Superintendent News

March 5, 2025

Dear District 95 Families,

This is a favorite time of year in District 95 as we, the administrative team, have the privilege of surprising unsuspecting staff members across the district with honors as we deliver our District 95 Excellence in Education awards. Three of these recognitions are nominated by you, the parents, guardians, and students for "Teachers Make a Difference Awards" - thank you for your many, many worthy nominations! It is always a challenge to select only three winners! (Please note that all nominees do receive a copy of their nominations, even if they were not selected to win.). We also recognize staff members for a variety of staff-nominated awards, as colleagues take time to recognize the great work of their peers. Please enjoy the photos below of our surprise deliveries in February. These winners will also be recognized at our end-of-year staff recognition program in May.

Please also note that the middle school PTOs are sponsoring a Board of Education Candidate Forum on March 11th - an opportunity to learn more about the candidates running for the Board in the upcoming April 1st election.

Lastly, please be aware that the Summer Semester course offerings are now available on our website (under the Parents menu on the district website); registration will open for these courses in April.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kelley Gallt

Superintendent

In February the administrative team, lead by the Superintendent, has the privilege of surprising unsuspecting staff members across the district by delivering District 95 Excellence in Education awards. Please enjoy the photos below from these surprise deliveries and congratulate these staff members if you see them!!

This year, in conjunction with the District 95 Board of Education and administration, we began a new initiative called “Sip ‘n Chat” where up to two Board members, one or more administrators, and I will be available at various locations in the community for people to drop in for conversations relating to our school district. We will have key people on hand who are subject matter experts in particular areas, but discussions are not restricted to only that topic. We hope to have room for up to 20-25 people at one time, though it is also fine to come and go – I hope you will consider stopping by for a cup of coffee and a chat!

March 21, 2025

Après Pastry & Bakery

17 S. Old Rand Rd.

8:30 - 10:00 am

Subject Matter Experts: Portrait of a Graduate - Strategic Planning (Part 2)

As summer approaches, District 95 will once again be offering a variety of Summer Semester programs for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, including Extended School Year (ESY).

Summer Semester Course Offerings

Please click the links below to access further information about the summer semester and the programs that will be offered. If you are having trouble viewing any of these resources or need translations, please contact Aubrey Allen at aubrey.allen@lz95.org or (847) 540-5489.

• K - 8 Summer Semester Course Guide

• LZHS Summer Semester Course Guide

Summer Semester Registration

Summer Semester 2025 registration will open on Monday, April 7, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. and run through Friday, May 16, 2025 for in-district families. Families who are not residents of District 95 will be able to register for a limited number of courses at the high school level from May 1, 2025 - May 16, 2025.

Registration will be conducted exclusively through ParentVue, accessible via the district website (www.lz95.org) including for non-District 95 families.

We value your input! The 5Essentials Survey is now open for parent feedback. This survey provides valuable insights into our schools and helps guide future improvements. We encourage all families to participate and share their perspectives. The survey is open now through March 31st.

Click the link to complete the survey: 5Essentials Parent Survey

Thank you for your time and support!

In this feature article, “Innovation in the Classroom", 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!. These lessons highlight certain aspects of the District 95 Instruction Learning Model.

Spending time in classrooms is always a highlight of my role, but this month, I had the unique opportunity to step into the shoes of a student in one of our elementary bilingual classrooms, and what an incredible experience it was! The lesson, thoughtfully designed by one of Seth Paine’s fabulous educators, Mrs. Lara, provided all learners with an engaging and meaningful way for students to connect their language skills, mathematical thinking, and scientific curiosity through the study of animals and their sizes.

The learning began with a number sense warm-up, where students traveled to different classrooms based on their individual mathematical needs. This intentional structure ensured that each child was met with appropriately challenging content; a powerful example of differentiated instruction in action.

Once back in the classroom, we dove into a whole-group math lesson using cubes to measure and count by tens and ones. We explored concepts of larger and smaller numbers, discussing size and scale in relationship to real animals. From there, we worked in small teams to measure pre-created lines that represented the actual lengths of various animals. Using unit cubes and student created tens blocks, we calculated these larger measurements, reinforcing key mathematical concepts in a tangible and engaging way.

In my group, one of the many awesome learning moments was our discussion about how floor tiles, because of their consistent size and shape, can help us solve measurement problems more efficiently. This simple yet profound realization demonstrated how math is embedded in our everyday surroundings, fostering curiosity and problem-solving skills.

Beyond the math, this lesson beautifully integrated Spanish and English vocabulary, deepening our understanding of animal names and size comparisons across languages. It also sparked scientific curiosity, as students expressed excitement about learning more animal facts and comparing their sizes. By the end of the lesson, we were left with more questions than answers, which is a true indicator of a successful and inspiring learning experience!

This experience powerfully reflected our district’s instructional model by providing:

• Authentic student experiences through relevant, real-world applications of math, language, and science.

• Dynamic learning with high levels of engagement and collaboration.

• Integrated language development, seamlessly connecting bilingual skills to mathematics and science.

• A sense of curiosity, inspiring students to ask questions and seek deeper understanding.

I left the classroom energized by the students’ enthusiasm and was reminded once again of the transformative power of great teaching. Thank you to our dedicated educators who design lessons that engage, challenge, and inspire; you are making an incredible impact on our learners every day!

Get to know your Board of Education members! The Board Corner is a new article series for the 2024-25 school year which features a letter from a different Board of Education member each month.

For more information about the Board of Education, including meeting schedules, how to contact the Board, and much more, click here to visit the District 95 website, then select the "School Board" menu.

Dear District 95 Community,

I am the proud mom to three sons, Brady, Riley, and Nolan Pemstein, who attended District 95 schools from K-12. As a 27-year resident of our wonderful community, I am delighted with all the accomplishments the district has achieved over the past few years and am incredibly grateful to be part of the Board of Education.

Continuing education is a priority for me, so I have taken many courses and seminars sponsored by the Illinois Association of School Boards to learn how to be the best school board member that I can be. I achieved the status of master/distinguished school board member in 2018 and maintained that status ever since. I love the district’s philosophy of involving all our stakeholders in many of our committees. I had the wonderful opportunity to be on the Portrait of a Graduate committee and am a long-standing member of the Indoor Air Quality committees.

When I started on the board in 2013, the facilities were not as contemporary as they are now. Through disciplined fiscal management and help of our community in passing the referendum, we have built the beautiful May Whitney school building and made significant improvements to all our school buildings. But as amazing as our facilities are now, I am even more proud our two Blue Ribbon Schools, a recognition for excellence in education, as well as our Green Ribbon Award for sustainability. Also, all our district schools earned an exemplary or commendable summative designation by the Illinois State Board of Education. Our buildings are now beautiful, but our greatest asset in the district is our teachers. There are so many stories where our teachers have been a rock for our students and guided and molded the minds of our children. If you have a story about one of our wonderful teachers, I would love to hear it. We have so much to be proud of as a community.

It has been a pleasure serving the community as a member of the Board of Education and I hope I get the opportunity to meet more students and parents as we are out and about town or at school events.

Eileen Maloney

Please join us in celebrating members of our staff with a 'thank you' or a kind email in honor of these upcoming recognition days!

March 3rd-7th - National School Social Workers Week

March 7th - Maintenance Workers Appreciation Day

April 2nd - Paraprofessional Appreciation Day

April 4th - School Librarian Appreciation Day

April 7th - National Assistant Principals Week

April 21st - Public School Volunteer Week

April 23rd - Administrative Professionals Day

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

Instagram: @LZdistrict95
X(Twitter): @LZdistrict95