Celebrating 50 Years of Educating Students at Niles West

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NILES TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOLS

Niles Township High School District 219 2008-09 Community Report Inside: Letter from the New Superintendent Plus: West Watch & Viking Voice newsletters

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from the new superintendent If all you read about public schools today comes from national media headlines, you are likely to hear only about failing schools and children being left behind. But here in Niles Township High School District 219, we are proving that public schools work. Since I began working in the district in 1995 as an English teacher at Niles West, I have been privileged to witness firsthand how hard our community works to provide quality public education for our children. We are fortunate in Niles Township to have residents who value and support education. We are fortunate to have an educational environment where parents expect Dr. Nanciann Gatta their children to learn. They also expect their local educators and administrators to provide safe schools that are fiscally responsible and provide an academically Superintendent rigorous curriculum. As your new superintendent, I pledge that our teachers, administrators and staff will recommit to achieving the goal of our District 219 Board of Education: to improve the academic achievement of every student. And how do we do this? One child at a time. Each child deserves the individual attention of an adult, a teacher, a coach, an activity sponsor. We strive to provide a student-focused learning environment, from the students who volunteer to tutor their peers in the literacy centers to the members of our mentor committee who work one-on-one with our new teachers to offer support and help them succeed in the classroom. We are raising the bar and challenging everyone in District 219 to create a learning environment where every student is given the opportunity to succeed. One child at a time. I hope you will take a few minutes to read through this newsletter, which highlights the successes of some of our students. I also invite you to watch “Your Superintendent @ Work,” a monthly video report we update each month that spotlights particular subjects or issues in our schools. (Two of the most recent feature our innovative science programs at Niles North and our theatre program at Niles West.) You can find the videos online at: http://sharepoint.niles-hs.k12.il.us/superintendent/default.aspx. Please know that I welcome your questions, your comments and your suggestions for improvement. You can call me at 847-626-3960 or email me at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of our schools and for helping us prove that public schools work!

Dr. Nanciann Gatta, Superintendent

Dr. Gatta supervises an “Iron Chef” competition in the remodeled foods lab at Niles North. To view the contest or to see other segments of “Your Superintendent at Work,” please visit www.niles-hs.k12.il.us.

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The Purple Pack shows their school spirit during the Homecoming parade held October 10.

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Niles North High School Newsletter 9800 N. Lawler Skokie, Illinois 60077 (847) 626-2000 www.niles-hs.k12.il.us/north

2009 National Merit Semifinalists An-Lin Dauber Rebecca Mertz-Shea Emily Rosman Michael Wesolowski These scholastically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarships that will be offered in the spring.

(Left) Sarah Paulis and Sam Cuya are crowned Homecoming Queen and King during this year’s festivities. The Viking football team defeated rival Maine West 48-20 in the Homecoming game. (Right) Science teacher John Kretsos demonstrates his amazing ability to withstand fire during the Halloween-themed chemistry exhibitions held for the community.

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principal’s letter Dear Niles North Community Members: Our school year began with students and staff discovering many significant improvements to our existing facilities, which include: • The Point (Niles North’s Literacy Center), was enlarged to accommodate more students. To date over 12,000 students have visited this resource to Robert Freeman receive help from student and faculty tutors. Principal • In a continuing effort to go green, the back of our school was transformed by planting trees and shrubs in order to help cool our building. In addition, a new bike rack area was developed for students who ride their bikes to school. • New food and fashion labs were constructed for our students taking classes in Applied Science and Technology. These improvements, along with several others, have given our school even greater resources which help our students. It is gratifying to look back at the past semester and recall the remarkable accomplishments our students have made. It has been a year filled with noteworthy achievements in the areas of academics, athletics, fine arts and student activities. Moreover, the altruistic spirit of our students and staff has been demonstrated by their tireless efforts to bring help and financial assistance to deserving people and charities. This newsletter gives you a glimpse of a few of the achievements and the special happenings here at Niles North High School. We celebrate students’ accomplishments in the form of the Principal’s Award Recognition Breakfasts, Illinois State Scholars, local, state and national award winners in academic departments, special events and athletics. Special mention should be made of our Physical Welfare Department’s second consecutive “Blue Ribbon Award” for excellence and to our Orchestra Director, Pamela Hendrix for being recognized as the “Orchestra Director of the Year” by the American String Teachers Association. I encourage you to become involved in our school. Our success is greatly enhanced by the three-way partnership formed between your child, our school and you. Sincerely,

Robert Freeman Principal Robert Freeman was honored with a Principals’ Recognition Award by the Illinois Directors of Student Activities in December. Freeman was nominated for the award for his support and commitment to the numerous clubs and organizations at Niles North.

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37 Teachers Pursuing National Board Certification More than three dozen teachers at Niles West and Niles North High School are engaging in a rigorous process this year to become National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT), the highest standard for teaching excellence. The 37 candidates are seeking to join the six nationally certified teachers already on staff at District 219, five of whom are science teachers: Ruth Gleicher, Mike Heinz, Neil Koreman and Ami LeFevre at Niles West and Scott Reed at Niles North. Jamie Krzeminski, a mathematics teacher at West, is also certified. The certification process was developed and is administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Certificates are awarded in 25 subject areas, with standards reflecting the professional consensus among professionals in each area about what should be the basis for teaching excellence, with a guided focus on how to help students learn best. Teachers are expected to engage in reflective, systemic thinking about how they teach, based on hands-on assessment and review of what they do in the classroom. Candidates are required to submit four extensive portfolio entries. Three are classroom-based, where video recordings and examples of student work serve as supporting documentation. A fourth entry relates to the candidate’s accomplishments outside of the classroom – with families, the community and colleagues – and how they impact student learning. Candidates must also demonstrate content knowledge in response to six exercises developed for the chosen certificate area. The assessments are computer-based and administered at professional assessment centers across the country.

