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A Year to Remember: Celebrating Growth, Creativity & Community | |
As the school year comes to a close, we're excited to bring you our first Year in Review newsletter, a growing tradition that captures the energy, progress, and pride of District 57. From classroom milestones to construction breakthroughs, musical performances to medal-winning athletes, this year has been full of moments worth remembering.
Now let’s dive in!
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Building Brighter Futures | |
Big dreams are now blueprints thanks to the incredible support of our community! In November 2024, 64% of Mount Prospect voters approved an $85 million referendum that has launched transformational projects across District 57.
This bold, community-backed plan is helping us build a brighter future for every learner by addressing urgent needs and investing in long-term success.
Be sure to follow our progress as we build a new Lincoln Middle School and add an addition on to Westbrook School for Young Learners to make room for the launch of full-day kindergarten in the fall of 2027!
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Growing Future Educators in D57 | |
The future of education is growing right here in our own classrooms! 🌟 Through partnerships with District 214’s Education Pathway and local colleges, we’re proud to support high school, college and graduate students exploring careers in teaching.
From student teachers to classroom observers, these future educators are learning alongside our incredible staff—and gaining hands-on experience that shapes their path. Our D57 staff are inspiring the next generation, one classroom at a time.
🎥 Watch the video to meet some students and staff making this work so meaningful!
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Illinois State Report Card: D57 Shines
We’re proud to share that in this school year's 2024 Illinois State Report Card:
⭐ Fairview, Lions Park, and Westbrook were designated Exemplary — placing them among the top 10% of schools in the state.
🎓 Lincoln Middle School earned a Commendable designation, meaning it met state expectations with no underperforming student groups.
| Celebrating Culture & Community | |
This year, Fairview and Lions Park hosted two heartwarming events that celebrated the diversity of our D57 families!
❤️ At Fairview’s Global Gathering, families shared food, music, art, clothing, and traditions from around the world—filling the gym with color, pride, and connection.
✨ At Lions Park’s Multilingual Families Ornament Night, over 60 attendees came together to paint ornaments, enjoy treats, and make joyful memories.
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Congrats, Lincoln Class of 2025!
We’re so proud of our Lincoln grads as they head off to high school! From their first days to their final clap-out, they’ve grown into incredible young leaders. We can’t wait to welcome them back in four years for our favorite new tradition — the Senior Walk!
Go get ’em, Class of 2025!
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A New Tradition: The Senior Walk
A joyful new tradition made its debut this year—our very first Senior Walk! We welcomed back District 57 alumni—soon-to-be graduates of District 214—for a walk through the halls of Fairview and Lions Park in their caps and gowns. Students lined the hallways to cheer them on, and former teachers greeted them with hugs, high-fives, and plenty of pride. It was a heartwarming celebration of how far they’ve come—and a beautiful reminder of where it all began.
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This year, we took exciting steps to bring more student voices to the table! We launched the Superintendent Advisory Committee, where students from Lincoln Middle School meet directly with district leadership to share their ideas, experiences, and feedback. And for the first time ever, we welcomed Student Board Members to the Board of Education! These students now serve as liaisons between their peers and district leadership, ensuring the student perspective is heard loud and clear. We also continued Principal Advisory Councils at each of our schools, giving students regular opportunities to connect with school leaders, share ideas, and help shape their school communities from the inside out. |
Student Sports Are Strong in D57!
From volleyball victories to state-level track achievements, it's been an incredible year for student athletics at Lincoln Middle School and across District 57!
🏃♂️ Special Olympics Success: Pictured above, our incredible Special Olympics team brought home 8 medals in the 50m run and softball throw events.
🏐 Volleyball Champs: Our 7th-grade girls team served up a stellar season—finishing 9-1, sweeping their tournament and winning the championship!
🏀 Basketball Dominance: All four Lincoln basketball teams (7th/8th grade boys & girls) clinched regular season conference titles, with three teams winning their tournaments! Even the staff couldn’t hold them back in the annual student-staff game! 🏆
🏃♂️ Track & Cross Country Excellence: Lincoln student-athletes qualified for the State Cross Country meet this fall, showcasing resilience, grit, and teamwork.
These highlights are just a few examples of the dedication, spirit, and sportsmanship our students bring to every competition.
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The Arts Are Alive in D57! | |
From center stage to colorful canvases, the arts have been shining bright across District 57 this year!
🎶 At Fairview, students brought the house down with their spirited performance of Annie.
🎤 Lions Park dazzled audiences with a fantastic spring musical Bots!
🌳 Lincoln Middle School took us into the swamp with their production of Shrek Jr.
🎨 And it wasn’t just about the stage! Our youngest artists showed off their creativity at Westbrook’s annual STEAM Night, where the gym transformed into a gallery filled with their finest art.
🏆 We’re also thrilled to share that Lincoln Middle School won First Place in the Middle School Category at the D214 Art Expo! Twelve talented student artists earned the top spot thanks to public votes and their incredible imagination.
