Northbrook School District 27
Annual Report 2015-2016
Northbrook School District 27 Board of Education Message.................................... 1 Overview.................................................................. 2 Six Facts about District 27....................................... 3 Our Schools
Hickory Point...................................................... 4 Shabonee............................................................ 5 Wood Oaks Junior High....................................... 6
Accolades................................................................ 7 Staff Profile.............................................................. 8 Academic Programs................................................. 9 Supportive Environment......................................... 10
Other Instructional Support Programs.................... 11 Academic Performance.......................................... 12 Fine Arts................................................................ 14 Technology Initiatives............................................ 15 Collaborative Relationships.................................... 16 Facilities................................................................ 17 Finances................................................................ 18 Our Future............................................................. 19
BOARD OF EDUCATION MESSAGE
Northbrook School District 27
The Northbrook School District 27 Board of Education is pleased to present our 2015-16 Annual Report. Inside this report, you will find information about our staff, student performance, and our three outstanding schools. The Board of Education has identified the interests and requirements that are important to our community. We call these requirements our Key Success Factors. Specifically, we are working to ensure the District maintains:
The members of the Board of Education are, at top from left to right, Mr. Brian Paich, Mr. Ed Feld, Mr. Frank Andreou, and Mrs. Jamie Werhane. Bottom row, from left, are • Outstanding Student Performance Mrs. Laurie Garber-Amram, Mr. Alex Frum and Mrs. Helen Melnick.
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Rigorous and Coherent Programs Highly Qualified Staff Safe, Caring, and Supportive Environment Healthy Financial Position
You will find evidence of each of these Key Success Factors throughout this report. Under Staff Profile, for example, you will read that 86 percent of our teachers have a Master’s degree or higher. In the Student Performance section, you will see that our students scored in the top 1 percent on the PARCC State assessment, and the top 4 percent of the nation in the Northwest Evaluation Assessment Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP,) a nationally normed test. Throughout this report, you will find the positive results of our Satisfaction Survey from our parents and staff members. Once again, we received high marks from all stakeholders in all areas. The survey results affirm the superior work of the District while providing information for us to improve our programs and services to the community. We hope you enjoy reading the 2015-16 Annual Report. We are proud of our District and the education we provide our students. This report is just a snapshot of all the good work that happens in our classrooms every day. Sincerely,
Mrs. Helen Melnick Board of Education President
Helen Melnick
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OVERVIEW OUR MISSION To Educate Students to Succeed in a Changing World
Our Core Values
The culture of District 27 embodies our six core values. These values guide the behavior we expect in our District and how our people work, make decisions, and accomplish our mission. For students, staff, and our community partners, we:
achievements and accolades the District has accomplished over the last year. The District has completed its goals for this past school year and is positioned well to move forward with goals and action plans for the 2016-17 school year.
• Pursue learning that develops individual growth, potential, and leadership to the fullest of our capacity; • Commit to performance excellence as a learning community; • Use performance results to honor accomplishments, determine needs, and improve learning experiences and achievements; • Share the responsibility to learn and work in a collaborative environment; • Adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior (both personal and organizational); and • Treat others with respect and value differences.
As the Superintendent of Schools, I consider it a privilege to serve the Northbrook community. It is our commitment to continue the tradition of excellence that you have come to expect from your public school system. Thank you for your continued support of our students, staff, and schools. We invite you to visit the District web site at www.nb27.org for more information.
Throughout the 2015-16 Annual Report, results and information will be presented that address our Key Success Factors and relationships, as well as reflecting upon the core values.You will also have the opportunity to learn about the
Respectfully,
David J. Kroeze, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools
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Today’s students will be working in a global environment and many of the jobs they will fill have not been created. Consequently, District 27 strives to equip students with tools to meet this changing world and thrive at Glenbrook North High School.
