Schaumburg Township Council of PTA’s announces 2012 scholarship recipients

The Bonnie Greenberg Memorial Scholarship

• Nicholas Overby (Collins/Dooley/Mead and Conant High School)

 Two Year Junior College/Trade or Vocational School Scholarship

• Ted Kiszka (Hale/Addams/Schaumburg High School)
• Lily Voyles (Campanelli/Addams/Hoffman Estates High School)

 Four Year College/University Scholarship

• Connie Liou (Link/Mead/Hoffman Estates High School)
• Jeanine Liautaud (Churchill/Eisenhower/Hoffman Estates High School)
• Kritika Kulkarni (Link/Mead/Conant High School)
• Timothy Wu (Blackwell/Addams/Schaumburg High School)
• Mary Pettit (Armstrong/Eisenhower/Hoffman Estates High School)
• Michael Pirovano (Collins/Frost/Conant High School)
• Kiyomi Mino (Blackwell/Addams/Schaumburg High School)

Each student was awarded a one-year, $2,000 scholarship at the annual STC Scholarship Recognition Dinner May 9. The recipients are all seniors in high school who once attended a District 54 school.

District 54 wins Bright Red Apple Award

District 54 has once again received the Bright Red Apple Award from SchoolSearch, a company that offers relocating families information about schools.

The Bright Red Apple award is based on five factors (obtained from 2011 Illinois State Report Card data):  academic performance, student-teacher ratio, expenditure per student, educational level of teachers and average teacher salary.

Only 79 Illinois school districts (out of 868 school districts) were honored with the award this year for striving to provide their students with an outstanding educational environment.

All districts inIllinoiswere considered for the award and the award criteria were based on objective factors – so that all districts would be judged fairly. The award criteria were based on the primary areas of concern of most of SchoolSearch’s relocating families. While statistical factors are revealing, it is very important for families to visit schools that are of interest to them.

To obtain the award each district must have the following:

1. At least 60.4 percent of teachers must have a master’s degree or higher.
2. The student-teacher ratio must be 18.8:1 or better.
3. The operating expenditure per student must be at least $10,730.
4. The average teacher salary must be at least $55,565.
5. The average percentage of third- through eighth-grade students who meet or exceed percentages on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test for reading and math must be at least 89.5.

SchoolSearch is a Kansas City-based firm that has provided comparative school district information for corporations, homebuilders, school districts, libraries, real estate professionals and relocating families since 1991.

District 54 to host Partners Club/Young Athletes Track Meet Thursday, May 17, 2012

School District54 is getting ready to host its single largest event of the year – the annual Partners Club/Young Athletes track meet.

The event will begin with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. on the track behindEisenhowerJunior High School,800 W. Hassell RoadinHoffman Estates.

Events will take place until noon followed by lunch for all athletes, their partners and volunteers. The meet will be cancelled in case of inclement weather.

“The Young Athletes portion of the meet is going to be exciting. This is the biggest District 54 Young Athletes event held during the school year” said Lisa Liesz, District 54 Special Olympics, coordinator of Young Athletes. “The athletes have been training all year. There will be more than 1,000 District 54 students, staff and volunteers participating in this day.”

Partners Club is based at several District 54 schools and includes students with disabilities with their nondisabled peers. The purpose of the program is to combine athletes and their peers together to practice sports skills. However, Partners Club often accomplishes much more than that. A bond of respect is built between athlete and partner. The students participate in activities all year together, including this track meet each spring.

The Young Athletes program is an innovative sports play program for children ages 2-7 with intellectual disabilities, designed to introduce them to the world of sports. The benefits of the program include improvement not only physically and cognitively but also and socially. This program also serves as an introduction for families to the resources and support available within Special Olympics. Nearly 800 students participate in this program throughout the district.

For more information on the District 54 Special Olympics and Young Athletes program, please call District 54 Special Olympics office at (847) 357-2105.

District 54 receives its 14th Meritorious Budget Award

For the 14th year in a row, School District 54 has received a Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International for its 2011-12 annual budget.

ASBO International designed the Meritorious Budget Awards Program to enable school business administrators to achieve a standard of excellence in budget presentation. The program helps school systems build a solid foundation in the skills of developing, analyzing and presenting a budget.

