Lighthouse 112

At the all-staff institute day on August 23, 2023, Superintendent Lubelfeld welcomed back nearly 600 staff members for another awesome school year in North Shore School District 112. In this episode of Lighthouse 112, we share excerpts from his thank yous and his messages about leadership -- how we are all, and we are each a leader, how the "seeds" we "plant" today will help our students (and society) flourish in the future. While we may not always see the fruits of our labor, each child, every day, deserves our very best! Inspire. Innovate. Engage! #112Leads

On August 14 in North Shore School District 112, we welcomed nearly 40 new teachers and staff members! This was the first of five days of orientation and onboarding exercises, workshops, and "setting the stage" for an amazing year and career in our District. Superintendent Dr. Lubelfeld & Deputy Superintendent Dr. Schroeder set the stage for the new staff with a welcome! In this Podcast, we share excerpts from their message of welcome, including brief bios of them as individuals, the brief history of District 112, the mission, vision, values, and goals, and why new folks were selected in the manner that they were. Welcome to School Year 2023-2024 to our new staff and thank you for listening to Lighthouse 112!

It's back to school time in District 112! In this episode of the podcast, the superintendent shares what's been going on this summer from the Board of Education to construction and he shares the focus for the upcoming school year! Inspire. Innovate. Engage - the motto of #112Leads.

Each year we have opportunities to reflect on the year! We get a "do-over each year." In this episode, leadership team members from District 112 share some highlights and reflections on this year! We are so proud of the students, staff, parents, and the District 112 community!! This is an episode to share our gratitude, happiness, reflections, and pride in the great professional and personal joy we receive from serving the District's children. Thank you for your support of Lighthouse 112 and District 112.

Celebrating the Month of the Military Child & Family is an honor. April is the Month of the Military Child, and we “purple up” - in this episode, we’ll learn why we purple up from our students. This episode shares the audio from the Sherwood School assembly in honor of our military students.

In Highland Park, Highwood, and the Town of Ft. Sheridan, District 112, we are proud and humbled to have the honor of educating and supporting military children. Ft. Sheridan was a US Army post established in 1887, it was first called Camp Highwood, and later it was named for Civil War hero Phillip Sheridan. Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago has been in use since 1911, and it is currently the Navy’s only basic training facility and the largest military installation in Illinois. We also have the North Central Army Reserve Intelligence Support Center and the Sheridan Reserve Center. 

We take great pride, and it is a source of honor for us to have families representing the multiple branches of the armed services here in District 112.

We are proud here at Sherwood School, and throughout the District, with more than 300 military children as our students in grades PK-8, to provide education and support. At the same time, our servicemen and servicewomen work to protect our nation’s great freedoms and serve our nation while stationed and living here in our community; we get to be part of the military culture, the military mystique, and the teachers and community supporters of our military children.

We are proud to partner with KidsRank; they support our military children year-round and help us recognize them as heroes. Our district motto is Inspire Innovate Engage - our military children inspire us, we find their resilience to be innovative in so many ways, and it is our great joy to engage in the Month of the Military Child honors and celebrations.

I’m so proud, as the District superintendent, to share remarks and to celebrate our heroic military kids!

In this episode, learn how an initiative and partnership called DMBreakthrough Teams implemented last year at the District 112 Dual Language elementary schools positively impacted student growth & achievement!

Over spring break, I went to New York with Oak Terrace Principal Lilli Melamed and Wayne Thomas Associate Principal Colleen Goodrich. In addition to learning at the conference, we were invited to present the results from an initiative implemented last year at both dual language schools, DMGroup Breakthrough Teams.

Having the opportunity to share, and specifically, hearing from Lilli and Colleen about the impact of last year’s DMBreakthrough teams 10-week program on multi-lingual learners in grades K-5 at their respective schools is incredible and made me very proud of our work, our students, and the District. Our session was titled “Learn how North Shore School District 112 (IL) supported their multilingual learners and achieved a higher percentage of students meeting their MAP growth goals after the Breakthrough Results experience.”

