Aldermen Say Elmhurst Stormwater Solutions will Involve Use of School and Park Property

Concept plans are very preliminary, but engineers say excavation will leave the properties in better condition than they are now.

Elmhurst City Council unveiled a plan Monday to alleviate flooding throughout the city by utilizing land belonging to Elmhurst Unit District 205 and Elmhurst Park District. On display in council chambers were conceptual drawings of public areas identified as potential water retention basins. While a lot of work has been done since the 2010 floods devastated numerous areas of the city, nothing "tangible" has been implemented yet to take care of overland flooding, Public Works and Buildings Committee Chairman Jim Kennedy said. In 2010, RJN Group analyzed system failings on the sewer and sanitary side, resulting in the soon-to-be-constructed, $6 million southwest Elmhurst Wet Weather Project. RELATED: 'Four Times in 10 Years': Elmhurst …

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Jim Court

8:28 am on Wednesday, May 8, 2013

I think that as a city, we should doggedly look at how every dollar is spent, do everything possible to increase efficiency, eliminate any waste, be creative, innovative, and not operate in the business as usual mode. The pertains to all Government bodies, not just the city. I have expressed many valid ideas yet there seems to be a mindset that unless you are employed by the city, are a paid …   more ›

District 205 Summer Recreation Open House is Tonight!

One-stop shop for summer recreational and educational programs for kids.

Police Presence Will Continue at Schools All Week; York Has Special Procedures in Place

For finals week at York, students will be supervised at all times and only allowed to exit the school from two doors. Students who open a door for anyone for any reason will face disciplinary action.

Extra police presence will continue at all Elmhurst schools, both public and private, throughout the week as students approach a much anticipated holiday break. Police Chief Michael Ruth made the decision to put officers at all schools in response to the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., that left 20 young children and six adults dead. He said the response patrol officers have received from the public has been "overwhelmingly positive." Parents are "grateful to our officers." "Our police officers understand the feeling of comfort and reassurance that their presence means to our residents," Ruth said. On Monday, Chief Ruth, himself, was seen walking near Immaculate Conception School just before 3 p.m., and…

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City Council Will Establish TIF 4 Next Week Without Revenue Sharing Agreement with District 205

School Board president says significant progress has been made; an agreement should be in place by the end of September.

When Elmhurst City Council meets on Tuesday, Sept. 4, to vote to establish a new tax increment financing district, TIF 4, it will do so without an agreement in place to share TIF funds with District 205 schools. Both bodies have been meeting for a couple of months to try to get something in writing that everyone can agree on, but they aren't there yet, School Board President Jim Collins said Tuesday. "We're in substantial agreement with the majority of points with the city," he said. "We really hoped we could have an agreement in place by the time the city votes on Tuesday, but we won't. As I've said before, the devil is in the details." TIF districts freeze assessed property values for local taxing bodies for up to 23 years to encourage …

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York Athletic Department Challenged by Budget Cuts; Athletic Director Names New Swim Coach

Jim Clarke named head coach of York girls swimming; track students and parents make a plea for Clyde Ware's return.

The York High School Athletic Department is undergoing some coaching changes. Budget cuts have caused the layoff of beloved assistant track and field coach Clyde Ware, and the announcement of a new head coach for girls swimming puts to rest some of the questions surrounding swimming program leadership that began back in February. Girls Head Swim Coach Not a New Face York Athletic Director John Rutter announced Wednesday that Jim Clarke will be the new head coach for the girls swimming program beginning in the 2012-13 school year. He also will be on deck this summer as head coach of York’s girls swim team.  Clarke is an English teacher and currently an assistant coach in the girls swim and water polo programs at York. He earned a bachelor's…

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Some Student Fees More Palatable, but Athletic Fees Unchanged, Drivers Ed is Up

Some families still are likely to need assistance from the York Student Enrichment Team for athletics and textbook fees.

