Gower 62 Community Newsletter

Registration for the 2026-2027 school year is open! You can find all the information you need on the Registration page on our website. If you have any questions or issues, please call the front office of Gower West Elementary or Gower Middle for assistance - (630)986-5383.

Click this link to listen to Simon Says as a Speechify-produced alternative.

With only a handful of weeks remaining in the 2025-2026 school year, it is a good time to remind everyone that the spring requires a bit more caution when traveling near our school campuses. The warmer weather is sure to bring more bicycles, scooters, and skateboards; more younger siblings in tow, and more groups of students walking to and from school. Please be patient and drive carefully. We're in this Together!

Last week, the mantra "We're in this Together" was on full display! We learned that Gower West and Gower Middle were recognized as Capturing Kids' Hearts National Showcase Schools! What an honor! This is the 11th consecutive year of receiving this award at Gower West - no other school across the country has more! And for Gower Middle, this is their 5th consecutive year, making it one of the most decorated middle schools in the country when it comes to ensuring a supportive environment for students. Our intentional effort around building a positive school culture has been in place for over a decade and serves as the heartbeat behind our district motto: Children at their Best! To meet such a high standard for such a long period of time takes a village, and the Gower School Community has proven, once again, that they continue to invest in their public school system! From the classroom to the boardroom, it is the ongoing investment in building strong, meaningful relationships that drives the work and delivers the outcomes we all can be proud of. Way to go, Gower!

From May 4th through May 8th, we will celebrate our Teachers as part of National Teacher Appreciation Week for all of the amazing things that they do in service to the Gower Community. As shared throughout the school year, our district has been recognized for its accomplishments in academics, the fine arts, physical education, and the supportive environment we provide for our students. None of this happens without our All-Star Team of Teachers! Truly a group that puts the "Capital T in Teacher"!

It is the unique combination of high-quality Teachers and high-level parent engagement that makes the difference between good school districts and great ones. This school year marks my 13th year as the Superintendent in Gower, and I continue to be amazed by the accomplishments of our Teachers and Teacher Teams, as well as the incredible level of support we receive from across our school community. I know I speak for many when I say that this kind of parent support drives us to work harder and strive to be even better. Your ongoing support and encouraging partnerships across the Gower School Community do not go unnoticed, and they are never taken for granted. On behalf of all our Teachers and Staff who work so hard to give Gower the reputation it has, "Thank you!"

As always, if you would like to discuss any other Gower Community topic further, please reach out to me directly at vsimon@gower62.com.

With gratitude,

Dr. Simon
Superintendent of Schools

Recording Secretary to the Board of Education, Kate Schillinger, 630.286.4929

Click here for the monthly Superintendent Reports and here for our meeting agendas.

Board Meeting Summary: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. and began with the Board Salute of the Gower Middle Varsity Girls Volleyball Team. The team won their IESA Regional Championship and showed resilience and growth all season long. Principal Murphy presented the girls in attendance with certificates and they were congratulated by the Board and those in attendance.

The Board also saluted Ms. Jennifer Stankiewicz, PE Teacher at Gower Middle. Jen received the Midwest Teacher of the Year award from the SHAPE organization earlier this year and was invited to attend the National Conference as one of the National nominees. Congratulations, Jen! You can read more about the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) on their website.

There was no public comment offered from those in attendance.

At 7:13 p.m., the regular meeting was adjourned and the annual Organizational Meeting was called to order. Nagla Fetouh was nominated and unanimously approved to serve as the Board President for the coming year. Evan Williams was nominated and unanimously approved to serve as Board Vice President and Melissa Pitsoulakis was nominated and unanimously approved to serve as Board Secretary. The District's Chief Financial Officer, Brian Riegler, was appointed as the District's Treasurer and I (Kate Schillinger) was appointed as the Board Recording Secretary. The Board established the times, dates and location of the monthly board meetings for the 2026-2027 school year. Board members were appointed to serve on Board Committees and the Board acknowledged and committed to review the Board Charter adopted in September of 2021. The Organizational Meeting was adjourned at 7:23 p.m. and the board returned to the regular meeting.

The meeting continued with the monthly Superintendent's Report. The Superintendent's Report included a separate report of the Grades K-8 Art Curriculum Recommendation (Appendix A) and the Gower Middle School Report Card Update (Appendix B), and a number of updates from each of the 5Essentials for effective schools: Ambitious Instruction, Supportive Environment, Involved Families and Community, Collaborative Teachers and Staff, and Effective Leaders. Dr. Simon and the Board of Education are calling for members of the Gower Community to review the Middle School Report Card Update (Appendix B) and provide any feedback they have to Mrs. Murphy or Mrs. Schiffler regarding the current report card design, use of traditional letter grades, standards-based grading, as well as the current frequency of reporting grades (quarters vs. trimesters), and the current grading scale. An updated report is expected to be presented at the May 20th Board Meeting to detail how the collected feedback was incorporated into the proposed changes for next year.

