Superintendent News

March 4, 2026

Dear Families, Staff, and Community Members,

In mid-February, my administrative team and I had the pleasure of surprising 13 staff members across the district who were the recipients of a District 95 Excellence in Education Award. This is by far one of our favorite days of the year, an opportunity to recognize and honor some of our outstanding staff members and celebrate with students and colleagues.

Four of those award winners received the “Teachers Make a Difference” award, nominated by parents, guardians, or students. Most years we recognize only three, but this year we received so many outstanding nominations that we decided to add an additional winner. Thank you for taking the time to nominate our deserving staff members! Please know that those who were nominated but did not win will still receive a copy of their nomination. To see all thirteen award winners and photos of the surprise deliveries, please visit the article below.

Please also take a moment to read about my last two visits for Innovation in the Classroom where I had the great pleasure of being a middle school and elementary "student" for a period. It is such an uplifting experience to witness first hand the skill of our amazing educators and the joy, collaboration, and perseverance of our students.

With gratitude,

Dr. Kelley Gallt

Superintendent

Are you too busy to attend or even watch the stream of the district's Board of Education meetings? If so, check out "Board Briefs" - available on our website and updated shortly after each Board meeting. Video links to monthly Board awards and the Superintendent's report are added, generally the day after the meeting. From the district website, just click on the "School Board" menu and select Board Briefs to see the latest!

As summer approaches, District 95 will once again be offering a variety of Summer Semester programs for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, including Extended School Year (ESY).

Summer Semester Course Offerings

Please click the links below to access further information about the summer semester and the programs that will be offered. If you are having trouble viewing any of these resources or need translations, please contact Todd Jakowitsch at todd.jakowitsch@lz95.org or (847) 540-4929.

• K - 8 Summer Semester Course Guide

• LZHS Summer Semester Course Guide

Summer Semester Registration

Summer Semester 2026 registration will open on Monday, March 16, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. and run through Friday, April 10, 2026 for in-district families. Families who are not residents of District 95 will be able to register for a limited number of courses at the high school level from April 27, 2026 - May 15, 2026.

Registration will be conducted exclusively through ParentVue, accessible via the district website (www.lz95.org) including for non-District 95 families.

Each year, the school district asks for nominations of staff members who go above and beyond, demonstrating excellence especially in support of the district's values and mission. Candidates for the Teachers Make a Difference Award are nominated by parents/guardians and students. Additionally, there are other award categories for staff members to nominate their peers.

It is inspiring to read such wonderful nominations for these outstanding staff members - and challenging to select just a few winners. All nominees receive a copy of their nomination in the weeks after the announcement of the winners and they are also honored at a building level staff meeting.

See below for our 2025-26 winners! These individuals will be honored at the district's all-staff celebration in mid-May to be recognized and applauded by their peers. Additionally, some award categories are eligible to be entered in the Lake County Educator of the Year Awards program this spring. Congratulations to all!!

In this feature article, “Innovation in the Classroom", we highlight the Superintendent as a member of a classroom for one full period. A different school and class are highlighted in each article, allowing readers a view into the classroom from a new perspective!. These lessons highlight certain aspects of the District 95 Instruction Learning Model.

I had the incredible opportunity to spend the day as a middle school student. I wasn't there to observe from the back of the room; I was there to participate in a modified Building Thinking Classrooms strategy that is inspiring incredible learning opportunities for our students, and correlates with our Instructional Learning Model by creating a dynamic learning environment fostering engaged, collaborative, and curious learners. The energy in the room was truly contagious, and the experience gave me a front-row seat to the student-centered excellence that our district strives for every day.

Our journey began with learning specific to the American Dust Bowl. In this lesson, Mr. Hefferan challenged us to truly feel the weight of history. We started by working individually at our desks, analyzing documents to understand the "Before" and "After" of this period. In simple terms, we weren't just memorizing dates; we were looking at how a "perfect storm" of poor farming and a long drought turned once-fertile land into a dusty desert, forcing families to abandon everything they knew.

