Publications & Sites 
District 30 Notes for May 24
Updated: June 5, 2012 10:28AM
Last day of school is June 7
The last day of school is June 7. Closing ceremonies take place at 9 a.m. at Wescott and Willowbrook School. Report Cards will also be distributed.
Gachpar named State winner
Maple School sixth grader Ben Gachpar is the winner of the 2012 Letters about Literature Reading and Writing Program for the state of Illinois, beating 2,089 other contestants. His winning piece was a letter to author Jane Yolen, who wrote The Devil’s Arithmetic, which focuses on a girl being transported to the time during the Holocaust, and tells how people stayed together to help each other survive. He relates the story to his own great grandmother from Kiev, who survived the Holocaust with the help of a neighbor.
“If my great grandma’s neighbor had not been so caring and considerate, I would not be here today,” he related.
On May 9, Gachpar, along with his family and language arts teacher, Cynthia Sheridan, were honored at a special ceremony in Springfield. The day included a tour of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, luncheon, and private tour of Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White’s State Capitol Office.
During the awards ceremony, Cindy Craig, director of the Illinois State Library, introduced Gachpar, and he read his essay. He received a plaque of recognition, a savings bond and a Target card. Sheridan received a $100 check to purchase books for Maple School. Finishing first in Illinois means that Ben is also a state representative at the national level on this program. National winners will be announced in late May.
Unveiling Ceremony slated June 14
District 30 will celebrate the unveiling of a new documents cabinet which will hold the preserved primary historical documents which trace the history of District 30 and Maple School. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. June 14, prior to the Board of Education meeting in the Maple Library Media Center, 2370 Shermer Road, Northbrook. The ceremony will be followed by a reception with light refreshments. RSVP by June 8 to Dr. Nate Carter at (847) 400-8900.
Board of Education meets June 14
District 30’s Board of Education will hold a business meeting at 7:30 p.m. June 14 at Maple School’s library media center, 2370 Shermer Road, Northbrook. For more information, contact Board Secretary Nancy Cook at (847) 498-4190.
Maple trio heads to Carnegie Hall
Maple School musicians Sue Hong, Ellie Kim and Sarah Chin are temporarily bowing out and heading to the Big Apple! Their youth string ensemble was recently awarded the grand prize in the INPASS Music and Arts Festival, which qualified them to perform alongside musical professionals at Carnegie Hall in New York City at the INPASS Music and Arts Festival on May 27. Two other students from the north suburbs play in their quintet, and will join them in New York. Hong and Kim play the violin, and Chin plays the viola. Hong has played since she was five years old; Kim has played since she was six years old; and Chin has played since she was nine years old.
Maple’s Orchestra Director Renee Yoo rehearses with the girls during the week. She said that the girls’ instrumental ensemble will be the only one representing Illinois at the concert.
Volunteers needed for Graduation Night
Maple School needs sixth and seventh grade parent volunteers to help set up and serve desserts at the eighth grade graduation, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. June 5 at Glenbrook North High School. The reception will be held in the cafeteria on the north side of the school. Volunteers should plan on working from 8 to 10 p.m. Current sixth and seventh grade band member will be performing at the graduation. Contact Karen Pinelli at krpinelli@comcast.net or call (847) 562-0632.
Willowbrook’s PTO hosts successful ‘Fun-Raiser’
Willowbrook School’s PTO Executive Board and the “Go Green” committee held a successful Sweet Tomatoes “Fun-Raiser” on April 17, raising $150, which will be used to support educational projects.
Sign up for Summer School
Maple School’s Summer School Program begins on June 11. Sign up for classes at www.district30.org/ssregistration. For more information, call (847) 400-8900.
Graduation Party is May 31
Maple School’s eighth grade graduation party will be held 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. May 31 at the Wyndham Glenview Hotel 1400 N. Milwaukee Ave., Glenview. For more information, contact the office at (847) 400-8900.
Get ready for Lew Blond Run
It’s not too late to plan on attending the 12th Annual Lew Blond Memorial 5K Run/Walk, 1 Mile Run, which will be held at 8 a.m. June 2 at Maple School, 2370 Shermer Road, Northbrook. On June 1, race participants may pick-up their packets pick-up from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Maple School. Those who want to participate in the Lew Blond Run can even sign up on the day of the race in Maple’s multipurpose room from 7 to 7:45 a.m. For additional information, go to www.district30.org/lewblondrun, or call Maple School (847) 400-8900.
This year, District 30 PTOs will host a Pasta Dinner/Lew Blond Run Vendor Expo titled “Get Ready with Spaghetti”, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 1 in Maple School’s west gymnasium. The cost is $5 per plate, and $2 for every extra plate. Volunteers are needed. Contact Maple PTO President Meena Wadhwa Klein at mederani@gmail.com.