Our work with DMGroup to implement their Breakthrough Teams programs at our Dual Language schools last year was driven by that commitment to continuous improvement in learning. We are committed to creating conditions for equitable access to educational opportunities for each child every day. We are committed to creating conditions for teacher support and excellence every day. We are on a journey and proud to be focused on results.

Sharing a collection of brief updates to the Community in March 2023.

Busy, Focus, Internal Moves, Green Bay, Phase 2, Phase 3, Learning & Teaching, Board Updates, and more!

From the episode:

We’ve been busy in District 112 - this year, the 2022-2023 school year has been full of downs, ups, and successes, and change. We started very emotionally as part of the Highland Park community after the unspeakable tragedy at the parade on July 4. We pulled together as a community with multiple government, school, social services, private sector, and individual citizens stepping up in many ways to begin a healing process that will be a model for our nation.

The school district is in a positive, strong, and forward-looking position. With your overwhelming support, we passed a bond referendum with 72% “yes” votes - a remarkable vote of confidence for your future! We have been hard at work designing Ravinia School and Indian Trail School for summer construction. We also have a Central Production Kitchen in the mix; we’ll soon be able to provide quality hot lunch meals to each student at a reasonable price and with far higher quality than our current production capacity allows. Modernized repurposed schools, equitable food access, and support from the community - it’s a proud time in our elementary school district - we’re beyond grateful for your support.

Visit our website at https://www.nssd112.org/ for more links, updates, and information anytime.

North Shore School District 112 has faced aging facilities since its inception as a school district in 1993. Over the past several years, the Board has closed schools, reduced the number of employees, and focused on efficient operations while still keeping education as the #1 priority area. Surviving the recent worldwide global pandemic as well as the recent political upheavals nationally, regionally, and locally, the District keeps its eyes on addressing its present so that it may create its future for the 3900 students and the tens of thousands of residents impacted by its operations.

In this episode of Lighthouse 112, the focus is on the "why" and the "what" for the November 8 ballot - there is a referendum/ballot question for the voters to decide upon a request for $114,400,000 in bond authority to modernize, upgrade, and renovate five elementary schools and provide enhanced physical security for all campuses.

What is our Why?? Why ask the community for 100+MM?

District 112 born in 1993 with no debt service extension base

50 years of deferred maintenance

LONG time “kicking can down the road”

A major referendum in the late ’90s ---None since

New School is Oak Terrace, 25 years old - upkeep and investment are timely and NOT deferred

Northwood/Edgewood Phase 1 - brand new 2021/ 2023 with NO dedicated tax increase

12 schools to 10 schools - reduction in operating expenses and reduction in staff

NEED to upgrade and closeout deferred maintenance at SW, IT, RA, BR, WT - fix up aging schools, infrastructure, roofs, boilers, air conditioning, air quality/ventilation, windows, bricks, sidewalks, parking lots, we’ve turned over every rock (three cycles of physical and educational assessments).

On July 4, 2022, innocence was ripped out of the hearts of Highland Park and Highwood Illinois due to a tragedy of unspeakable description. As a result, all community partners, including our local elementary and high school district, have jumped to action and heeded the call to support our first responders, the city, the community, victims, a host of social service agencies, and more.

Instinctively so many joined together to provide instant community counseling efforts on Tuesday, July 5, and those continued in multiple formats throughout the week and they will continue at the Family Assistance Center (FAC) this week. In this update, superintendent Lubelfeld shares updates, insights, plans, and reactions to how the community is uniting in counseling, prayer, and planning. The schools will open on August 24, with this 11-minute audio update, superintendent Lubelfeld acknowledged the outpouring of community support immediately after the 4th, explains the focus on reopening the schools after the summer break, focuses attention on "right now" that people are at various stages in the healing process, what is he doing about school safety and security, optional school "play dates" and next steps. For information visit hpstrong.info

There is a lot going on this summer in North Shore School District 112. From professional learning to community engagement to construction, and more ... there is much behind the scenes in the district. Learn about recent professional learning by teachers and administrators, key points from the State of the District, a recent presentation to the Chamber of Commerce, and hear about the continuing efforts at modernizing and upgrading aging school facilities. There's never a dull moment in Highland Park! Tune in for this 18 minute update from the superintendent of schools.

