The start of a new year is a time for celebration and reflection. We look back on the year that has passed and remember the moments and milestones that helped shape us. We also think about the year ahead and the myriad things we hope to achieve.
When I look back on 2022 here in District 86, I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished and deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to our success. As has been the case the past few years, our work centered around our strategic plan and the goal of helping every student we serve pursue their ideal future. With this plan and goal as our guide, we were able to:
• Make significant progress on the alignment of our curriculum and grading practices.
• Create a unified program of studies for our district, which is something we have been working toward for several years.
• Launch an earned honors credit pilot that is providing more of our students with the opportunity to demonstrate honors-level work.
• Implement early release Wednesdays, which are providing our faculty and staff with valuable time to collaborate and our students with access to critical assistance and support.
• Make promising strides in our equity work, which included strengthening our multi-tiered system of supports for students, providing increased professional development opportunities for our employees and hiring highly-qualified diverse candidates for teaching and administrative positions.
• Complete upgrades and improvements to the learning and recreational spaces in our buildings in conjunction with our Future Ready Facilities plan.
• Provide stakeholders with access to multiple avenues and opportunities that they could use to contribute to our work. Our students also continued to excel both in and out of the classroom, which was highlighted by:
• Jui Khankari from Central being named a U.S. Presidential Scholar.
• Jay and Judy Yang from South being members of the first badminton team from the U.S. to compete at the Deaflympics.
• Twenty-three seniors being named finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
• Nearly 300 students being named Illinois State Scholars.
• Several music students earning All-District and All-State selections.
• Both schools winning numerous academic and athletic championships, including several state titles.
As I look toward 2023, I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. I am also optimistic about what we can achieve if we remain open to change, continue to support the tireless efforts of our employees and find ways to get more members of our community involved in the work we do on a day-to-day basis.
For now, though, I simply want to wish you the happiest of holidays, and thank you for all that you do to help our students learn, grow and lead.
- Tammy Prentiss, superintendent