Northbrook School District 27
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HICKORY POINT SCHOOL
Core Curriculum: • Reading/Language Arts • Math • Science • Social Studies Specialized Student Programs: • Art • Music • Physical Education • Library Skills (including Internet Safety) • Technology Education • Special Education Services • Reading and Math Support • Positive Behavior and Supports • Second Step Program Collections and Donations • Winter outerwear • Books • Crayons and markers • Halloween Candy • Food pantry items • Animal shelter items
Offerings • Grade 2 Broadcast Club • Grade 1 and 2 Kindness Club • Newcomer’s Club • Eco-Empowered Kids
Sheila Streets Principal
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SHABONEE SCHOOL
Northbrook School District 27
Teacher Partnerships Teachers work in partnership and share two classes of students. One teacher teaches both groups of students the subjects of reading, language arts, and related literacy. The other teacher instructs students for math, science, and social studies. One class spends the morning with one teacher and the afternoon with the other teacher.
Core Curriculum: • Reading/Language Arts • Math • Science • Social Studies Specialized Student Programs: • Art • Music • Physical Education • Technology Education • Special Education Services • Library Skills • Reading and Math Support • Math Enrichment • Reading/Language Arts Extended Learning Program (ELP) for formally identified learners in fourth and fifth grades • Honors Math for slelected placement in fifth grade • PBIS- Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports • Second Step Program Offerings • Band • Orchestra • Chorus • Broadcast Club • Art Club • Chess Club • Homework Club • Intramurals
John Panozzo Principal
• Shabonee Student Advisory (ShAB) • Green Team • Photography Club • New Comer’s Club • Computer Science Club
Collections and Donations • Food drive for the Northfield Food Pantry • Collection for Bernie’s Book Bank • Book Exchange • Eco-Empowered Kids • Halloween Candy Collection
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WOOD OAKS JUNIOR HIGH
Core Curriculum: • Reading/Language Arts • Math • Science • Social Studies • Foreign Languages Specialized Student Programs: • Art • Music • Technology Education • Public Speaking • Drama • Physical Education Services • Health • Band • Orchestra • Choir • STEAM Program • Math Lab • Reading Lab
• Writing Lab • Intergenerational Library Program • Homework Hour • Homework Club • Academic Lunch • Peer 2 Peer • Advisory Program • Learning Pathways • Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
Go Green Environmental Club • 8th Grade Service Project • Canned food drive • Food sales throughout the year to raise money for charities
Rob McElligott
Cari Beake
Principal
Asst. Principal
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Cross Country Soccer Volleyball Basketball Track and Field Spirit Squad Softball Chess Club Spanish Club French Club Student Council
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Drama Club App Club Go Green Club Craft Club Library Leaders Yearbook Student Advisory Committee Vocabulary Club Shark Tank Club
ACCOLADES
Northbrook School District 27
• Superintendent David Kroeze was named “Superintendent of Distinction” for the North Cook Region of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA.) The IASA selects a “Superintendent of Distinction” for each of its 21 regions. • The District received two awards for financial reporting: o The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for the District’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), and o The Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International, to recognize school systems for best practice in financial reporting and commitment to fiscal integrity, transparency, and best practice in management of public tax dollars. • Wood Oaks students fared extremely well in the Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Science Fair. Nine students received gold medals and one a silver medal. Additionally, one student won an award for an outstanding project in Health Services, and another won a Best in Category award for Botany. • A Wood Oaks team of three placed second in the Northbrook Quiz Bowl finals. They battled against challengers from neighboring junior high schools on questions of culture, science, math and geography. • The District’s Band and Orchestra programs also received several honors. See Page 14.
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STAFF PROFILE District 27 is proud to employ highly qualified staff who are passionate about on-going professional learning. Professional Development The District holds the belief that there is a direct correlation between student achievement and teacher learning. As with other professions, new professional knowledge requires sustained learning opportunities. To this end, District 27 offers professional growth opportunities through in-district study groups and course offerings, incentive programs to earn a master’s degree and beyond, and such innovations as peer coaching and teacher mentor programs.
