Learning Services Department

Department Head: Amy Peschke

Department Phone: (630) 530-3431

Willowbrook Learning Services Department

The Willowbrook High School Learning Services Department is a learning community that welcomes, supports, and appropriately challenges our students to prepare each student on an individualized path for post secondary life. 

Individualized Education Plan Information

Students with IEPs require at least one meeting annually. 

  • Annual review - held at least once per year to develop new goals, update and review accommodations, and to discuss educational placement Three Year Re-Evaluation - held once every three years to determine if the student is still eligible for special education services
  • Domain Review - held once every three years to determine what, if any, information is needed to determine eligibility for services. These meetings are all held on the phone.
  • Progress Review - a formal meeting that may result in changes being made to the IEP through an amendment, but not looking at the whole plan.
  • 504 meetings - Please contact the student services office: (630) 530-3417 to connect with one of our school psychologists.

Programming and Services for Students with IEPs at Willowbrook High School

The District offers different levels of programming.  The IEP team will determine the least restrictive educational environment for your student at their annual review each year.

  • General Education without support
  • General Education with support 
  • Placement in the Special Education Environment (see our program offerings below)
  • Placement in an “off campus” facility. District 88 partners with more than 50 different public and private facilities to ensure that the unique needs of District 88 students can be met.

Bridge Program:
The Bridge Program adapts core/general education curriculum to meet the individual learning needs of students. The program offers a low student to teacher ratio to provide individualized instruction to no more than 13 students in each class period. Consistent research-based assessment is provided to monitor student growth and achievement frequently.

Courses offered in the Bridge Program:

  • English 9, 10, 11, 12
  • Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2
  • Human Geography, US History, Government (semester), Economics (semester)
  • Biology, Chemistry Concepts, Geoscience
  • Consumer Management (semester)
  • Heath (semester)
  • From School to Work (Full Year)

Strive Program:
The Strive Program ensures lifelong learning is promoted in the areas of academics, careers, community, and most importantly, self through a focus on developing student self-awareness while fostering academic achievement. Strive offers a safe and structured environment to promote student learning and encourage student responsibility for their academic achievement and behavior. Parent/guardian support is important to the success of our students. Course offerings vary each year. 

Perseverance and Resilience Education Program (PREP):
The goal of the Perseverance and Resilience Education Program is to provide support to students to strengthen their social emotional skills to find comfort and confidence with learned coping skills to be applied across educational environments. The PREP classroom includes in-classroom sensory regulation spaces to assist students to use coping strategies. Students are encouraged to enroll in courses in the general education environment that suit their needed graduation requirements and areas of interests connected to their post secondary pathway. Course offerings vary each year.

Link Program:
The Link program is designed to provide tiered life-skills and functional-academic instruction. The focus of the program is to provide students with skills necessary for independent living and competitive employment in the post-secondary environment. Students in the program benefit from vocational training/support integrated into their school day, as well as community outings to develop and practice independent living, communication skills, and self-determination skills, with support to find success in a real-world environment vocationally and socially. 

Courses offered in the Link Program:

  • Functional Academics
    • English
    • Reading
    • Math 1
    • Math 2
  • Self-Reliance
  • Pre-Occupational Skills/Vocational Skills

Students enrolled in the Link Program will participate in a variety of transition/life experiences that include but are not limited to:

  • Cooking Experiences
  • Community-Based Instruction
  • Self-Determination Activities: 
  • Vocational Experiences ( in school and in the community) 
  • Social Instruction/Communication Lessons
  • Daily Living Skill Instruction

Developmental Learning Program (DLP):

The Developmental Learning Program (DLP) is a highly individualized program designed to meet the needs of students with multiple disabilities (Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, etc.). The purpose of the program is to support the development of functional academic skills as well as everyday life skills such as: money management, social and emotional skills, community based skills, vocational skills, communication skills, self-care, self-advocacy, and functional life skills (cooking, cleaning, hygiene, etc.). The team determines the placement and Individualized Education Plan that best meets the needs of an individual student. 

