A look inside ... Prairieview School
Prairieview School
Address: 103 E. Belvidere Road, Hainesville
Phone: (847) 543-4230
District's name and Web site: Grayslake Elementary District 46, www.d46.k12.il.us
Number of students/grade levels offered: 589 students in preK-fourth grade
Number of staff: 85 staff members
School mascot: an Eagle
When was school built: 2002
An interesting tidbit: A contest was held to name the school and all families were invited to participate, says Principal Amanda Schoenberg. "When we opened in August of 2002, construction was still being completed. The office was located in the music room and we used boxes as walls to separate areas to interview new teachers. As we moved closer to the opening day of the first school year the 'walls' slowly disappeared as teachers unpacked their boxes and prepared their rooms. Floors and ceiling tiles were still not installed in many areas until hours before community members, parents, and children were invited to tour their new school. The 'ribbon cutting ceremony' occurred the day before school officially started and just one hour before it was to begin we passed our occupancy inspection. Everyone worked together to prepare the school to welcome the students on the first day. It was truly a positive bonding experience.
Principal: Dr. Amanda Schoenberg
She has been at the school since 2002.
What is your favorite memory from Prairieview School? "There are so many fond memories at Prairieview School. It's difficult to select just one. As I reflect over the last six years it's amazing to see the learning community that has developed at Prairieview."
What do you think is an unique aspect of your school? "We are fortunate to have a beautiful facility with many great instructional areas. In each of the pod areas, you will see small groups of students working with their teachers, support staff, parents and community volunteers. These spaces contain reading areas, student resources, work on display, tables arranged for small instructional groups, and computer work areas. The staff at Prairieview continues to find ways to maximize the instructional space in our common areas and make the areas student friendly. Teachers spend a great deal of time preparing their classrooms in order to provide the best learning environment possible. Grade level teams also apply these principles to our pod areas. The many Instructional enhancements to our group areas provide an optimal brain compatible learning environment."
What are you most proud of? "Dedicated and creative group of educators committed to creating a culture and climate conducive to student learning."
If all school enrollments were determined by choice, what would you say to potential parents to convince them to choose Prairieview for their children? "Prairieview is a community of learners with a welcoming atmosphere. We are committed to a child-centered educational philosophy, professional development of the staff, and state-of-the-art technology. The culture and climate at Prairieview reflects an inviting, respectful community. The staff focus their energies on the students and enjoy working together."
How has technology changed the way students learn over the past five years? Has that been a good change? "As educators, it is our goal to bring the classrooms into the 21st century. Teachers today have a responsibility [to] utilize technologies in their lessons in order to adequately prepare students for the future. One way we have integrated technology is through the use of interactive white boards. Interactive white boards are a learning tool that allow teachers to present curriculum in a hands-on and interactive manner. The boards also address many learning styles which engage students and lead to success for all in the classroom."