Superintendent News

December 22, 2023

Dear District 95 Families,

This is the time of year to reflect upon all that we have accomplished as a district on behalf of families, students, and staff. To say that I am proud is simply an understatement! I am truly filled with a profound sense of gratitude and admiration for this community, our students, and our staff.

I continue to think about our work in relationship to the heart of our district's mission, our enduring commitment to empower all learners to achieve personal excellence. The daily efforts of our staff, students, and families, marked by passion and dedication, bring this mission to life. Moreover, through our shared values—collaborative spirit, personal accountability, high regard for academic excellence, equity, integrity, perseverance, and respect—the bar is set high as these are not just words on paper, they are the guiding principles that define the incredible work of our district.

As I think about second semester quickly approaching, I am confident it is sure to boast more incredible triumphs of the academic year. This is because of our learning community’s collective high regard for academic excellence, a strong commitment to equity, and an unwavering integrity that sets the standard for excellence. I want to take this moment to express my pride in being a part of this extraordinary team of educators and support staff, whose impact on the hearts and minds of our students is immeasurable.

Wishing you a joyous break that is filled with love, laughter, and well-deserved rest.

See you in the new year!

Dr. Kelley Gallt

Superintendent

Lake Zurich Together Community Poll: Closing January 8th!

Hey students, parents & teachers! The Village of Lake Zurich is updating its comprehensive plan and wants to hear your ideas on how it can arrive at its best future self. What would you like to see prioritized or improved over the next 5-10 years? Think about quality of life, arts and culture, things to do, getting around, the Main Street Area, commercial corridors and more! Visit the project website at LakeZurichTogether.org to take a short 10-minute poll. After completing the poll you can sign-up for project updates and add ideas to an interactive map and input wall.

The Strategic Planning Team and Portrait of a Graduate Team worked diligently for more than five months to define the Mission, Vision (Portrait of a Graduate), Values, and Strategies (by Goal Area) for the District's new Strategic Plan, Empower95.

From their work, and utilizing the SWOT analysis developed by the team, the District Administration developed Action Plans for the first year of this five year strategic plan. The Action Plans can be thought of as strategic projects, above and beyond the normal work responsibilities of each department.

Here are the Action Plans defined for the 2023--24 school year (click on the name of the Action Plan to open for more details). Please note, for some of these plans this may be the first year of a multi-year plan.

Goal Area: STUDENTS

Action Plans

• Student Language Offerings
• Career Exploration/Pathways, Personal Interests, and Authentic Learning
• School Safety
• Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Standard Integration
• Post-Secondary Employability Skills

Goal Area: STAFF

Action Plans

• Staff Professional Learning, Diverse Student Needs
• Staff Recruitment, Retention, and Development
• Candidate Recruitment & Hiring
• Staff/Administrator Growth & Learning

Goal Area: RESOURCES

Action Plans

• Furniture Replacement to Promote Ideal Classroom Environments
• LZHS Facilities Improvements Enhancing Programming & Student Experiences
• Implement New Student Information System
• Transportation Real Estate Investment Analysis
• Energy Cost Reduction Analysis Through Solar

Goal Area: FAMILY & COMMUNITY

Action Plans

• Stakeholder Engagement
• Social Media Engagement

Stay tuned for more information about Empower95 in our next article and on social media! Can't wait and want to learn more now? Visit our website to learn more about Empower95.

In this feature article, “A Day in the Class of…”, we highlight the Superintendent as a member of a classroom for one full period. A different school and class are highlighted each month, allowing readers a view into the classroom from a new perspective!. This lesson demonstrated Authentic Learning (relating to the District 95 Instruction Learning Model).

