District 23 to dedicate new outdoor learning spaces

Prospect Heights School District 23 has kicked off the year by unveiling several new outdoor learning spaces and launching the Building a Better D23 Campaign, which will help the district continue to enhance and expand educational opportunities.

Superintendent Don Angelaccio says there has been a great deal of excitement and positive momentum as the district's 1,480 students have returned to their school buildings.

Over the summer, the district transformed some of its green spaces into collaborative outdoor learning environments.

At MacArthur Middle School, an outdoor space was added outside of the cafeteria entrance, and the existing courtyard has been transformed into an engaging outdoor classroom and gathering area with the addition of multimedia capabilities, a sensory path, seating and inviting elements.

The district also added outdoor learning spaces at Betsy Ross and Anne Sullivan schools. Eisenhower School received an outdoor learning space, along with updated playground equipment. Angelaccio says the district's innovative spaces are a great first step, and students and staff have already put them to good use in the first couple weeks of the school year.

In addition, work was completed in the MacArthur Library, and there were technology upgrades throughout the district involving the replacement of Promethean boards with new projectors, whiteboards and Apple TVs.

The summer projects were paid for, in part, with Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding, which has been distributed to school districts nationwide to help them address the impact of the pandemic.

Angelaccio says District 23 thoughtfully considered how to best allocate the funding. He says administrators agreed that updating and enhancing the outdoor areas would support student learning for years to come.

District 23 will unveil some of its outdoor learning additions at a communitywide dedication event at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at MacArthur Middle School, 700 N. Schoenbeck Road, Prospect Heights.

All community members are invited to see the innovative spaces and learn how students are using them. The district also will thank the federal officials who made the ESSER funding available during a challenging time for schools.

As the district looks to make further improvements and address several long-term challenges, it has developed the Building a Better D23 Campaign to outline fiscally responsible ways to: improve safety and security; repair and maintain facilities; support community needs and expand early learning programming, potentially by providing full-day kindergarten and early childhood education for all students who live within D23 boundaries (the district is currently unable to serve 35% of pre-K and kindergarten students due to space constraints).

"We are always focused on continuous improvement and creating opportunities for students to grow. But this year is an especially important one for the future of the district, as we engage in strategic planning for the next five years and begin to seek resident input about improving our facilities and better supporting the community's early learners," Angelaccio said.

A Citizen Task Force that has been meeting since May is discussing the district's challenges, potential solutions and funding options. In December, the Task Force will present to the District 23 school board and recommend whether a tax referendum should be placed on the ballot in April 2023.

A successful referendum would provide funding to address several areas of need. The board will make a decision about a potential referendum in January.

The district and the board are asking community members to learn more about Building a Better D23 and share their thoughts. The district will mail a survey to all residents this fall, and there are three upcoming information/sharing sessions at Eisenhower School, 1 N. Schoenbeck Road, Prospect Heights:

• 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29

• 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 6

• 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6

"We want to be responsible stewards of taxpayer resources, while also supporting our students and families in the best way possible. So we are serious about our planning and information-gathering process, and we look forward to hearing what community members think about various proposed solutions," Angelaccio said.

In other district news

Prospect Heights resident Brynn Nordmark was sworn in as a District 23 school board member during a special meeting on Aug. 18. He will complete the term vacated by Matt Smith, who resigned from the board when he moved out of the district.

The district also welcomed Chris Alms, former assistant principal of MacArthur, to the central office administration team as director of technology and information.

Stephanie Gage, a former teacher and assistant principal in Berwyn North School District 98, joined District 23 as the new assistant principal of MacArthur.

Erin Curry, former principal, assistant principal and school psychologist in Lincolnwood District 74, has joined the administration team and Student Services Department as the new special education specialist administrator.

District 23 serves approximately 1,480 prekindergarten through eighth-grade students in the communities of Prospect Heights, Arlington Heights and Wheeling, creating opportunities that inspire all students to grow as learners, individuals and citizens.

Students attend Eisenhower Elementary, Betsy Ross Elementary, Anne Sullivan Elementary and MacArthur Middle School.