Key Areas of Professional Learning
• Common Core State Standards in Math and English Language Arts • Instructional Technology integration • Technology Innovation for District operations and management • Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) • Executive Functioning Skills: development and delays • Preventative Maintenance and Facilities Management
Theresa Fournier, Ed.D. Asst. Supt. for Personnel/Student Services
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Northbrook School District 27
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
The District provides a rigorous and coherent curricular program for all students in all of the core subject areas as well as in the arts, computer technology, and physical education. The curriculum is updated on a regular basis using a research-driven revision process. We revised our math curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and are phasing in our revised Reading/ Language Arts curriculum, which is also aligned with the CCSS. Curriculuar Program Highlights
Global Competency District 27 launched a “STEAM Block” rotation in the electives program at Wood Oaks. STEAM represents Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. The new STEAM courses are being offered as electives for seventh and eighth graders along with offerings in the Performing Arts. These classes address the value the District 27 community places on both the fine arts and engineering skills. The courses are designed to foster greater development of innovation, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Classes offered include Engineering and Construction, RoboRovers, and Creative Design.
Mathematics The District 27 curriculum emphasizes deep mathematical understanding and reasoning through real-world problem situations. In addition to learning and practicing important math skills, students invent, question, model, represent, and explore math strategies to solve problems and deepen their understanding of math concepts. The mathematical concepts, skills, and strategies connect and build across the grade levels. In grades K-5 students are exploring math topics through Math Expressions, while students at Wood Oaks explore topics through Big Ideas. Reading/Language Arts District 27 has implemented the updated K-5 Writing Units of Study program by Lucy Calkins. The resource addresses at every grade level the three types of writing identified in CCSS: Information, narrative, and opinion/argumentative. The writing workshop model, which includes explicit mini-lessons, guided and independent writing time, conferencing with the teacher, and peer work, continues to be a critical part of our writing curriculum. In reading at grades 2-5, the District has phased in a new instructional resource program called Reading Street. The resource is used for explicit instruction in vocabulary, reading skills, and reading strategies. The reading workshop continues to be a core component of reading instructional time.
Katharine Olson, Ed.D. Asst. Supt. for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
At Wood Oaks, a new Reading/LA framework has been created that organizes teaching and learning around grade level themes. The new units teach the CCSS and expand students’ skills to read, make crosstext connections, think critically, and interact in a global society.
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SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT A safe, caring, and supportive learning environment has many aspects. It includes plans that provide for safe buildings particularly in the event of an emergency. It also includes programs and services that support students in their social-emotional development; and finally, it includes school facilities that are up-to-date and well-maintained. In each of these areas, District 27 emphasizes quality. Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) is a proactive systems approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional, and academic success. As a Response to Intervention model, PBIS applies a three-tiered system of support and a problem-solving process to enhance the capacity of schools to effectively educate all students. Each building has developed a matrix of expected behaviors and has created instructional lessons or “cool tools” to teach these behaviors in a variety of settings within the school building.
Other Student Support Services
Social Work – Each school has at least one full-time social worker who is available to work
with students individually, in small groups, or as a whole class. Social workers support students in addressing issues that impact their functioning within the academic setting. In addition, social workers are very involved in the implementation of PBIS within each building.
Speech and Language Therapy – Certified Speech/Language Pathologists provide speech and language services for identified children. Speech therapists address articulation and language issues that impact student functioning within the academic setting. The District also provides speech services for children 3 to 5 years old who live within the District boundaries and meet eligibility criteria. Health Services – Each school in District 27 employs a full-time nurse who assists in protecting and improving student health as well as responding to incidences of illness or injury.
