Spotlight on LP Forward: Community Engagement

Each month, the LP Link spotlights a District focus area to share valuable information and resources with the school community. This month highlights the next phase in the ongoing District Master Facility Planning process–Community Engagement–which builds upon the comprehensive facilities assessment initiated in 2024 and the most recent work of the Citizens Task Force. To better understand why the Master Facilities Plan is necessary now and how the future-ready proposal supports students, staff, and the District’s long-term success, watch this 3.5 minute video featuring a number of leadership team members and certified staff to provide perspective on the impact of facility improvements.

Your Voice Matters

As the District's Master Facilities Assessment process moves forward, the focus now transitions from the planning and task force phase to broader public engagement. From the first newsletter mailed to residents to comprehensive public opinion research, the next steps are focused on ensuring all stakeholders have an opportunity to review the findings and contribute feedback through presentations, the community survey, a dedicated webpage, and upcoming Board of Education meetings. Presentations have already begun to inform Lancer staff and student groups, the Parent Advisory Committee, and members of the Bloomingdale-Roselle Rotary Club. 

Community Presentations

On Wednesday, April 22, Lake Park kicked off the first of three opportunities for the community to learn about the proposed long-term plans, understand the facilities needs, ask questions in real-time, and take an optional tour to see West Campus firsthand. Approximately 40 attendees interacted with Superintendent Dr. Michael Wojtowicz, Principals Dr. Alexia Ellett (West) and Dr. Sean Potts (East), and other members of the District leadership team. Mark your calendar to join Lake Park for any of the remaining community presentations, which include an optional tour and a livestream:

Thursday, May 7 at 6:00 p.m. (East Campus)

*Saturday, May 16 at 9:30 a.m. (East Campus) 

*The Saturday morning session will also provide a unique opportunity for students enrolled in Lake Park’s Early Childhood education program to provide supervision and activities for children ages 3+ who are toilet trained. This format invites families to attend and more fully engage in the presentation while Lancer students gain practical experience in their area of interest.

LP Forward Webpage

Accessible from the District homepage, the LP Forward webpage is now available and contains features including an interactive tax calculator, conceptual illustrations of proposed new or updated spaces, Citizens Task Force presentation slides, and more. The website is considered one of the primary outreach materials developed for easy, 24/7 community access. We invite you to spend time reviewing the comprehensive content and submitting any questions or feedback via our dedicated email address at LPForward@lphs.org.

Financial Transparency 

The District has been a diligent steward of your tax dollars, maintaining a balanced budget for nearly 20 years. We have invested over $30 million in facilities using budgeted funds, but the scope of remaining needs now exceeds our capacity to address them through annual budgets alone. Our goal is to ensure Lake Park remains competitive with neighboring districts, but more importantly, to ensure we are meeting the evolving needs of our Lancers. Ultimately, this future-ready proposal is driven by students’ best interests, and providing modern, safe, and professional environments they deserve to succeed.

Understand the Potential Tax Impact

Transparency and fiscal responsibility are central to Lake Park’s planning process. A detailed tax impact analysis has been conducted to understand how the proposed improvements could be financed and what that would mean for local taxpayers. Residents are encouraged to utilize the property tax calculator, and select any applicable exemptions, to better understand how a proposed referendum could affect their household. The District is committed to sharing clear, objective, and data-driven information so community members can evaluate the proposal and make informed decisions. 

Board of Education Options 

Lake Park has been diligent stewards of our 50 and 70-year-old buildings, but maintenance alone can no longer keep pace with 21st-century needs. The Board of Education is considering two paths forward. One is to continue our current piecemeal approach, funding repairs slowly over many decades as budgets allow–though this becomes increasingly difficult as non-discretionary expenses like transportation, insurance, and utilities continue to rise. The second path is to enhance campus safety and security; upgrade aging infrastructure; and create Professional Pathway Learning Spaces–allowing students to earn college credit and licensure, saving time and tuition–through a bond referendum on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 

Next Steps

As planning continues, the District remains committed to transparency. Depending on the community feedback during presentations and gathered in the survey, Board members will determine which path to take. Residents are encouraged to review the Lancer-Centric plan at www.LPHS.org/Forward, attend a community information meeting, and participate in the public opinion survey that will be mailed to your home soon.

State Sendoff Celebrates Student Activities

Lancers participate in international and state-level competitions.

