DuPage County briefs

Neuqua wins Kennedy award:

Naperville's Neuqua Valley is one of only five schools in the nation to receive the National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education Award from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The award recognizes schools that have made the arts an essential part of students' education. The Indian Prairie Unit District 204 high school was nominated by the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education.

New Dist. 53 board member:

Marc Poskin has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Butler District 53 school board in Oak Brook. He fills a spot left open by Patte Knuth, who resigned in late July. Poskin, an 11-year resident of Oak Brook, has two children at Brook Forest School and is past president of the York Woods Community Association. He is a building contractor trained as an architect and engineer whose primary work is in school construction. He has worked on facilities projects throughout the region, including Benet Academy in Lisle, Indian Prairie Unit District 204 and Winfield School District 34. Poskin will be sworn in at the board's Sept. 14 meeting and his term expires in April 2011.

Naperville closes Julian Street:

Julian Street in Naperville will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. today between Hillside and Gartner roads to allow utility work to be completed as part of the East Highlands Area Improvement Project. Traffic will be detoured to Charles Avenue.

Safety check in West Chicago:

DuPage County sheriff's deputies and West Chicago police will conduct their third roadside safety check of the year Friday along Route 59 near the West Chicago VFW hall. Motorists stopped at the checkpoint will be asked to provide their driver's license and proof of insurance. Officers also will be on the lookout for impaired motorists.