This Week in Valley View
News and Notes from Around the District
Superintendent Dr. Teresa Polson’s Quarterly Report: One Force. One Mission. In Action
When we opened the 2026 - 2027 school year, we united behind a motto: "One Force. One Mission.". Our District mission is simple: Every Learner. Every Day. That means teaming up across our school community to make sure every single student is supported, challenged, and ready for college and careers. Twelve weeks into the year, that shared focus is paying off. Here is a look at our first quarter academic progress and how we are working together to lift student achievement across every grade!
Celebrating Outstanding Academic Results: Eight Exemplary Schools
On the latest Illinois State Report Card, our schools earned outstanding ratings that reflect the everyday commitment of our students and staff:
Eight Exemplary Elementary Schools: Eight of our elementary schools earned the state’s highest honor - Exemplary. This places them in the top tier of all schools in Illinois for overall growth and performance. Across VVSD, our schools earned eight Exemplary, seven Approaching Exemplary, and four Commendable designations.
High Schools Rank in the State's Top 11%: Romeoville High School (#105) and Bolingbrook High School (#108) were both named to the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools list. This marks six straight years in Illinois’s Top 130, placing both campuses in the top 11% statewide.
Gold-Standard Early Learning: Our Early Childhood Program earned the Gold Circle of Quality, the highest quality rating available in Illinois' statewide quality recognition. It requires us to meet or exceed rigorous standards across learning environments, staff qualifications, professional development, teaching quality, and administrative practices.
Expanding College Readiness: Target ACT Support with MasteryPrep
To make sure our high school students are ready to excel on state exams and beyond, secondary education teams are partnering with MasteryPrep to boost ACT readiness:
Consistent Practice: High School students will receive focused practice sessions designed to build familiarity with ACT question styles and pacing.
Building Strong Foundations: Literacy, Attendance & Our Dedicated Staff
Great student achievement relies on strong daily habits and a dedicated, caring team:
Building Confident Readers: All 12 elementary schools launched year one of Reading Horizons Discovery®, giving K - 2 learners the tools to decode words and read with confidence.
Showing Up for Learning: Since 2022, our districtwide chronic absenteeism rate has dropped by 6.3 percentage points from 32.1% down to 25.8% in 2026. While we celebrate this progress, our work is not finished. Consistent attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic success, connection, and graduation, which is why continuing to lower this rate remains a top priority.
A Top-Tier Workplace: Strong school communities start with great educators. VVSD staff retention rate has climbed each year since 2017 and now stands at 92.2%, above the state average. Are you looking tostudn make a real difference in a supportive, high-performing District? Come work with an outstanding team that serves Every Learner. Every Day. Visit vvsd.org/careers to explore certified, support, and administrative opportunities.
Moving Forward Together
From our youngest students to our high schoolers prepping for the ACT, and our STEP students building independence for life after graduation, great things happen when our entire community moves as one. Thank you for your partnership and dedication to our students.
Every Learner. Every Day. One Force. One Mission.
Eight VVSD Schools Earn Exemplary Designation from Illinois State Board of Education
Eight Valley View Community Unit School District 365U schools earned the “Exemplary” designation from the Illinois State Board of Education based on the 2025-26 data posted to the Illinois Report Card. B.J. Ward Elementary and Kenneth Hermansen Elementary earned the Exemplary designation for the second year in a row while Beverly Skoff Elementary, John R. Tibbott Elementary, Jonas Salk Elementary, Pioneer Elementary, Robert C. Hill Elementary, and Wood View Elementary also earned the top "Exemplary" designation.
The Exemplary Designation is the highest of five possible "Summative Designations" for public schools in Illinois. Exemplary Designation is the highest level of school performance. Schools with an Exemplary overall profile demonstrate strong patterns of performance and have no underperforming student groups. VVSD schools earned eight Exemplary, seven Approaching Exemplary and four Commendable designations.