After a candidate submits the portfolio entries and assessment exercises, the work is scored by a minimum of 12 teachers who are qualified for scoring based on their understanding of NBPTS standards and guidelines. The process is “a difficult challenge, but eminently worthwhile,” according to Ruth Gleicher, who teaches Honors and AP Biology. “You realize you’re not doing what you thought you were doing in the classroom, and it comes as a revelation,” she said. When she was working on her classroom portfolios, “Every day while I was driving home, I really would think about what I had done in the classroom,” said Ami LeFevre, who teaches AP Biology and Honors Chemistry. “The process required me to examine whether students are actually learning from what I’m doing in the classroom.” The process helps a teacher see things from the perspective of the student, says Mike Heinz, who teaches Chemistry and AP Chemistry. “What we’re trying to do is hold a mirror up to you,” he told the district candidates at an introductory dinner session this fall. “It’s not about your lesson or your classroom. It all about how do you best teach Johnny Smith who is sitting in that particular seat in that classroom.” This year’s candidates must submit their portfolio by mid-March. Those who achieve certification will be notified in late fall. “We’re very proud of our six teachers who are already certified,” said Dr. Nanciann Gatta, District 219 Superintendent. “I am thrilled that so many of our teachers have decided to pursue the next level of teaching excellence.”

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language/ELL Mastering Mandarin District 219 students speak over 40 languages, in addition to English, in their homes. But until now, students were not offered the chance to learn the language that over one billion people in the world speak: Chinese. The district offers classes in Spanish, French, German and Hebrew. According to Foreign Language and English Language Learner (ELL) Department Director Ed Murphy, “The community asked about offering an Asian language. Chinese is one of the most spoken languages in the world.” After conducting a survey of District 219 students and township eighth graders, the ELL Department proposed a first-year Mandarin (the official language of China) class to begin in the 2008-09 school year. In order to be at parity with neighboring schools’ foreign language offerings and to enhance the curriculum in a way that reflects the global economy, the District 219 Board of Education approved the Chinese 1-2 course to commence this year. Wileen Hsing is the district’s sole Mandarin teacher this year. She travels between Niles West and Niles North to teach two classes at each building. According to Hsing, “We had a waiting list at the beginning of the year. They’re pretty full sections.” She estimated that maybe 20 percent of the students in each class already speak Chinese, although most of them speak Cantonese, not Mandarin.

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Students in Mandarin often begin class with warmup dances.

Hsing grew up in the United States and when she was in the seventh grade she accompanied her professor father to China on his sabbatical. “That’s when I really learned Chinese,” she said. “It was still very ‘Mao’ then. It had just opened back up for tourists, and it was a little rough. It was a crash course in Chinese.” But the time in China ignited a spark; during college, Hsing attended a summer program in Taiwan and enrolled in Mandarin. She became an English teacher and taught that subject at Niles West for seven years. When she heard there was an opening for a Mandarin teacher at the schools, a light went on. “I thought it would be really fun to teach because it’s so important to me that I promote my culture and that I could share my culture with someone else. It’s nice to share something that is so close to me.” Hsing brings that enthusiasm and a sense of fun to her classes. A recent visit to Mandarin 1-2 began with a class leader conducting a bow to the teacher with the rest of the students following suit. Then the class sang a song in Mandarin that named

parts of the body. According to Hsing, five to seven different activities are usually on the schedule, with warm-up exercises, songs, partner interactions, and sometimes documentaries and films. And although the class was having a great time, learning Mandarin is hard work. According to the Foreign Service Institute of the Department of State, the Chinese language is classified as a Category III language and is therefore one of the most difficult for native English speakers to learn. Furthermore, the sheng (unique tones of the Chinese language) are very important, because the incorrect inflection of a word can completely change its meaning, or make conversation incomprehensible. Hsing laid out the goals for her students. “Theoretically, they should be able to carry on a simple conversation, they should be able to write a short letter to someone, they should be able to describe their family, and know cultural holidays and cultural aspects, like Chinese educational systems,” she said. Vicky Kao, a senior in the seventh period class at Niles North, is Taiwanese, and her family speaks Mandarin. Although she had taken some Mandarin when she was younger, it didn’t seem to stick. She said, “I was interested in taking this class. I really wanted to try to learn it so that my parents would be proud.” She said at first she felt like she had an advantage because she was familiar with the words, but as the class progressed it became more difficult. “I’ve learned a lot more than I used to know. Now I’m learning and I’m glad that I’m taking this class,” she said excitedly. She said that new students to the Chinese

