District 205 Board Takes a Moment to Honor Students, Teachers, Support Staff

Elmhurst District 205 School Board members took time out of their meeting Tuesday night to honor some exemplary students, staff members and volunteers.

National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar

York High School senior Cristina Uribe was among a number of students honored by the Elmhurst District 205 School Board Tuesday. 

Uribe was named a National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar for her hard work and dedication during her high school career.

Uribe, daughter of Ramon and Vicky Uribe, achieved a 4.5 grade-point average and is involved in multiple extracurricular activities, including marching band, community band and York Ambassadors. She also not only plays soccer, but is a coach for Team Elmhurst Soccer League.

National Merit Commended Students

Also honored Tuesday were York High School's National Merit Commended Students: Megan Bogolia, Andrew Douglas, Audrey Fisher, Luke Guerrieri, Rachel Iverson, Colleen Lehrer, John Mazzocco, Elizabeth Mendralla, Madeline Meyer, Jacqueline Nugent, Anna O'Donnell, Cormac O'Halloran, Rebecca Overend, Celine Taylor, Natalie Watts and Timothy Worley.

High school students enter the National Merit Scholarship competition by taking the preliminary SAT. Commended Students do not go on in the competition for scholarships, but they do place among the top 5 percent of the more than 1.5 million students who entered the competition, and colleges nationwide look highly upon the honor.

Those Who Excel

Finally, the School Board recognized award recipients in the Those Who Excel program sponsored by the Illinois State Board of Education. Candidates are nominated by their local districts or members of the community. Six candidates from District 205 were nominated, and all six were recognized by the ISBE.

Receiving an Award of Excellence in the community volunteer category is former 20-year School Board member Susan DeRonne. Superintendent David Pruneau pointed out DeRonne has volunteered under four superintendents, was instrumental in rewriting the district's policy manual and helping to get referenda passed, and has spent "endless hours listening to community members, parents and students," he said.

"She has faced many difficult decisions, but she's always based them on what is best for the students and for this community," Pruneau said. 

Jackson Elementary School's second-grade teaching team of Rebecca Hursh, Lori Jorbin, Sue Latoria and Cathy Moran received an Award of Recognition in the team category. They were nominated by Jackson Principal Ryan Anderson, who described them as a "high-functioning, interdependent group of professionals who dedicate themselves to student growth and success." He said their collaboration extends beyond the classroom to other adults and parents, and that their team approach is so exemplary other teachers have come and observed how they work so they can make improvements in their own schools.

Conrad Fischer Principal Jane Bailey introduced Nicholas Navarro, elementary school social worker at Jefferson School, formerly at Conrad Fischer, as the Award of Excellence winner in the school support personnel category.

"He made an immediate impact on the school community (at Fischer)," Bailey said, referring to classroom management strategies and other initiatives he implemented.

Calling Navarro a social worker extraordinaire, she cited his dedication to bringing in the dads, not only for Fischer's Watchdog program to increase security at the school, but to get them involved in the academic lives of their children. He got them to "stand up, line up and sign up, and they did in droves," she said.

More Honors

Pruneau mentioned other honors the district has received in recent weeks:

• Churchville Middle School CHAMPS/PBIS Team presented at the National Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Leadership Forum in Rosemont Oct. 10.
• District 205 Communications Department had four winners in the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association Contest: Melea Smith and Deanne Fulner earned an Award of Merit for the district's Report to the Community; Smith and Emily and Todd Mooney earned an Award of Excellence for the Welcome to District 205 Video; Kathy Schroeder and Debbie Hollstein earned a merit award for the Showtime! 2012-13 fine arts brochure; and Schroeder and Chris Whelton were recognized with a merit award for the Facilities at a Glance publication.
• For the second time, Sandburg Choir Director John Gaunt was named conductor for the Illinois Music Educators Association Elementary School Honor Choir for 2013.