtz said. “It is not lost on me what hard work and determination it took to reach those goals. Congratulations.”

She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bradley University and a master’s degree in education from National Louis University.

Joe McCauley

The Board appointed Joe McCauley to replace Gluff as assistant principal for Hale Elementary School for the 2013-14 school year. McCauley is currently the assistant principal at Whiteley Elementary School in Hoffman Estates (a District 15 school). He has also worked as a special education teacher in Morton Grove and Chicago.

“I am extremely excited to be joining District 54,” McCauley said. “This district is seen as a leader in education. Every day you will get my absolute best as I serve the children of District 54.”

McCauley has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree in special education from Northeastern University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Roosevelt University.

These appointments take effect July 1, 2013.

Bill Harper

District 54 School Board Member Bill Harper was named president of the Board of Education during the board meeting held May 2.

Harper, a resident of Schaumburg, was first appointed to the District 54 Board in October 2001. He has since been elected in 2003, 2007 and 2011. His term expires in April 2015. He has never served as the board president.

The Board also voted to keep Charlotte Kegarise as vice president and Karen Strykowski as secretary of the board. All three will serve a two-year term as board officers.

Charlotte Kegarise

Karen Strykowski

These votes occured during the reorganization meeting, at which time Superintendent Ed Rafferty also read the oath of office to the four board members who were re-elected in April. Teresa Huber, Peggy Brothman, Strykowski and Kegarise ran unopposed in the April election.

Also at the reorganizational meeting, the School Board set the dates for the 2013-14 board meetings, which can be found online at http://sd54.org/board/meetings.

Tom Barbini

Kelly Dvoracek

Andrew Gibbs

Ken Haase

Blanca Leal

Ivette Rivera-Weigle

Becky Rodriguez

Lily Smith

Michelle Thompson

The District 54 School Board appointed nine new assistant principals for the 2013-14 school year at its May 3 meeting.

Ken Haase will be at Link and Nerge elementary schools. He is currently a teacher at Hunting Ridge Elementary School in Palatine. Haase is replacing Heather Wilson who will become the principal at Keller Junior High School.

Andrew Gibbs will be at Churchill Elementary School and Lincoln Prairie School. He is currently the principal of Blackberry Creek Elementary School in Elburn.

Kelly Dvoracek will be at Armstrong Elementary School. She has been an instructional coach for District 54 since 2010 and previously taught in Cary School District 26.

Ivette Rivera-Weigle will be at Campanelli and Dooley. Rivera-Weigle is currently an instructional support teacher for English Language Learners (ELL) in District 54. She has also worked as a bilingual resource teacher at Muir Literacy Academy and Frost Junior High School.

Becky Rodriguez will be at Collins and Dirksen elementary schools. She currently works as a special services teacher at Armstrong Elementary School. She also taught at Fairview, Hanover Highlands and Stevenson elementary schools.

Michelle Thompson will be at Enders-Salk and MacArthur elementary schools. Thompson is currently an instructional coach in District 54. She previously taught at Fairview Elementary School. She is replacing Diana Lipman who will become the principal at Armstrong Elementary School.

Blanca Leal will be at Fox and Hanover Highlands elementary schools. Leal is currently a dual language kindergarten teacher and literacy coach at MacArthur International Spanish Academy in Hoffman Estates.

Lily Smith will be at Mead Junior High School. She is currently a teacher at Lincoln Prairie School and previously worked at Collins and Armstrong elementary schools. Smith is replacing Jillian Sagan who was promoted to principal of Mead.

Tom Barbini will be at Frost Junior High School. He is currently a math teacher and department chair at Mead Junior High School. Barbini is replacing Brian Kaszewicz, who will become the assistant principal at Aldrin Elementary School.

These appointments take effect July 1, 2013.

Registration for District 54’s Summer Band and Orchestra program has begun.  District 54 students who have completed fifth, sixth or seventh grade and have had lessons on their instrument for at  least one school year are eligible to enroll. Summer Band and Orchestra will take place July 8-25 (Mondays-Thursdays) at Frost Junior High School.  Click here for the 2013 Summer Music Registration Form. Registration is by mail only and must be received by June 20. If you have questions, please contact the band/orchestra teacher at your school or call (847) 357-5138.

School District 54 and the Schaumburg Park District present a multicultural fair from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at the Community Recreation Center, 505 N. Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg. The event’s theme is A Garden of Diversity – Celebrating Our Community’s Cultures.

District 54 school groups will perform, as will professional groups hired by the Schaumburg Park District. Other activities will include multicultural crafts, games and activities for all ages. When you’re tired of playing, sit down and sample food from around the world.

For more information, please contact Julie Colgrove, director of the District 54 Department of Language and Culture, at (847) 357-5096.

The District 54 School Board appointed two new principals for the 2013-14 school year at its April 4 meeting.