language were adapting to the unfamiliar language,” I think they’re doing pretty good. They actually pick up on it really fast.” The Mandarin class was intended to bridge the gap between the community and the school and a byproduct is that it is also forging connections between the students. Kao said, “There are some freshmen and juniors that I didn’t know that I’ve become friends with.” One of Kao’s classmates is Ashley Carol-Fingerhut, a junior who is concurrently enrolled in Hebrew. A visit to Hong Kong when she was four opened her eyes, she said. “It seemed kind of cool to be involved in another culture. I learned a whole new way of life.” While this is her first attempt at learning Mandarin, she is not new to learning a foreign language, “It’s harder, obviously, and it’s different than English and Hebrew. I think I’m doing better. It’s kind of a progressive thing. We first started out with numbers and simple things and now we’re moving into how to write sentences, different kinds of sentences, how to use adjectives in different ways. I do flashcards and I also study a lot with people in the class.” Carol-Fingerhut said, “It’s really fun with our laoshi (teacher). It’s not a class where we all sit there quietly taking notes. Doing interactive things really helps with memorization and being able to use it.” She said that she and her classmates often speak Mandarin to each other (“Wo hen hao? I’m well.”) in the hallways for practice. She was especially proud that when she served as an election judge in November, she was able to engage in conversation with a woman from China and be understood.

Hsing is not surprised that there is excitement over the introduction of Mandarin 1-2 to the school. She cited the Beijing Olympics and Asian culture becoming more mainstream, as well as the ascension of China into the global economic community. Hsing commented that students who aren’t even enrolled in her class sometimes greet her in Chinese. Teaching the class has been very rewarding, she said. “It’s good for me as a teacher because I’m learning completely new strategies. It keeps me sharp in the classroom. Now it’s quantitative knowledge and I can see at the end of class that they know something new and that’s really exciting for me.” Hsing can look forward to having fellow teachers to collaborate with next year. According to Murphy, “We went to the Board and they approved a second year – Chinese 3-4 and 31-41 (honors). It’s my hope that this will continue and we will offer a third year and then additional years to result in a full four-year sequence by 2011-12.” Carol-Fingerhut encourages students to sign up. “It’s so great that our school has it,” she said. “To be able to take Chinese, and your friends say, ‘What? Your school has that?’ It’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m taking it. It’s pretty cool.’ So I definitely recommend taking the course. It’s one of the classes I look forward to.”

German Exchange District 219 sponsored a twoweek exchange program between students attending the Schönborn Gymnasium in Bruchsal, Germany and students of German at Niles West

English Language Learner (ELL) students sample Thanksgiving dishes prepared by their teachers. For many students, this was their first delicious introduction to an American tradition.

and Niles North High Schools. 27 Schönborn students arrived this fall and took various day field trips in the Chicagoland area during their visit and stayed with host families. Exchange students also attended school one day alongside their American hosts. Students look forward to visiting their German counterparts in summer 2009, when they will travel to Bruchsal, Germany, reside in their exchange partners’ homes for two weeks, visit destinations throughout Germany, and put their conversational language skills to use. This is the second exchange between District 219 and Schönborn Gymnasium. The exchange program is developed and run by German teachers Natalie Bartl, Josef Neumayer, Lydia Ronning, and Sara Shuster.

Members of the German Club show their pride during Homecoming.

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fine arts All-State Play Kayla Sheffey was selected for the costume crew (hair/makeup) in this year’s Illinois High School Theatre production of “Hairspray” held during the Illinois State High School Theatre Festival January 8 to 10 at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Sheffey was selected for the All-State production after an extensive application and interview process in June. She is a senior who has worked on almost every musical while attending Niles North. She said of her future plans, “I want to eventually work on wigs and makeup for the opera.” The Illinois High School Theatre Festival is the largest and oldest non-competitive high school theatre festival in the world. Midwest Clinic Appearance More than 15,000 music educators, musicians, composers, arrangers and music industry representatives attended the 62nd annual Midwest Clinic, an International Band and Orchestra Conference, in downtown Chicago in December. This weeklong conference is held every December. The Niles North Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed “Resplendent Glory” during a clinic for Ed Lisk, a Midwest Clinic administrator and retired director of bands for Oswego City School District, NY, who demonstrated techniques for building a better ensemble. Niles North performed December 19 in the Palmer House Hilton. According to Niles North band director Elton Eisele, up-

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wards of 2,000 people attend many of the concerts and clinics held during the conference and attendance at Midwest Clinic is a great honor for the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Progressive Steps Progressive Steps, the percussion ensemble directed by John Maloney, will be holding a series of fundraisers for the group to attend the Bands of America National Percussion Festival in Indianapolis in March. Progressive Steps was selected as one of only 10 high school ensembles nationwide to perform. Musicians play a wide range of styles from bombastic “drumistic” works to delicate classical pieces and everything in between. Grant Awards The following students earned matching grant awards from the Niles North Fine Arts Parents group this fall: Ashlee Colby,Justin del Rosario, Julia Kim, Paul Kim, Carolyn Kusel, Jonathan Long, Brianna Nielsen, Kirsten Pasia, Liset Santos, Nicole Torosin, Joanne Wong, Michael Zabrin, Allie Zeff, and Josh Zeidman. Matching Grants are intended to assist students in enhancing or learning new skills. IMEA These students were invited to perform at the IMEA All-State Festival in January 2009: Band: Matt Skrzypczynski (Bb contra bass clarinet) Orchestra: Robin Chan (bassoon) and Lauren Smyth (French horn) Choir: Allie Zeff (soprano).