Maple Awards Assembly set for June 4
Maple School’s annual Awards Assembly will take place at 8:40 a.m. June 4 at 2370 Shermer Road, Northbrook.
Maple graduation practice June 4 and 5
Maple School eighth graders will attend practice sessions at 1 p.m. June 4 at Maple School. They will practice at Glenbrook North High School on June 5.
Maple eighth grade graduation June 5
Maple School eighth graders will graduate at 7 p.m. June 5 at Glenbrook North High School. For more information, contact the Maple office (847) 400-8900.
Wescott, Willowbrook
hosting Field Day
Wescott and Willowbrook Schools will host Field Day on June 1. Students will spend the morning participating in athletic and fun competitive activities such as tug-of-war, ring toss, relay races, basketball, jump rope, and more! There will be a PTO special lunch on that day. The rain date is June 4.
Maple Music Activity Day is June 1
Maple School musicians will participate in Music Activity Day at Willowbrook School on June 1. For more information, contact Band Director Jeff Jay, Choir Director Decima Panitch or Orchestra Director Renee Yoo at (847) 400-8900.
Wescott Year in Review
A Year in Review assembly will take place at 1:30 p.m. June 5 at Wescott School, 1820 Western Ave., Northbrook.
Willowbrook’s fifth grade event June 5
Willowbrook School fifth graders will celebrate their graduation from elementary school at 12:15 p.m. June 5 at 2500 Happy Hollow Road, Glenview.
Field Day at Maple is June 6
Maple School sixth and seventh graders will have a Field Day on June 6, when they will participate in many athletic and recreational activities throughout the day.
Annual Awards Assembly June 6
Willowbrook School’s Annual Awards Assembly will be held at 1:30 p.m. June 6 at 2500 Happy Hollow Road, Glenview.
Willowbrook School raises funds for Autism Awareness
Willowbrook School staff, PTO members, and students recently raised $1,600 to help fund research for autism. A group of 23 Willowbrook staff members dubbed “Team Willowbrook” raised $1,200 when they participated in this year’s Walk Now for Autism event, which took place on May 12 at Soldier Field, Chicago. On May 3, Willowbrook’s PTO and students held a bake sale, raising $400 for the cause.
This activity was organized by Early Childhood preschool assistant Stephanie Marshall and Northern Suburban Special Education District (NSSED) Early Childhood teacher Danielle Prouty, with the Early Literacy Support (ELS) primary class at Willowbrook.
“We were very proud to have celebrated with faculty and families that we serve to support such a great cause,” said Prouty
Student services update
At the May 10, Board of Education meeting, District 30’s Director of Student Services Pepi M. Silverman presented a program update. The four components of Student Services were displayed: Consideration/Provision of Special Education Services (IEP Updates, dismissal from special education); Universal Screening, General Education Instructional Supports, English Language Learners (ELL), and Health Services; Progress Monitoring; Intervention Alignment; Tier 2 and 3 behavior; reading, math; dismissal from interventions; and Identification for Intervention Services; Response to Intervention (RtI); Tier 1 Interventions.
There are currently 163 students receiving support services. Five students receive services off campus; seven are in early childhood classes; and eight are in Educational Life Skills classes. Community partnerships include Northern Suburban Special Education District (NSSED) early intervention service transition with Child and Family Connections for 2-1/2 to three year olds; partnerships with District 28 and 31 for preschool screenings; and collaboration with Countryside Montessori School and other area preschools.
Silverman reported that the total student support staff is 43.7 full-time employees, currently serving 416 students served in district programs, inclusive of Response to Intervention (RtI) services. This includes learning behavior specialists, school psychologists, social workers,speech and language pathologists, health office personnel, English Language Learners (ELL) teachers and instructional assistants. Charts depicted Individual Education Plans (IEP) Child Count Summary and IEP Students by Grade Level. Both charts revealed a significant decrease in students requiring IEP’s by the time they reached eighth grade.
Plans for the future were discussed and included the following: To expand implementation of RtI services across the District 30 include behavioral interventions; increase collaborative instructional models, such as differentiated instruction and co-teaching; increase assistive technology to support all student performance across educational setting, i.e., expand iPad Pilot Program; and implementation of enhanced Character Education Curriculum, based on the six pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS! which include Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.
For more information about Student Services, contact Pepi M. Silverman (847) 498-4190.
President’s Award name correction
Maple School eighth-grader Madelaine Marie Sorrisso had her name inadvertently misspelled in the list of 2011-12 President’s Award for Educational Excellence recipients in the May 17 issue of the paper.
