March 2012, Page 1

ANNUAL REPORT

Preparing Students for a World of Opportunity2012Bensenville Elementary School District 2

March 2012, Page 2

Goal 1: Raise Student Achievement...

Learn more at www.bsd2.org/learning

Education is changing, a change that goes beyond new technology and internet resources. There is a paradigm shift going on across the country, based

on Common Core Standards that were adopted by 45 states, including Illinois.

Teachers are focusing on critical thinking skills that are essential for

college or career success.

“The Common Core Standards are as much about how students learn as what they learn,” said Dr. Kay Dugan, Assistant Superintendent for Learning.

The modern classroom teacher allows students to work in small groups and at different levels – to challenge advanced students and support

A new way of thinkingCommon Core Standards retool approach to teaching

struggling students. The students use a variety of media to explore subjects and demonstrate their understanding, not just a textbook and worksheets.

The Illinois State Board of Education adopted new learning standards in June 2010, known as the “Illinois Learning Standards Incorporating the Common Core for Mathematics and Language Arts.”

District 2 is emerging as a trailblazer in the state in getting a jump on applying these new standards in the classroom. Our district administration is presenting to educators around the state on the work our teachers have already accomplished in translating the new standards to classroom practice.

The state’s Illinois Standards Achievement Test – the measure of school success for more than 10 years as mandated by No Child Left Behind – will be shelved for a new testing system that will expand from a single day snapshot to periodic assessments throughout the year starting in 2014-15 school year.

Collaboration & Communication

Students work in small groups researching and

solving problems.

Information and media literacyComputers are no longer confined to

computer labs. Bringing laptops into the classroom allows for more flexibility and

inquiry-based learning.

Anatomy of a 21st Century Classroom

Critical ThinkingMastering math skills and

literacy skills includes hands-on activities with

number and letter cubes.

“The Common Core Standards are as much about how

students learn as what they learn. ”

--Dr. Kay Dugan, Assistant Superintendent for Learning

Differentiated InstructionThe classroom teacher explains a concept to students grouped by ability, offering different levels of

challenges.

Page 3, March 2012

...With 21st Century Outcomes and Supports

for more information on Common Core Standards, see at www.bsd2.org/curriculum

What are “Common Core” standards?

Illinois is among 45 states that have adopted the Common Core Standards. The goal of the Common Core Standards is to identify the skills necessary for students to be successful in college and careers upon completing high school. The Common Core initiative was developed by a team of education researchers from around the country. The standards have been surveyed among college leaders and employers as to specific skills required for college success, according to The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. This is a departure from standards developed from the No Child Left Behind Act, where every state developed its own learning standards.

How are new standards different from what was taught before?

The state board, along with educators across the country, are focusing on the skills students will need to be successful in the 21st Century. The new standards seek deeper understanding and more critical thinking skills than the old Illinois Learning Standards measured by the Illinois Standards Achievement Test.

Improving education for all with Common Core StandardsHow are districts adapting to the change? Are

they required to change?

Bensenville School District 2 is recognized statewide for its early work in creating curriculum for the new learning standards. Led by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kay Dugan, teachers and administrators began meeting in the 2010-11 school year to begin to assess curriculum in every grade to align with the new English/Language Arts and Math standards.

Bensenville District 2 was featured at the Joint Annual Conference of Illinois school officials and board members, held in Chicago in November, 2011. The District 2 panel included three administrators and two board members. They presented with Susan Morrison, Deputy Superintendent/Chief of Staff for the Illinois State Board of Education. Our team described our process of transitioning to the new standards, realigning priorities from ISAT to College and Career-ready goals. Dr. Dugan is traveling the state presenting at education workshops this spring.

Parent Perspective: Matthew Vassar, Tioga School

“Being involved with the District since my child started at Tioga School three years ago, I have been impressed with the process in which ALL persons associated with the District make her life one of learning at a high level. These values that are instilled at a young age are not just the responsibility of the District but that of the families that send our kids to the schools here in Bensenville. This is why I am a large part of my daughter’s life at the school and will be for my son next year when he enters kindergarten.”

“Knowledge is power at any and all levels. Getting involved as a parent is just as important as ensuring your kids are doing the same, getting involved/engaged. The more you know, the more likely you will make appropriate decisions now and in the future.”