Diana Lipman was named the principal of Armstrong Elementary School in Hoffman Estates replacing Beth Erbach, who will become the assistant superintendent of student learning. Lipman is currently the assistant principal at Enders-Salk and MacArthur elementary schools. She has also been a teacher at Eisenhower Junior High School and at Troy Middle School in Plainfield.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some amazing leaders who have given me experiences to be a leader,” Lipman said. “I’m looking forward to working with the parents, students and staff at Armstrong. The core of what I believe is supporting teachers and staff and making sure we further student learning in every way we can.”

Lipman has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Illinois State University, a master’s degree in administration and supervision from National-Louis University and an English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement from Northern Illinois University.

Heather Wilson was named the principal of Keller Junior High School in Schaumburg, replacing Sue Mayernick, who will become the early childhood director in 2013-14. Wilson is currently an assistant principal at Link and Nerge elementary schools. She has also been an assistant principal at Frost Junior High School and a math coach and teacher at Ben Franklin Elementary School in Glen Ellyn.

“We have an amazing administrative team and they have prepared me for being a leader at the junior high and with the early childhood program as well,” Wilson said. “This is a district which truly focuses on what is best for our students.”

Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a master’s degrees in curriculum instruction and educational administration from Northern Illinois University.

In promoting these two assistant principals to principal positions, District 54 has created some job openings at the assistant principal level. The district is currently interviewing for these positions. These appointments take effect July 1, 2013.

Families of students currently enrolled in District 54 will receive a pre-printed registration form for the 2013-14 school year in the mail the week of April 1. This form must be reviewed, signed, dated and returned to the school your child is currently attending by Friday, April 12 in order to have your child placed on a future class list and to ensure busing is set up for the 2013-14 school year for students who qualify for free busing (home is 1.5 miles or more from school).

The mail-home registration form includes a section that asks for parents to give permission each year for their students to access the Internet (including the District 54 network). Your child will not be able to access the Internet or network during the 2013-14 school year until the mail-home registration form is returned.

If your child is not currently enrolled in a District 54 school, please visit your neighborhood school to register. For more information, visit http://sd54.org/registration.

School District 54 is looking for community members who would be interested in serving on its District Citizens’ Advisory Committee (DCAC) beginning in the fall of 2013.

The District Citizens’ Advisory Committee (DCAC) is a School Board committee composed of staff members, parents, representatives of various governmental, community and business organizations, and members of the community-at-large. The Board established this committee to increase communication and provide citizen involvement at the school and district levels. DCAC offers members an opportunity to offer input on district topics and promote education and community involvement. For example, during the 2012-13 school year, DCAC provided feedback on the mission, vision, collective commitments and goals.

DCAC member responsibilities include attending monthly meetings (which are held at 9 a.m. on the second Thursday of the month during the school year), providing input to the School Board on district topics, and sharing information with one’s constituency.

Applications for DCAC membership are to be submitted by May 15 to Sherry Douglas, board coordinator, at the District Office, 524 E. Schaumburg Road,Schaumburg,Ill.60194.

For more information about DCAC or to receive an application, please contact Sherry Douglas, board coordinator, by phone at (847) 357-5038 or by email at SherryDouglas@sd54.org. The application is also available on the District 54 web site at:  http://sd54.org/committees.

The District 54 Sustainability Committee would like to share a reminder about this year’s Earth Hour from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23.

Earth Hour is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. Businesses, governments, organizations and individuals around the world are asked to turn off their lights for one hour, to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions. Some famous participants will include Mount Rushmore, the Empire State Building, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Great Pyramids of Giza, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and Sydney’s Opera House. In 2011, Earth Hour became the biggest ever. A record 135 countries and territories joined the global display. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of one thing we all have in common – our planet.

Participation is easy. Join District 54 by flipping off your lights for one hour at 8:30 p.m. March 23. In District 54 we will turn off all exterior building lights in support of Earth Hour!

Join us and make the switch to a cleaner nation. Follow this link for more information about Earth Hour: http://www.earthhour.org/.

MacArthur School is hosting a Spanish Language Speech Contest. Students in third through eighth grade are eligible. Application, speech drafts written by the applicant and video recordings no more than three minutes (one video recording per participant) must arrive at MacArthur School by April 5, 2013. The maximum length for speech drafts is two pages. The finalists will be notified via mail by April 30, 2013. The contest will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. May 9 at MacArthur International Spanish Academy.

La escuela MacArthur será anfitrión este año del Concurso Anual de Oratoria. Los estudiantes de 3er a 6to grado pueden participar. Forma de inscripción, borrador del discurso escrito por el concursante, y una grabación de video de no más de 3 minutos (un video por participante) debe llegar a MacArthur School para el 5 de Abril del 2013. El discurso debe ser de dos páginas. Los finalistas serán notificados por correo para el 30 de Abril, 2013. El concurso tendrá lugar el 9 de Mayo 9:00-11:00 en MacArthur International Spanish Academy.

District 54 Annual Spanish Language Speech Contest

Concurso Anual de Oratoria Distrito 54