In an exciting and innovative educational experience, I had the honor of joining students at Middle School South (MSS) in Ms. Minarik’s 7th grade class in a dynamic approach to learning that aligns with our district's vision for Future Ready and Growth Oriented learners (a very important aspect of our Portrait of a Graduate expectations). This learning opportunity focused on developing essential skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability, passion, curiosity, perseverance, and resilience. The visit centered around a hands-on coding challenge that combined technology with creativity, giving students a chance to shine as they embraced the Future Ready mindset. More specifically this learning activity was rooted in an authentic learning environment, which involved teams of students working on theme-based challenges. The challenges ranged from "Finding Fred Flintstone's Stolen Car" to "Operation Zoo Break," offering a diverse array of scenarios to engage all students in the coding process. These challenges encouraged the application of instructional strategies that promoted collaboration, curiosity, and engagement, while also being innovative, connected, and relevant.

During the visit, I personally participated in the "Finding Fred Flintstone's Stolen Car" challenge, a task that required a blend of creativity and mathematical thinking. The students had prepared a maze on paper, complete with right-angle turns and strategically placed obstacles, including dinosaurs. The challenge demanded coding Sphero, a programmable robot, to navigate the maze successfully, with specific interactions at each dinosaur encounter. Each step of the coding process involved not only technical skills but also mathematical thinking, as students used percentages to determine the robot's movement and turns. The collaborative effort required trial and error, fostering perseverance, teamwork, and risk-taking. As Sphero moved through the maze, it flashed different colors and spoke to the dinosaurs, showcasing the students' mastery of coding and creativity.

Reflecting on the experience, I continue to be in admiration for the students' ingenuity and yet another District 95 teacher's talent in designing such an engaging lesson. I truly enjoyed my time with my team and felt so accomplished when we were able to finish the coding assignment successfully! Such an engaging lesson! Way to go MSS learners and a HUGE shoutout to an incredibly talented and creative teacher, Ms. Minarik! I cannot thank our staff enough for creating such extraordinary learning experiences, especially because I know the kind of great thought, planning, and resourcefulness that is required of our educators. We are such a fortunate school district community!

I look forward to more opportunities for collaborative learning and exciting challenges that empower students to embrace curiosity, resilience, and a passion for learning in order to ensure that we continue to empower every learner to achieve personal excellence!

At Board of Education meetings from September through April, the District recognizes students, staff, and volunteers who represent the vision and values that support the District 95 mission, to “Empower every learner to achieve personal excellence”.

Click here to learn more about the District 95 Mission, Vision, and Values as defined by the Empower95 Strategic Plan.

Please congratulate our honorees from this month (photos above)!!

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

Mia McHugh - Lake Zurich High School

Jack Quinley – Middle School North

Eliel Castilla - Middle School South

Ava Clark - Isaac Fox Elementary School

Bradley Rynne – Spencer Loomis Elementary School

Aliviya Lesnik - Seth Paine Elementary School

Yaretzi Ochoa - Sarah Adams Elementary School

Etka Duman – May Whitney Elementary School

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH

Whitney Smith – Middle School North

STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Brian Denesha – Middle School South

In addition to an ongoing need for bus drivers (see below for more information), District 95 also has many other current employment needs including playground/lunchroom supervisors, classroom aides, and more. For a current list of openings, please visit our online job listings by clicking here.

Bus Drivers

Looking for an opportunity to give back to the community? Retired and looking for a way to stay active and connected? A parent wanting to have the same schedule as your children? Want to bring your preschool aged child to work with you? Join our amazing team of bus drivers. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.

Benefits Include: · Paid Behind the Wheel Training · Partial Paid Health Insurance · Retirement Benefits · Sick Leave · Personal Days· Competitive Pay including pay for prior experience

Qualifications: · Good Driving Record · Minimum of 21 years old (Drivers) · Pass required Federal Background check · Pass a pre-employment/ annual physical & drug test · Enjoy working with kids!!

If you have any questions, contact the District 95 Transportation Department at 847-438-2834.

Click here to apply online by visiting our website or go to www.lz95.org/jobs ~ Click on Job Openings ~ Select Transportation ~ Select Apply button

Email: feedback@lz95.org
Website: www.lz95.org
Location: 832 S Rand Rd, Lake Zurich, IL, USA
Phone: 847-438-2831
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LZdistrict95
Twitter: @LZdistrict95