November 8, 2023

Board recognizes National Merit Semifinalists

At the Nov. 7 Barrington 220 Board of Education meeting, the Board recognized 17 Barrington High School students who have been named 2024 National Merit Semifinalists. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors. The students now have the opportunity to compete for about 7,500 scholarships, worth nearly $30 million. Congrats to Daniel Devadas, Paari Dhanasekaran, Sravya Dontharaju, Neha Doppalapudi, Sri Sai Gollamudi, Melissa Guo, Tara Gutzmer, Preyansh Jain, Rohan Kher, Sophia Kostov, Aaron Liu, Riya Perla, Jainik Shroff, Ovia Sundar, Madeleine Yoon, Charles Young, and Anthony Zhu! Click here to watch a video that features each student.

Board thanks our veterans for their service

In honor of Veterans Day this weekend, the Board recognized Barrington 220 staff members and community members who have served in the military. Prairie Campus students Crystal Garcia and Jacqueline Espinoza shared this thank you message with the veterans, and Station Campus student Maddie Gerber shared this thank you message. In addition, BHS band students played the songs for each military branch, while staff members and community members who served stood as their song played. Thank you to following staff members for your service!

• Sean Cassidy, Substitute Teacher at BHS
• Nirda DeRose, 3rd Grade Teacher at Roslyn Road Elementary
• Paul Fleck, Latin Teacher at Station Campus
• Derek Gablenz, Social Studies Teacher at BHS
• Bob Jensen, Technology Support Technician
• Troy Jones, Technology Support Technician
• Kathie McCroary, Nurse at BHS
• Brian Niven, BHS Lacrosse Head Coach
• Allen Noland, Business Teacher at BHS
• Detective Isaiah Recinos, School Resource Officer at Prairie Campus
• Nate Rouse, Director of Equity, Race & Cultural Diversity Initiatives
• Steve Taylor, STEM Teacher at Prairie Campus

Photo: Mindy Fiscus (Director of Government Affairs for the Learning Technology Center), Dr. Becky Gill (D220 Director of Elementary Curriculum & Instruction), Jen Burton (4th grade teacher at Lines), and Katie Muhtaris (D220 Instructional Coach).

D220 social-global studies curriculum wins award

In his Superintendent's Report at the Nov. 7 Board meeting, Dr. Winkelman shared that the Illinois Learning Technology Center, an Illinois State Board of Education program, has selected Barrington 220 for the 2023 Vision Award for the district's Elementary Social-Global Studies Curriculum. The Vision Award recognizes innovative or exemplary projects that empower the use of technology and/or digital learning within the classroom. Barrington 220's curriculum was selected based on its empowering use of digital tools, inquiry-based learning, and opportunities for creativity, which equip students with the skills necessary to navigate an interconnected world, think critically about complex global issues, and become engaged and responsible global citizens.

At the Nov. 7 Board meeting, the Board continued its discussion about possibilities for new fine, visual, and performing arts spaces at Barrington High School. The design work for these new spaces was an identified project within the $147 million dollar referendum that Barrington area voters approved in 2020. The cost to build these new spaces was not included in the referendum.

The Board is planning to form a referendum advisory committee in order to gain feedback from the community about projects that should be included on a potential referendum question during the 2024-25 school year. The committee will meet during the second half of this school year. More information will be provided after the Board finalizes the committee's charge at its next meeting on Nov. 21.

• Click here to listen to the discussion.
• Click here to view the presentation.

Barrington 220 launches strategic plan dashboard

At the Nov. 7 Board meeting, the Board heard an update on the district's strategic plan, Framework 220. The plan consists of six strategic priorities, and within each priority there are measurable objectives. In order to keep stakeholders informed about the work that is being done within each priority, Barrington 220 has developed a dashboard to track the progress of each objective.

• Click here to access the dashboard for each strategic priority.
• Click here to listen to the presentation.

Barrington 220's school improvement process

At the Nov. 7 Board meeting, the Board heard an update on the school improvement process in Barrington 220. Every academic year, Barrington 220 schools focus on a primary goal, which staff develop through a school improvement process called a Vision Cycle. A Vision Cycle is a framework for school improvement that strives to provide schools with clarity, focus, and actionable steps toward school improvement. Each school goes through a six step process to identify its primary goal. Click here to listen to the presentation and learn more about the process.

D220 joins lawsuit against social media companies

At the Nov. 7 Board meeting, the Board approved that the district join school districts nationwide in a lawsuit against giant social media companies. The lawsuit is seeking to address the negative impacts social media companies are having on students and school districts nationwide. The goal of the lawsuit is to create more safeguards that will protect students from the negative impact of social media.

At the Nov. 7 Board meeting, the Board approved which resolution recommendations it plans to support from the Illinois Association of School Board's (IASB) 2023 resolution proposals. Every November school boards from across the state send a delegate to the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) conference in Chicago. At this conference, the delegates vote on proposed resolutions IASB will pursue in upcoming legislative sessions. The Board voted to appoint Board Member Erin Chan Ding as Barrington 220's IASB delegate. The Board will support all of IASB's recommendations for each resolution. To view the recommendations, please visit page 16 of the 2023 resolutions document.