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Northbrook School District 27
OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS
The District recognizes that there are children who have identified learning needs. Some of these students require support for learning disabilities or other learning challenges, while others have a language barrier because they are new to our country. Still, other children are identified as intellectually gifted. These children have unique and exceptional needs and abilities that necessitate programs qualitatively different from the regular classroom. The support programs offered include Special Education Resource, English Language Learner, and Extended Learning Programs. Special Education Resource Programs The District offers a continuum of special education services for children with special needs. In accordance with Response to Intervention (RtI), a component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education and Improvement Act of 2004, the District uses a tiered intervention system to support students. RtI promotes early identification and intervention at increasing levels of intensity based on individual student need. By intervening early, the District strives to ensure all students are successful. In addition to the employment of certified special education teachers, the District partners with the North Suburban Special Education District (NSSED) to support students through RtI and provide special education services. All student support and special education programs are based on Julie Revello individual need. The continuum of program and services include: Director of Special Education • Full inclusion of students with special needs in the regular education curriculum • Small group instruction during portions of the day • Alternative instructional programs for part or most of the school day • Out-of-district placement in specialized schools/classrooms
English Language Learner Program (ELL)
The English Language Learner (ELL) program assists children with bilingual or non-English speaking backgrounds to acquire skills and competency with the English language. All ELL students are fully included in the regular education curriculum and receive in-class support as well as individual and/or small group lessons in language development.
Extended Learning Program (ELP)
The Extended Learning Program (ELP) serves intellectually gifted students. In grades kindergarten through third, differentiation is provided within the regular education setting. A formal screening process is used for determining entrance into the fourth grade program. Teachers, administrators, or parents may recommend students for consideration into the program at any time. The fourth and fifth grade students meet daily with the gifted education teacher for reading and language arts. At the middle school, identified students continue in the ELP in reading, language arts, and social studies. In addition, students are identified for advanced mathematics classes beginning in fifth grade. At seventh grade, students are identified for placement in advanced French or Spanish classes.
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ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE Student performance is an important and primary indicator of success. At District 27, we use multiple assessments to monitor student learning and overall progress. The PARCC Assessments by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers are required by the State of Illinois and are designed to measure students’ knowledge and skills outlined in the grade-level specific Common Core State Standards (CCSS.) Northwest Evaluation Assessment Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP) is an adaptive online assessment aligned with CCSS and provides compatible data by grade level. Terra Nova is a national, norm-referenced assessment that measures our students’ performance against a nationally-representative sample. Additionally, we use many curriculum-based measures to monitor student learning and progress. The use of all these measures of assessment provides the most complete and accurate assessment of student growth and performance. Data from two largescale assessments are present in this annual report. Performance on PARCC Tests Students in grades 3-8 took the new PARCC Assessments by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers in the spring of 2015. PARCC uses five performance levels to identify a student’s achievement of the grade level standards. In Illinois, students earning a Level 4 or Level 5 met or exceeded gradelevel standards. The charts below show the percentage of students in the District and State who scored a Level 4 or Level 5 on the assessment. These student results placed the District in the top 1 percent of all districts in the state of Illinois.
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Northbrook School District 27 NWEA Assessments NWEA math and reading assessments are administered to all students in Grades 2-8, excluding 7th and 8th grade algebra and geometry students. The 2015 Spring NWEA results demonstrate exceptionally high performance across all grade levels. The District scored within the top 4 percent of the nation in reading and mathematics, based on a national school comparison study by NWEA. Additionally, three grade levels ranked in the top 1 percent of schools across the nation.
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FINE ARTS Music and art have an unique value and significance in children’s lives. Following are some of the recent accomplishments of District 27’s fine arts students: • The Wood Oaks Wind Ensemble was chosen as State Champions at the 2016 Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival. The recognition is given to the top performing middle school band at the festival. As State Champions, they will perform as the Honor Band at the 2017 SuperState Festival. • Five Wood Oaks students were chosen to participate in the All-Illinois Junior Band at the University of Illinois. Wood Oaks Band Director Wayne Gordon is a co-founder of the honor band. • Seven members of the Wood Oaks Band, six members of the Wood Oaks Orchestra and six members of the Wood Oaks Chorus participated in the District 7 Illinois Music Education Association Junior Festival in November. • In the Division 1 category of the Illinois Grade School Music Association contest, the fifth grade band at Shabonee School scored a superior rating, as did the band and orchestras from Wood Oaks. • Wood Oaks students performed “Lion King Jr.” in the spring of 2016.