The Board reviewed a series of additional monthly reports, as well as the preliminary FY27 Transportation and Operations & Maintenance budgets and the final 2025 Tax Levy allocation. A number of policies were approved as part of the district's 4-year revision cycle, along with several personnel matters. Ms. Karen Hess was unanimously approved as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Student Programs for Gower School District beginning July 1, 2026. Congratulations, Karen!

The Board did enter Executive (closed) session at 8:52 p.m. to confidentially discuss other matters relating to individual students, 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(10); and the appointment, employment, compensation, and performance of specific employees, 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1). The Board returned to open session at 10:13 p.m. and took no further action other than to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 10:13 p.m.

The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting is scheduled for May 20, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Gower School District Board Room, Gower West, south end of campus, Door #B22. As always, you are invited to attend and share your thoughts and feedback with the Board.

Congratulations to the Gower Middle Varsity Girls Volleyball Team for their IESA Regional Championship win! In the Class 8-3 Regional, Gower defeated Crestwood Hale, Blue Island Veterans Memorial, and Chicago Horizon Southwest to make it to the Sectional, where they were defeated by Channahon. You can read more about their season here.

Back row, left to right: Adria Jelinskas, Alexa Szafran, Maya Herrada, Josie Koziol, Nadia Malik, Coach Stankiewicz

Front row, left to right: Ellie Araujo, Victoria Lagunas, Brianna Liang

Congratulations to Ms. Jennifer Stankiewicz, PE Teacher at Gower Middle! Ms. Stankiewicz was nominated for Teacher of the Year this year by the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE). She was also invited to attend the National Conference as one of the National nominees. We are so proud of Jen and all the innovative and creative ideas that she brings to PE classes! You can read more about SHAPE America here.

Pictured left to right: Principal Tracy Murphy, Jen Stankiewicz, Assistant Principal Julie Schiffler

Ms. Karen Hess was approved by the Board last night to serve in the role of Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Programs. This is a 12-month, full-time administrator position that begins on July 1, 2026, and is an important piece of the district's ongoing administrative transition plan with the retirement of our Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Services, Rebecca Laratta, this summer.

Karen comes to Gower with a 20-year track record of teaching and administrative experience, all in Valley View District 365U. She is currently the Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction, serving students, staff, and families from Pre-K through 8th grade; working to ensure that every student and teacher has access to the tools and support they need to succeed. Ms. Hess was selected from a pool of over 80 candidates. Interview panelists - including Teachers and Staff, school administrators, the District Office Team, parents, and Board members - all gave their full engagement throughout the selection process and offered valuable insight and feedback at every step. Some of the direct quotes from panelists regarding Ms. Hess are shared below:

• "Priority is students!"

• "Relationships are the most important thing."

• "Will enhance what we are doing!"

• "Knew her stuff!"

• "Calming presence, positive, caring."

• "Will jump right in and learn the Gower way!"

Wow! Some amazing insight here! Welcome to Gower, Karen! We're excited to have you join us!

Although Ms. Hess will not officially begin until July 1st, she visited our school campuses today as part of a thoughtful transition schedule with the District Office Team to make the most of her time with Mrs. Laratta and Dr. Cadard ahead of her first official day in Gower. Her Gower email address is fully operational: khess@gower62.com. Please feel free to welcome her to the Gower Community!

For clarity, the Assistant Superintendent position will officially close in Gower on June 30th, and will be replaced by two director positions. Dr. Jackelyn Cadard joined the Gower Team on July 1, 2025, as the Director of Special Education and Student Services, and Ms. Karen Hess is excited to begin serving as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Programs on July 1, 2026. Ensuring district support for Student Services and Student Programs with these two amazing leaders will provide the stability, program coherence, and opportunities for our district to grow at exactly the right time, given the retirement of Mrs. Laratta, such a highly skilled and experienced leader.

Ms. Laratta has served in her current role since 2012 and also served as the Gower Middle School Principal from 2006-2012 before moving to the District Office. Mrs. Laratta is a great example of how Gower School District has benefited from leadership consistency at the District Office and at each of our school campuses, with some of the most experienced school administrators in the county serving in their respective roles. Thank you for two decades of dedicated service to the Gower School Community, Mrs. Laratta. You will be missed, and we wish you all the best in your retirement. We are "Grateful and Thankful" for your service:)

As the school year begins to wrap up, please take note of these important upcoming dates:

May 8 - Early Dismissal

May 20 - Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

May 25 - No School, Memorial Day

May 26 - 8th Grade Graduation, Gower Middle School, 7:00 p.m.

May 29 - Early Dismissal and Last Day of School

June 2 - Summer School Begins