Congratulations to the 33 members of the Lake Park Math Team on a very successful year in preparation for the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) State math competition on Saturday, April 18. Math Team Members: Rayan Abdul (11), Olivia Barthel (11), Uzair Basheer (09), Nico Bruinsma (11), Franco Cascella (10), Kenny Chyllo (12), Pinak Dalwadi (10), Alex Davis (12), Timothy Dellaria (10), Tanner Ewen (10), Leonard Gotlilbowski (09), Luke Hansen (11), Timothy Harris (10), Tri Hung Te (09), Michelle Kachikwu (10), Hadi Kamal (12), Alexander Kossigologos (09), Shaan Kothari (10), Rishab Kulkarni (11), Adhrit Mahesh (11), Adrian Marczewski (09), Zachary Osuch (10), Emilia Panek (09), Hania Papuga (11), Akshar Patel (10), Mark Randazzo (12), Aayush Sharma (11), Alexander Sionek (09), Palita Udomwongyont (12), Arden Urbasic (12), Nathan Wilson (11), Chris Yi (12), and Amelia Ziesemer (09).

The Math Team is coached by Clint Anticevich, Margaret Gawrych, Tommy Gulo, Caroline Kilrea and Candice Sagliano.

Congratulations and best wishes to 11 DECA students who will represent Lake Park and compete in the International Career Development Conference beginning Saturday, April 25 and concluding Wednesday, April 29 in Atlanta, GA. The students earned this opportunity having placed in the Top 5 in their respective categories during the DECA State competition held on March 8 in Rosemont at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.

DECA members: Liliana Alarcon (10), Logan Bach (11), Michael Cozzi (11), Adhrit Mahesh (11), Maheen Malik (11), Olivia McGowan (11), Adin Patel (12), Isha Patel (12), Samantha Rotteinger (11), Ava Shah (11), and Tsveta Tsoleva (12).

The DECA sponsors are Katie Bestvina, Patryk Pliszka, and Brittany Simpson.

Congratulations to four Lancers who qualified for the Illinois Individual State Tournament (IIST) for Science Olympiad. Competing Lancers include: Rayan Abdul (11), Hadi Kamal (12), Daniel Matthew (12), and Aayush Sharma (11). Hosted on Saturday, April 25 at McHenry Community College, the IIST for Science Olympiad is intended for students who earned a medal at their Regional Science Olympiad Tournament, but whose team did not earn a bid to the Illinois Science Olympiad State Tournament.

Special thanks to club sponsors Chris Roleck and Mike Howard.

Lake Park High School celebrated a standout year at the 2026 State FCCLA Leadership Conference, with five of our 13 competitors ranking in the Top 5 across the state and earning gold medals. Top honors went to Liv Hoxha (12), Madelyn Sison (10), and Angie Zajkowski (12) who all secured 1st place in their events, while Julia Szlosek (09) took 2nd and Brooklyn Stea (12) placed 5th.

These impressive results across the culinary, design, and education categories highlight the incredible talent and dedication of our Lancer students on a state-wide level. Special thanks to club sponsors Lindsey Kulak and Rokki Parrinello who are so proud of the entire delegation for their hard work and professional representation of Lake Park.

Congratulations to Matthew Hudak (11) who earned individual honors and qualified for State competition on Friday, April 24 at Heartland College in Normal, IL following a strong showing at the IHSA Journalism Sectionals.

Thanks to Lake Park Perspective newspaper sponsor Mike Bundalo for helping to represent Lake Park among nearly 75 high schools competing in 18 different events during the State Series.

Senior Department Awards

Congratulations to 19 seniors honored during a ceremony on April 23.

Congratulations to 19 senior Lancers honored on Thursday, April 23 during a ceremony designed to recognize their academic contributions to each department.

The students were joined by their family members and introduced by a faculty representative of each department.

Teachers expressed pride for the character and academic achievement of this impressive group of Lancers.

National Honor Society Induction Ceremony

Junior inductees recognized for scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

During a ceremony on Tuesday, April 21, the Lake Park High School Chapter of the National Honor Society presented the new student inductees. View the complete list of inductees who have been accepted into NHS.

The National Honor Society recognizes students who excel in scholarship, service, leadership, and character. In addition to an academic requirement of a weighted 3.90 cumulative grade point average, participation and leadership in school activities are essential. No student is inducted simply because of a high academic average. The National Honor Society strives to recognize the total student - one who excels in all four of the above areas.

Year-End Performances

Support the Music and Theatre Departments.