Joe Boersma plays a struggling artist who fakes his own death in the fall production of the newly discovered Mark Twain farce “Is He Dead?” Sophie Scanlon plays Marie, the girl that he loves.

Kristina Loy plays the troublesome mother in the Director’s Circle production of “Beauty Queen of Leenane,” by Martin McDonagh. Director’s Circle is an audition-only program for outstanding theater students.

Orchestra Director of the Year Congratulations to Pamela Hendrix, the recipient of the Orchestra Director of the Year award from the Illinois chapter of American String Teachers Association. She will be honored at the Illinois Music Educators Association state conference in Peoria for her outstanding teaching and dedication to directing high school string students.

athletics Fall Summary Football The Varsity team posted the best overall record (5-4) in the last 16 years. The Vikings tied for 2nd place in the Central Suburban League (CSL) North. Senior running back Terry Turner was selected Offensive Player of the Year while his teammates Michael Dotson, Mike Granato, Tony Kennedy, Andre Merlos, George Neuhaus and Johnny Walker received recognition as All-Conference players. Dotson also achieved All-State All-Academic Honors. The future looks bright for the Vikings as the sophomore team captured the CSL North Division championship with a 4-1 ledger (7-2 overall). Boys Soccer The team enjoyed another successful season, narrowly being edged out by Deerfield for the CSL North Division championship. After posting an undefeated conference record of 3-0-2 (13-7-4 overall), the Vikings captured the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Regional Championship for the second consecutive year, beating Niles West 2-0. The Vikings were stopped by eventual state champion New Trier, 2-0, in a hardfought sectional contest. Senior captains Javier Torres and Erik Rodriguez, along with Kosta Minchev, Danny Braubach and Aleks Nagatkin were selected to the CSL All-Conference squad. Michev and Torres were also recognized by the Illinois Soccer Coaches Association (ISCA) as All-Sectional players with Torres being placed on the ISCA AllState Team.

Girls Volleyball This was a year of transition for first year Head coach Mike Cott, who had a young Varsity squad with only four returning seniors. The Vikings, led by senior setter Fran Paras and junior Captain Angie Walinski, pulled together to go 11-9 over the last 20 matches, knocking division leader Deerfield out of contention. The Vikings finished the year 5-5 in conference (15-22 overall) with Angie Walinski being named to the All-Conference team. Boys Cross Country Continually improving each week, the team finished third at the IHSA Regional contest, guaranteeing the Vikings a berth at Sectionals—the first time in four years that a Niles North cross country team qualified for this event. The Vikings were led by All-Conference runners senior Israel Cornelio and sophomore Konst Papazoglou. Girls Cross Country The Vikings competed well during the season as the program, loaded with young athletes, gained experience. Junior standout Gabriella Lopez captured All-Conference honors as she led the Vikings throughout the season. Girls Tennis The team experienced its best season in years, with an overall record of 8-8. Senior Anastasija Dabiza advanced to state competition for the third time and accomplished what no other girls tennis player had achieved—winning her first two state matches and placing 32nd in the state. Dabiza was selected CSL All-Conference for the fourth time in a row.

Girls Swimming Head Coach Paul Torres’ young Varsity squad improved throughout the season, which they showed when the entire team swam personal bests to take fourth place at the CSL North Division conference. Junior Lauren Dutca and sophomore Ksenia Kopylov were named All-Conference. Golf The program received an infusion of new blood as six promising freshmen made the team. Senior Dev Patel paced the golfers and was the sole CSL All-Conference choice.

Anastasija Dabiza advanced to the state tennis tournament for the third year. She is pictured with (left) John Amaro, Head Varsity Coach and Rich Jaffe, assistant coach.

Breannah Ranger signs a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. Pictured from left: Doug Bennett, assistant Varsity coach, Dan Paxson, Varsity head coach, Ranger, her mother, Michele, and Joel Kessler, previous head coach.

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physical welfare

Polar heart rate monitors are used at Niles West to reach the target zone.

Blue Ribbon Award The Niles North Physical Welfare (PW) Department is one of only six schools in the state of Illinois to receive the 2008 Blue Ribbon Program Award for outstanding physical education programs. The Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance bestowed Blue Ribbon status on Niles North, which signifies that the school is a model for excellence and that its program will set the tone for the future of physical education in the state. Blue Ribbon status is in effect for three years. Niles North previously received the Blue Ribbon Program Award in 2005. ILP Fitness Goals Under the Individualized Learning Plan (ILP), students may select a fitness goal for themselves. Director of Physical Welfare Paul Swanson said,”This year an assignment for every student has been to update their fitness goal on their ILP. We are close to 100% participation for every student. This fosters dialogue between the PW teacher and students about what physical outcomes they would like

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to accomplish in class.” Some of the choices: begin a regular walking program, join a sports team in the winter or spring season, improve nutrition by including more fruits and vegetables, limit consumption of fast food, and other goals. There is a selection of 19 goals, or room for students to write their own fitness goal with the help of a PW teacher. Polar Heart Monitors and the Effect on the Classroom Swanson said, “A lot of new research is out there about the use of physical activity and its connection to the classroom. It’s our focus in PW not to just be 32 minutes of activity a day, but hopefully impact what they’re learning in the classroom. This is based on research, not just theory.” Swanson cited “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by John J. Ratey, M.D. with Eric Hagerman. The book documents how Naperville District 203 students who signed up for Zero Hour (intense physical activity scheduled before first period), showed a 17 percent improvement in reading and comprehension at the end of the semester.