In the coming weeks, as parents begin registering their children for school in the fall, many will feel a slightly smaller hit in the wallet when it comes to fees. Elmhurst Unit District 205 School Board on Tuesday heard a report on educational fees for next year for kindergarden through eighth grade, and for York High School students. "When fee increases occurred last year, we received some negative feedback," Assistant Superintendent for Finance Chris Whelton said. "We've put a lot of effort into thinking about our fee structure." At the elementary level, parents will pay $13 less in the general registration fee for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten; $4 less in grades one through five; and $3 less in grades six through eight. Fees in pre…

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Jim Court

6:50 pm on Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Leave to Government to buy a new vehicle every six years. Schools have long gotten away with virtually an unlimited budget by attaching the term "life safety" to something. Do you really think a six year old car, driven primarily at slow speeds, on slow streets, creates any risk? This is "Elmhurst", perhaps it should be a Porsche. Couldn't York High School automotive classes maintain these …   more ›

Potential Budget Cuts, Finances on District 205 Agenda

The agenda also includes the list of proposed textbooks and ancillary materials for high school and middle school, approval of transportation bids and acceptance of gifts.

Elmhurst Unit District 205 School Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, at the administration building, 162 S. York St. The public meeting will follow a closed session involving employment of an employee, collective negotiations and probable or imminent litigation. The public meeting will begin with comments from citizens. Members of the community are invited to speak for up to three minutes on any topic. The next order of business is a presentation from PMA Financial Network Inc. Information on budget projections, as well as an enrollment and staffing analysis, will be provided to give the School Board a foundation with which to map out the district's financial future. The board will then hear a presentation on the 2013 proposed…

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District 205 School Board Will Look at Exactly How Far Behind the State is in Reimbursements

Also on the agenda, teachers will be honored and a new health insurance consultant is slated for hire.

Elmhurst Unit District 205 School Board will hold its monthly business meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the administration building, 162 S. York St. The meeting will follow a closed session at 7 p.m. to approve minutes from Dec. 13, Jan. 10 and Jan. 17. First item of business at the open meeting will be a resolution honoring teachers Donna Dewar of Conrad Fischer School, and Elizabeth Leidolf, Megan Mehilos and Jessica Weldon from York High School, who have achieved certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The designation, which is the highest in the teaching profession, is achieved through rigorous assessment according to NBPTS standards. Nationally certified teachers act as spokespersons, mentor…

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Editor's Notebook

I Can't Put My Arms Down!

It's cold out there, but that didn't stop these kids from fun on the hills. Share your winter-fun photos on Elmhurst Patch by uploading them to this story.

One of the funniest things I've read in a long time was posted on the Mary Queen of Heaven alumni Facebook page awhile back. Mary Queen of Heaven Parish and Emerson Elementary School are located right next door to each other on West Avenue in Elmhurst. Kids who attended Mary Queen School back in the day used to call the kids that went to Emerson (a public school) the "Emer-sinners," apparently. The counter attack from the Emerson kids was a little chant: "Mary Queeners have green _____." Well, there's another reason to keep the rivalry fired up between the parochial school kids and the public school kids: Some of the former actually had the day off today and were careening down the sled hill at Berens Park in the freshly fallen snow, while…

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Karen Chadra

1:58 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012

Thanks for posting that cute picture, Amber!   more ›

'Determined Little Guy' Moved to Action at the Sight of Kids Living in Cars

Kindergartner Vincent Temple set his mind to making a difference, and on Tuesday, he received an official commendation from DuPage County Board.

Like many Sunday nights, Kate Temple and her family watched 60 Minutes over the Thanksgiving weekend. “The segment they showed was really great,” she said. “It was so powerful in that it showed these homeless families, many of them with little kids, who were living in cars.” The families were from Florida, and many of the kids had to shower at hospitals or gas stations before going to school. As she was tucking in her youngest son, Vincent, that night, he told her, “Mom, I think we should help those kids in Florida.” “None of us really knew how much Vincent was paying attention,” Temple said. “I think it really impacted him.” The next day, she received an email from Vincent’s kindergarten teacher at Jefferson Elementary, Patricia Fox. “I …

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