Superintendent's Corner

In this edition:

• Board of Education Vacancy
• Best Communities for Music Education Award
• Registration Info for School Year 2024-2025
• Advanced Learner Program Focus Groups for Parents + Caregivers
• Post-Referendum Community Engagement

Dear Community Members,

On April 4, 2024, a Board member resignation resulted in a vacancy on the Avoca School District 37 Board of Education. Per state law and Board of Education Policy (2.070), the Board is now posting the vacancy, and any adults who reside inside the boundaries of the Avoca School District may apply.

The Board is accepting letters of interest with a résumé or statement detailing professional history until Wednesday, April 17, 2024. At that time, the Board will review the materials and contact potential candidates regarding any subsequent steps.

The Board of Education has until May 19, 2024, to appoint a person to fill the vacancy. The person appointed by the Board would serve until the next regular board election of April 2025, at which point a successor shall be elected to serve the remainder of the unexpired term that ends in April 2027.

Interested persons should send their letter of interest and accompanying résumé or statement of professional history to me, Board President Sumit Dhar, via email at dhars@avoca37.org by Wednesday, April 17, 2024. All related inquiries should be forwarded to me via email.

We appreciate everyone’s understanding of this deadline and timeline. The intent is not to rush the process, but to fill the position as soon as possible and within 45 days as stated in Board of Education Policy (2.070).

Sincerely,

Sumit Dhar,

President

Avoca District 37 Board of Education

Avoca School District 37 has been recognized by The NAMM Foundation as a “Best Communities for Music Education” (BCME)! Over the past 25 years, the national BCME award has honored more than 1,000 schools and districts in 43 states, for their unwavering commitment to music education as an integral part of a well-rounded education for all students.

We are so proud of receiving this honor that recognizes the BALANCED component in our Portrait of a Graduate. To all of our teachers who make this possible, Daniel Hammond, Rebecca Oppenheim, Terese Parisoli, Eliza Stubbs, Elizabeth Weismehl, Kyle Anderson, Michael Kirby, WE APPRECIATE YOU!

A special thank you to our families and community for your ongoing support. Your unwavering commitment helps us create an environment where each child can learn and grow with music.

Parents, Guardians, Caregivers of returning students should look for an email from "Registration Support" <noreply@noreply.psrsupport.com> on Monday, April 15th before the end of the day. You can email registration@avoca37.org if you don't receive the email, or if you have any questions.

NOTE: You will receive a separate email with the embedded "snapcode" for EACH returning student. REGISTRATION WILL BE DUE MAY 30, 2024.

As part of the District's Strategic Plan (Objective 1C), this school year we partnered with Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development to conduct a review of our Advanced Learner programming.

A component of this process includes focus group sessions for parents and caregivers to share their perspectives on their student’s learning. These sessions will be held virtually and are completely optional. Parents and caregivers are invited to attend during the dates and times listed. No registration is required. To participate, click on the banner below at your preferred date and time. You can also use the Zoom meeting room link provided.

In the next few weeks and until the end of the school year, we will be sharing opportunities for family and community member engagement post the referendum. We will be reaching out through various channels to gather feedback and suggestions. Avoca School District 37 is lucky to have an engaged community that cares deeply about our schools. Everyone's input is invaluable. To demonstrate this, we will focus on listening and seeking to understand the rich and varied perspectives in our community. Please consider this an invitation to engage with us, and please stay tuned!