District 203 to Meet with Parents of Special Needs Home-Schooled Students

Naperville Community Unit School District 203 plans to meet with parents of special needs children who are currently being home schooled.

Naperville Community Unit School District 203 plans to meet with parents of special needs children who are currently being home schooled. The meeting will take place on Thursday, May 16, at 3 p.m., at the District 203 Administrative Center, 203 W. Hillside Rd. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the school district’s plans for providing special education services for the 2013-2014 school term to students with special needs who are home schooled and live within District 203 boundaries, according to the district. Parents or guardians of a home-schooled student with a disability, or one who may be in need of special education services, are urged to attend.  For further questions regarding the meeting, contact Nancy Lullo, Director …

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End the Strike: Mom Talk

Right or wrong, teachers need to be part of the solution, too.

It was circa 1982 when Joliet's District 86 teachers went on strike. I was in junior high, and our teachers told us, no, no, they would not strike. They were out three weeks. I couldn't tell you what the details were or who won. But I can recall the names of the two teachers who crossed the picket line. That was a difficult time for my family. My divorced mother worked full time and I had no where to go during the day. At 10, I was home alone. By and large, teachers are undervalued in this country. They deserve combat pay for some of the districts they work in. My close friends are Chicago teachers. If I had a magic wand I would easily triple their salaries, benefits and give them anything else they wanted. Schools should be palaces! With …

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Kids Sing Out in Thanks at Annual Fundraiser

Singers from Naperville schools shared their talents at a fundraiser for KidsMatter held at Lou Malnati's Monday night.

An evening of music was on tap at Lou Malnati's Pizzeria on Jefferson Avenue Monday night as students from schools serving Naperville sang their hearts out for those dining at the restaurant. A crowd sat and listened to the singers as they peformed. Along with those who stopped to listen while walking downtown and the restaurant's patrons, a number of Naperville officials including Mayor George Pradel and other city council members, enjoyed the musical performances.  The KidsMatter to Lou Malnati's event was held for its sixth year and included singers from schools in Naperville School District 203, Indian Prairie School District 204 as well as The School of the Performing Arts.  The restaurant donated 20 percent of its sales from both …

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Perfect Lawns, Perfect Kids and Other Fibs

How Just Four Books Make A Big Difference in Learning

This mom thinks reading is bridge enough for summer learning.

School’s going to be out for summer soon. My kids will be packing away the backpacks and sleeping in late but, with apologies to Alice Cooper, they will still be hitting the books. The slides at Centennial Beach aren’t the only ones our kids experience during summer breaks. Two months without schooling leads to the “Summer Slide,” the phenomenon that sees our children losing academic ground over the summer.  In the fall, teachers spend as much as a month getting students back up to speed. In the recent past, I’ve attempted to stop the slide with my own kids by using a variety of techniques, from activity books to curricula of my own making. I was generally successful in the beginning of the summer and generally with my daughter, who loves …

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Janice Lindegard

5:58 pm on Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Oh, Susan! My son makes fun of how much I read. I can match his four in about 12 days. He has an impersonation of me that I'd have to show you in person. Maybe when I come in to sign up!   more ›

Chesterbrook Academy Elementary Students Donate Supplies to Willowbrook Wildlife Center

Students visited the DuPage County’s Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn on Thursday.

Submitted by Chesterbrook Academy On May 24, students from Chesterbrook Academy Elementary in Naperville traveled to the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn to deliver over 75 donations. First grade students at Chesterbrook Academy Elementary organized the donation supply drive, made posters for the school hallways to encourage donations and then traveled to the center to deliver the collected goods. Students were inspired to gather donations for Willowbrook Wildlife Center after a few first graders saw a news report about the organization. 

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Health Department: Pertussis Vaccination Required for Some Students in 2012-13

Students going into the sixth and ninth grades must show proof they have received a pertussis vaccination.

The current school year hasn’t come to an end, but parents should know that before kids return to school next year there is a vaccine that students entering sixth and ninth grade must have. Students entering sixth and ninth grade must provide proof that they have received a pertussis vaccination, according to the DuPage County Health Department.  Pertussis is easily transmittable through coughing and sneezing and can cause an illness that persists for weeks to months, according to the Health Department. In Illinois in recent years there have been a number of outbreaks. During grade school protection against pertussis begins to wear off, leaving pre-teens, teenagers and adults at risk for the illness, according to the Health Department. To …

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KidsMatter to Naperville Patch

High School Student Bailey Curtis Honored for Work with Almost Home Kids

Today, Naperville Patch introduces a new column highlighting the positive role young people play in the city. Working with KidsMatter, we will share profiles of kids who have been honored for their volunteer efforts with a Naperville Youth Service Award.

A volunteer with Almost Home Kids for almost one year, Bailey Curtis was nominated by the organization to receive a Naperville Youth Service Award, which KidsMatter awards every year, together with Mayor Pradel and the Naperville City Council, during a special ceremony.  Almost Home Kids is an organization that provides transitional care in a homelike setting for children with complicated health needs. The organization also provides training for families and respite care.  It takes a special person to be a volunteer with Almost Home Kids because of the medial complexity of the children the volunteers interact with. Bailey has worked with the children on a one-on-one basis according to their stage of development.  As a busy high school …

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Benet Math Team Wins Regional Math Contest

Naperville students from Benet Academy came away with a number of wins at a recent regional math contest.

The Benet Academy Math team won the Regional Math Contest on Feb. 26 at Aurora University. All team members contributed to a balanced attack across all grade levels in both the individual events and the team events. Individual Honors Matt Rossi of Naperville won the Regional Championship in Algebra 1, as the Freshman Team also captured the Regional Championship. Other members of the Freshman Team included Max Helfers of Plainfield (5th), Luca Valentino of Naperville (8th), Max Houck of Naperville, Tess Moriarty of Naperville and Ryan D’Mello of Naperville. Jack Stucky of Lisle won the Regional Championship in Geometry, and Ryan Wolfe of Naperville finished second as the Sophomore Team also captured the Regional Championship. Other members …

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Crone Students Learn to Take Pride in Themselves, Others

Students participated in PRIDE Day activities every day this week through an innovative anti-bullying and team-building program.

Tossing a ball of yarn back and forth, the students shared something about themselves, then something about other students in the group. As the yarn was passed, a web was created among the students. The web symbolized how, though the students may be different, they all have things in common and are connected to one another. Students from Crone Middle School attended a special program this week at The Compass Church, where they participated in a team-building and anti-bullying program. Groups of students spent time off-site each day for PRIDE Day activities. With more than 1,200 students at Crone, about 300 students attended each day. Teachers, administrators and parents were in also in attendance during the week helping to facilitate …

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Neuqua Students Honor 9/11 With Personal Testimonies

The student body gathered to hear from fellow classmates as well as former Naperville firefighter Chuck Wehrli, all paying tribute to the heroes of 9/11.

Early on Friday morning, the sound of bagpipes and drums echoed from the main entrance of Neuqua Valley High School, where the student body gathered to memorialize the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The flag was lowered to half-staff after Mayor George Pradel recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Uniformed members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines also attended the service. The overcast sky served as an appropriate backdrop as students and teachers took to the stage to share their personal experiences from that day. One student recounted his memories of the day and driving near the Pentagon, when "all of a sudden, I heard the roar of a jet engine. The blast literally rocked all of our cars. It was an incredible moment.” Most of Neuqua’s …

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