An Update from Supt. Smith

Notable Dates and Events

• Calendar Reminders

End of School Year Superintendent Message

• Thank You for an Exceptional School Year!

News and Announcements

• Summer READ300 Program Now Live!
• Summer Food Service Program Details

District Highlights

• District 300 Celebrates the Class of 2026 at Graduation Ceremonies
• District 300 Honors 300 P.L.U.S. Students
• S.T.A.R.S. Students Celebrated During Recognition Ceremony

Student Recognitions

• Three District 300 Juniors Earn Perfect ACT Scores
• Student Projects Excel at State Science Exposition
• Dundee-Crown, Jacobs Juniors Nominated for Illinois High School Musical Theatre Award
• Dundee-Crown Seniors Earn Industrial Education Student of the Year Honor
• Jacobs Senior Presents at Symposium Hosted at Elgin Community College
• Jacobs High School Senior Contributes to Published Scientific Study
• Jacobs High School Student Presentation Highlights 3D-Printed Projects

School Highlights

• Eastview Elementary School Raises Funds for Pediatric Cancer Foundation
• Liberty Elementary Students Gain Knowledge Through Chick-Hatching Experience
• Cambridge Lakes Charter School Orchestra Students Prepare for Concert

Note of Appreciation

• Thank You for Note of Appreciation Submissions

Board of Education

• Next Board of Education Meeting Scheduled for June 9

Conclusion

District 300 would like to remind families of the following notable dates and events:

Through Sunday, May 31:

• Mental Health Awareness Month

Monday, May 25:

• Memorial Day – District offices and schools closed.

Friday, June 19:

• Juneteenth – District offices and schools closed.

Tuesday, August 11:

• First day of school – For the 2026-27 school year.

View additional calendar information on the district's website.

When we started this school year, we set out to build upon our momentum by keeping student learning at the heart of everything we do, engaging our community, and strengthening our safety measures.

I am thrilled to report that we realized many remarkable achievements this year, including the following:

• Launched the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SSAC), giving high school students a direct seat at the decision-making table to ensure student voice remains central to our work.
  
  
• Hosted the District 300: Together for Tomorrow Community Workshops and Open Houses, gathering vital input from parents, staff, and community members to shape the next steps of our Master Facility Plan.
  
  
• Earned Advanced Placement (AP) School Honor Roll awards at all three high schools, reflecting our commitment to expanding college readiness and rigorous academic opportunities. Hampshire High School earned a Silver Award, while Dundee-Crown and Jacobs high schools earned Bronze Awards.
  
  
• Demonstrated strong academic progress on the Illinois Report Card, with 25 of our schools earning Exemplary or Commendable designations, maintaining a nearly 96% graduation rate, and achieving an 84.1% 9th Grade On Track rate – our highest since the pandemic.
  
  
• Strengthened district-wide safety and security by implementing the “I Love U Guys” Foundation standard response protocols, ensuring a common language and clear actions for safety situations.
  
  
• Received School Board Governance Recognition from the Illinois Association of School Boards for our Board of Education's effective governance, and earned the Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials International for the 20th consecutive year.
  
  
• Honored high academic achievement, including the recognition of three juniors, one from each of our high schools, who earned perfect scores on the ACT exam.

I wish you a safe, restful, and joyful Summer Break!

District 300 has officially launched Summer READ300!

Summer READ300 is a summer reading program that provides an opportunity for District 300 students of all ages to celebrate reading and earn prizes.

Students who complete the free program will receive a Summer READ300 T-shirt and certificate. Plus, there will be a school-wide recognition opportunity, where the District 300 elementary school, middle school, and high school with the highest percentage of student completion will receive a celebratory banner.

It takes just three steps to get started.

Step 1: Identify one of the following partner libraries from the list below:

• Algonquin Area Public Library
• Barrington Area Library
• Cary Area Public Library
• Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library (must visit library to register)
• Fox River Grove Memorial Library
• Fox River Valley Library
• Gail Borden Public Library
• Huntley Area Public Library

Step 2: Click your selected library’s name, and register for its summer reading program.

(Please note: All library reading programs will have started by Monday, June 1.)

Step 3: Complete the District 300 sign-up form by Wednesday, June 10.

For complete program details, including additional steps that must be taken to earn the Summer READ300 T-shirt, please visit www.d300.org/SummerREAD300.

District 300 would like to thank the D300 Foundation for Educational Excellence for partnering with us in providing the Summer READ300 T-shirts and celebratory program banners and also thanks the participating libraries for their collaboration in making Summer READ300 a success.

District 300 would like to share information about three meal assistance programs that will be in operation this summer:

District 300 Summer Food Service Program – This program is available at no cost to eligible students age 18 or younger. Five district schools will offer a Summer Food Service Program, with each offering breakfast and lunch. Meals must be consumed on site.

SUN Bucks – SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, helps eligible families buy food for their school-age children during summer. Families participating in the program can receive a one-time benefit of $120 for the summer for each eligible child.

