District 88 maintains an environment of acceptance and support for students
As we head into the holiday season with Thanksgiving next week, I would like to thank you all for your support of District 88. It is through our partnerships we are able to accomplish our mission of working for the continuous improvement of student achievement.
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. This week was a tremendous opportunity to recognize our Board of Education and staff members for all they do, as we celebrated American Education Week from Nov. 14 to 18 and School Board Members Day on Nov. 15. We appreciate the villages of Addison, Lombard and Villa Park honoring those events as well through posting messages on their marquees and local cable stations and providing resolutions. To watch the recognition of American Education Week and School Board Members Day during the Nov. 14 District 88 Board of Education meeting, go to https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/6164.
Above and below: Pictured are marquee messages in Addison celebrating American Education Week and School Board Members Day.
Above and below: Pictured are marquee messages in Villa Park celebrating American Education Week and School Board Members Day. Also pictured are slides that ran on Lombard's LCTV.
Our stakeholders assist us in providing a comprehensive school environment that focuses on developing the whole student. Together we create a culture in which students are safe, valued and supported. On a daily basis, our teaching and learning community reflects our district’s mission. As we face one of the most challenging times in public education, it is uncertain what the future will bring. But what I know will remain constant is our focus on taking care of our students – ALL STUDENTS. At District 88, we have about 40 languages and more than 30 countries represented among our families, and almost half of the nearly 4,000 students at District 88 speak a language other than English at home. Our students come from various backgrounds, and embracing that diversity has led to continued success in the classroom and beyond. We provide a high-quality educational experience for ALL STUDENTS to ensure each child has the opportunity to reach his or her potential.
It will always be our goal to help students understand the importance of accepting and giving back to others, and our students and staff demonstrate giving back is a cornerstone of District 88 Pride through volunteering and participating in events such as:
- Blood drives for LifeSource, Chicagoland’s Blood Center
- A Senior Citizen Thanksgiving Luncheon at Addison Trail, in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Addison and the Addison Park District
- 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 All 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)
These are just a few examples of how District 88 students and staff show they care about one another and their community. But we have gone even further by participating in cultural competency and Deep Equity training during the past two years. From the development of staff and student leadership teams to all-staff discussions and training sessions on cultural competency and culturally responsive teaching, the goal of the training is to work together for inclusion, equity and excellence for all students. The process began in 2014 and has continued through today.
We have amazing staff members, who work each and every day to improve the learning environment for an incredible group of students. We will continue to value and care for all of our students through providing an environment in which they are accepted and afforded the opportunity to maximize their potential. Thank you again for your continued support of District 88.