Time to Share!

As many of you know, I will be retiring from Center Cass School District 66 at the end of June. The BOE has engaged the firm of BWP and Associates to assist in the search for a new superintendent to lead the district into the future. BWP representatives will be in the District this week gathering data and input from stakeholders through focus groups and surveys. It is vitally important to the future of this wonderful school district that these people receive your input so that they can accurately portray the District to potential candidates! Focus groups have been scheduled with all District employees and a special community Focus Group has been scheduled for Tuesday night, January 31^st at Lakeview Junior High School beginning at 7:00 pm for all interested community members. For those residents who are unable to attend a survey will be available on the District web site beginning Monday, January 30^th that can be completed and submitted to the search firm. I hope that many of you will take part in this process and let your thoughts be heard.

In the meantime we will continue to enjoy the unseasonably warm January weather and wonder when the heavy snow SHOE will fall hard on Downers Grove! Enjoy your week!

January 21, 2012

It is still hard to type 2012! I remember all of the worries when we turned the calendar over on January 1, 2000 and everyone was waiting for some techno glitch to cripple the world. After all of the worry and money expended nothing happened! We have come a long way!

There are some interesting things going on in the District right now. Lakeview and Prairieview have challenged Eisenhower and Lace to see which school will raise the most money for cancer research in a program called Cancer Smashers. Visit the website of each school to find information about this program as well as videos prepared by students for this event.

The District Spelling Bee will be held Tuesday, January 24^th at Prairieview School. The bee begins at 1:00 pm is the public is welcome to attend.

The Center Cass SD 66 Board of Education last week hired the consulting firm of BWP and Associates to assist them in the search for a new Superintendent of Schools. Watch for your invitation to participate in a focus group to gather input on desired traits for the next leader of our district. Meetings will be head during the week on January 30, 2012.

Lastly, a huge THANK YOU to our entire Transportation Department for an excellent job last night getting all of our students home safely from school in terrible conditions. Although the poor road conditions delayed everyone's progress last night, ALL students arrived home safely!

Have a good weekend!

Dawning of a New Era

Many of you know that the Board of Education accepted my retirement request at their meeting on January 10th. This has been a long and hard decision to make but I am sure that it is in the best interest of the District to take my leave at the end of this school year.

Obviously, after 39 years as a teacher, bus driver, assistant principal and principal of Ide and Center Cass and now superintendent it is time for a change. It has been and continues to be a wonderful life serving this community!I have and will have mixed feelings like all of our retirees this year as I continue to do the very best I can for the District and until the end of June.

At this time, I have no firm plans for the future but will find a new opportunity to occupy my time when my wife, Cheryl does not have me tagging along on one of her travels. The Board of Education will be busy next week interviewing superintendent search firms to conduct a search for the new superintendent. They hope to have a final candidate by April 1, 2012.

In the meantime, I will continue to love every minute of my time in Center Cass!

Curriculum Meeting

It was great to see so many people at the Lakeview curriculum meeting last night. Though we obviously missed the planning target in terms of time the meeting was successful and helpful. The greatest part of the evening was to see over a hundred parents and teachers engaged in a healthy respectful discussion of important issues. While everyone brings their own personal viewpoint to these meetings the discussion was productive to illustrate to all the various aspects of proposed changes in the class schedule for next year. I applaud those who came out on the BCS Championship game night because they value their child's education. Such meetings are healthy and productive when the focus is hard on the issues and easy on the people! Now the Board of Education will have the input gathered at this meeting to review and consider as we continue to strive for excellence in programming for the children of our community!

Have a good week. Think SNOW!

Welcome to 2012

Classes resume today! Buildings are clean, warm and ready for the return of our students. Even though the weather outside is frightful it is warm and comfortable inside. As you can see by the picture the bus parking lot fence has begun to be assembled. We hope to be parked inside it a few days!

Have a great week!