Students Will Vote on Beneficiaries of Walk-a-Thon

Cherokee students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade shared their collection, hobby, interest, or experiment on Feb. 24 during the Cherokee School Inquiring Minds Exhibit. Students worked alone, with a partner, or in a group on the projects of their own interesting and choosing - with minimal parent involvement - to demonstrate the various concepts they learn as part of the District 67 Science Curriculum. Many of the students made posters to help explain their exhibits and all participants were on hand to answer questions and share information about their projects. Inquiring Minds is an annual Cherokee event organized each year by science teacher Denise Kass.

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The next Board of Education Meeting for District 67 will be held at 7 p.m. March 22 in the Board Room, Lake Forest High School's West Campus, 300 S. Waukegan Road. School Exec Connect will present focus group and survey findings to the Board during this meeting. Board agendas are posted on the district website: http://www.lf67.org/schoolboard/board_agendas.html as well as minutes from previous meetings. Board meetings are also taped and then shown on LF City Channel 17 throughout the month on Rebroadcasts: 7 p.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. Wednesday.

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There will be a Parent Meeting at 7 p.m. March 23 in the Board Room, LFHS West Campus, 300 S. Waukegan Road. Dr. Harry Griffith (District 67/115 Superintendent), Dr. John Asplund (District 65 Superintendent), and tri-district Board of Education Members and Special Education Administrators will discuss the Special Education Study Team Action Plan Update and Review of Financial Impact.

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District 67 will hold a Gifted Screening Meeting from 1:30-2:30 p.m. April 14 for grades kindergarten through fourth, and 2:45-3:30 p.m. for grades 5-8 in the Board Room (second floor), a Lake Forest High School's West Campus, 300 S. Waukegan Road. Parents are encouraged to attend this session where Dr. Wiemer, Colleen Brueggeman and Laura Paull will share information about the District 67 Gifted and Enrichment programs.  If you have specific questions about your child or the screening process that you would like answered before the session, call Brueggeman at (847) 235-9665. Agenda items include an overview of the district philosophy and goals, information about current gifted programs, information about the screening process, and a question and answer opportunity.

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District 67 student artwork will be on display through April 4 at the Deer Path Art League fourth annual "Emerging Talent" student gallery exhibit in celebration of National Youth Art Month. A special Opening Reception will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday (March 11).  Artwork shown from Deer Path Middle School will feature the first place Judges Award winners from the Art Fair as well as selected class work by the art teachers.  The young artists will have the opportunity to show their creative visual talents to the public and talk about their art piece on exhibit. The Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is located on the second floor of the Gorton Community Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest.

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As part of the APT Fine Arts Program, American Eagle Productions will perform "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" for elementary students on March 22-23. In one of the most beloved books of the Narnia series, the characters of Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmond explore the triumph of good over evil, as they confront the evil White Witch with the help of Asian, who breaks the spell over Narnia. On April 7, Citadel Theatre will perform a stage adaptation of "The Breadwinner." The book, by Deborah Ellis, is part of the sixth grade curriculum. The story centers on an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban regime in war-torn Afghanistan. It’s a touching account of female perseverance in the face of incredible oppression and adversity. These performances are organized by the APT and funded through a grant from The Spirit of 67 Foundation.

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Every year, Deer Path Middle School students participate in a walk-a-thon to raise money for different charities. Previous charities have been the Association House in Chicago, The United Way, and most recently, GLASA.  The school’s administration and Student Council supervisors chose each organization.

For the 2011 Deer Path Middle School Walk-a-Thon, students were invited to nominate charitable organizations. Students were given a two-week timeframe to complete an application, during which 22 students nominated a total of 17 organizations (six students nominated the same one). On Feb. 25, the walk-a-thon subcommittee, comprised of representatives from the grade 5/6 and 7/8 student councils, met with advisors to review the applications. The students then narrowed the group down to our Final Five.

Between Feb. 28 and March 11, the nominating parties were tasked with putting together five-minute presentations to be viewed by the entire student body in the Peck Gym at 2:45 p.m. March 21 for 5th and 6th grades, and at 2:45 p.m. March 22 for 7th and 8th grades. Students were encouraged to incorporate their media skills into their presentation to promote their charitable organization. Following the presentations, an all-campus vote will take place March 23 with the selected organization(s) being named March 24.  

The Walk-a-thon will be held May 20 on the Deer Path Middle School campus. Between March 24 and May 20, students will raise awareness for the selected organization(s) by raising money, and by creating opportunities for students to get personally connected. This may include bringing in speakers or representatives from the organization(s) to put a "face” to the individuals or groups that will ultimately benefit from the Walk-a-Thon.