 The Meritorious Budget Award is conferred only to school systems that have met or exceeded the Meritorious Budget Award Program criteria. Developed by ASBO for school districts, the MBA criteria guide school business officials toward a quality school budget presentation by enhancing the school business officials’ skills in developing, analyzing, and presenting a school system budget. 

Since its inception, the program has gained the distinction of being a prestigious national award recognized by accounting professionals; bond counsel; underwriters; securities analysts; bond rating agencies; educational, teacher and citizen groups; and federal and state agencies.

 The Association of School Business Officials International, founded in 1910, is a professional association, of more than 5,000 members that provides programs and services to promote the highest standards of school business management practices, professional growth, and the effective use of educational resources.

 For more information call Ric King, District 54’s assistant superintendent of business services, at (847) 357-5039.

District 54 seeks community members for District Citizens’ Advisory Committee

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 2012.

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 2011-12 school year, DCAC provided feedback on the proposed junior high health materials.

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 ACDI or DCAC or to receive an application, please contact Sherry Douglas , board coordinator, by phone at (847) 357-5038 or by email. The application is also available at  http://www.sd54.org/committees.

District 54 co-hosts Recycling Event on April 21

School District 54, theVillageofSchaumburgand the Schaumburg Township District Library will host a free multifaceted recycling event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at the District 54 Office, 524 E. Schaumburg Road inSchaumburg. The following items will be recycled:

• Electronics:  Televisions, household batteries, small household appliances, microwaves, monitors, computers, keyboards, mice, radios, video cassette recorders, telephones, fax machines, UPS systems, and more.
• Document Destruction: Shred up to two boxes. Envelopes with windows, paper clips and staples are OK. No plastics, CD’s or plastic bags. All paper is recycled.
• Clothing, shoes, purses, belts, hats, back packs, towels, linens and other household textiles
• Automotive Batteries
• Holiday light strands, extension cords, copper wiring, computer wiring, phone wires, CAD V coaxial cable.
• Motor oil and antifreeze
• Bicycles, wheelchairs and sewing machines
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL)
• Cell phones and other wireless devices
• Eyeglasses
• American flags

Paint, gas, paint thinner and other hazardous waste will not be accepted. For more information about the event and a complete list of recyclables, visit the Village of Schaumburg website at http://www.ci.schaumburg.il.us or call District 54’s director of business services, Darlene Russo, at (847) 357-5024.

District 54 students advance to state level of PTA Reflections program

The following 23 students from District 54 moved on to the state level for Reflections, a PTA writing and fine arts competition. The theme of the 2011-12 Reflections Program was “Diversity Means…” District 54 students were able to submit an entry in any of the following six arts areas:  film/video production, dance/choreography, literature, musical composition, photography and visual arts.

There will be a reception honoring the Reflections students from PTA District 37 (which includes School District 54) whose entries advanced to the state level at 7 p.m. on February 29 at Lincoln School, 1021 N. Ridgewood Lane in Palatine.

Visual Arts

Sindy Sariev, Grade 6, Campanelli, Diversity is Everywhere…Face It!

Lauren Greene, Grade 6, Link, People of Many Colors

Simona Stalev, Grade 8, Frost, Flying Together Forever

Sebastian Madej, Grade 8, Mead, Everyone Is Different, Including Me

 Photography

 John Johnson, Grade 2, Hoover, Diversity Means…Being Yourself

 Alex Collier, Grade 4, Hoover, Diversity Means…Teamwork

Katherine Moran, Grade 5, Nerge, Diversity Means the World is Made up of Different Colors

Amy Rodriguez, Grade 6, Fairview, Apples

Musical Composition

Abigail Cox, Grade 2, Hale, Together we can stop the fight

James Preucil, Grade 4, Collins, The Diversity of Music

Abigail Garcia, Grade 4, Lakeview, To Be Your Own Person

Krislyn Cardoza, Grade 6, Hoover, Diversity Means…Embracing Your Cul

The following 23 students from District 54 moved on to the state level for Reflections, a PTA writing and fine arts competition. The theme of the 2011-12 Reflections Program was “Diversity Means…” District 54 students were able to submit an entry in any of the following six arts areas:  film/video production, dance/choreography, literature, musical composition, photography and visual arts.

