Monday, May 20, 2013
Superintendent Renée Schuster proposed an alternative plan Monday night after nearly 70 percent of respondents to a district survey said they did not support late starts.
Updated at 8:53 p.m. District 181's administration has dropped the idea of incorporating eight late starts into next school year's calendar after a survey on the topic revealed a lack of community support. “We had a survey and we listened,” Superintendent Renée Schuster said at Monday night’s school board meeting. District 181 administration maintains that additional collaborative time is necessary as the district's new Advanced Learning Plan and the federal Common Core curriculum are implemented, so an alternative plan to carve out that time was proposed by Schuster Monday. The new plan would address teacher collaboration more during in-day common plan time, when entire grade-levels of students are at gym, art and music classes, as well …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Dawn Benaitis will become the new director of curriculum, assessment and instruction after two years at Monroe.
The first major action taken by the latest incarnation of the District 181 Board of Education was to approve the hiring of a new administrator. Current Monroe School Principal Dawn Benaitis was hired Monday night to replace Kevin Russell as District 181's director of curriculum, assessment and instruction, a position created in 2012. Benaitis will take over the position on July 1, 2013, the same day Russell is set to become the district’s assistant superintendent for learning. Benaitis was hired as Monroe's principal before the 2011-12 school year. She is a member of the district's Literacy Committee and Teacher Evaluation Committee, according to a release from District 181. She assisted in the planning for pilot use of both reading and …
The Clarendon Hills resident who will take over the position held for the last two years by Michael Nelson is in the middle of his first term on the District 181 Board of Education.
Marty Turek became the newest president of the District 181 Board of Education. The Clarendon Hills resident who has served on the board since 2011 was picked to take over the president's role by a 5-1 board vote Monday night at the board's reorganizational meeting that also saw three new board members seated and three outgoing board members recognized. Michael Nelson, who has served as the board's president for the last two years but was not nominated Monday, voted "yes" for Turek along with Glenn Yaeger and new board members Gary Clarin and Jill Vorobiev. New member Mridu Garg voted "no" after nominating Brendan Heneghan, who abstained from the vote on Turek. Turek said he appreciates the support of his fellow board members. "…
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Patch looks back at five of the most read stories from the week of April 29 to May 3.
1. Flood-Damaged Home Buglarized: Police Blotter: Jewelry went missing from a home in the 1200 block of Indian Trail that was broken-into on April 25. 2. 520 Signatures on Petition Against D181 Late Starts: The District 181 Board of Education is expected to further discuss the late-start issue at its May 20 Committee of the Whole meeting and vote on a final 2013-14 calendar on May 28. 3. UWGB Coach Wardle, Hinsdale Central Grad, Accused of Mistreating Player: According to a now-public complaint, the coach once forced a sick player to work out until he lost control of his bowels, then openly mocked him for it, as well as for his religion. 4. UPDATE: Duke the Dog has been Found: After 15 days on the loose, Duke reunited with his owner, Anne…
Thursday, May 2, 2013
The District 181 Board of Education is expected to further discuss the late-start issue at its May 20 Committee of the Whole meeting and vote on a final 2013-14 calendar on May 28.
The District 181 Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) approved by the District 181 school board in February was controversial. So, now, is one part of the administration’s recommended method for implementing it. The District 181 calendar for the 2013-14 school year, which is expected to be discussed by the new board of education May 20 and voted on May 28, currently includes eight two-hour late starts meant to provide teachers with more collaboration time than in years past as the district implements the ALP and federally mandated Common Core curriculum. Vivian Hessel and Kim Lowe, two Walker School moms who live in Clarendon Hills, are against the late starts because of the reduced instruction time they would cause and are rallying like-minded …
Monday, April 15, 2013
A parent survey is being issued on the topic Monday as the board prepares to vote on the final 2013-14 calendar in May.
It appears District 181 board members still need some convincing that late starts are the best way to provide additional professional development time for teachers next school year. “I thought this one would be an easy one for me, but it’s not,” board member Marty Turek said at the board’s April 8 meeting at Elm School. The eight two-hour late starts during the 2013-14 school year have been proposed by District 181 administration as a way to provide professional development for teachers as the district implements its new Advanced Learning Plan and the nationally mandated Common Core. The late starts would align with those on the District 86 calendar, in an attempt to reduce inconvenience to families. For working parents who can’t stay home…
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The three caucus-endorsed candidates won over incumbent Sarah Lewensohn and Richard Fitzgerald.
The three Hinsdale-Village-Caucus-endorsed District 181 candidates made it a clean sweep. Jill Vorobiev, Gary Clarin and Mridu Garg were the leading vote-getters Tuesday in the race for three open District 181 Board of Education seats. With all precincts reporting, Vorobiev had the highest vote total at 1,726. Clarin received 1,384 votes while Garg received 1,381. "I’m happy that the community made its choice and put its confidence in me," she said. "It was a great campaign and I’m very happy to serve the community." Incumbent Sarah Lewensohn (1,263 votes) and challenger Richard Fitzgerald (1,120) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, according to the unofficial results. Lewensohn said Wednesday morning, "I’m disappointed, but I know …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Patch asked the question, and the five District 181 Board of Education candidates provided their answers.
In its 2013 candidate questionnaire, Patch asked the five candidates for Community Consolidated School District 181 Board of Education the following questions: What sets you apart from the other candidates? Here, in alphabetical order, are the candidates' responses: Gary Clarin: "I don’t believe I am unique from the other candidates, but I do believe that my previous and current tenure on several boards, both community and business, my ability to work together and listen to solve issues and advance common goals, and my willingness to take leadership roles, when asked, has provided me with the skill set necessary to be an effective board member." Richard Fitzgerald: "Motivation, perseverance and drive. I am the only candidate that is …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Patch asked the question, and the five District 181 Board of Education candidates provided their answers.
In its 2013 candidate questionnaire, Patch asked the five candidates for Community Consolidated School District 181 Board of Education the following questions: Do you support the district’s approach to curriculum changes since the January 2012 report by gifted program consultant Dr. Tonya Moon? Why or why not? Here, in alphabetical order, are the candidates' responses: Gary Clarin: "I am just getting up to speed on the gifted program and the study by Dr. Tonya Moon. If the board determined that this was a strategic goal and asked the administration and teachers to evaluate it, which I know they did, then after proper research and review it is the responsibility of the board to move forward with it." Richard Fitzgerald: "I applaud the …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
District 181 communications director Bridget McGuiggan said more public discussion on the late-start issue is also in the works.
Discussion of late starts in District 181 is expected to continue between now and the board of education's vote on a final 2013-14 school calendar, communications director Bridget McGuiggan said. The eight 10 a.m. starts that are tentatively planned for next school year are meant to provide professional-development time for staff as the district implements its new Advanced Learning Plan (ALP). McGuiggan said the late starts were discussed at two ALP-related community meetings on March 19, and future conversation will take place, though particular dates have not been set. The late starts were the subject of a recent Patch letter to the editor from Superintendent Renée Schuster. READ: Late Starts a 'Significant Change' Requiring Discussion: …
Jack Rarebit
7:52 pm on Friday, May 17, 2013
She must manage "up" well, because in my opinion she is an awful principal who alienated nearly everyone she encountered (parents, PTO, teachers, students) and caused damage to a number of students. Check the data: there are a number of parents who have withdrawn their children from Monroe Elementary rather than allow Ms. Benaitis to damage them further. It is a very poor reflection on the school… more ›