March 25, 2025

Dear LT Community,

At the end of the week, LT will begin a much deserved Spring Break, which will undoubtedly include college visits, trips to the beach, time with friends and family, and hopefully rest and relaxation for our school community. This also serves as a chance to reflect on how much we have accomplished individually and collectively. LT’s students, families, faculty and staff have so much to be proud of.

I am excited for what’s been an amazing 2024-25 school year to date, and look forward to a strong finish in Quarter 4 as we celebrate the Class of 2025. I want to share a few important items with our community from our Quarter 3. We have much to celebrate and share.

Exemplary Rating

We continue to celebrate our “Exemplary” rating on the Illinois School Report Card in 2024-25 because this recognition is a reflection of our school community’s commitment to excellence . This is the highest rating a school can achieve and the first time that LT has received an Exemplary Rating. I am extremely proud of the work that we are collectively doing, and even more excited about the work we have in front of us! 

You can review our complete 2023-24 Illinois School Report Card here or my message about this rating. 

Strategic Plan Midpoint Progress 

It is hard to believe, but LT is nearing the end of the 3rd Year of our comprehensive 5-year plan that was adopted in June, 2022.  Our community’s efforts throughout the last three years have included significant progress in the areas of student achievement, learning environment, attracting a high quality and diverse staff, community partnerships, and effective allocation of resources.  We had the opportunity on February 24th to come together as a community to reflect on the work that has been done and discuss the remaining work and priorities for the last two years of our plan.  The lively discussion included representation from our Board of Education, students, parents, staff alumni, and community members.  It was a great evening and I enjoyed hearing the many voices of the community who contributed.

The ongoing progress is tracked on our interactive scorecard, and I encourage our community to follow along.

Groundwork for a Brighter Future

I continue to be excited about Groundwork for a Brighter Future, which will serve as a multi-year journey to modernize our two campuses and enhance the learning environment for all of our future Lions. Overall, the first phase of this project is a 3-year, approximately $45 million project, which will transform LT’s South Campus. 

On behalf of District 204, thank you for your continued support as we bring the Groundwork for a Brighter Future vision to life. Stay up-to-date with the latest information by visiting our website.

LT Community Advisory Council

The LT Community Advisory Council (LTCAC) meets quarterly to learn about, discuss, and provide feedback on important school-related topics. The LTCAC serves as a critical communication link between community members and the school, and members include students, parents, community members, staff, and administrators.

Our final LTCAC meeting of the year is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00pm, and we hope to see as many community members as possible in attendance. If you are interested in participating with the LTCAC, please complete a complete a short interest form.

5Essentials Parent Survey

LT would like your feedback through the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This online survey will help District 204 understand parent/guardian perceptions regarding communication, school/family partnerships, and school culture and climate.

Individual participation and responses are confidential. We ask that parents/guardians complete the survey for each LT student in your household at https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/. The survey window closes on Friday, March 28, 2024.

Thank you to all those who have already filled out the survey and to everyone for your continued input as we strive to support all students.

Q3 Student and Staff Recognition

Congratulations to the faculty and staff recognized and celebrated at the meeting for outstanding achievements. The Board recognized the LTHS Pollinator Garden Club and faculty member Patrick Page. The Board also recognized the success of students in the LTHS STEM Exemplary Student Research program and faculty member Michelle Harpin. 

Laura Moore began at LT in 2016 as the Auditorium Technical Director, which continues to be her current role. She graduated from Illinois State University in 2007 majoring in Theater, Design and Production. She worked for various theater companies, including Fox Valley Repertory, before joining LT. Laura works very closely with all of our performing arts groups, whether it be Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theatre, or Dance, Laura is instrumental in making sure all of our amazing student performers have everything they need from a sound and light perspective to shine. More than that, Laura brings an incredible amount of humility to her role, and she always simply does what is needed to make sure every performance is fantastic. Through her dedication to performing arts, Laura exemplifies the spirit of 'Vita Plena'—living a fulfilled life and helping others do the same. 

Upcoming D204 Board Election

On April 1, 2025 our community will vote for four new D204 Board members. I look forward to congratulating them on their successful campaigns to serve as members of the District 204 Board of Education. Each will begin a four-year term and will take the oath of office on April 28, 2025 during a Special Board Reorganization Meeting, after the Cook County Election Commission provides the official election results. 

Also, at the meeting, the Board will elect Board officers and establish future meeting dates and times. The meeting will be held at 7:00pm in North Campus Room 103 (Board Room) at LT’s North Campus (100 S. Brainard, LaGrange, IL). The meeting will also be livestreamed and available on the district’s website. Most importantly, I encourage our community to become an active participant in this critical, local, democratic process. 

As always, thank you to our amazing community of students, families, staff, and neighbors for your continued support, and we wish all LT families an outstanding Spring Break spent with family and loved ones. 

Excellence - Innovation - Empowerment 

Dr. Brian Waterman, Superintendent

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