There will be a reception honoring the Reflections students from PTA District 37 (which includes School District 54) whose entries advanced to the state level at 7 p.m. on February 29 at Lincoln School, 1021 N. Ridgewood Lane in Palatine.

Visual Arts

Sindy Sariev, Grade 6, Campanelli, Diversity is Everywhere…Face It!

Lauren Greene, Grade 6, Link, People of Many Colors

Simona Stalev, Grade 8, Frost, Flying Together Forever

Sebastian Madej, Grade 8, Mead, Everyone Is Different, Including Me

Photography

John Johnson, Grade 2, Hoover, Diversity Means…Being Yourself

Alex Collier, Grade 4, Hoover, Diversity Means…Teamwork

Katherine Moran, Grade 5, Nerge, Diversity Means the World is Made up of Different Colors

Amy Rodriguez, Grade 6, Fairview, Apples

Musical Composition

Abigail Cox, Grade 2, Hale, Together we can stop the fight

James Preucil, Grade 4, Collins, The Diversity of Music

Abigail Garcia, Grade 4, Lakeview, To Be Your Own Person

Krislyn Cardoza, Grade 6, Hoover, Diversity Means…Embracing Your Cultures

Dance/Choreography

Alyssa Moreno, Grade 2, Campanelli, Just Keep the Camera

Justin Hartman, Grade 5, Lincoln Prairie, Diversity In Dance

Molly Ward, Grade 6, Campanelli, Diversity Through Dance

Literature

Julia Morse, Early Childhood, Nerge, Superwoman Flies Super High

Mitra Mahadevan, Kindergarten, Link, The Fairy and Her Friend

Dario Perkins, Grade 3, Fox, You Are Special – A StoryAbout Albinism

Ankit Patel, Grade 5, Fairview, We Are All Different

Saima Iqbal, Grade 8, Lincoln Prairie, The Colors of Diversity

Sruthi Guruder, Grade 8, Keller, Diversity Means Poem 

Film/Video Production

Owen Puryear, Kindergarten, Lincoln Prairie, The Birthdays

Elizabeth Einig, Grade 7, Keller, Change the World with Diversity of Thought

For more information, contact District 37 Reflections Chairwoman Tammy Loch at (847) 884-7730.

Dance/Choreography

Alyssa Moreno, Grade 2, Campanelli, Just Keep the Camera

Justin Hartman, Grade 5, Lincoln Prairie, Diversity In Dance

Molly Ward, Grade 6, Campanelli, Diversity Through Dance

Literature

Julia Morse, Early Childhood, Nerge, Superwoman Flies Super High

Mitra Mahadevan, Kindergarten, Link, The Fairy and Her Friend

Dario Perkins, Grade 3, Fox, You Are Special – A StoryAbout Albinism

Ankit Patel, Grade 5, Fairview, We Are All Different

Saima Iqbal, Grade 8, Lincoln Prairie, The Colors of Diversity

Sruthi Guruder, Grade 8, Keller, Diversity Means Poem 

Film/Video Production

Owen Puryear, Kindergarten, Lincoln Prairie, The Birthdays

Elizabeth Einig, Grade 7, Keller, Change the World with Diversity of Thought

For more information, contact District 37 Reflections Chairwoman Tammy Loch at (847) 884-7730.

Thirteen District 54 schools qualified for Illinois Honor Roll

Thirteen District 54 schools received an Academic Excellence Award from the Illinois State Board of Education in recognition of their exemplary performance on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test from 2009 to 2011.

Aldrin, Collins, Dirksen, Dooley, Fairview, Fox, Hale, Hoover, Link, Nerge and Stevenson elementary schools, Lincoln Prairie School, and Frost Junior High School were among the 438 schools to receive the Academic Excellence Award for 2011 by sustaining high performance levels on state assessments for at least three years.

To achieve this award, schools must meet the following criteria:

• All schools must have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2010 and 2011.

• At preschool through eighth grade schools:  90 percent of students must have met or exceeded state standards in both reading and mathematics for the three most recent school years. 

District 54 is one of only three school districts in Illinois to earn more than 10 Academic Excellence Awards this year. In addition, many of our schools are repeat winners:

• Dirksen, Hoover, Nerge and Stevenson elementary schools are receiving the Academic Excellence Award for the fourth consecutive year.