Governor JB Pritzker announced an Executive Order today that supports safe in-person learning and requires that masks be worn indoors by all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strengthened its guidance last week for universal indoor masking in schools, and Illinois will continue to follow the science, data, and public health experts to keep students in school and keep communities safe. We know that consistent and correct mask use is the simplest, most effective way to keep students safely in school, where they can learn and grow to their fullest potential. In District 112 we're going to recommend that we follow the Governor's order and we open schools in accordance with his order. Next week we will share more details about other COVID-19 protocols as we prepare to open our 10 schools for full-time in-person learning. Inspire -- Innovate -- Engage! Check our web pages for more information about reopening: https://www.nssd112.org/domain/1243

Listen to this special 112 Spotlight Podcast #FaclityFriday edition! The episode explores the story of the modernization of Northwood told through interviews with staff and students. Nicholas Glenn, Director of Communications for North Shore School District 112 takes us on a journey of the process started in 2018 after angst and turmoil to success and positivity in District 112. Learn more https://www.nssd112.org/Long-RangePlanning

Dr. Lubelfeld is checking in with the community on the "running of the schools" in a Pandemic. Reminders of the challenges we're facing in this public health crisis along with reminders and clarifications about the D112 plan, communications, and science behind decision making. Tune in for a quick 15-minute update! Visit https://www.nssd112.org/domain/1243 for ongoing updates on the reopening of schools in District 112. 

Patty Samuelian is a treasured member of the North Shore School District 112 family. For more than 30 years this Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) provides guidance, mentorship, support, leadership, camaraderie, and so much more as the TOSA! Learn about Patty's journey, her background, her teaching career, and much more in this episode of Lighthouse 112.

In this podcast episode, we feature and get to know one of the District's newest school leaders, Mr. Sergio Gonzalez. From a career path that started in the private sector to broad educational experiences, Mr. Gonzalez is at the helm of one of the District's two middle schools. Learn about his background, his journey, steps along the way as well as reflections on the current Remote Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In North Shore School District 112 we Inspire, Innovate, & Engage, learn more about one of our principals who does this each and every day! Season 2, Episode 13.

Students share their thoughts about e-Learning - what's good, what's not, and what will they do when they can go back outside again after COVID-19 and the Stay at Home Order. Timely, informative, up to date information from North Shore School District 112.

After the first week of teacher-directed e-learning, we asked our students what they liked, what they did not like, and what advice would they offer to the teachers and administrators. Tune in for a quick, 10 minute check-in with our students regarding e-learning.

During the COVID-19 driven school closures, we have four priorities guiding our work:

Our four priorities in this evolving pandemic crisis:

Priority one - feed our families and children  
Priority two - account for the extended safety, health, and welfare of our 4500 students and staff
Priority three - communicate clearly 
Priority four - e-Learning

As part of the Governor’s order, he announced that all schools in Illinois will remain closed, with a new tentative reopening date of April 8. On March 12, I ordered all schools in North Shore School District 112 closed until further notice, with a possible reopening date of April 14, this is still our tentative plan. We recognize that this development of the stay at home order may raise questions about the impact on students, staff, and families as well as the school’s vital role of providing meals to students and families while schools are closed. Thanks to the outstanding work of the Moraine Township Food Pantry (and countless volunteers) our children will be fed this week during spring break. District 112 foodservice partner Organic Life will resume meal preparation and distribution operations on 3/30/2020. In this podcast episode, we review what we're doing with respect to preparation, communication, and transition to Remote Learning (priority 4).