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TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES
Northbrook School District 27 The District continues to focus on technology as we seek to prepare our students for Glenbrook North High School and beyond. The Wood Oaks One-to-One Computer Program provided all students a Chromebook computer for school and home use during the school year. Students blogged, skyped with experts, collaborated on real-time documents, participated in discussion threads, created numerous multimedia projects, used on-line textbooks, and learned to work in a digital classroom environment. Continuous use of the devices has increased students’ overall digital literacy and technology problem-solving skills, as well as better prepare them for Glenbrook North High School. The District continued a one-to-one computing program for third-, fourth- and fifth-graders at Shabonee and continued the use of iPads at Hickory Point.
Reggie Ryan Dir. of Technology
Diane Cederlund Dir. of Info. Systems/Data Mngmt.
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COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS District 27 could not provide all of its programs and services without the support and involvement of parents and other vital partners. Parents play a critical role in their children’s educational success. Partners support the District in the classroom with curricular expertise, safety in the classroom, and individual family support.
Parent Community The PTA partners with the District to provide outstanding opportunities for the students. Each year the School PTAs and PTA Council utilize hundreds of parent volunteers to assist in community service projects and share in the overall mission of District 27. Village Agencies The Northbrook Police and Fire Departments partner with the District to educate students in matters regarding school and personal safety. District 27 has joined with these partners in adopting the National Incident Management System (NIMS) to provide coordinated efforts during an emergency. The Northbrook Park District and Library work with District 27 to provide extended educational and leisure activities for students and families. Community Partnerships The Northbrook Community Network (NCN) partners with us and other community agencies to raise awareness about social issues relating to family and youth. District social workers serve on the Community Crisis Network. Members of this network are trained to provide crisis intervention during the first 24 hours of a large-scale community crisis. Township School Districts Collaboration among the five township elementary districts and the one high school district is highly-valued in the community. Students from Districts 27, 28, 30, 31 and 34 attend District 225 for their high school years. The township superintendents, curriculum directors, and middle school principals meet on a regular basis. Those individuals focus on collaboration to develop consistency across the township and to share information that will ensure a smooth transition of the eighth grade students into Glenbrook North or Glenbrook South High School. The township Boards of Education presidents also meet periodically to discuss related issues.
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Northbrook School District 27
FACILITIES The District 27 Board of Education and the Administration utilize the District 27 Master Facilities Plan document as the key strategic planning tool for maintenance and capital improvement needs of our school facilities. One of the main components of the plan is the development of long range capital improvement projections for each building. Every year, the long term capital improvement portion of the Master Facilities Plan is updated and presented to the School Board for their review. These projections allow the Board and the Administration to plan the replacement of key building systems and other capital improvements within a five-year time frame. One of the major components of the Master Facilities Plan is the state-mandated Ten Year Health/Life Safety Study. Every ten years, school districts are required by state law to have a health/life safety study completed by a licensed architect and submitted to the State for acceptance. The District 27 Ten Year Health/Life Safety Study was last updated and accepted by the Illinois State Board of Education in 2012. One of the District 27 Five Key Success Factors directly linked to facilities operations is to provide a “Safe, Caring and Supportive Environment.” This Key Success Factor is of the highest importance to the Facilities Staff who strive to provide a learning atmosphere free of facility related distractions, allowing both the students and staff to have the most conducive learning environment possible.