• Dooley, Fairview, Hale, Lincoln Prairie and Frost are receiving the Academic Excellence Award for the third consecutive year.

• Collins, Fox and Link are receiving the Academic Excellence Award for the second consecutive year.

The state assessments are used to measure adequate yearly progress for all public schools. District 54 students in third through eighth grade will take the test from March 5 through 16 this year. 

The Illinois Honor Roll celebrates the accomplishments ofIllinoispublic schools that are providing high quality education for all their students. For more information, please contact principals at any of these schools or Terri McHugh, community relations director, at (847) 357-5028.

District 54 to hold kindergarten registration on Feb. 23

School District 54 will hold kindergarten registration for the 2012-13 school year on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012. Registration will take place from 9-11 a.m., 1-2:30 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at all elementary schools. Parents should go to their neighborhood school to register their child, even if they are applying to attend a school other than their neighborhood school.

Only those children whose fifth birthday falls on or before Sept. 1, 2006, are eligible to enroll in kindergarten for the fall term, 2012.

Registration Procedures

The registration packet for new students includes the following documents that the parent or legal guardian must complete at the time of registration:

• Student Enrollment Form
• Family Census Form
• Proof of Residency Form
• Invoice for Consumable Materials Fee
• Consent for Release of Information Form (this allows our school district to obtain the student’s records from the former school district)

Additionally, the parent or legal guardian must provide the following information to complete the enrollment process:

• Student Transfer Form – In Good Standing (for students transferring from one Illinois public school district to another; this form is provided to the parent at the time of withdrawal from previous school)
• Proof of immunizations
• Birth Certificate (original with seal). Official birth certificates are issued by the county clerk in the county in which the child was born. Hospital certificates are not acceptable.
• Proof of residence
• Phone numbers of people to be contacted in emergencies (neighbors, other family members and work numbers) 

Consumable Materials Fees

Parents or guardians are required to pay a consumable materials fee by check or money order for each child to cover the cost of workbooks, paper, art supplies, and other items used by students. The cost is $50 for each kindergarten through eighth-grade student. The form is available in the registration packet and online

Proof of Residence

Parents, guardians or persons asserting legal custody of new students must provide documented proof of their residence within the boundaries of School District 54. 

Provide a copy of at least one of the following documents to prove residency:

• The most recent real estate tax bill for residence
• Signed lease for the residence
• A closing statement for the purchase of my residence
• Form 891 – Letter of residence in lieu of lease (available at time of registration), plus a signed lease, closing statement or tax bill from the owner plus 2 items from the following list from owner and 2 from person residing in home. 

In addition, provide a copy of at least two of the following documents:

• Driver’s license
• Gas, electric or telephone bill
• Public Aid card
• Voter registration card
• Home/apartment insurance certificate
• Automobile registration – State of Illinois
• Receipt for city vehicle sticker

Any person asserting legal custody over a student, who is not the student’s parent or legal guardian, must complete the Nonparent Custody Form (available at time of registration).

For those students who may qualify for special services in the district, the parents may be referred to our Special Services Department.

The registration process takes about 30 minutes. Parents will fill out entrance materials, and will be given physical examination forms and general school information. More information and some of the registration forms can be found on our website at http://sd54.org/registration/.

District officials can better plan for kindergarten placements if they get most of the registrations on Feb. 23, so parents are urged to register their children for kindergarten on that date. For transportation/boundary questions: call (847) 357-5104.  For general questions: call (847) 357-5087.

PTA sponsors blood drive Feb. 14

The Schaumburg Township Council of PTA’s is helping Heartland sponsor a blood drive on Tuesday, Feb. 14. It will be held from 1:30-7 p.m. in the boardroom at the School District 54 Administration Center, 524 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg.

Anyone between the ages of 17 and 75 who weighs at least 110 pounds can participate.

 A minimum of 600 pints of blood is needed every day for patients in area hospitals, according to Heartland. The Council of PTA’s host blood drives each year to help meet these needs.

To make an appointment, visit www.heartlandbc.org and click on Schedule an Appointment.

For more information about this blood drive, please contact Heather Collier, Health and Safety Chairperson of the PTA Council, at (708) 951-4118.