“This is exciting news for VVSD and the eight elementary schools earning this designation and is a reflection of the dedication of the staff members at each school, the hard work of students, and the support of families,” said VVSD Superintendent Dr. Teresa Polson.
VVSD Board of Education Steve Quigley added, “The designations at all our schools are also indicative of the VVSD community’s commitment in laying the foundation for positive student outcomes. This is the result of years of dedication by District staff, the Board of Education and community members to provide resources that make a high quality educational opportunity possible.”
ISBE’s Annual Summative Designation is based on each school’s performance on the Illinois Report Card. Schools are assigned points for each indicator (like chronic absenteeism, academic growth, etc.), and these data points are weighted to calculate a total score. The threshold score for the Exemplary designation changes each year, based on the statewide data.
Oak View Physical Education Teacher Mike Torres was a baseball player while attending Aurora University. Mike wasn’t certain about his career path, until one day, he and his teammates visited a local elementary school PE class as a community outreach project.
That visit changed Mike’s life. He enjoyed working with elementary students so much, he immediately visited his counselor with questions about becoming an elementary school PE teacher. At Oak View, Mike is more than just the PE teacher. If there’s a school event, you’ll see him because he’s a visible regular part of the Oak View school community.
VVSD Nutrition Services will provide one free breakfast and one free lunch for Every Learner in grades Pre-K through 12th. For more information, visit www.vvsd.org/food
Brooks Middle School Presents “It Must Be Murder”
For two moms and one true-crime novelist who make up the Mandrake Murder Club, it’s fun and games consulting for Paige Turner’s podcast, If It’s Monday, It Must Be Murder! But when Mandrake Apartment’s mean-spirited landlord actually winds up dead, there’s only one conclusion... it must be murder! Neighbors become suspects and “home” becomes a danger zone as the foursome — plus two cantankerous teens — dive into dark corners of the crime.
Showtimes are: Thu. Nov.12 and Fri. Nov. 13 at 6:45 pm. Tickets are available at the door.
Lukancic Middle School Presents “Crumpled Classics”
Get ready for literary mayhem in Crumpled Classics, where high school students hijack their school play to turn timeless masterpieces like Romeo and Juliet and Frankenstein into hilariously chaotic, fast-food, and prom-date parodies!
Showtimes are: Thu. Nov.12, Fri. Nov. 13, and Sat. Nov. 14 at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children.
Humphrey Middle School Presents “Don’t Rock the Boat”
Tom Butterworth is determined to be the youngest cruise ship captain in history - even if this means sailing on a converted gunboat named "Vengeance" with a crew of rejects from Maritime High School, and a trio of girl singers who are passing themselves off as a famous show biz act. To top it all off, there's a hijacking by a misguided group of pirate loonies. By the final curtain, it's all romance and laughter.
Showtimes are: Thu. Nov.19 and Fri. Nov. 20 at 6:15 pm. Tickets are available at the door.
Romeoville HS 12th grade student Tahj Robinson won first place in Digital Art at the Chicagoland 4” x 5” High School Art Show. Tahj competed against more than 130 entries in his category. He is the first student from Romeoville High School to receive 1st Place at this art show. All artwork entries for this show must fit within 4"x5" dimensions, making it a unique creative challenge. This year, over 60 schools participated, submitting more than 1,000 pieces of artwork.
(Tahj’s winning artwork appears at left)
VVSD Superintendent Dr. Teresa Polson welcomes visitors, vendors, and volunteers to the VVSD Family Symposium on Sat. Nov. 7 at Brooks Middle School.
In accordance with United States Marines Corps tradition, Romeoville HS USMCJROTC Cadet Commander Keith Beechler presents the first piece of birthday cake to George Sanchez, the oldest Marine in attendance, at the USMC Birthday Celebration on Tue. Nov. 10.
Members of the Bolingbrook HS United States Air Force JROTC presented the colors during the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner at the beginning of the Oak View Elementary Veterans’ Day event on Wed. Nov. 11.