The students in the Developmental Learning Program receive instruction from various related services including speech, occupational therapy, social work, music therapy, and art therapy as determined by each student’s IEP. Related services are conducted in small group, whole group, or individual sessions. Students enrolled in the Developmental Learning Program go out into the community on a weekly basis to practice and apply skills which are being taught in the classroom setting.

Extended School Year (ESY)

Extended school year is a program for students who show severe regression of skills without schooling during the summer months. Eligibility for this program will be decided upon at your student’s Annual Review IEP meeting.

District 88 LIFE Transition Program

The LIFE program is located at our District 88 Office building. This program is designed for students ages 18-22 who need additional assistance preparing for their adult lives. The focus of this program is vocational and life skills. For more specifics, please please contact the Transition Department Chair, Stephanie Nitka (snitka@dupage88.net, 630-458-4512)

Related Services

Related services are provided on an as needed basis determined at your student’s IEP meeting. They are services to supplement their academic curriculum that support their overall success in school. Examples of these services are listed below.

Social Work (group or individual)
Speech-Language Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Assistive Technology
Transportation

Learning Services Department and Legal Compliance

In compliance with IDEA and the "Rules and Regulations to Govern the Administration and Operation of Special Education," mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education, DuPage High School District 88 offers special education classes and services designed to meet the unique needs of students with the following areas of eligibility:

Visual Impairment
Specific Learning Disability
Hearing Impairment
Emotional Disability
Physical Impairment
Intellectual Disability
Speech/language impairment
Autism
Other Health impairment
Deaf-Blindness
Multiple Disabilities
Orthopedic Impairment
Traumatic Brain Injury

As required by law, program placement is determined by the IEP team based on each student’s individual needs. Students can be placed full time or part time into any of the above programs following the IEP team decision.

Parent Preparation for an IEP Meeting
Input from all members of the IEP team is essential. Please review the IEP Draft materials sent home ahead of your student’s meeting along with the parent interview. We encourage all parents to use this time to develop questions or be able to share information with our team regarding your student. 

Request for Special Education Case Study Evaluation
Illinois State law governs the process by which schools consider a student appropriate for an evaluation for special education services. If you would like to request an evaluation for special education services, please put your request in writing and send to Amy Peschke, Special Education Department Chair at apeschke@dupage88.net or send to Willowbrook at 1250 S. Ardmore Avenue, Villa Park, IL 60181 c/o Amy Peschke. Ms. Peschke will get back to you on the individualized process for your student. If you have questions about this process, please contact her directly at apeschke@dupage88.net, (630) 530-3682.

Request for Special Education Records
Parents can request their student’s IEP at any time. Special Education records are considered a “temporary” record for a student. Law requires that schools keep a student’s temporary record for five years after graduation and then shred the documents. Only previous students themselves or the legal guardian for a person over the age of 18 is able to request records. Please contact Marianne Greco Learning Services Administrative Assistant, at 630-530-3431 or mgreco@dupage88.net to request the information.

Extra-Curricular Activities
Please use the links below to explore extracurricular opportunities available to all students at Willowbrook High School. 

Clubs and Activities: http://dupage88.libguides.com/WBClubsandActivities

Athletics: https://il.8to18.com/willowbrook

Important notice
Students with disabilities may receive related services as part of their individual education programs (IEPs). DuPage High School District 88 will maintain related service logs that record the type and number of minutes of the related service(s) administered to such students. Parents/guardians of students with disabilities may also request copies of their child’s related service logs at any time.

