The Highlighter April 2026

• Superintendent's Message
• Student and Staff Highlights
• Summer School Registration
• PTC Announcements
• Community Announcements
• Photo of the Month
• April 2026 Diversity Holidays and District Dates

Dear Avoca Community,

April is National Poetry Month, a time to honor the power of creativity and the written word to express our shared humanity. At Avoca, we truly embrace this through our mission to inspire curiosity. Our teachers and staff do a wonderful job of promoting art and teaching our students its value, meaning, and purpose.

In celebration, it is my honor to share a poem written by the students in Avoca West Class 4D taught by Mx. Michael. The poem, I Hear Avoca Singing, elevates our collective voice and reflects the important role each of us plays in our beautiful community. I hope you enjoy this special piece!

Warmly,

Sandra Arreguín, EdD
Superintendent

Avoca School District 37

The helpful bus drivers, what would we do without them,

The kids singing a song of learning and care, working all day, their pencils on their paper, and running outside at recess,

Custodians helping the school, mopping the floor and cleaning the rooms, cleaning the messes up to make the school sparkle,

The teachers teaching students things they probably never thought about and even learning

themselves, singing a song of kindness, asking questions, singing about being B.R.A.V.E.,

The Principal singing a song of help and right choices, thinking about what to change or add into our school, dealing with a fight, and keeping the school running properly,

The nurse singing a song of kindness and safety, hearing the kids cry because they are hurt,

The lunch ladies serving lunch, giving us food,

The many different perspectives of human life are all joined together,

Everyone is happy, we are a choir all singing our parts.

The Marie Murphy Science Olympiad team did extremely well at the College of DuPage Regional on March 15th, winning Avoca the 27th regional in a row. The Science Olympiad team has advanced to the state tournament at the University of Illinois on April 18th. Congrats to the students on this huge achievement!

Congratulations to Linna Huang who received the silver medal in the Scholastic Competition for her short story, The Weight of Quiet, on the national level. One of the very few middle school writers to make it and win an award on the national level. Congratulations to Linna for this monumental achievement!

Her short story is attached below to read.

Marie Murphy Student Council held a bake sale to raise money for Wright Way Animal Rescue. The students really outdid themselves and baked up a storm!

Marie Murphy students in 6th grade partook in the worldwide Vocabulary Bowl during the months of February and March. Students mastered a collective of 14,328 words, placing Marie Murphy School and Ms. Gail Brown as top achievers in the state of Illinois. Sixth grade student, Chelsea Nguyen, also placed 8th worldwide in the individual category. Congratulations to the students and teachers for their amazing accomplishments in this competition!

The Village of Wilmette is looking for your input on E-Bike and E-Scooter use in Wilmette. Please complete the survey linked below if you would like to contribute to any changes in regulations related to their use in Wilmette.

Peace of Mind and a Boost for Our School Get ahead of the summer rush! Book Camp Galileo by Feb 28 to save $50/week. Use fundraising code 26MAVOCA50 for $50 off your purchase; we’ll receive a $50 donation in return! Enjoy big savings and a finalized summer calendar at galileo-camps.com.

When: Sunday, May 3rd from 9:00-12:00P

Where: Indian Hill Park Shelter

Scan the QR code above to sign up!

Pre-K students learn about American Sign Language led by Ms. Mishinger and Ms. Stotz.