According to “Spark,” research shows that physical activity stimulates brain cell activity, which is the precursor for the brain’s adaptability to challenges. “The more neuroscientists discover about this process, the clearer it becomes that exercise provides an unparalleled stimulus, creating an environment in which the brain is ready, willing and able to learn.” Swanson said that the district purchased new heart rate monitors for Niles North this year (Niles West already had heart rate monitors) and hopes to get the same “Zero Hour” effect here at District 219. “The equipment will help teachers monitor student heart rates during exercise and help them reach their target heart rate zone. This helps us reinforce concepts that we’re teaching about cardiovascular fitness.” Family Fitness Night The first Family Fitness Night was held this fall at Niles West. The free session was an excellent opportunity for students and their parents to try out different types of physical activity as well as learn strategies for a healthy lifestyle. The 45-minute workout and 15-minute nutrition lecture was co-taught by PW teachers Heidi Splinter and Bashar Jazwari.

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Niles West High School Newsletter 5701 W. Oakton Skokie, Illinois 60077 (847) 626-2500 www.niles-hs.k12.il.us/west

R.J. Dilay and Nicole Rusek are crowned king and queen during this year’s Homecoming festivities.

2009 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists Andrew Lee Randy Lefkowitz Morgan Yates Alexander Zasso

Niles West celebrated its 50th anniversary October 3 through 5. Hundreds of alumni attended the Homecoming Game and Open House. The October 4 benefit at the Holiday Inn North Shore in Skokie raised more than $52,000 for the District 219 Education Foundation for Excellence. Azhar Usman, W’93 (center) and Ron Hauser, NTHS 1961, announce the winning raffle ticket. Usman is a professional standup comedian who performed at the event. Hauser was the evening’s emcee and auctioneer. He is a painter

and sculptor who is known as “The Canvas Cowboy.” (Above) Nick Fortuna, W’65, a founding member of The Buckinghams, sings the national anthem at the start of the Homecoming football game on October 3. The Buckinghams performed at the 50th anniversary celebration held October 4 at the Holiday Inn North Shore.

These talented high school seniors have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 merit scholarships that will be offered this spring. The group topped the charts in the 1960s with hits including “Kind of a Drag,” “Don’t You Care,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song,” “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” and “Susan.”

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principal’s letter Dear Niles West Community Members, As you can see from perusing the pages of this semiannual update, Niles West never rests! Whether in creating a richer academic environment for kids, more support for kids to reach their goals, more opportunities for kids outside the classroom, more connections with the community, or creating more chances for teachers to do an be their best, on your behalf we are tireless in our commitment to achieving a culture of achievement and respect here at Niles West. Kaine Osburn Principal You will read about how inside and outside the classrooms, whether in our new Mandarin Chinese program or on our new football field and track, our kids not only have more opportunities to grow than at any other high school in Illinois, they have more opportunities to succeed. Beyond the great investment of time, energy, and other resources to make such programs successful, on a day-to-day basis our kids discover new opportunities to learn and grow both academically and in social awareness. Our students’ work on behalf of School Chest or Relay for Life, and their experiences as Job Shadows all illustrate how they learn in ways more profound than is sometimes available in the traditional classroom. Of course, our status as the best high school Fine Arts Program in the country for 2007 has only made us challenge ourselves more. Our Marching Band has exceeded all expectations, entertaining both the community at football games and winning recognition across the region. Additionally, our theatre program has been chosen by the Illinois High School Theatre Festival to perform its fall production this coming January. Only a handful of high school theatre programs each year receive this honor. All of this and more happens for our kids because our investment in our facilities and, more importantly, our teachers. The single greatest way to have teachers excel is to empower them, and we work very hard at Niles West to empower our teachers to exercise the leadership necessary for real achievement. Whether it is through our exploding National Board Certification Program or faculty members publishing in professional journals or high profile magazines, it is easy to see that teachers here feel encouraged to seek out new channels for professional development and collaboration on a regular basis. Ultimately, this translates into better instruction in the classroom for your kids. And none of this is possible without you. As you know, this year Niles West celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Homecoming Weekend. In addition to our Homecoming Game attendance of thousands, including hundreds upon hundreds of graduates, our celebration for alumni the following night was a smashing success in its own right and for the District 219 Educational Foundation. Most of all, as you witness the fruits of your support for the district in these pages, please know how grateful all of us at Niles West are for your continued interest, passion, and support. In these challenging times, we don’t take you for granted, and we are truly lucky to share such a community together.

Kaine Osburn, Principal

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The Skokie Public Library received the National Medal for Museum and Library Services. (From left) First Lady Laura Bush, Niles West student Aleks Krapivkin, Skokie Library Director Carolyn Anthony and Museum and Library Services Director Anne Radice.