“Be involved at the schools, open up, spend 10-15 minutes a week to learn why or how it is the District does what it does for our children. The short-term time investment is worth the long-term goal. Engage in your child’s abilities in receiving the best education in this 21st Century! “

“Getting involved as a parent is just as important as

ensuring your kids are doing the same, getting involved/engaged.”

March 2012, Page 4

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Goal 2: Recruit, Hire and Retain Quality Staff

In the wake of the remarkable gains in student achievement of the last seven years, Dr. Kay

Dugan, Assistant Superintendent for Learning, focused professional development for teachers on the philosophy of differentiation. Differentiation is a philosophy in which educators continuously work to develop insight into students’ readiness levels,

interests, and learning profiles.

Once that is understood, then they can differentiate the content, what students learn, how they learn it, and how they demonstrate they have learned. Differentiation also requires that educators routinely analyze student performance data throughout a lesson or unit in order to differentiate even more deeply to ensure success.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it is; however, well worth the effort. Given the complexity of differentiation, providing staff with meaningful professional development to transition to this philosophy could not occur with a few workshops.

Recognizing this, District 2 started the transition

process by committing to deep learning over time. In the summer of 2011, 12 teachers and 10 administrators participated in the University of Virginia’s Differentiation Institute, which was led by Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson, a nationally recognized expert.

“The fact that we could have conversations with so many educators from not only our own district, but also all over the U.S. and process and plan throughout the trip allowed so much more to actually sink in,” said Amanda Lehr, a 3rd grade teacher at Mohawk School

Teachers are finding that they are spending more time getting to know individual students’ interests and learning styles.

“I feel as though I have a better understanding of my students’ needs -- academically and emotionally. As a result,

students feel more comfortable to take risks with their learning, seek help when they are struggling, and express their opinions,” said 7th grade language arts and reading teacher Katie Higgins.

“It is not the expectation of District 2 that teachers can read a book, flip a switch, and magically transform their teaching,” Dr. Dugan said. “Rather, District 2 educators aspire to understand the art and craft of teaching. To do this well, professional learning must provide opportunities for them to learn directly from experts in the field and to apply what they are learning to classroom practice in a safe and supporting environment with authentic feedback.”

3rd Grade Teacher Amanda Lehr works with one student while other students read independently. “One of the aspects of having a growth mindset as a teacher is to set high goals, provide high support, and ensure student focus and to find the thing that makes school work for a student!”

Teachers focus on individual learning

Parent Perspective: John Zdeb, Mohawk School

John Zdeb said he and his wife researched all the area schools before enrolling their son in kindergarten at Mohawk School.

“When we walked in, we were taken aback by the attention the kids were paying to their teacher and their work. We weren’t sure what we were going to see – overcrowded classrooms, mayhem, chaos…instead, we saw that in every class every kid was on their best behavior. This was a surprise visit, and we got a good feeling – a warm feeling visiting here.”

“I really didn’t even want to come to visit (Mohawk). We had been to several private schools and Catholic schools. When we got here, we saw that the classrooms could use some updating but there was a nice feeling in every classroom, and the teachers really seemed to care. “

Page 5, March 2012

Goal 3: Strengthen Community Relations

District 2 strives for two-way communication with staff, parents and community members. Last fall the District held a series of focus groups to talk about the combining of schools next year. The information helped the Board of Education and administration create a communication plan and community activities to provide for a smooth transition to the two new schools, and to commemorate the history of the school district.

As a result, the following events are being planned:

Chippewa School Open House

A special Chippewa School Open House/Walk Down Memory Lane will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 29 at Chippewa School.

Enjoy entertainment and refreshments, while enjoying nostalgia and mingling with retired teachers and alumni.

Walk the halls of Bensenville’s first high school, view historic photos and displays, participate in a Bensenville trivia contest, and dance or just enjoy music.

Historical photos/artifacts wanted!

To make our exhibit as rich as possible, Chippewa School is collecting memorabilia to display during this open house. Scanned photos can be emailed to tryan@bsd2.org. Items should be labeled with name, address and phone, and can be dropped off at the school’s main office or the District office next to the library at 210 S. Church Road.

Celebrating our past, planning for the future

End-of-School carnival

District 2 and the school PTA and PTO organizations are sponsoring an end-of-school carnival in town center May 17 through 20. A portion of proceeds from all amusement rides will benefit the District 2 schools.

