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District 200 staff celebrates students' return

There were a lot of high-fives, fist bumps and smiles outside Hubble Middle School Wednesday as sixth- through eighth-graders walked a "red carpet" into the Warrenville school and headed to their first classes.

Teachers sporting new gray and purple Hubble Huskies shirts lined the entryways, waving pompoms and greeting students with great enthusiasm while music blared in the background.

"It's a matter of welcoming kids," Principal Jon Pilkington said. "We want them to be excited for the first day of school and we're happy to have them back."

The shirts sported by the staff featured a HUSKIES acronym - for Helpful, Understand differences, Show respect, Kind, Integrity, Effort & perseverance and Show Responsibility - that is part of a new initiative to "clearly define what it means to be a Hubble Huskie."

"It's really just a matter of switching the whole culture of the school to look at what students can do and focus on and celebrate the good things they are doing. That's what this is all about," Pilkington said.

Assistant Principal Adam Ferguson said the message reflects the school's "core values and guidelines for success."

"We were showing a unified front so the kids all know we're here to support them," he said.

Other first day of school news from Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 includes:

• Sean Walsh started as the principal at Longfellow Elementary School in Wheaton. He replaces Dianne Thornburg, who retired after 16 years in District 200. Previously, Walsh served as director of learning for District 181 in Hinsdale and as an assistant principal and principal at schools in Palatine and Hoffman Estates.

• Paving work is complete at six schools, including Jefferson Early Childhood Center, Lowell and Edison Elementary, Sandburg and Monroe Middle Schools and Wheaton North High School. Lowell's facade also got a "facelift" that included the removal of ivy.

• A new, $102,000 scoreboard is being installed at Wheaton Warrenville South High School. A newly formed nonprofit group called the Tiger Football Fund agreed to cover most of the cost after deciding the rusted, 40-year-old scoreboard needed replacing. The district contributed about $12,500.

"We've got one of the best programs in the state," said Michael LaFido, president and founder of the fund. "I believe a good scoreboard makes the stadium feel updated and state of the art."

The scoreboard will have video and Bluetooth features that will benefit not only the football team, but also the track and field and cross-country programs, LaFido said.

Images: Excitement and nerves as students return to classes

  Hubble Middle School special education teacher Bernita Byrd shows her school spirit as students walk to their classrooms Wednesday. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
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