West Student Enjoys White House Visit for Library Honor When the Skokie Public Library recently received the nation’s highest honor for libraries and museums, library leaders were asked to name one community representative to join them at their White House visit. They chose Niles West sophomore Aleks Krapivkin. On October 7 Aleks was alongside Library Director Carolyn Anthony and Library Board Vice President John Graham when First Lady Laura Bush presented the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Services. Each year, the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in coordination with the White House, awards the national medal to five libraries and five museums that have made their communities better places to live. Skokie Public Library was honored for its outreach to Skokie’s richly diverse population and for “constantly working in collaboration with other organizations to address the everchanging needs of and challenges facing Skokie,” according to

director Anthony. The institute praised the library for founding and continuing sponsorship of the Skokie Festival of Cultures, as well as the library’s multilingual website and reading, visual, and audio materials. The library selected Aleks to represent the Skokie community in its visit to the White House because his story is such a strong example of how some customers benefit from its services, Anthony said. He came to this country four-and-a-half years ago from the Ukraine with his mother, sister and grandparents and spoke little English. His aunt, who had come to the U.S. some years earlier “suggested that Aleks go to the library and read picture books to improve his English, using the pictures to reinforce the text,” Anthony said. “Aleks did that and started hanging out in the library, gradually reading harder books as his English improved. Staff got to know him and asked him to help out with a birthday party for Curious George. Over time,

Aleks learned more about the community and the library from the staff.” Aleks is still active at the library, where he contributes to the SkokieNet website and volunteers for the summer reading club. At Niles West he takes part in choir and is a regular in the theatre program, taking part in every production onstage or behind the scenes. He is also active in community events, including the Skokie Festival of Cultures. And he puts to use his understanding of what it’s like to be a recent arrival in America; he helped develop the Korean newcomers page on SkokieNet, including a list of resources and an overview of the culture. Just a few years after he learned English by reading Curious George and Dr. Seuss, Aleks says, “It feels good to take part and feel like I’m part of the community – and it feels great to help others begin to feel that way, too.”

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that it brought her some peace of mind, “It dawned on me that maybe this story could help someone else.”

Niles Central Student Offers “Chicken Soup” Inspiration Kerri Grogan has been reading books in the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series for years and has found them a source of comfort and inspiration. So after she went through a tough time in her own life, she wrote about that experience, in part to get her feelings on paper and in part to share what she learned. Kerri, a junior at Niles Central, the district’s therapeutic day school, is now a published author. The piece she wrote, titled “Be Strong,” is included in “Teens Talk High School,” the newest edition in the Chicken Soup series. “Be Strong” relates Kerri’s friendship with a troubled young man who committed suicide at 16. The piece tells of a note he left her and the special meaning it continues to carry.

She submitted it to the Chicken Soup publishers and about two months later they let her know that were interested. Kerri worked with an editor to make the piece a bit tighter, but “the whole piece is my words” she says. She recently received an early print of the book and let a few students at Niles Central read “Be Strong.” Their reaction was gratifying. One student cried. “But it’s a good cry, not a bad cry,” Kerri said. Kerri’s gift for writing complements her other artistic tendencies; she paints, draws, sketches and sculpts. She carries with her a sketchbook filled with pen and ink drawings; she just filled up her 10th book. The sketches range from portraits of people she knows to fanciful creatures. The artistry runs in the family: her grandmother was an artist and sculptor and her mother draws. Kerri is working on her artistic portfolio and hopes to attend the Art Institute of Chicago. And she continues to write. “I would definitely encourage other students to submit their work to ‘Chicken Soup,’” she says. “Writing for yourself can be good, but sharing your story with others can help them know they’re not alone.”

Niles West Class Poets Four gifted Niles West writers were recently named as the official Class Poets: senior Aris Theotokatos, junior Ainee Fatima, sophomore Rocio Ruiz and freshman Ali Toth. The poets competed against other students for the honor, with the laureates selected by a panel of English teachers. As the selected senior, Aris will compose a piece to read at graduation ceremonies in June. He, Ainee and Rocio all compete on the school’s Poetry Slam team, which is sponsored by English teacher Paul Bellwoar. They have been practicing since September, according to Ainee, in preparation for the Louder Than A Bomb Teen Poetry Slam that will be held in February at Chicago’s Columbia College. The class poet competition, which is coordinated by English teacher Dana DesJardins, has been growing in profile as more students become aware of it. Aris submitted his poem at the suggestion of a friend who told him about the competition. Ali’s English teacher recommended that she enter after seeing a poetry assignment she did for class. Ali got an early appreciation of the power of the written word when some of her former teachers at Parkview School saw her piece and offered their congratulations.

Kerri said she originally wrote down her thoughts “to get some stuff off my chest; I wrote this a couple of months after this happened.” But as she looked back on the piece and realized

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Class Poets (from left): Ali Toth, Rocio Ruiz, Ainee Fatima and Aris Theotokatos.

Teacher Uses Expertise to Create AP Study Unit Advanced Placement (AP) Physics teachers across the country will benefit this year from the classroom expertise of Niles West science teacher Martha Lietz, whose unit on “Teaching About Gauss’s Law” has been published in the College Board’s professional development workshop materials. Lietz’s instructional unit is part of the AP Physics publication focusing on electrostatics that is being used in workshops around the nation this year. Lietz has been involved with the AP Physics program since 1990. She has been an AP test grader for more than a decade and served on the AP test development committee from 2001 to 2005. The AP materials credit her unit with helping AP teachers “develop ways to approach Gauss’s Law that enable the Physics student to approach this abstract topic conceptually.”