The classroom design perfectly supported this active learning. Using our desks as large dry-erase boards, we began to map out our thoughts. There is something powerful about seeing your ideas become visible right in front of you. Once we had our individual charts ready, we discussed our information as a whole group. It wasn’t about having the "right" answer immediately; it was about the process of reasoning. Our teacher acted as a guide, moving between us and asking, "Tell me about your process," rather than simply providing us with the answers.

The highlight of the day was moving into teams. In a "Thinking Classroom," collaboration is at the core of the lesson. We worked together to solve problems and explore how these historical events impacted real people. This approach shifts the culture from "Is this right?" to "What if we try this?" It encourages our students to be curious, to treat mistakes as learning opportunities, and to take ownership of their learning. One such exercise had each small group draw a backpack with whatever supplies they felt a person from the dust bowl might need if deciding, as many people did at the time, to leave their homes and barren land for more furtile homesteads. The discussions within each group about what items were important to carry in the backpack were thought provoking.

I left the classroom feeling incredibly inspired. To see our students moving, debating, and constructing their own understanding was a reminder of the high-quality instruction happening across our schools. It was an outstanding experience that showed me exactly what our students are "placing in their backpacks" is not just facts, but the critical thinking and teamwork skills they will use throughout their lives. Thank you, Mr. Hefferan!

In this feature article, “Innovation in the Classroom", we highlight the Superintendent as a member of a classroom for one full period. A different school and class are highlighted in each article, allowing readers a view into the classroom from a new perspective!. These lessons highlight certain aspects of the District 95 Instruction Learning Model.

This month, I also was able to experience an elementary classroom at Sarah Adams and view our instructional model from the perspective of a student allowing me to gain a firsthand look at how our strategic goals translate into daily instruction. During this visit, I was specifically able to experience one of the four key areas of the Lake Zurich D95 Instructional Model: Dynamic Learning Environments.

The visit began with a high-impact whole-group mini-lesson on fractions. I must say, the teacher was truly remarkable in her approach; her ability to blend expert classroom management with exceptional levels of student engagement created an atmosphere where every child felt seen and motivated. The environment she cultivated was intentionally designed to move beyond traditional teacher-led delivery as it was agile, responsive, and centered entirely on the learner.

Following the initial instruction, we were charged with a "Fraction Scavenger Hunt." This activity was a perfect example of a dynamic environment in action. It provided students with the perfect opportunity to replicate and solidify their earlier learning while simultaneously offering layers that extended and challenged learners who were ready for more complex applications. As we moved throughout the room to identify fractional representations and document our findings through drawings and numerical notation, the room was full of purposeful energy.

Once our exploration was complete, we had the chance to share our learning at the board as a collective group of learners. Watching students confidently present their work and explain their mathematical reasoning to their peers highlighted the active and collaborative nature of our model. It was a powerful moment of shared discovery where the students were able to share their thinking with their peers, guided by their teacher's expert facilitation.

The lesson then transitioned into differentiated learning centers, a core component of a Dynamic Learning Environment that fosters student agency. I had the pleasure of partnering with a student to work on Dreambox, observing how the platform provides a personalized path for every child by adapting to their specific skill needs in real-time (planned by their teacher). We also spent time collaborating on a fraction matching game. While my student partner managed to beat me in our first round, the experience underscored how social, collaborative play can solidify complex mathematical concepts.

Perhaps most impressive was the teacher’s intentionality during this center time. She facilitated "just--in-time" small-group instruction. By pulling groups based on real-time data and observed needs, she provided targeted instruction and enhancements that met every student exactly where they were. This seamless integration of personalized technology, peer-to-peer/collective collaboration, and responsive teacher facilitation is a foundation of our commitment to academic excellence. It was an inspiring day of learning, and I am eager to continue sharing how our instructional model is coming to life across the district through the sharing of more classroom visits over the remainder of the school year.

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

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