Special all-access wristbands are being sold through each PTA and at the District office. Discount short-term wristbands will be available during the carnival, as will individual tickets.

Additional events are still being planned to bring together the Mohawk and Johnson school communities and to unify all residents under the common cause of excellent public education for all District 2 students.

The community is invited to tour Chippewa School from 1 to 4 p.m. April 29 for a “Walk Down Memory Lane.” Entertainment, refreshments, historical displays and a trivia contest are planned!

“In our family, education has a high priority. For this reason, when we decided to move to the area of Bensenville, we were

really concerned if the school system would fit the educational needs of our daughters. It wasn’t easy to find a place where the educators are willing to build up into their students’ strengths and at the same time address their needs with research-based strategies. As soon as we asked for a meeting with the personnel who were going to be in contact with our daughters we realized that Chippewa was the school that best fit our expectations. Each of the staff members showed us a high level of professionalism and convinced us that our daughters were going to be part of a community that empowers the children to work at their fullest potential in a caring environment.”

Parent Perspective: Wendy Figueroa, Chippewa School

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March 2012, Page 6

Goal 4: Develop a plan for facilities that supports 21st Century Learning

www.bsd2.org, select Construction: Building a Bright future

As the white-brick building rises between Tioga and Chippewa schools and a structure

wraps around the original Johnson School, a new era in educating students in Bensenville District 2 is dawning.

The completion of these projects will see the District realize its goal of providing facilities that support 21st Century learning. This process began

12 years ago, when the Board proposed building one mega school on the Blackhawk Middle School; campus to help solve the District’s deficit.

Tioga School will be ready for Chippewa students at the start of school in August. The addition at Johnson School will also be ready for students. The renovation of the original section of Johnson School will begin as soon as classes are out in May.

Johnson students will move into the new building at the start of school in August. Because the Johnson renovation will take a minimum of four months, Mohawk students will move to Johnson later in the fall when the renovation is complete.

The staff and parent groups are working together to blend the Mohawk and Johnson communities. The 2012-13 school year will be a transition year, with both schools operating as schools-within-a-school.

Chippewa School will be demolished in the fall. The school site will be used for play areas and to expand the water detention area already built. The addition to Tioga school will be joined to the original Tioga School and function as one K-5 school. A second phase of construction is needed before the original section of Tioga is demolished. The District is anticipating the second phase to be complete in three years.

There will not be major boundary changes.

At Chippewa and Tioga, students are already preparing for the move by holding a new mascot contest. The Board of Education will consider renaming W.A. Johnson School, which was named after the District’s first superintendent, in the 2012-2013 school year.

A 14-classroom addition to Blackhawk Middle School built without additional tax dollars opens.

August 2007

Nov. 2008

$50 million referendum on the same building plan fails with 55% voting no and 45% voting yes.

Core Planning Committee forms to explore facilities needs and provide recommendations to the Board of Education.

March 2010

Board of Education authorizes sale of low-interest bonds for Tioga addition.

May 2010

Building a Bright Future . . .

New schools will change grade school education

MegaSchool proposed to solve District debt problems.

2000

Education Fund referendum is successful, which settles District’s financial issues for programs and staffing but does not address aging facilities.

March 2002

Oct. 2003

Board forms Facilities Task Force.

April 2007

$40 million referendum to fund task force’s plan of building two grade centers loses, 62% vote no, 38%vote yes.

The addition at Tioga School and the addition at Johnson School will transform the old buildings into 21st Century learning centers for all K-5 students. A second addition is being considered for Tioga to complete the project.

Page 7, March 2012

Aug. 2012

. . . New facilities result of a 12-year effort

Goal 5: Ensure Financial Stability for the District

Visit the Business Services page at www.bsd2.org for more info.

July 2010

State Board of Education approves building grant of $8.3 million.

September 2010

Board adopts Core Planning Committee recommendation to expand Johnson and Tioga Schools as two K-5 schools. Board also approves bond sale to fund Johnson addition.

May 2011

Groundbreaking at Johnson and Tigoa schools to create two schools of equal size to serve all District 2 students in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade.

Chippewa School will close.

May 2012

June 2012

Renovation of existing Johnson School begins.

