Gower 62 Community Newsletter

Monday, November 24th is a full day of Parent Teacher Conferences in Gower and students are not in session. Tuesday, November 25th is a Teacher Institute Day and students are not in session, but they do benefit from being able to take part in our practice eLearning Day. This is an excellent way for our families to understand and become familiar with the eLearning process and gives everyone a chance to practice how we maintain continuity of learning on what would otherwise be an Emergency Day. We had well over 90% student participation in our practice eLearning Day last year and look forward to another high turnout this year!

Knowing how tough midwest winters can be, it is important for everyone to be familiar with the process and to be prepared for when an Emergency eLearning Day is actually called. Visit our dedicated eLearning webpage under the Parents info tab on our school and district sites for more details about our program and be sure to review the eLearning FAQ to help answer any questions you may have. Remember, the 'e' is for 'engagement'!

Again, students are not in session on a Teacher Institute Day, but they will have access to the eLearning assignments no later than 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 25th. Our teachers will also be 'e'-vailable to help answer questions and guide students through the activities from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on this day. This is great practice for everyone involved and a great use of our Teacher Institute Day!

If you have any questions about the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences or eLearning Day, please contact the Main Office at Gower West or Gower Middle and we will be glad to help.

Click this link to listen to Simon Says as a Speechify-produced alternative.

Last month, I shared the perspective that drives a lot of the work we do in Gower - Change is inevitable; Growth is optional. In our school district, student growth is an expectation and we see it happening every day, in a variety of forms, across both of our school campuses. Student growth does not happen in isolation. It requires ongoing communication and regular feedback to and from the school. The repeating cycle of deliberate planning and action, followed by intentional adjustments based on feedback collected, works in our favor when it comes to continuous growth and improvement. This is precisely why your feedback is so important to us and is so highly valued. It helps us to check on whether or not we are doing what we said we were going to do - prioritizing our impact over intent - and really making sure that we are living up to our district motto, Children at their Best! To that end, I encourage you to reach out to me directly if that has not been your experience this school year -vsimon@gower62.com.

As is true each November, this cycle of checking in and responding to feedback will be on full display in the Gower Community next week. With Parent Teacher Conferences on Monday, our parents will have an opportunity to check in, give and receive feedback, and gain some insight into the progress their child is making in a particular class or area of learning. This is a perfect opportunity to share your feedback with us as you consider the growth and development that your child has demonstrated in the first part of the school year. What's working? What's not? What would you like to see us do differently? Do more of? Less of? These are all excellent questions to answer in order to improve. Please keep in mind, our scheduled parent-teacher conferences next week are simply one way for your questions to be answered or for your concerns to be addressed. We are always open to receiving your feedback.

The annual feedback cycle continues on Tuesday next week with our practice eLearning Day! Students are not scheduled for attendance on a Teacher Institute Day and this is our district's way of making the most out of that time. We want to ensure that our school community is ready if/when an emergency day is needed and an eLearning Day is scheduled in its place. We know how important preparation is and practicing the eLearning procedures as part of our Institute Day is a smart way to provide an option for our students, parents, and staff to know what to do, where to go, and what is expected of them on an eLearning Day. And keep in mind, when we talk about an eLearning Day in Gower... The 'e' is for 'engagement' :)

Enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving break with your family and friends, and as always, if you would like to discuss this or any other Gower Community topic further, please reach out to me directly at vsimon@gower62.com; especially if your experience, to date, is not meeting your expectations.

With lots to be thankful for in a community that places such a high value on public education,

Dr. Simon

Superintendent of Schools

November 15, 2025 was School Board Members Day in Illinois. We recognize and thank our school board members for their commitment to Gower 62 and the work they do to make our community a great place to call home!

Board Members (left to right): Vice President, Evan Williams; Secretary, Melissa Pitsoulakis; President, Nagla Fetouh; Members Ericka Polanco-Webb, Jen Akhter, Gena Lupo, and Bob Jankowski

Recording Secretary to the Board of Education, Kate Schillinger, 630.286.4929

Click here for the monthly Superintendent Reports and here for our meeting agendas.

Regular Board Meeting Summary: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. There was no public comment from the community. Dr. Simon used the public comment period to acknowledge that Friday, November 15, 2025 was School Board Members Day in Illinois. The Board members were presented with certificates to recognize their time and work on the Board of Education. A big thank you to them and all they do for Gower!

The meeting continued with the monthly Superintendent's Report. The Superintendent's Report included information on the 2024-25 School Report Cards. The Illinois State Board of Education has made the 2024-2025 student performance data on IAR available to schools and to the public. This information can be found on the Annual School Report Card as a means to help support and increase parental engagement and build partnerships with community members and leaders. School Report Cards are accessible at www.illinoisreportcard.com. Gower West and Gower Middle both received an Annual Designation of Commendable. Congratulations to both of our schools for being recognized for all of their hard work and dedication to their students and the Gower School Community!

The Board reviewed a series of reports, including the Tentative 2025 Tax Levy which will be presented to the Board for approval at the December 17th Board meeting. The Board reviewed a detailed report on the district's recent social media profile performance, reviewed the Roles and Responsibilities in the Board Charter and Social Contract, as well as a School Improvement presentation from the Gower Middle School administrative team. A number of Board policy revisions were approved as part of a 4-year revision cycle, and the Board also approved a recommended contract for snow removal for the coming winter as well as the continuation of third-party services to maintain the district's social media presence through the end of the school year.

The Board entered Executive (closed) session at 8:47 p.m. to discuss matters pertaining to individual students, school building safety, and the employment, compensation and performance of specific employees. The Executive (closed) session ended at 10:33 p.m. with no additional action taken other than to and the Board adjourning the meeting at 10:34 p.m.

The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting is scheduled for December 17, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Gower School District Board Room, Gower West, south end of campus Door #B22. As always, you are invited to attend and share your thoughts and feedback with the Board.

Tomorrow, Friday, is an Early Release Day. Monday is Parent-Teacher Conferences from 8 am to 8 pm. Tuesday is a practice eLearning Day from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. Wednesday through Friday is Thanksgiving Break. Have a safe and wonderful holiday!