Superintendent News
Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95
May 5, 2025
Dear District 95 Families,
Perhaps many of you are experiencing, as I am, some disbelief that May is here and with it the last few weeks of school. For some families and staff, this means a welcome break and a fun filled summer, for others it may mark the end of a milestone and the beginning of another, and no doubt there are many other feelings and emotions tied to the conclusion of this school year.
Whatever else you may be feeling as the year comes to a close, I hope you share in my immense sense of pride toward this learning community. We are fortunate to have wonderful students, families, teachers, staff, board members, community members and administrators who care for and about one another. Only with this collective commitment to our system can we live up to our mission to "empower every learner to achieve personal excellence". My heartfelt thanks to each of you, whatever your role may be, for contributing toward the betterment of the district.
As a "feel good" closing, I want to share two links where District 95 has been highlighted for our excellence. One is an article recapping the results of a third annual study conducted by Harvard and Stanford Universities, measuring students' math and reading scores nationwide since the pandemic. The study indicated that 100+ school districts across the nation are performing at pre-pandemic levels or higher - happily, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 is one of those districts (click here to see the report). Additionally, as one of those 100+ districts nationwide (and only 11 in Illinois), I was invited to be a guest on an IASA (Illinois Association of School Administrators) podcast to discuss the reasons for our success (click here to listen).
All my best to you in these final weeks of school. Stay safe and enjoy!
Sincerely,
Dr. Kelley Gallt
Superintendent
In April I had the privilege of joining Mr. Danz's 5th grade music class at Spencer Loomis Elementary School. As we entered the classroom it was apparent the students were excited and ready for the day's activities and their creativity and enthusiasm did not disappoint.
The lesson began with a two-minute activity where two students were selected (me being one!) to compose a musical leitmotif representing a character and/or setting from a story (if you are not familiar, a classic example of a leitmotif is the Imperial March music associated with Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies). The entire class hummed the notes for this leitmotif once completed. This was the perfect warm up for the main activity in the day's lesson.
Next, we began working in groups to develop our composition skills. I was impressed and amazed that our fifth-grade students were composing music at such a young age and with such ease, thanks to the exceptional instruction, guidance, and encouragement from Mr. Danz. While I was apprehensive about my abilities at the start, this creative and supportive classroom environment provided just the right dynamic learning environment for me to experiment with composing. Students weren’t just composing notes, they were telling stories through music. They had access to age-appropriate AI tools to support their songwriting, explored a variety of instruments, and collaborated to bring their ideas to life. Every group member had a role, and yes, even I had a part. The experience was so engaging that I came back several days later to continue working with my group.
During our follow-up session, we participated in a practice performance in preparation for our concert with younger students. We received feedback, refined our delivery, and made sure to project and pace ourselves. My group encouraged me throughout the practice performance, cuing me at just the right moments, as they had more practice opportunities prior to that day. It was inspiring to see how naturally they took ownership of the performance and supported their peers (and me).
As the lesson wrapped up on my first day, there was one final activity, a light-hearted yet symbolic tradition in Mr. Danz’s class. I was invited to take a shot at the classroom basketball hoop, a fun way to earn points for the students’ ongoing reward goals. As I stood at the line, I didn’t have much confidence in my shooting skills, but the students cheered me on with such energy, I think they actually willed the ball into the basket! It was the perfect ending to a period full of creativity, teamwork, and joyful learning.
Both visits are a clear reminder of what makes District 95 so special: innovative and authentic learning led by passionate educators and embraced by empowered students. I walked away not only having learned about music composition but also reminded of the magic that happens when all learners feel safe to create, take risks, and grow together.
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.
