District 203 honors local heroes
In Naperville Unit District 203, November is a month to celebrate our heroes on multiple levels.
First, one annual event I look forward to is our celebration of Veterans Day. Unlike many school systems, where Veterans Day is a holiday, our district sees it as an important learning opportunity.
After breakfast at the administrative center, dozens of members of Naperville's VFW post fan out to each of our schools for Veterans Day assemblies.
This year I was invited to Washington Junior High School. There, several Vietnam vets shared their personal experiences fighting in a war so far from home. They did it in a very realistic and educational way, describing the enormous responsibilities we often put on young 20-year-olds in a time of war.
Interspersed with their talks, students and faculty members performed several patriotic musical numbers and several other students shared their essays on how important it is that we "never forget."
This month, we are honoring another hero of District 203, Ron Gibson, by dedicating Steeple Run Elementary School to him on Thursday, Nov. 20. Ron's legacy to our school system in the almost 40 years he worked on behalf of our students is enormous.
Serving in a multitude of roles, from teacher to principal to head of human resources to associate superintendent for elementary education, no problem was too complex for Ron to find an ethical, sensitive and efficient solution.
Ron's special contribution was the system he developed to track the district's enrollment trends, one that is still being used incredibly effectively to this day. He is the epitome of the district's positive culture and embodies the positive human relations skills everyone admires.
Above all, he was and is the school system's institutional "memory." As I have previously noted, he knows everyone and knows the history of everything. And I, for one, will always be indebted to him for being willing to stay on one more year to help me make an effective transition as the "new kid in town," the new District 203 superintendent.
In addition to American Education Week, November also includes School Board Appreciation Day. Here is another amazingly dedicated group of people who devote countless hours of their time to making our schools better.
Their job is not an easy one, and frequently they make decisions that get someone upset. But they persevere on behalf of our students. Our community owes them a debt of gratitude for their service.
My final tribute to unsung heroes goes to the entire staff of District 203. As hard as they work, I wonder how many people in the community recognize how generous they are with their finances as well as their "time and talent."
This year, thanks to the generosity of National City Mortgage, which provided a $10,000 matching grant, employees were challenged to increase payroll deduction contributions to our Cents for Kids program.
The Cents for Kids program provides money for Naperville Education Foundation grants that support classroom enrichment, helps fund our after-school Study Skills Academies in all 21 schools and assists the foundation in realizing its mission to encourage creativity, innovation and excellence in our students.
Despite the hard economic times, our employees donated the whole $10,000, and then turned around and donated another $40,000 to the United Way campaign, making our school district once again one of the area's biggest supporters of the United Way.
Local heroes come in many shapes and sizes. They are the neighbors next door and the people you barely know.
November, the month of Thanksgiving, is a particularly appropriate time to recognize each of them for their service to our community.
• Alan Leis is superintendent of Naperville Unit District 203. His column appears monthly.