Dear District 65 Community,

This week, our team presented the community with our annual Achievement and Accountability Report which is an important look at student progress.

We must celebrate student growth and the tremendous work of our educators. At the same time, we very well know that this growth is still not enough. Too many students, especially students of color, are not yet experiencing the academic outcomes we want for every child and significant disparities in achievement and opportunity continue to persist.

We want every single parent/caregiver to feel confident in their child’s educational experience and to know they are getting what they need to be successful. We want our school teams to feel the weight of our full support behind them and that they have the tools, resources, and knowledge to best serve their students.

I truly believe that our challenge is not a lack of strength in our schools. Every day, we see examples of what is possible for students across D65. Our work is to build on that strength and create the conditions for every student to experience it. I know there is a deep desire across our community to see teaching and learning re-emerge as the center of our focus.

We have a strong foundation to build from and there continue to be signs of progress. On the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, 58 percent of students met or exceeded grade-level expectations in English Language Arts, surpassing our five-year Strategic Plan goal a full year early. Mathematics growth rebounded strongly across every grade level, our youngest readers are building literacy skills in two languages, and attendance improved for the fourth consecutive year.

This being said, our financial challenges have demanded far too much of our district’s attention in recent years to be truly doing our best work. We can no longer allow those challenges to define our future or distract us from our most important responsibility of educating the children of our community.

Once again, this is why we are proposing a comprehensive solution to our structural deficit. The reductions ahead will be difficult but they also bring a vision for the future. A more sustainable D65 with greater capacity to invest in exceptional teaching and learning, strong educational programs, and modern, welcoming schools.

I believe this is a pivotal year for District 65. And, not because of the difficult financial decisions we have to make but what is on the other side of them. Together, we can move beyond annual financial crisis management and focus our energy on creating an exceptional educational experience for every student and a stronger future for District 65.

With gratitude,

Eric Witherspoon, Ph.D.
Interim Superintendent