CL South Service Learning Program Links Students With Real World

Students and teachers organized and carried out 72 separate service learning projects during the 2011-2012 school year.

Crystal Lake South High School students were very busy this past year, not just with their studies, but also working on their required Service Learning project. For the past three years, South administrators, teachers and students have been testing out the Service Learning program, which was designed to make connections between what the students are learning in class and the real world, South Principal Marsha Potthoff said. "This is the year when we have to review the program, and we determined we're going to keep it," Potthoff said. "The teachers felt the program was now embedded in the curriculum...the vast majority felt it was helping their students, they felt they were making a connection to their students, and felt the students were …

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Happy Spring Break Week to Area Students!

Spring break runs March 26 through March 30, 2012 for District 300, District 155, District 47 and District 158 schools.

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Bullying Prevention Assembly to Kick Off School Year

Collaborative efforts promote positive change for Character Education in District 155 schools.

As many Patch readers may recall, over the past year some Crystal Lake community members have been advocates for an ever increasing focus on character education in our schools to ensure an environment conducive to comfortable learning for all students. Indeed, on March 1 of this year Christopher Koch, the Illinois State Superintendent of Education, issued a 100+ page memo entitled "School Bullying Prevention Task Force Report." This report conveys the State's acknowledgment of a persistent bullying problem in the United States (Illinois included), and supports the State's commitment to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). The sentiment leading to the promotion of this character education is perhaps best captured by Representative Tim Ryan…

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Back-to-School: Important Dates for LITH Kids

Patch provides information on upcoming open houses, schedule pickup dates and start dates for parents and their children who are heading to school.

The first day of school for all students (except kindergarten students) attending District 47 schools is Aug. 30 and will be a half day. The first day for kindergarten students is Aug. 31. Other important dates for District 47 schools attended by Lake in the Hills students include:  The first day of school for all District 155 students is Aug. 25. In total, 450 Lake in the Hills teens attend Crystal Lake South High School, and 50 attend Crystal Lake Central High School. Crystal Lake South will host its parents' night/open house Sept. 14. The first day of school for grades 1 through 12 will be on Aug. 24. Kindergarten students start school Aug. 25. 

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School Districts See Decrease in Enrollment

The Northwest Herald reports that Crystal Lake District 47 has fewer students than it did five years ago, which could affect enrollment at District 155 in the years to come.

At least one school district Lake in the Hills students attend has seen a decrease in enrollment in recent years, while another could face declines down the road. The Northwest Herald reports Crystal Lake District 47 has 510 less students than it did five years ago and the housing crisis could be to blame. There are currently 8,640 students that attend District 47 schools. District 47 has looked at the option of closing a school and is studying other options, according to the Northwest Herald.  District 155 officials are prepping for how the decreasing enrollments within D47 will affect its district down the road, according to the Northwest Herald. D155 — a high school district — takes in students from D47 schools, including around 500 …

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District 155 Approves New Teachers Contract

The contract will include a salary freeze and for teachers to contribute more to health insurance benefits, according to a District 155 press release.

The Community High School District 155 board of education Monday approved a new teacher's contract that includes a salary freeze and teachers to provide greater contributions to health benefits, according to a D155 news release. District 155 provided the following account of the new contract in a Tuesday news release. After nearly seven months of negotiations, the Community High School District 155 board of education and Education Association have come to agreement on a contract effective July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013. Teachers in District 155 will have their salary schedule frozen over the next two years and also will make greater contributions to health insurance benefits. Total estimated savings to the district will be $2 million. …

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District 155 Looks at $1.5 Million in Cuts

The District 155 Finance Committee discussed the preliminary plans during a meeting Wednesday.

At a District 155 Finance Committee meeting Wednesday, members discussed preliminary plans to cut about $1.5 million from next year from the district's budget, The cuts could include $820,000 in reductions in spending, pay freezes and contracting with another school district for some special education services, according to the Northwest Herald. For more on this story, visit the Northwest Herald.

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Homeless Student Numbers Broken Down By District

Community Unit School District has 332 homeless students.

Community Unit School District 300 at last count reported 332 homeless students within the district, said Barbara Kelly, director of pupil personnel services. District 300’s homeless students hale from all parts of the district, and the numbers by communities are: Homeless numbers are important to school districts because when a family loses its home, it’s the district’s responsibility to assist the children and keep them in their home school, if requested. By law, school districts must waive registration and lunch fees, provide school supplies and arrange transportation to and from school, regardless of how far a child has moved away. Kelly said District 300, with a student body of 20,544 children, covers the costs associated with bussing…

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District 155 Offers Free Parent University Sessions

Community High School District 155 will hold the 3rd annual Parent University offering information and skills to help parents raise healthy teenagers. The deadline for registering is Friday.

Dealing with the teenage years can be a daunting experience for parents and teens alike. Children face ever-increasing pressures from friends, family, school, and busy extracurricular activity schedules. Some are coping with forces out of their control – like bullying, learning disabilities or mental health problems. Throw in the social temptations to experiment with drugs and alcohol, and parents have a lot on their plates. For that reason, Community High School District 155 is offering the 3rd Annual Parent University from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 26, at Prairie Ridge High School, 6000 Dvorak Drive in Crystal Lake. The free, half-day event, offers 21 courses and is open to all District 155 parents and parents of next year’s freshmen …

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Village, School Officials Share 2011 Goals

LITH Patch asks various officials what they hope to see change in the New Year.

It's the New Year: A perfect time for reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to what needs to be accomplished in 2011. LITH Patch sent out a questionnaire to various village and school officials to gauge their hopes and goals for 2011. See what they have to say and tell us what you think needs to be changed in our comments section below. Community Unit School District 300: School Budget Cuts Top Concern Lake in the Hills children attend several District 300 schools, including H.D. Jacobs High School, Westfield Middle School, Lake in the Hills Elementary and Lincoln Prairie Elementary. Allison Struppeck, spokeswoman for Community Unit School District 300, talks about goals and challenges for D300 as school budgets continue to face …

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Amie Schaenzer

9:35 am on Friday, February 11, 2011

Hi Chris! Thanks for reading. We did reach out to District 158 to get their comments, but never heard back. Here is an updated story that we just posted about upcoming budget decisions for the district: http://patch.com/A-dYJY. And check back Monday for a more detailed story on the possible cuts.   more ›