Both additions are scheduled to open at start of school.

Mohawk School will close and students will move to Johnson School when renovation is complete.

Fall 2012

Spending compares to other districts

The Districts expenditures rank in the bottom half for DuPage County kindergarten-8th grade districts. For the 2009-10 school year, BSD2 was 19th of 29 in DuPage, spending $13,404 per pupil. The typical K-8 in DuPage spent $13,837, or 4 percent more. Twelve K-8 districts spent at least $1,000 more per student than District 2.

Budget stays within means

District 2’s budget is balanced. When voters approved an Education Fund referendum in 2002, the tax rate increase was projected to adequately fund classroom instruction through 2007. Ten years later, the District has maintained a budget within its means and projections indicate the finances to be secure for several years to come if state and federal funding levels remain stable.

Building paid for like a mortgage

Construction will be paid for without a tax increase. Through prudent budgeting, the District has enough funds for the additions at both Johnson and Tioga schools without asking taxpayers for any additional rate increase. The District designed its bonds payments to fit the District’s typical tax revenue. For example, this year’s revenue will cover all operating expenses plus the District’s

bond payments. Because the average bond payment in the next 12 years is about the same as this year’s payment, the District believes it can continue to pay for the buildings without a tax increase.

High credit score saves money

District 2’s financial strength pays off. District 2 received an AA+ bond rating, the second highest rating, from Standard and Poor’s Rating Service. This high rating saved thousands of dollars in the sale of bonds to fund the Johnson and Tioga School additions.

Outside funding boosts programs

District 2 continually looks for funding opportunities outside the traditional taxpayer revenues. In 2011-12, the District received $292,000 to fund the Birth to 3 program and the pre kindergarten program. The competitive grants were awarded based on the merits of the program.

The District was also awarded a $161,000 state grant for an iPad program for social studies at Blackhawk Middle School.

For 2012-13 school year, the District has applied to participate in federal school reform funding through Race to the Top program.

Finances hold steady through stormy economic climate

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Bensenville Elementary School District 2210 South Church RoadBensenville, IL 60106

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A Report to the Community

Board of EducationPatty ReyesBoard President

Kathie BossierVice President

Nancy QuinnSecretary

Jorge SanchezTreasurer

Members:Cindee Hazen Bob LaudadioRev. Luis F. Reyes

Administration

James Stelter, Ed.D.Superintendent

Kay Dugan,Ed.D.Assistant Superintendent for Learning

Paul Novack, Chief Financial Officer

When District 2 sent out its first annual report in 2003, the community had recently approved an Education Fund referendum, the Board had just adopted a new strategic plan and both the Board of Education and the superintendent were focusing on building a school district with a reputation for excellence.

District 2 has made progress every year since then, and I am pleased to provide this update of the work we did in 2011 and will continue to focus on in 2012.

Our student achievement scores have climbed faster than any other similar district in DuPage County. Mohawk School received the National Blue Ribbon Award and Spotlight Award this year. We are a leader in implementing the new Illinois Learning Standards Incorporating the Common Core Standards. We are renovating and expanding schools, and we are focusing on recruiting a diverse staff and retaining quality staff with ground-breaking professional development. We have maintained a balanced budget while financing school construction without additional tax dollars.

This annual report is one example of how we strive to keep our taxpayers informed of how we are managing your schools. Our enhanced web site provides detailed and in-depth information as well as up-to-date happenings in our schools. Please take a few minutes to review this important Annual Report to the Community. We hope you like what you read.

“I feel very proud and fortunate to live in a school district concerned with investing in

the education of future generations of children, especially in these tough economic times. Most important to me is that my daughters receive a quality education in a safe and playful learning environment. I feel BSD2 and Johnson School provide this and strive to prepare our children to advance to a 21st century learning environment and do it in a way that the children perceive it as a fun and interactive experience. These new schools are more than new buildings; they are the pillars of our community and the development of generations to come. I am happy to be a Bensenville resident and look forward to all that these schools will bring to the community.”

Parent Perspective: Dana Loncar, Johnson School

Dana Loncar and her daughters. Read about what other parents have to say about District 2 in their own words inside the Annual Report.

Superintendent James Stelter, Ed.D., with Tioga School students

An invitation to review our progress

www.bsd2.org