Students at May Watts Elementary School were having a field day to end the school year on June 8, 2015. Enjoy the good ole’ summertime in the great outdoors with a buddy or two. Celebrate safely.
Dear District 204 Community,
My first year serving as your superintendent has been extremely rewarding. My favorite part of the job this year has been visiting classrooms to present outstanding educators with the A+ Award. There were 165 nominations received from parents, students, alumni, and community members; selecting just one person each month was difficult. We have dedicated teachers who do amazing things to help our students achieve their greatest potential. It was so nice to honor educators who are making a difference for our students.
Some other notable “firsts” from this year include:
- Receiving word from the Illinois State Board of Education that 92.7 percent of parents gave the district a grade of “A” or “B” when asked the question on the 5Essentials survey last fall. That’s the highest approval rating yet, and an increase from 91.1 percent last year.
- Hosting a visit from U.S. Department of Education officials, who came to District 204 to film a series of videos on what a future ready school district looks like.
- Bringing robotics to elementary students for the first time through an after-school pilot program, thanks to support from the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation. A team of fourth graders went on to participate in the Vex IQ Challenge World Championship in Kentucky. A tremendous achievement for the students’ first year.
- Implementing a new engineering course funded by a $68,000 grant from the Dunham Foundation. This grant allowed 800 students to take a capstone engineering course as part of the national Project Lead the Way curriculum offered to middle and high school students.
Whether it was in the classroom, on the athletic field, or on our stages, I hope your children experienced their own rewarding “firsts” this year.
Have a wonderful summer break!
Karen Sullivan
Superintendent
School District 204 E-News