On October 1, 2019, at the Committee of the Whole Meeting, the Teaching and Learning Department, Dr. Lubelfeld, and Ms. Eleni Speron of ECRA Group presented to the Board of Education and the Community. This presentation provided an update on the efforts of the Teaching and Learning Department over the last two years, with respect to our shared goals of improving achievement in all student groups in North Shore School District 112. In this episode of Lighthouse 112, Dr. Lubelfeld shares excerpts from the Board presentation as highlights of the District's journey in teaching & learning. In 2017-2018, the new Teaching and Learning team came on board and began their work in North Shore School District 112. Aggregate student performance in the District showed a lack of overall growth, with multiple student groups significantly underperforming. At the end of October 2019, the state of IL will publish current proficiency results, and our preliminary data review indicates that 55% of students met or exceeded standards in English language arts and 52% met or exceeded standards in mathematics. Even though we have begun a positive trajectory towards improving academic outcomes for all students, there is still much work to be done.

Today we’re interviewing Mrs. Nicole Bellini and Mrs. Jennifer Convey. Mrs. Bellini and Mrs. Convey are at the helm of the Red Oak School, one of our two Kindergarten through 5th-grade dual language two-way immersion learning academies. In this episode, we’re going to learn more about Nickie and Jen, Red Oak School, and administration in District 112 in general.

One of the professional groups to which I belong and have a leadership role is the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). The AASA offers leadership support to superintendents and school district leaders around the USA and in Canada. One of the leadership development cohorts in which I have participated and for which I serve as the national co-director, is the Digital Consortium. The July 2019 visit was to the Nashville, TN area of Wilson County. There we toured a brand new middle school (state of the art), we met with the leaders of the Chamber of Commerce, and we interacted with teachers and students. In this podcast we're meeting with high school seniors and we're discussing their Bio-Tech coursework and pathways and the impact that this innovative programming has had on them and their futures.

The purpose of the AASA Digital Consortium is to support school district administrators as they scale successful models in support of engaging, effective learning experiences using digital media in order to be the leading national voice for digital innovation in our nation’s public schools. 

Focus Areas:

• Experience innovation in schools, technology, and industry partnerships
• Engage/observe best practice in digital leadership
• Reinforce purpose and outcomes for the Digital Consortium
• Advance AASA’s goal to reinforce equity for all students

Essential Questions:

1. How do your programs prepare students to be successful in their local and/or global economy?
2. How can technology pair with the concept of personalized learning to change teaching and learning in our schools?
3. How can opportunities to innovate for both children and adults strengthen the local economy?

The Eighteenth Annual APS Best Practice Initiatives showcases outstanding school and community programs and the educators demonstrating leadership and creativity in promoting the inclusion of all learners. This year we're thrilled that the APS at NSSED honors two District 112 schools and programs as Best Practice programs. We celebrate innovation in learning, advocacy, partnership, recreation and social integration. Best Practice Awards recognize outstanding school and community initiatives that bring together students of all abilities to learn, play, create or socialize. The NSSED Association of Parents & Staff (APS) honored The Outdoor Classroom at Green Bay School and Inclusion in the Round Red Oak School. This podcast episode shares the audio presentations from Green Bay and Red Oak.

Civics education in North Shore School District 112 takes many forms. This year the long-standing Project Citizen programming was brought from Elm Place to Edgewood and Northwood. This year's first ever Spanish language public policy review took place this year! In this podcast we're sharing civics education coming to life from Northwood Jr. High School's 6th grade social studies engagement in authentic public policy review and inquiry in both English and Spanish!

In 2019-20, North Shore School District 112 will offer before care starting at 6:00am and after care ending at 6:00pm at all seven of the District's K-5 elementary schools! In this episode, Dr. Lubelfeld spends some time with Brett and Dixie of Innovation Learning discussing questions posed by members of the PTO (parent teacher organization) president's council at a recent meeting. Learn about registration, the parent advisory committee, and more!

In this episode of Lighthouse 112, District 112 Chief Financial Officer Chris Wildman shares a bit about his personal story and the operations of the District. Chris shares what he is most proud of this year and what he's working on for next year. Chris also shares some awards and recognitions that his leadership has yielded in the proud stewardship of the DIstrict finances and operations. Finally, Chris shares how he stays current and at the front edge of leadership in school finance.