Dear Butler D53 Families and Staff,
I hope you enjoyed the lovely week of weather we were afforded this week; it was great to see our students outside, enjoying the great weather with their classes. Hoping that this nice weather continues through the many end of year activities that both Brook Forest Elementary and Butler Junior High School have planned. It is wonderful that we will be able to gather together again and celebrate these annual traditions.
I am so proud of our faculty, administration, and staff. Last week, District 53 celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week and our amazing, dedicated, and talented teachers. Last week's national theme was "Teaching is a Work of Heart ''; our teachers certainly emulate this theme perfectly by pouring their heart and soul into their innovative lesson plans, personalized curriculum, and enhanced professional learning. I am grateful for each of our teachers within District 53 and their commitment to our profession.
Further, we recognized and celebrated those teachers and staff members who celebrated milestone anniversaries with District 53. The next time you connect with any of the individuals below, please thank them for their impact on our district and commitment to our students. We always strive to retain our talented educators that make District 53 the award-winning district we are.
5 Years
Adrian Gonzales
Noel Irizarry
Kristen Lugo
Andrea Prola
Toni Sproch
Courtney Whittaker
10 Years
Kim Bayer
20 Years
Danielle LaBarre
Beth Mouw
25 Years
Sandi Moore
30 Years
Todd Beyer
Last evening, District 53 held a Staff Appreciation and Retirement Celebration to recognize three individuals who have collectively served District 53 for nearly 90 years. We will certainly miss Mrs. Elizabeth Sompolski (Brook Forest), Mrs. Laura Kalal (Brook Forest), and Mrs. Kathy Ferrell (Butler Junior High) as each begins their retirement at the conclusion of this school year.
Additionally, the results of the 5Essentials Survey have been posted to the district website. The district and both schools saw great strides and improvement in key areas, including ambitious instruction, effective leaders, and supporting environment. View Brook Forest results, Butler Junior High results, and combined District 53 results. The Illinois State Board of Education requires that the survey be administered to parents, certified teachers, and students in grades 4-8. It reflects the State Board’s goals for all schools to be safe, healthy and nurturing learning environments and for every student to have an excellent education.
On Monday evening, the Board of Education held its Regular Meeting for the month. The Board of Education approved the 2022-2023 Board and Committee Meeting Schedule, which provides for an effective, efficient meeting schedule to further the mission and vision of District 53.
We look forward to seeing many of you tonight at the Butler 53 PTO Family Carnival at Butler Junior High.
Stay well, be safe!
Dr. Paul O’Malley
Superintendent of Schools