Name Phone Schedule Contact
Kusum Bhatt
Teacher Aide
View Kusum Bhatt schedule Contact Kusum Bhatt
Rajendra Bhatt
Teacher Aide
View Rajendra Bhatt schedule Contact Rajendra Bhatt
Staff member Jim Bolsinger photo
Jim Bolsinger
Teacher
(630) 782-3100 View Jim Bolsinger schedule Contact Jim Bolsinger
Maggie Buck
Teacher
(630) 782-4867 View Maggie  Buck schedule Contact Maggie  Buck
Staff member Matt Cochran photo
Matt Cochran
IEP Coordinator
(630) 782-3105 View Matt Cochran schedule Contact Matt Cochran
Staff member Brandon Collings photo
Brandon Collings
Teacher
(630) 782-2859 View Brandon Collings schedule Contact Brandon Collings
Bob Daly
Teacher
(630) 782-2865 View Bob Daly schedule Contact Bob Daly
Staff member Mary Doro photo
Mary Doro
Teacher
(630) 782-3057 View Mary Doro schedule Contact Mary Doro
D'Amonte Ellis
Teacher Aide
View D'Amonte Ellis schedule Contact D'Amonte Ellis
Staff member Nick Hildreth photo
Nick Hildreth
Teacher
(630) 530-3682 View Nick Hildreth schedule Contact Nick Hildreth
Staff member Gabrielle Horabik photo
Gabrielle Horabik
Teacher
(630) 782-2848 View Gabrielle Horabik schedule Contact Gabrielle Horabik
Curtis Hudson
Teacher Aide
View Curtis Hudson schedule Contact Curtis Hudson
Linda Landes
Teacher Aide
View Linda Landes schedule Contact Linda Landes
Renee Lavery
Teacher Aide
View Renee Lavery schedule Contact Renee Lavery
Staff member Michael Marotta photo
Michael Marotta
Teacher
(630) 782-3056 View Michael Marotta schedule Contact Michael Marotta
Barbara Meredith
Teacher Aide
(630) 782-3117 View Barbara Meredith schedule Contact Barbara Meredith
Terrence Miller
Teacher
(630) 782-4586 View Terrence  Miller schedule Contact Terrence  Miller
Melissa Nelson
Teacher Aide
Contact Melissa Nelson
Victor Noyola Jr.
Teacher Aide
Contact Victor Noyola Jr.
Staff member Anthony Pennella photo
Anthony Pennella
Teacher
(630) 782-3103 View Anthony Pennella schedule Contact Anthony Pennella
Maria Perez
Teacher
(630) 530-3685 View Maria  Perez schedule Contact Maria  Perez
Kathleen Perry
Teacher Aide
Contact Kathleen Perry
Staff member Amy Peschke photo
Amy Peschke
Department Head
(630) 530-3968 View Amy Peschke schedule Contact Amy Peschke
Staff member Michael Phillips photo
Michael Phillips
Teacher
(630) 864-7482 View Michael Phillips schedule Contact Michael Phillips
Staff member Maggie Porter photo
Maggie Porter
Teacher
(630) 782-2847 View Maggie Porter schedule Contact Maggie Porter
Tazeen Rafiq
Teacher Aide
View Tazeen Rafiq schedule Contact Tazeen Rafiq
Staff member Dalila Ramirez photo
Dalila Ramirez
Teacher
(630) 530-3698 View Dalila Ramirez schedule Contact Dalila Ramirez
Xheni Rojba
Teacher Aide
Contact Xheni Rojba
Amanda Seymore
Teacher Aide
View Amanda Seymore schedule Contact Amanda Seymore
Yusuf Shah
Teacher
(630) 782-2812 View Yusuf Shah schedule Contact Yusuf Shah
Ritu Sharma
Teacher Aide
Contact Ritu Sharma
Gia Tenuto
Vocational Aide
Contact Gia Tenuto
Staff member Gary Walker photo
Gary Walker
Teacher
(630) 782-3118 View Gary Walker schedule Contact Gary Walker
Staff member Hannah Walsh photo
Hannah Walsh
Teacher
(630) 782-3082 View Hannah Walsh schedule Contact Hannah Walsh