District 88 wishes you a safe and happy holiday season

Pictured is District 88 Superintendent Dr. Jean Barbanente.

As we come to the end of 2021 and the first semester of the school year, it’s a time to reflect on the challenges we continue to face as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as the successes our students, staff and communities have accomplished despite those hardships.

It is because of our partnerships that we’re able to build positive futures for our students and guide them to success inside the classroom and beyond. Our students and schools continue to receive state and national recognitions in academics, athletics and extracurricular activities, and that happens thanks to our Board of Education, staff, students, parents/guardians and community members coming together to accomplish our mission of working for the continuous improvement of student achievement.

DISTRICT 88, STAFF AND COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

  • We continue to provide mental health and social-emotional supports for students and families. Read more at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/14415.

  • We continue to increase dual-credit, Advanced Placement (AP) and asynchronous offerings to provide students with an opportunity to earn college credit while in high school.

  • We continue to work with local businesses, workforce development committees and chambers to provide students with real-world opportunities in the workplace. We also continue to expand workplace certifications.

  • District 88 Board of Education Vice President Daniel (Dan) Olson achieved Level 1 Master Board Member recognition by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB).

  • We received two state-level Those Who Excel Awards from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Willowbrook Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department Head Mary Barney earned an Award of Meritorious Service (the second-highest award level) in the category of Classroom Teacher, and the District 88 and Elmhurst College (now Elmhurst University) Asynchronous Math Team earned an Award of Meritorious Service (the second-highest award level) in the Team category.

  • Addison Trail world language teacher Judie Vitiritti-Lynch was named as a National Advocate Lead with the AP Advocates Program.

  • Willowbrook Principal Dr. Daniel Krause received the 2021 Herman Graves Award from the Illinois Principals Association (IPA), a recognition that was established in 1991 to honor outstanding service to the IPA and the profession.

  • District 88 Chief Financial Officer Ed Hoster was named as a 2021 recipient of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) Monarch Award, a recognition of school business officials who, throughout their career and lifetime, have demonstrated excellence in service to their school district, communities and profession.

  • District 88 cafeteria staff members participated in FARECheck, an enhanced training and review program in food handling and safety practices to help keep food-allergic individuals safe and included.

  • The Village of Addison was named as a 2020-2021 RWJF Culture of Health Prize winner by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The RWJF Culture of Health Prize honors and elevates U.S. communities working at the forefront of advancing health, opportunity and equity for all. Read more at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/14296.

ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS

  • Illinois School Report Card results (see details at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/14397):

    • District 88’s 4-year, 5-year and 6-year graduation rates remained above the state level.

    • District 88 remained above the state level in terms of the number of grade 9 students who are on track to graduate from high school, and we have been above the state level since this measure was implemented.

    • District 88’s SAT scores showed an increase in the percentage of students meeting and exceeding standards in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW), and we maintained the percentage of students meeting and exceeding standards in Math. (*NOTE: All juniors took the SAT in 2019. The SAT was optional in 2021.)

  • More than 100 District 88 students were recognized as December graduates.

  • The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) announced the 2021-22 State Scholars, and 82 District 88 students earned that honor.

  • Addison Trail seniors Lindsay Stevenson and Hannah Zacharia were named as Commended Students in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program.

  • Willowbrook senior Tess Placek was named as a Semifinalist in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program.

  • Willowbrook senior Eric Veal Jr. continues his journey of state-level work with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to promote inclusion and success for all Illinois students. Veal has been appointed to the ISBE Educational Equity Task Force and is the first student to co-chair a legislatively mandated task force.

ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS

  • Addison Trail senior Cami Whitaker signed to attend Cornell University. While Cornell doesn’t award merit aid or athletic scholarships, Whitaker received a financial package to compete for the Women’s Gymnastics Team.

  • Addison Trail hosted a National Letter of Intent Signing Day for senior Carly Zaprzal, who committed to join the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Women’s Swimming & Diving Team.

  • Willowbrook hosted a National Letter of Intent Signing Day for four seniors: Caitlyn Kulczyski (Softball at Stetson University), Kayla Neff (Softball at Concordia College), Sophia Sullivan (Basketball at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) and Daniela Trimper (Ice hockey at Buffalo State College).

  • The Willowbrook Girls Volleyball Team had a historic season. The team made school history by becoming the first girls volleyball team to win a Regional Championship and a Sectional Championship.

  • The Willowbrook Football Team again qualified for/competed in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Quarterfinals.

EXTRACURRICULAR HIGHLIGHTS

  • Addison Trail seniors Cindy Nakhammouane (crew) and Maria Martinez (band, tenor saxophone and clarinet) were selected to participate in the 2022 Illinois High School Theatre Festival (IHSTF) All-State production of “Cabaret.”

  • Addison Trail seniors John Pinns and Fernando Padua III were named as All-State Musicians by the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA).

  • Willowbrook senior Keith Harris was named as an All-State Musician by the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA).

  • Willowbrook senior Arianna Sanchez participated in the Illinois High School Art Exhibition (IHSAE) / ArtConnectED Art Throwdown competition and earned 2nd place in the photography category.

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS

  • Addison Trail alumnus Edgar Palomino (class of 2013) was awarded a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Chinese. The CLS program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. CLS scholars gain critical language and cultural skills that enable them to contribute to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.

  • Addison Trail alumna Huda Siddiqui (class of 2021) received a scholarship from the Digital Federal Credit Union’s (DCU) charitable foundation, DCU for Kids. The scholarship program is designed to assist students in the pursuit of a higher education.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

As we head into the holiday season with Winter Break, I also would like to highlight how our students and staff demonstrate giving back is a cornerstone of District 88 pride. It’s our goal to provide a comprehensive educational experience for students, with a focus on the “whole child.” We strive to develop within students an understanding of the importance of accepting and helping others, and we volunteer, host and participate in events such as:

  • Blood drives
  • Serving meals at the DuPagePads homeless shelter at First Presbyterian Church of Itasca
  • Raising money for breast cancer awareness and research throughout October
  • Relay For Life of District 88 Youth and Willowbrook’s Brook Olympics to raise money for the American Cancer Society
  • Kiwanis Peanut Days
  • Salvation Army bell ringing
  • Park Pride Cleanup Day and Salt Creek Cleanup Day
  • Toys for Tots at Addison Trail and the Warrior Project at Willowbrook, which collect gifts for local families and children for the holidays
  • Food drives to benefit local food pantries
  • Winter apparel drives
  • Shoveling snow for community members in need (to request assistance from students, call the Village of Addison or the Village of Villa Park)
  • Collecting formal wear and accessories, as well as school spirit wear, to ensure all students have access to these items
  • Blazer Relief Center at Addison Trail (a collection of hygiene items for students and their families)

These are just some examples of how District 88 students and staff show they care about one another, their community and the world around them.

It truly takes all of us working together to build positive futures for our students. It takes involved parents/guardians, engaged students and community members, knowledgeable Board of Education members and dedicated and passionate staff. Thank you to all of our stakeholders for your continued support of District 88. On behalf of the district, I wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season.


With District 88 Pride,
Jean Barbanente, Ed.D.
District 88 Superintendent