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Celebrating Teaching Excellence
This year, Lions Park third-grade teacher Diane Rush received the Those Who Excel – Award of Excellence from the Illinois State Board of Education. The award recognizes her outstanding commitment to creating an inclusive, engaging, and supportive classroom environment.
| | LMS LEGO Robotics Teams Level Up! | |
Our Lincoln Middle School LEGO Robotics teams had an amazing season of creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork!
At the State competition, Team 493 earned the Breakthrough Award, recognizing their resilience and growth throughout the season. Team 492 placed 2nd in Core Values and finished in the top 10 overall, advancing to the World Invitational stage! 🌍🎉
Get a look at LMS Lego Robotics in the video below!
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A Strong Year for Music
This year marked incredible growth for our District 57 music programs — including chorus, orchestra, and band.
A special shout-out to our talented Lincoln Middle School band students who recently participated in the Solo and Ensemble Contest, hosted at Lincoln! Under the direction of Mr. Michael Vaschur, 32 students performed in 16 events — with 9 soloists and 7 ensembles — and every group earned a Division 1 rating!
| Grants & Partnerships at Work | |
We love finding creative ways to bring more to our schools—and this year, some exciting grants and partnerships made a big impact!
🛝 Lions Park Playground: With help from Rivers Casino and in partnership with the Mount Prospect Park District, we celebrated a brand-new playground—complete with a ribbon-cutting moment to remember!
🎙️ Bosch Community Fund: This generous grant brought a new Communication Technology course to Lincoln, featuring podcasting gear, video tools, and a modern space for students to create and collaborate.
| New ELA Curriculum Launched Districtwide | |
This year marked the districtwide launch of a new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum for all K–8 students. The new curriculum emphasizes strong instruction, small group learning, and use of high-quality resources.
Next up: Math! In the 2025–26 school year, the district will pilot new math resources as part of a formal curriculum review.
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A Warm Westbrook Welcome
Westbrook welcomed Marty Heffner as its new principal. With a strong background in educational leadership and a passion for early childhood education, Mr. Heffner brings a collaborative spirit and student-centered approach to the Westbrook community.
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Celebrating Newly-Tenured Staff
This year, District 57 proudly recognized ten educators for achieving tenure — a major career milestone. These dedicated staff members continue to make a lasting impact on our students and schools.
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Honoring Our Retirees
This year, District 57 proudly celebrated three outstanding retirees: Ed Brztowski (27 years), Trina Courtney (33 years), and Shari Lambert (13 years). Their dedication to our students and schools will be unforgettable. We are grateful for all they’ve given to District 57!
| | | | | Honoring Board Member Chung | |
After 8 years of dedicated service, we said a warm farewell to Vicki Chung in April. Her calm, thoughtful leadership helped guide D57 through big moments—from navigating the pandemic to shaping a new strategic plan and launching major facility projects.
We’re so proud to see Vicki continuing her commitment to public education as a newly-elected member of the District 214 Board of Education.
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Board Corner: Leadership Updates & Honors
We’re excited to share recent updates from the District 57 Board of Education! For the 2025 term, Corrin Bennett-Kill will serve as Board President and Jen Ciok as Vice President. We also welcomed new Board member Ray Doerner and celebrated the reappointment of Eileen Kowalczyk, Jen Ciok, and Pamela Nelson. A heartfelt thank you goes to Kim Fay for her outstanding leadership as Board President.
Several Board members were recently recognized for their service and leadership. Jen Ciok was selected for the prestigious School Board Partners Fellowship, joining just 71 board members nationwide in this year-long program. She and Corrin Bennett-Kill also represented District 57 at the COSSBA National Conference, connecting with school leaders from across the country. In addition, Vicki Chung, Eileen Kowalczyk, and Jen Ciok earned Established Level recognition from the Illinois Association of School Boards for their commitment to continued learning and service.
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Westbrook: MPPL Summer Reading Champions | Congratulations to Westbrook Elementary for being named the Mount Prospect Public Library (MPPL) Summer Reading Champions last summer! The MPPL has been an incredible community partner this year, hosting informational tables at our events, co-hosting activities, curating special book displays that highlight our Portrait of a Graduate skills, and so much more. Their support helped inspire a love of reading and learning across our schools. |
Inspiration Through the Arts
This year, students across District 57 were treated to visits from incredible authors, illustrators, and musicians—including Mac Barnett, Shawn Harris, Jasmine Warga, and Jim Gill. These guests brought joy, sparked creativity, and inspired young minds to laugh, think, and dream big. These unforgettable experiences were made possible through the generosity of our PTOs, dedicated staff, and strong community partnerships.
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| Outdoor Learning Adventure for 5th Graders | Thanks to a partnership with Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO), our 5th graders experienced an exciting outdoor education trip at Sunrise Lake Outdoor Education Center during their final year of elementary school. Activities like archery, group problem-solving games, hiking, and paddle boating made for a memorable and fun learning adventure. |
Exploring Local History: 2nd Grade Tour | Our 2nd graders enjoyed their annual Mount Prospect History Tour, where they explored important local landmarks and learned about the rich history of our community. This hands-on experience helps students connect with the place they call home. | | | | | |