Celebrating Mole Day West chemistry students and teachers held a Mole Day celebration this year at 6 a.m. on October 23. Mole Day is the commemoration of Avogadro’s Number (6.02 x 10^23), which is a basic unit of measurement in chemistry. For any molecule, one mole is equal to the atomic mass (in grams) of the molecule.

science

Students showed their creative sides while celebrating the day. They sang the Mole song, toasted Avogadro with a mole of orange juice (18 mL) and ate pancakes with molasses syrup. Perhaps a similar celebration will be held on March 14 (Pi Day). Halloween Demonstrations (Below) Teacher John Kretsos uses a sledgehammer to break a concrete block on top of Harry Kyriazes, who is lying on a bed of nails. This was just one of the amazing demonstation illustrating scientific principles in the “Rocky Horror Science Show” event held for community members and elementary students. Physics Phun Night (Above) Teacher Scott Reed assembled “Team Phantastic,” a group of his students, to perform amazing feats of physics for members of the community. Team Phantastic demonstrated as well as explained the principles behind the visually exciting experiments. This experiment illustrated Bernoulli’s Principle, whereby air moving fast in one direction pushes less than air that isn’t moving.

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fine arts Production Chosen for State Festival Niles West Theatre’s fall production of “The Complete History of America: Abridged” was a mix of political commentary and a skewering of historical events. The “Daily Show”-style comedy was selected for The Illinois State Theatre Festival, the largest and oldest non-competitive high school theatre festival in the world. Of the 60 submitted shows, only about 15 shows were selected. According to Director Andy Sinclair, “I’m looking forward to showing 4,000 theatre students how good Niles West is, how much talent there is.” (Left) A scene from Ford’s Theatre, from “The Complete History.” ‘The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood’ Packs Niles West Auditorium Almost 3,000 sender elementary and Chicago Public School students attended the community performances of “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood” held this fall in the Robert L. Johnson Auditorium. The Niles West production followed the basic story of the legend, but with “a lot of pop culture and modern spins in it,” said Director Andy Sinclair. (Right) Jason Suran played the role of Robin Hood. IMEA Performances These students performed at the IMEA Festivals, the highest honor for high school musicians. District VII Concert Festival: Band: Holly Jensen (flute), Orchestra: Hillary Lindwall (viola), Choir: Oliver Barkell (tenor), Jane Chung (alto) and Nicole Yoon (soprano). District VII Jazz Festival: Vocal Jazz: Jane Chung (alto) and Sajni Ganger (alto). Barrage Brings High-Octane Style and Energy (Right) Dean Marshall a founding member of Barrage and the composer of “St. Patrice,” guides the orchestra through a rehearsal of the piece. Marshall encouraged the musicians to move and be ready for anything. (He playfully pushed soloist Hillary Lindwall while she performed.) The concert on November 18 was sold out. It was a fundraiser for the music program.

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FALL 2008 ALL-CONFERENCE ATHLETES

Uzma Ahmad, Tennis

Daniel Aler, Golf

Carmin Beck, Cross Country

George Davros, Cross Country

athletics NEW TURF AND TRACK Niles West unveiled its new ecologically-friendly state-of-the-art synthetic playing surface and track at Mike Basrak Field this fall. The track is the same type of surface used at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.The artificialturf system was one of the first of its kind installed at at a high school facility. Here are some of the steps in the process:

Removing the existing field

Mahir Mameledzija, Soccer

Mark Ouska, Golf

Installing a sub base

Eusebiu Pintilei, Soccer

Mirza Prses, Soccer

Sewing in the sidelines

Jasmine Ramahi, Swimming

Nicole Rusek, Volleyball

Not pictured: Alexander Zasso, Cross Country; Marian Ciocan, Soccer; Nicholas Gremley, Football; Leonard Panion, Jr., Football; Christopher Wright, Football; Shawn Afryl, Football. Adding the center logo

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Teacher’s AP Lesson Niles West teacher Shaun Waldron recently had a lesson published by the College Board as part of their professional development program for Advanced Placement (AP) Economics teachers. This is a national publication and Waldron’s contribution is entitled “Lesson: A Comparison of Graphs from Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.” Waldron has taught high school history and economics since 1994 and has been involved in the AP Program since 1996. Librarians Celebrate at Conference Niles West IRC Coordinator Penny Swartz and Media Specialist Helen Rifkin presented “Celebrations Work!” at the Illinois State Library Media Association Conference on November 7. They shared the experiences and events that have turned the West IRC into a welcoming haven that is central to the school. The presentation was also one of four selected to be a part of the virtual conference which will feature live audio feed and be archived on the Illinois State Library’s WebJunction. Good Samaritans Students and staff from the Bridges program noticed baggies of money lying on Church Street and Gross Point Road on their trip to the Weber Center. They turned in the money to school police liaison Officer Frank Czajka, who found that no person or business had reported missing or stolen money. The Bridges program was given almost $100, which they will use to provide clothing or toys to a local shelter and the Skokie Assist-A-Family program.

