Gower 62 Community Newsletter

Simon Says - Thoughts from your Superintendent

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

It has been an exciting week in Gower, and we are all looking forward to the first day of school tomorrow! It may be unique, but our First Day Friday gives us the best start to the school year, and we encourage new families who may be wondering why we take this approach to share what you think after your children tell us how their day went tomorrow. Our Gower West and Gower Middle campuses are ready to go, and they both look amazing! Our Annual Meet and Greet and PTO-sponsored Back to School Bash last night drew hundreds of families and captured the excitement and anticipation for the first day of the 2026-27 school year!!! If the positive energy and excitement throughout our opening Teacher and Staff Institute Days this week and last night's events are any indication of what is to come, then all the makings are there for another fantastic school year!

As the 2026-27 school year gets underway, please take a moment to refresh your understanding of the Rules of the Road as they relate to stopping for school buses that will be sharing the road with all other drivers once again. Your patience, along with a clear understanding that it is illegal to pass a school bus with its stop arm extended, will help keep our students safe. Our buses are equipped with stop-arm cameras, and we will share footage of violations with our respective police departments for further action. We also appreciate your patience in our drop-off and pick-up lines. After the first full week of school, our car riders will have the process down. Trust the process... The same is true for our bus routes. The first few days may be delayed here and there, but we'll be in full stride after about a week. We appreciate your patience, understanding, and cooperation! Remember... We're in this Together!

To those new to the Gower School Community, "Welcome!" We're so glad to have you and hope we have exceeded your expectations for a great start to the school year! Gower is an amazing school district with so much to offer. Be sure to visit our Gower PTO and Gower Foundation websites. These partner organizations do a great deal for our school community, and they are always looking for ways to engage with and involve our families. We enjoy tremendous community support in Gower and do not take any of it for granted! Your ongoing support drives us to serve the Gower Community and work hard to live up to our district motto: Children at their Best!

I encourage you to become familiar with our district website, and please contact us with feedback if you can't find what you are looking for. Our staff works hard to keep our school webpages updated with the most helpful information, and the newly added Parent Pro Tips found on our i3 Learning Initiative page are a great example of giving our parents what they need. We use this platform as a primary resource to keep our school community informed, along with our Weekly School Newsletters and our Monthly District Community Update. Also, be sure to read about the upcoming Supt Chat, an added parent engagement opportunity to talk about All Things Gower!

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

If you have any questions or would like to discuss any other Gower Community topic further, please reach out to me directly at vsimon@gower62.com.

With appreciation and excitement,

Parents!!! Please check PowerSchool for the most up-to-date bus route information, including pick-up times!!! As communicated, we make adjustments as families opt in for transportation up until First Day Friday, with minor adjustments through Labor Day!!! Your preparation helps make it all work and keeps stress at bay!!!

Join Dr. Simon for a chat about all things Gower and to get information about topics important to YOU! The Supt Chat will be held in the Gower School District Board Room, located at the south end of the Gower West campus, Door #B22. All are welcome. Please use the following link to complete a Topics of Interest and Questions Form to help guide the conversation (SURVEY LINK). No RSVP required.

Recording Secretary to the Board of Education, Shaina Alegria, 630.286.4929

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

Board of Education Meeting — August 18, 2026

The Gower District 62 Board of Education held its regular meeting on August 18. The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. for a Board Member Training Session scheduled before the business portion of the meeting at 7:00 p.m. No public comment was given at the start of the meeting.

Here are highlights from the meeting and a look ahead to the start of the 2026–27 school year.

Welcoming New Staff

The Board recognized several new members of the Gower team, including school psychologists, a social worker, and several new teachers. The Board also approved the hiring of several additional staff members, including lunchroom cashiers and special education assistants.

Superintendent’s Report

In this month's Superintendent Report, Dr. Simon shared updates on the district’s Curriculum Review Timeline and Community Relations and Equal Opportunities. The curriculum review timeline outlines the district’s ongoing process for reviewing and strengthening curriculum to support student learning and achievement. The Community Relations and Equal Opportunities update highlighted the district’s continued commitment to building positive relationships with families and the community while ensuring equitable opportunities for all students.

Teaching, Learning & Student Support

Board members completed a self-evaluation focused on Unity of Purpose. Superintendent Dr. Simon emphasized the importance of working together as a unified team in support of students, staff, and families. Several policies related to student health, suicide and depression awareness and prevention, and public suggestions and concerns were presented for first reading.

Enrollment Update

As of August 13, Gower District 62 had 867 students enrolled:

• Gower West: 448 students

• Gower Middle: 419 students

Facilities & District Operations

The Board approved the installation contract for the Gower Middle School chiller replacement, an important facilities project to support the school's building systems. The Board also approved a six-month extension with RyTech for social media strategy and community outreach support. The tentative Fiscal Year 2027 budget was presented, and the Board acknowledged the posting of the budget for public viewing. Finally, the annual Crisis Plan and Regional Office of Education Threat Assessment Form were also presented.

Looking Ahead

As we begin the new school year, families can look forward to several upcoming events:

• August 21: First Day of School for Kindergarten–8th Grade — First Day Friday

• August 25: First Day of School for Pre-K

• September 3: Gower West Curriculum Night

• September 10: Gower Middle Curriculum Night

• September 18: Early Dismissal

• September 23: Superintendent's Chat, 5:30–6:30 p.m., followed by the Board of Education Meeting at 7 p.m.

• September 24: Health and Wellness Night, 6 p.m.

Thank you to our families, staff, and community for helping us begin another successful school year. We look forward to welcoming our students back and continuing to work together to support every Gower learner.

The Board did not hold an Executive (closed session), and the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

The next regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting is scheduled for September 23, 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.

Gower 62 Board of Education: Pictured from left to right: Evan Williams (Vice President), Melissa Pitsoulakis (Secretary), Nagla Fetouh (President), Ericka Polanco-Webb, Jen Akhter, Gena Lupo, and Bob Jankowski.

Our administrators have had a busy summer of interviews and hiring. The Board saluted the new staff joining Gower this school year! We are excited to welcome them into the Gower family! Congratulations and best of luck to all on a new school year!

Our New Gower Middle Staff members, from left to right: Mia Baumgartner, Paraprofessional; Mira Campbell, Lunchroom Cashier; Abigail Pacyga, Paraprofessional; Briana Esposito, Paraprofessional; Emma Rogers, Paraprofessional; Maria Maglaris, Paraprofessional; Scott Riedel, Paraprofessional; Molly Maci, 7th Grade Social Studies; Maria Roman 8th Grade ELA; Hannah Rakofsky, Guidance Counselor; Kameron Tunk, Art Teacher; Jenna Zimmerman, Social Worker.

Our new Gower West Teachers and staff, from left to right: Gina Macchia, Paraprofessional; Bianca Zitzka, Paraprofessional; Rachel Caithamer, Paraprofessional; Michele Abrahamson, Lunchroom Cashier; Sajeedah Shabaneh, School Psychologist; Natalie Harden, Assistant Principal, joined by Principal, Meg Hoff.

Our Gower Foundation Gala is back with a Havana Nights theme. Think tropical vibes, great food, drinks, music, and a night out with the Gower community — all while raising money for our schools.

Tickets are on sale now!

We are so excited to have our K-8 students back at both campuses tomorrow! The teachers and staff have been hard at work preparing for this school year and are ready to go!

We will welcome our Pre-K/EC students on Tuesday, August 25th, for their first day.