Additional options – Free summer meals are available to children age 18 and younger through additional options. For details, call 800-359-2163 or visit https://wegotyouillinois.org/summer-meals. (Please note: The “Summer Meals Site Finder” map on the listed webpage will be updated for summer 2026 shortly.)

Questions about summer meal program options can be sent to meals@d300.org.

Dundee-Crown, Hampshire, and Jacobs high school graduates were celebrated May 16 during commencement ceremonies at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates. The ceremonies were filled with pride and excitement as graduates and their families came together to honor this significant educational milestone.

In total, 1,635 students graduated from District 300 this year. Among this group, the district had:

• 29 students earn associate degrees in conjunction with their high school diploma through the Accelerate College program
• 68 students earn a College and Career Pathway Endorsement, with endorsements awarded across nine different Pathway programs
• 132 State Seal of Biliteracy recipients
• 262 National Honor Society members
• 1,478 industry certifications attained
• $14.5 million (and counting) in scholarship funds bestowed to students

Congratulations, Class of 2026. You have made District 300 proud!

Congratulations to the 300 P.L.U.S. students who were recognized last week during a ceremony at Elgin Community College!

The 300 P.L.U.S. program is designed to support students ages 18 to 22 after high school and before they transition out of the district.

Congratulations to the following six students who were celebrated during a ceremony on May 8 for transitioning out of the District 300 S.T.A.R.S. program!

• Mary Jane Basovsky
• Liam Butler
• Kristen Kearey
• Shanna Rossmann
• Daniel Sherfick
• Dustin Vanderhoof-Jacobs

During the transition recognition ceremony, each student presented a slideshow they created highlighting their time in the S.T.A.R.S. program. The presentations included memorable learning moments, skills developed through various job placements, community involvement, and plans for the future.

Tailored to students ages 18 to 22, the S.T.A.R.S. program helps young adults strengthen their skills in independent living, self-advocacy, career development, and more.

Congratulations to Dundee-Crown High School junior Connor McCrate, Hampshire High School junior Magnus Murdent, and Jacobs High School junior Kyle Gilligan, who each earned a perfect score of 36 on the ACT exam!

The standardized college entrance exam measures skills in English, math, reading, and science. According to The Princeton Review, ACT statistics indicate that fewer than 0.2% of test-takers achieve the top score of 36 annually.

District 300 commends these students for their dedication, hard work, and outstanding academic achievement!

Congratulations to the District 300 students who recently presented projects at the Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Exposition at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale!

During the multi-day event, students presented their projects across multiple judging sessions and attended a “Pizza Pie, & Pi” celebration at the SIU Student Center.

Projects were scored and awarded at three levels: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. In addition, “Exceptional” projects were recognized in their respective category.

District 300 students earned the following honors:

• Michelle Ani (Hampshire High School)
• Grace Birkett (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Grace Brown (Hampshire High School)
• Nel Burdek (Jacobs High School)
• Madeline Canary (Hampshire High School)
• Amelia Cantelon (Hampshire High School)
• Naavya Chainani (Jacobs High School)
• Isabella Derdas (Jacobs High School)
• Delaney Hitch (Jacobs High School)
• Caden Hummrich (Hampshire High School)
• Ifra Hussain (Jacobs High School)
• Siri Insko (Hampshire High School)
• Veronica Kuczborski (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Ashton Lewandowski (Hampshire High School)

• Ashley Manoj (Jacobs High School)
• Milo Nell (Hampshire High School)
• Verina Perez (Hampshire High School)
• Cameron Roncone (Hampshire High School)
• Carly Salgado (Hampshire High School)
• Daria Singerean (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Audra Steele (Jacobs High School)
• Autumn Swanson (Jacobs High School)
• Hannah Valentino (Jacobs High School)
• Marymellany Velasco (Jacobs High School)
• Danielle Wagner (Jacobs High School)
• Saanvika Yama (Dundee-Crown High School)

• Colette Arnold (Jacobs High School)
• Caia Baldino (Hampshire High School)
• Talin Baxter (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Isabella Blanchard (Hampshire High School)
• Brooke Foss (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Owen Franz (Hampshire High School)
• Bartosz Kubat (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Cameron Moore (Hampshire High School)
• Mariana Porras Arenales (Dundee Middle School)
• Marie Poulos (Jacobs High School)
• Madeline Reiner (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Nathaniel Rekuc (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Mileidi Reyes-Zambrano (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Grant Schiltz (Hampshire High School)

• Saanvi Sharma (Hampshire High School)
• Izaan Siddiqui (Hampshire High School)
• Rubi Trevino (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Akwaima Udoh (Dundee-Crown High School)
• Owen VanDusen (Hampshire High School)
• Amber Wojtanowski (Hampshire High School)

• Katherine Contreras (Hampshire High School)

• Madeline Canary (Hampshire High School) (Exceptional Project in Product/Consumer Science - Senior)
• Amelia Cantelon (Hampshire High School) (Exceptional Project in Product/Consumer Science - Senior)

Congratulations to Tristan Bell and Jack Bockrath, who each were named Dundee-Crown High School Industrial Education Department Student of the Year prior to graduation!

