October 30, 2026
Dear Mechanics Grove School Families,
We are proud to share a milestone in our school’s story: for the first time, our school has earned an Exemplary rating on the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) School Report Card! This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, families, teachers, leaders, and the culture behind it. The exemplary rating does not come from just one person or one action.
One component that contributed to this rating is our student growth. Our Math Growth is 8% higher than the state, meaning that our students are growing at a faster rate than other students across the state. We know many factors support this growth, including a new Eureka Math Curriculum and meaningful professional development over the past few years centered on best practices in math instruction.
Through Mrs. Bertaud's and MG staff members’ hard work and family partnerships, our chronic absenteeism rate dropped from 20% in 2025 to 12.9% in 2026. This puts Mechanics Grove well below the state average of 23.5%. Chronic absenteeism is defined as students missing more than 10% of the total school days for the school year.
Another reason to celebrate is that our Multilingual Learners continue to make exceptional progress in English language acquisition. On the most recent ACCESS English language proficiency assessment, our students achieved an exit rate of 10.3%, comfortably outpacing the state average of 7.9%. This achievement highlights both our students' dedication and the impact of our focused instructional support in helping learners reach full English proficiency.
Families are a big part of this celebration. Parent involvement increased this year, with families communicating with teachers, joining school events, and supporting learning at home. When families and staff work as a team, students benefit. Students reported feeling safe in and around our school, and teachers reported working to improve their teaching and student learning.
Our recent Legacy Award from The Leader in Me honors our commitment to developing student leaders and building a culture where every child is valued and empowered. Students take ownership of their learning and lead with confidence, and that culture supports the success we are celebrating. Clear systems and a unified vision, backed by strong instructional leadership, let teachers focus on student learning.
Our first Exemplary rating is a moment to celebrate and a foundation to build on in years to come. We will keep working to make our school even stronger for every child. Together, we are creating a vibrant and thriving learning environment where every student can shine. Thank you for your continued partnership and unwavering support of Mechanics Grove School!
Sincerely,
Tanya Fergus
Principal, Mechanics Grove School
Parent Letter PDF (en español)