Thank you for another tremendous school year at District 88

Pictured is District 88 Superintendent Dr. Jean Barbanente.

It has been another tremendous school year at District 88, and I thank all of our stakeholders for your partnership in helping us accomplish our mission of working for the continuous improvement of student achievement.

On May 21, about 1,000 District 88 students walked across the stage and into the next phase of their life during the commencement ceremonies at Addison Trail and Willowbrook. Graduation is always a tremendous event to celebrate the accomplishments of the senior class, and I congratulate the students on their achievements.

  • To watch the Addison Trail graduation ceremony, and to view a photo gallery of the event, go to dupage88.net/atgrad.

  • To watch the Willowbrook graduation ceremony, and to view a photo gallery of the event, go to dupage88.net/wbgrad.

When reflecting on the 2022-23 school year, the honors our students received at the state and national levels in academics, extracurricular activities and athletics is truly incredible. This year alone, our students earned more than 750 career certifications and completed 2,000 Advanced Placement (AP)/college-level exams, and 2,000 students pursued dual-credit coursework. This opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school helps our families save more than $1 million in tuition each year.

District 88 is committed to providing multiple and flexible pathways for students to ensure they are college and career ready and continues to partner with colleges/universities and local businesses to enhance these opportunities. This year, we implemented several initiatives to expand these pathways and create more individualized options for students. To read more about these efforts, go to https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/15285.

During the 2022-23 school year, students earned state and national achievements in:

  • Math Team
  • Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA)
  • 2023 Illinois High School Theatre Festival (IHSTF) All-State production
  • IHSA Drama State Competition
  • Football
  • Girls Bowling 
  • Girls Gymnastics
  • Girls Wrestling
  • Girls Swimming & Diving
  • Girls Volleyball
  • Girls Badminton
  • Girls Track & Field
  • Competitive Dance Team (Poms)
  • Boys Cross-Country
  • Boys Gymnastics
  • Boys Track & Field
  • Baseball
  • Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games
  • SkillsUSA
  • DECA
  • BPA
  • Mock Trial
  • Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest
  • And, of course, the historic Girls Flag Football Team, which finished the regular season unbeaten and outscored their opponents 166-0. They then won the first-ever Conference Championship, the inaugural Chicago Bears Girls Flag State Championship and the regional tournament in Ohio. This qualified them to compete in the NFL FLAG Championships at the NFL Pro Bowl in Nevada.

We know these successes are possible because of our knowledgeable Board of Education members, caring staff members, involved parents/guardians, hardworking students and engaged community members. It takes all of us working together to build futures for our students, and we greatly appreciate your collaboration.

We are incredibly proud of our students and staff for the work they do each and every day, and we look forward to another great school year in 2023-24. Thank you for your continued support of District 88, and we wish you a wonderful summer break.

With District 88 Pride,
Jean Barbanente, Ed.D.
District 88 Superintendent