The honor recognizes industrial education students who displayed ambition, commitment, and a broad range of industrial skills while at Dundee-Crown.

Congratulations to Jacobs High School senior and dual credit student Bree Abel, who presented last month at the Honors & CURIC Symposium at Elgin Community College!

The symposium provides an opportunity for students to highlight the research they have completed with guidance from an ECC faculty mentor.

Bree’s presentation was titled “Analysis of Changes in Stomata Density Within Epipremnum Aureum (Pothos) When Provided With a Multivariable Environment to Simulate Impacts from Climate Change.”

Her ECC faculty mentor was Mr. Frederick Vogt.

Congratulations to the following District 300 high school students who each were nominated for an Illinois High School Musical Theatre Award!

• Dundee-Crown High School junior Sebastian Llavona (nominated for Best Performer in an Actor Role for playing Dmitry in the DCHS production of “Anastasia”)
  
  
• Dundee-Crown High School junior Corinne Stewart (nominated for Best Performer in an Actress Role for playing Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch in the DCHS production of “Anastasia”)
  
  
• Jacobs High School junior Molly Jones (nominated Best Performer in an Actress Role for playing Madame Thénardier in the JHS production of “Les Misérables: School Edition”)

Hosted by Broadway In Chicago, the Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards celebrate excellence in high school theater throughout the state of Illinois.

Congratulations to Jacobs High School senior Charlie Yang, who contributed to a recently published study in the scientific journal Cortex!

Charlie is listed as the second author of the study, titled “Influences of mental imagery at different stages of Atkinson's and Shiffrin's modal model: Visual imagery is associated with enhanced iconic memory performance.”

It was during his junior year at Jacobs that Charlie designed and implemented the original version of the study – work that was undertaken as part of his AP Research project in Ms. Emily Lacey’s class, with additional support from Jacobs media specialist Ms. Allison Lichtenheld.

After submitting his original study to College Board, Charlie chose to build upon his work under the guidance of expert adviser Dr. Merlin Monzel from the University of Bonn in Germany, which ultimately led to the published version.

Charlie is credited for his contributions to the study’s writing, methodology, and investigation.

Congratulations to Jacobs High School juniors Alaa Lachhab, Luke Sanders, and Jeff Wines, who – prior to the end of the school year – presented 3D-printed projects they created to Huntley Community Engagement Coordinator Steve Skurski and Huntley police Officer Jerry Keppler!

The projects included a smaller replica of the Huntley gateway sign and a large-scale replica of a Huntley police badge.

“Working with my classmates was fun,” said Luke of the project, noting he would like to pursue civil engineering as a career, where the skills he has been developing would be applicable. “Learning the software is pretty nice.”

The students created the projects while in their Intro to Solid Modeling and 3D Printing class with Mr. Fernando Medina.

Congratulations to Eastview Elementary School, which recently raised more than $2,500 for the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting those battling pediatric cancer.

As part of the annual school fundraiser, students, staff, family members, and local first responders completed a group walk on the track near Eastview earlier this month to raise awareness for their cause.

Bear Necessities was founded in memory of former Eastview student Barrett “Bear” Krupa, who died after a hard-fought battle with Wilms tumor, a form of pediatric cancer.

Before the school year concluded, Liberty Elementary School second graders hatched chicks in their classrooms.

“I like it!” said student Hailley Becerra (pictured second from left) from Mr. Alex Odom’s class, who confidently explained how the chicks had been breaking out of their shells.

“They use their egg tooth because they can’t move their body ‘cause they’re squished up,” she said.

Through the chick hatching experience, students learned about life cycles, built related vocabulary, and practiced how to handle the chicks safely.

They earned the opportunity to hatch the chicks after writing persuasive essays.

Thank you to all of the parents, guardians, and others who submitted a Note of Appreciation this school year!

More than 615 submissions were received recognizing our outstanding staff. A special thank you goes to Beata Burak who completed the most Note submissions at 17.

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, at District 300 Central Office, 2550 Harnish Drive, in Algonquin.

Meetings are called to order at 6 p.m., with board members immediately entering closed session; meetings then reconvene in open session at 6:30 p.m.

In-person seating for meetings is on a first-come, first-served basis. For your awareness, meetings are also streamed live on the District 300 YouTube channel beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Guidelines for public participation at board meetings are available on the district website.

District residents and members of the public can contact the board any time by emailing Board@d300.org. Any email sent to this address will reach all board members simultaneously.

As we close out another exceptional school year, we celebrate many achievements, milestones, and moments of growth across our schools. Thank you again to our students, staff, and families for their steadfast focus on educational success.

Look for my final Superintendent Update on Friday, June 12.

Until then, enjoy Summer Break!