Join Lake Park for a busy week of music as we celebrate the end of the school year and honor our graduating seniors! Admission to all performances is free.


Don’t miss the Lake Park Music and Theatre Departments' production of Mean Girls - High School Edition at the East Campus Dice Auditorium! Catch the show tonight, April 24, at 7:00 p.m., or the final performances on Saturday, April 25 (at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.). Tickets are $5 at the door (cash preferred) and free for LP students and senior citizens.

Tuesday, April 28 | 7:00 p.m. | West Campus Auditorium

Enjoy a journey through POP music from the 70s to today! Featuring all five choral ensembles, the night concludes with a special massed choir performance dedicated to the Class of 2026 seniors.

Portillo's Fundraiser: Enjoy dinner before the concert and support the Choir this Tuesday, April 28 at the Bloomingdale Portillo's (5:00 to 8:00 p.m.). Use the code from the flyer at checkout.

Thursday, April 30 | 7:00 p.m. | West Campus Auditorium

The Freshman Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Symphony take the stage for their final performance of the year.

Friday, May 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Outside West Campus

Grab a seat on the lawn for a high-energy outdoor performance by the LPHS Jazz Ensemble! 
Note: In case of rain, the conert will move inside to the West Campus auditorium.

Global Citizens: Italy Trip

Check out Lancer international travel highlights!

During spring break from March 28-April 6, a total of 46 Lake Park students and eight chaperones logged 12,580 miles on planes as well as countless hours on buses and boats to experience the sights and culture of Italy. Led by Explorica, the 10-day itinerary included visits to Rome, Naples, Pompei and more! Throughout their trip, students visited iconic landmarks such as the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Vatican. Daily excursions included guided sightseeing tours, historical sites, beaches, shopping, and theatre. Additionally, students worked on an AP Statistics project or an Independent Study project that leads to college credit through George Mason University. Lancers wrote in journals every day to record their memories and reflect on their experiences. View a highlight reel of their favorite moments!

The Global Citizens Travel Program provides travel opportunities for students to become global citizens; develop perspectives that set students apart on college applications; spark the lifelong ability to take on any new experience with confidence; and bring academic subjects and projects to the real world. The next trip is scheduled for Scandinavia (Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm) during spring break 2027. Lancers interested in joining future trips should email sponsors Candice Sagliano or Ben Bishop for more information.

Annual Textbook Adoption Process

Community can preview recommended textbook before May 18.

During the Monday, April 20 meeting, the Board of Education previewed one textbook requested for adoption for the 2026-2027 school year: 

Early Childhood Education and Care (Dual Credit), Essentials for Working with Young Children - Third Edition

Annually, when a new textbook is recommended, teachers must complete a thorough process. The textbooks have been reviewed by the departmental committee according to District textbook selection guidelines and procedures. The community has an opportunity to view the recommended textbook at Lake Park’s Administration Center, 590 S. Medinah Road, during normal business hours through Monday, May 18 when the Board of Education will vote on textbook adoption as an action item.

Summer School and Summer Camps

Register now for credit recovery, enrichment, and athletic camps.

With the fourth quarter underway, it's never too early to begin thinking about Summer School and Summer Camps! Visit the website to learn more about opportunities for credit recovery, enrichment, and summer camps.

*The credit recovery courses are offered to students who need to retake a class to earn credit. Students can not take a class for the first time to work ahead in the summer. The only exception is Civics in Action and Consumer Education for incoming seniors.

Questions can be addressed to Pete Kolzow, summer school coordinator, at (630) 529-2299.

Lake Park's 2026 summer athletic camps will be held at both on-campus and off-campus locations from Monday, June 1-Thursday, July 30. There are no camps on Fridays and during the period from June 26-July 6. Camps are open to current students and the feeder school students of Itasca D10, Medinah D11, Roselle D12, Bloomingdale D13, Keeneyville D20, and students attending private schools that reside within Lake Park attendance boundaries. Visit the athletic registration website for more information.

Class of 2026: Graduation Video

Video sales benefit the Lake Park Educational Foundation.

Purchase a keepsake today! Graduation videos will be available for a minimum donation of $20.00 to the Lake Park Educational Foundation and available approximately a week after the event (shared via email as a video file). Visit www.lphs.org/GraduationVideo for more information and to complete an order form.

As the 2025-2026 school year draws to a conclusion next month, the Lancer community looks forward to celebrating the Class of 2026!