Building futures at District 88 … it takes a village

At District 88, our mission is to work for the continuous improvement of student achievement – and that mission wouldn’t be possible without the support of our communities.

We’re proud of the success District 88 has achieved, and we know we didn’t get here on our own. Every day, I’m amazed at the level of involvement our community members, parents/guardians, Board of Education members, students and staff have with our schools. It takes everyone working together to build futures for our students.

Alignment: At District 88, we strive to ensure our students are successful in the classroom and beyond when they enter and leave our schools. As part of that goal, we work with our feeder districts and local colleges/universities to make sure our curriculum is aligned. On Oct. 16, we hosted our annual Joint Board of Education meeting, where board of education members and administrators from District 88, District 4, District 45 and District 48 come together to discuss pertinent education topics. We also worked with DeVry University and College of DuPage to offer our students college credit for free this year. We know our students are improving academically because of the relationships we have with our surrounding schools.

Village officials, service organizations and business partners: We receive unbelievable support from our village officials, service organizations and local businesses. Whether it’s providing a scholarship for students, making a donation, recognizing the successes of our students or attending our fundraisers and events, the presence of these individuals and groups can be felt throughout District 88. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to thank them for all they do during the Oct. 25 cross-town football game between Addison Trail and Willowbrook. The game will take place at Willowbrook, and we’ll recognize them on the field before the game begins.

Mentor Program: Through the Mentor Program, community members and business professionals are paired with students “on the brink of success” at Addison Trail and Indian Trail Junior High School in District 4. It’s wonderful to see people volunteer to help our students.

Professional development opportunities: District 88 is at the forefront in many areas, and our staff members present at several workshops and seminars throughout the year. One upcoming seminar that will feature presentations from District 88 is the IASB, IASA and IASBO Joint Annual Conference. That conference will take place from Nov. 22 to 24 in Chicago. District 88 Chief Financial Officer Ed Hoster will be part of a presentation about school finance. Hoster will discuss state aid and federal aid funding; the history of the state equalization formula, including how it has evolved and where it might be heading; and a review of the claim form that will focus on key elements of the process and how to maximize revenue. Representatives from districts 4, 45, 48 and 88 will present about their learning compact in terms of community outreach, curriculum and assessment alignment and their annual Joint Board of Education meeting to collaborate on important education topics. District 88 Director of Community Relations Dani Schweigert will be part of a presentation about school safety and communications that will discuss how District 88 has prepared and will continue to prepare in terms of crisis management. For more information about the conference, go to http://tinyurl.com/kpf99qs. 

Afterschool events: It takes a tremendous amount of planning and coordination to ensure our athletic, performing arts and other afterschool events and activities run smoothly. And we couldn’t do it without all those who volunteer.

As you can see, it truly takes a village to build futures for the students of District 88, and we’re thankful for your continued support.