A Letter from Board Member, Dr. Kelly Pinter
My name is Kelly Pinter and I have lived in Lake Zurich since 1981. Back in the 1980s, Lake Zurich was a rural community without a movie theater or a mall nearby. As a child who attended K-12 schools in Lake Zurich, I remember the 1990s hangout being the Wendy's across the street from Paulus Park. My LZHS friends and I would rollerblade and skateboard to the music of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and No Doubt while dreaming about college, big cities, and how we would someday impact the world. (Did you ever notice how often people born in Lake Zurich tend to go away to school and then come back to raise kids here? That's what we did too! It's a great place, with wonderful schools.)
I was a first-generation college student. Statistically, I was never supposed to finish college. I didn't understand how the complicated college admissions process worked, and I had to take out student loans in order to attend. Luckily, I met several professors who encouraged me to get my AA, BA, MA, and finally my PhD. My mentors and teachers positively influenced my life so much that I became a professor and adviser myself. I really wanted to pay it forward.
Since graduation, I mentored hundreds of young people with their own big dreams! Teaching makes me feel like I am doing something daily to make the world a little more informed and to help students become critical thinkers. It is one of the occupations where I believe real change happens. I sincerely respect teachers and professors and admire the positive influences they bring into every student's life.
When I was younger, my dad used to tell me that I should have been born in 1950, so I could have attended the Woodstock music festival. He said those folks always fought for peace and equity. From a very young age, I always had a strong sense of justice. This lifelong focus on equity inspired me to attend UIC to earn an MA in Criminology, Law, and Justice and then a PhD in Sociology. I learned about social movements, the fight for Women's Rights, and the Civil Rights Movement. I advocated for sexual assault survivors on college campuses to be treated with dignity and respect after the crime. I worked with domestic violence survivors and helped them interview for jobs so they could get back on their feet. I trained future police officers to lead with care and compassion in communities dealing with violence. I was able to connect how structural inequality can harm everyday people who are doing everything right, including beloved students, teachers, and staff.
Today, I continue to be an advocate for equity in my career at Harper College and as a Board Member for District 95. I believe that every person touched by our district should be able to live up to their fullest potential while also authentically being themselves. In other words, I am an ally.
My partner Adam (LZHS grad of 2000), and our kids, Hanalei (LZHS) and Dexter (Middle School North) all strongly believe in equity as well. Adam and I teach our kids to befriend the child at the lunch table who looks lonely and to always protect a friend who is being bullied. They know to love and respect people for their differences and to appreciate diversity. This is the same spirit that I bring to the School Board.
Every one of your children is at the center of every decision I make as a Board Member. I value our faculty, staff, administration, and students for who they are. I strongly believe that children and employees need to feel safe, respected, and supported in order to learn and grow. This type of learning and work environment starts with valuing equity. Only after that does it make sense to move on to conversations about curriculum, facilities, and test scores.
I will conclude with a story about a teacher I had at LZHS in the 1990s. His name was Mr. Thomas. Although his job was to teach Anatomy, his real lessons to his students were about kindness, respect, and equity.
One Thanksgiving, Mr. Thomas offered extra credit to my class if we volunteered our time at a soup kitchen for unhoused folks. He reminded us that while it was unlikely that we were going through a daily struggle for survival, many good people do. He reminded us that the life lessons that you learn in school are just as important as the information you can learn in a textbook. I left that service learning experience with a much broader view of the world other than just Lake Zurich.
I continue my work on the Board with Mr. Thomas's life lessons in mind. We are all doing our best to raise our kids to be happy, healthy, and educated young people who are ready to positively impact the world after graduation. In order to make that dream a reality, our district needs Board Members who understand that equity helps people flourish and that we live in a diverse global society where differences not only need to be tolerated, but sincerely supported and embraced. It is only then that we can "empower every learner to achieve personal excellence."
Dr. Kelly Pinter
Celebrating Staff Appreciation Days
Please join us in celebrating members of our staff with a 'thank you' or a kind email in honor of these upcoming recognition days!
May 1st - National Principals Day
May 5th - Teacher Appreciation Week
May 7th - National School Nurse Appreciation Day
May 18th - National Speech Pathologist Day
District 95 Job Openings
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
Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95
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