Superintendent’s Message, D75
March 2023
It may seem like yesterday since you dropped your children off for the first day of school. Suddenly, we’re in the final trimester with just two months left in the 2022-23 school year.
I’m happy with the progress our students have made to this point. The district is on target in 11 of 12 areas to reach our goal of proficiency in math and reading (both English and Spanish). This is due to the hard work put in by our students as well as our teachers and leadership teams for making the progress possible.
But progress isn’t only noticed in test scores and grades. We notice it in so many other ways that are important to the growth and development of our students. We see (and hear) their improvement at school spelling bees and concerts. We watch how they collaborate with each other at school events. Here are a couple examples:
Our third grade Dual Language students sold more than $200 worth of products they produced themselves from regular household materials. One student, Ana Zapata, knitted five hats for the sale. They donated the proceeds to support the Mundelein Welcome Center.
Eighth-grader Kennedy Gallagher became the only student to serve as the keynote speaker at an Association of Illinois Middle-Grade Schools (AIMS) conference. In November, she had written (and published) a blog on her experience during the pandemic and spoke about it in front of 90 middle school teachers from across the state.
So while we’re exceptionally proud of the progress being made, we realize we still have eight weeks left. We’re not finished yet.
There is one important event just after Spring Break ends. On April 4 voters living inside District 120 boundaries will decide on a referendum to renovate and expand portions of Mundelein High School. It’s important to mention here because many of you will be sending your students to MHS in the future.
The referendum would fund improvements of areas of the school that are mostly unchanged since MHS opened in 1961. The improvements in the facilities plan include:
- Upgraded building systems such as heating, cooling, plumbing and electric that would provide a safe and clean air ventilation system.
- A renovated auditorium with improved acoustics, a modern stage rigging system and a stage big enough to accommodate the size of our music and theater programs.
- A new kitchen and food service area that replaces an 1950s-style cafeteria with a modern commons area featuring natural light and flexible seating.
- New indoor and outdoor sports and recreational facilities featuring a large multi-purpose room that can accommodate PE classes, clubs and activities and public events.
- New space for expanded Career and Technical Education classes.
I encourage you to visit our website, review our FAQs and review some of our images: https://www.d120.org/about-mhs/mhs-facilities-plan/. If you have questions before voting on April 4, please email us at mhsbuildingplan@d120.org.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kevin Myers
Superintendent, District 75