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Students put their skills to the test when they visited local businesses for Job Shadow Day. Job Shadowing is a nationwide effort that allows students an up-close work at their intended career path. (Clockwise from top) Jessica Ang and Bishop Ferrara ventured into Osteria di Tramonto, a fine dining establishment in Wheeling. Under the tutelage of Jeremy Pitt-Payne, pastry cook, Ang, a rookie chef, prepares the restaurant’s signature dessert, the apple crostada. Jay Kegley, the Assistant General Manager, shows Ferrera the “back of the house” operations, explaining the day-to-day duties of a manager, from inventory and planning to staffing and finances. Bruce Stender, a designer at Lewis Floor and Home, gives Jessica Carpenter (left) and Sarah Schwuchow a tour of the beautiful Northbrook showroom. Stender explained the principles in creating a harmonious room design, and advised the students on career options. Job Shadow Day and Ask the Experts Day are managed by Education to Careers Coordinator Lisa Edelson. Ask the Experts Days will be held March 17 and 18.

Last year’s Relay for Life event raised $91,000, with over 800 participants. Niles North sent more of the 80 teams than Niles West, so the traveling trophy remains with the Vikings. 13 survivors attended the event and the luminaria ceremony honored 160 persons affected by cancer. This year’s event will not strictly be an all-youth relay, so community teams from Skokie, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove and Niles are urged to sign up. Please contact one of the following: Niles North: Jenny Bowen, 847-626-2304 or Amy Koning, 847-626-2231 Over the last six years, the students of Niles North and Niles West High School, along with faculty, staff and the community, have collected $250,000 through School Chest / Dance Marathon to benefit worthy causes. Last year, over $70,000 was raised for Partners in Health. This year’s beneficiary is Camp One Step at a Time, part of Children’s Oncology Services, Inc. (COSI). COSI offers camp experiences and educational programs that allow children with cancer to have fun, friendship and support in a safe and nurturing environment. Join us at this year’s Dance Marathon:

Niles West: Rich Costante, 847-626-2580 American Cancer Society, Northshore Regional Office, Evanston: Cheri Byrd or Kathy Stein, 847-328-5147 Teams may sign up online immediately at: www.RELAYFORLIFESLMGN.com Relay for Life: June 12-13, Niles West

Saturday, May 9, 2009 6 p.m. - Midnight Niles North High School

The Niles Township Schools English Language Learner (ELL) Parent Center held its Grand Opening on September 28. It was a great success. Guest speakers from around the world shared experiences, there were programs on American school nuances, study tips for parents and resources for their children. District 219 students have volunteered to provide babysitting at several events. Director of the ELL Center Corrie Wallace, shared the following program information. All classes are FREE and for parents of children in Niles Township schools. Class Dates Family Literacy Class Tuesday/Thursday Family Literacy Class Thursday Positive Parenting Skills for English, Spanish & Assyrian-speaking parents English Conversation Wednesday (Tea & Talk)

Times 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. 6 - 9 p.m. 6 - 8 p.m. 10 - 11 a.m.

Schedule January 27 - April 30 January 29 - June 4 January 27 - March 17 on-going

For more information, to register for classes and/or to volunteer, call (847) 568-7611.

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Reader survey results: most want news from both schools People who responded to the readers’ survey in our last District RESULTS 219 community report gave the publication positive marks in general, and a large majority say they would like future editions to include news from both Niles West and Niles North High Schools. In the past several years the district has produced two separate versions – the West Watch and the Viking Voice. The most recent publication combined news from both schools along with the annual community report. Seventy percent asked us to share news from both schools going forward, a request we will honor. On a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (very good), respondents gave the newsletter an average rating of 4.4. A number of readers said they would like to see more information about our curriculum and about teacher accomplishments, so we will work to include

more substantive information on those topics, such as this issue’s article about our teachers who are seeking national board certification. Some of you also asked for more specific information about upcoming arts events; if you are not currently receiving our annual fine and performing arts calendar, please call 847626-3959 and we will add you to the mailing list. Others asked how to find out what athletic events are coming up. For the most up-to-date calendars for the Niles West Wolves teams please go to: http://www.nileshs.k12.il.us/westsports/. You can find the Niles North Vikings game schedules at: http://www. niles-hs.k12.il.us/northsports/ teams.html. In order to deliver the publication as cost-efficiently as possible, we mail it using a bulk rate. Because the school boundaries do not align neatly with postal carrier routes, in the past some people in the Niles West boundaries received the North edition, and vice versa. With a combined edition, all Niles Township resi-

Niles Township High School District 219 7700 Gross Point Road Skokie, Illinois 60077 www.niles-hs.k12.il.us District 219 Board of Education Robert Silverman, President Lynda Smith, Vice President Ruth Klint, Secretary Dr. Sheri Doniger, Secretary Pro Tem Carlton Evans, Member Jeff Greenspan, Member Eileen Valfer, Member

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dents will now receive news from both schools. Several residents requested that we remove their name from the mailing list. Unfortunately, we are not able to honor this request, because we do not create labels for specific addresses. To do so would cost much more in postage. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you to those readers who completed the survey. We welcome your comments and suggestions about District 219 publications. You can send a note to [email protected] or call 847-626-3959. The Niles North TREK Committee is looking for parent or community members who are interested in sharing their expertise with students. TREK Day, October 2, allows students to explore activities and learn new skills. Some ideas for classes are painting, dancing, resume writing, web design, interviewing skills, Pilates, self defense, and volunteerism. Call Karyn Malench at 847-626-2400 if you can share your creativity and abilities with our students.

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