- West Chicago Elementary School District 33
- Board of Education
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Board of Education
The Board of Education establishes a vision for the community’s schools that reflects a consensus of the board, community, and district staff. The school board has a wide variety of additional responsibilities, including, but not limited to, adopting a balanced annual budget, adopting the school calendar, negotiating contracts with employee unions, and approving curriculum programs. Some questions the school board asks when determining this vision include:
What philosophy of education do we want our local schools to have?
What should our students know and be able to do when they graduate?
How can schools best educate students who come from diverse backgrounds?The District 33 Board of Education has a priority of maintaining two-way communication with its stakeholders. District 33 Board Members “adopt” a school for periodic visits and chats. This gives them increased opportunities for face-to-face contact with students, teachers, and parents. Listed below are our board members and their adopted school for the current school year. Additionally, District 33 Board of Education members actively participate in District 33 by serving on various District committees.
People who want to contact the Board via email can do so by sending a message to [email protected] which is the address for the entire group.
Board Members
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Meet the Board of Education
Rita Balgeman
President
[email protected]First Elected: 2019
Re-Elected: 2023
Term Expires: 202722/23 Adopted Schools: Currier/Gary
Morgan Banasiak
Vice President
[email protected]First Elected: 2019
Term Expires: 202322/23 Adopted Schools: Early Childhood Education Programs: Birth to Three/Preschool
Tom Doyle
Secretary
[email protected]First Elected: 2019
Re-Elected 2023
Term Expires: 202722/23 Adopted School: Indian Knoll
Felicia Gills
Member
[email protected]First Elected: 2021
Term Expires: 202522/23 Adopted School: LMS
Janette Hernandez
Member
[email protected]
First Elected: 2023
Term Expires: 202722/23 Adopted School: Pioneer
Chad McLean
Member
[email protected]First Elected: 2017
Term Expires: 202522/23 Adopted School: Wegner
Sandra Garcia
Member
[email protected]First Elected: 2021
Term Expires: 202522/23 Adopted School: Turner
Shared Agreements
- Make decisions according to what is best for ALL District 33 students.
- Respect staff and other board members and their opinions.
- Be willing to see things from the eyes of seven (7) people, not just one (1).
- Allow everyone to complete their thoughts.
- Commit to shared leadership.
- Respect confidentiality.
- Adhere to our belief in our students' full potential and successful future.
(Revised November 6, 2014)
Board Salutes
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Board Salutes
The Board of Education would like to recognize individuals of the District 33 community - which includes all staff members, students, bus drivers, parents/guardians, and guardians - for actions that build a positive culture and climate in District 33.
This "shout-out" will take place at Board meetings as an agenda item called "Board Salute" and will become part of the official minutes.
If you know someone who deserves a "Board Salute," please complete this form.
September 21, 2023
This Board Salute goes to Stephanie George, Student, Wegner School
"I am so proud to nominate Stephanie George, a fifth grader at Wegner School, for a Board Salute. Last year, as a fourth-grade student, Stephanie received a $500 grant from the nonprofit organization "One Tree Planted." This is a grant program for children ages 5-12 years old who are interested in making an impact on our environment. Stephanie planted a tree at Wegner School, she created a tree video about tree facts that was shared with all students on Earth Day and she taught students how to plant seeds and grow herbs during Wegner's High-Interest Day.”
~ Kathy Sawicki, Gifted Specialist, Wegner School
This Board Salute goes to Tony Sindt, Parent, Wegner School
“I am nominating Tony Sindt, Wegner parent and owner of Seasonal Concepts Landscaping, for helping us plant a tree at Wegner School. He donated his time, materials, and expertise on tree planting day. Due to his generosity, we could plant a much larger sugar maple tree, and his knowledge about trees was informative and educational."
~ Kathy Sawicki, Gifted Specialist, Wegner School
This Board Salute goes to Emily Hernandez, Teacher, Turner School
“Emily Hernandez was instrumental in making Kindergarten Camp successful. We had the most student participation this year, and Emily ensured the students were well cared for. She was incredibly supportive and always demonstrated a nurturing and safe environment for our little ones. She was never flustered or overwhelmed in challenging situations. We had emails from parents indicating their appreciation for how Ms. Hernandez cared for their children in challenging situations. We appreciate Ms. Emily Hernandez's dedication to our staff, students, and families.”
Showcases
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Celebrating Our Preschool Investigators
Preschool students "sold" donuts to the board members, demonstrating how they learn a variety of skills through play-based learning. The donut cart was an activity that resulted from learning all about bread through the scientific method.
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ACCESS 2022 As Seen Through the Lens of Gary Students
Gary students shared with the board members the steps they took to improve their scores on the ACCESS test. The power in their progress began with knowing their baseline scores, area of strength, and their focus for growth. Exposure to the exam truly empowered our students to take ownership over their own progress and success!