Douglas Heurich, CFM Director of Facilities
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FINANCES The District 27 Board of Education and Administration are committed to fiscal responsibility and the integrity and transparency of financial management and reporting. The District’s key success factor of “Maintaining a Healthy Financial Position” has been and will continue to be the committed goal, thereby allowing for the continued excellence in programs and services provided to the children. We have taken this approach in managing the District’s financial operations in order to be both fiscally responsible and reasonable. Twice a year, the Board of Education reviews the District’s long-range financial projections in order to ensure the fiscal solvency of the District. This review is conducted to maintain a stable financial position so that we can continue providing the excellent programs and services for our students. The District has targeted a 65% level of fund balance reserve, along with balancing the budget on an annual basis. The reason for a targeted 65% reserve level is to make sure the District has the appropriate level of funding available to pay for regular operations between property tax distribution cycles. In Cook County, property tax bills are typically due on March 1st for the first installment tax bill and August 1st for the second installment tax bill. This means that the District needs at least five to six months in fund balance reserve to pay for regular operations and not incur debt. The Board is committed to having sufficient funds in reserve to make all of our payments without borrowing money. Currently, the District has a 67.9% fund balance reserve and will need to continue to build this reserve in order to meet current and future financial obligations. This chart reflects the current long-range financial plan for the District through fiscal year 2020. We believe that long-range planning is the key to financial solvency for the District. Cost Containment The District aggressively implements cost containment measures to balance the budget on an annual basis. Over the past 13 years, the District has realized cost containment of over $4.5 million. The areas targeted for cost efficiencies include telecommunications, energy savings, inventory control, grant programs, annual staffing pattern review, and other areas. We believe that these cost saving measures have placed the District in a strong financial position for the future. The District has no debt and has not sought a referendum from our community in over 45 Kimberly Arakelian, CSBO years. Our key goal is to operate the District in a cost-efficient manner, while maintaining Asst. Supt. for Finance and Operations excellence.
The District has no debt and has not sought a referendum from our community in over 45 years. 18 District 27 • Annual Report • 2015-2016
OUR FUTURE
Northbrook School District 27
While District 27 has achieved much success, the District recognizes there are factors, both external and internal, that will have an impact on the future. These factors can affect the way the District operates and the way the staff and school board interact with students and the community. The District is committed to tackling its key challenges to ensure that District 27 remains a benchmark organization. Key Challenges • Meet internal targets for student performance and the changing State Accountability requirements • Address the emerging challenges driven by a technological and global environment • Proactively manage in an environment of changing funding patterns Key District Goals • Monitor achievement on internal performance measures and standardized tests; address the needs of individual students who do not meet targets • Continue a cycle of curricular revisions in all programs • Provide ubiquitous technology and learning opportunities that support the needs of 21st Century learners • Monitor all programs and services to make sure the District is meeting the needs of all students • Build staff and faculty skills to implement District programs and services • Implement best practices in facilities management • Monitor, evaluate and revise the social/emotional programs/services to ensure they are responsive to student needs • Maintain effective two-way communication systems that provide timely information and solicit feedback • Provide cost-effective staffing plans for essential/highly valued programs and services • Maintain a responsible approach to fiscal operation ensuring cost efficiencies while maintaining our program and services
Key District Action Plans • Continue to expand the “STEAM” block courses at Wood Oaks in 2016-2017 • Implement the District’s multi-year Technology Plan • Fully implement the new mathematics curriculum in coordination with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) • Continue to implement the District’s Professional Development Plan • Implement revisions to the Emergency Preparedness Plan along with safety and security procedures • Continue to implement the Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) framework • Provide additional key performance indicators to the community on our Key Success Factors • Develop and implement a balanced budget each year to ensure a healthy short- and long-term financial position • Continue to implement the new PARCC Assessment Program through the Illinois State Board of Education • Implement required state and federal legislation and make adjustments to ensure the District’s financial solvency
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1250 Sanders Road • Northbrook, IL 60062 www.nb27.org
EDUCATING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED IN A CHANGING WORLD
Northbrook School District 27