Thank you for another tremendous school year at District 88

Pictured is District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton.

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. This year, we once again were recognized by Niche, and Willowbrook earned a Silver medal from U.S. News & World Report. As a district, we were No. 3 on Niche's list of Most Diverse School Districts in Illinois, and we were No. 27 on their list of Best School Districts in Illinois.

Our students continue to succeed inside the classroom and beyond, and that happens because of the support from our parents/guardians, community members, Board of Education members, staff members, administrators and students themselves. It truly takes a village to build futures for our pupils, and that collaboration and encouragement was apparent during our 2018 commencement ceremonies on May 20. As Superintendent, graduation day is one of my favorite events – it’s an indescribable feeling to watch as graduates earn their diplomas and walk across the stage and into the next phase of their lives.

Addison Trail had more than 430 students graduate on May 20. To watch the commencement ceremony, and to see a photo gallery from the event, click the image above (or go to www.dupage88.net/ATGraduation2017-18).

Willowbrook had about 500 students graduate on May 20. To watch the commencement ceremony, and to see a photo gallery from the event, click the image above (or go to www.dupage88.net/WBGraduation2017-18).

To date, our preliminary numbers indicate more than 90 percent of the class of 2018 at Addison Trail plans to attend a two- or four-year post-secondary school, and more than 90 percent of the class of 2018 at Willowbrook plans to attend a two- or four-year post-secondary school or a technical school. Members of the Addison Trail class of 2018 plan to attend colleges in 15 states and have been accepted to more than 130 colleges. Members of the Willowbrook class of 2018 plan to attend colleges in 20 states and have been accepted to more than 200 colleges.

To read about other highlights from the 2017-18 school year, go to www.dupage88.net/2017-18highlights. You also can see photos of those accomplishments on our Facebook pages at:

During the May 21 District 88 Board of Education meeting, we also shared information and data regarding our finances and Success Indicators that are part of our Vision, including Math and Reading Achievement, Reduction in Behavior Incidents, Extracurricular Participation, Graduation Rate, Advanced Placement (AP)/College-Level Courses/Test Performance and Compliance. The presentation provided a recap of where we’re at in those areas, as well as future plans/goals. To watch the presentation, go to https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/8281 (click on “Data Presentation”).

The end of the school year is a great time to look back and celebrate our history. According to the book "DuPage High School District 88 History Lessons 1918 - 2001" by Greg Mahoney, two important District 88 Board of Education milestones take place this week – May 20 was the 100th anniversary of the first District 88 Board of Education meeting, and May 27 marks the 100th anniversary of the meeting where the new Board resolved to "establish and maintain a four-year high school for the coming year according to the standards of fully accredited high schools ..."

While we have been fortunate to celebrate amazing successes in 2017-18 and throughout our history, it’s difficult to reflect on this school year and not remember those who lost their lives in tragic school safety incidents. We will forever honor their memories, and our hearts and thoughts will always be with their family members and friends. At District 88, the safety of our students and staff is our No. 1 priority, and the security of our buildings will remain at the forefront of our work. To read more about our safety and security measures to maintain a secure and caring home at Addison Trail and Willowbrook, go to www.dupage88.net/Safety.

As part of that focus, we hosted a School Safety Forum on March 12 at Willowbrook, where about 400 student leaders from 28 Chicago-area high schools (including our two schools, Addison Trail and Willowbrook) came together for a day of conversation and planning regarding school safety. As a continuation of those efforts, we took 14 of the District 88 students who participated in that event to Springfield on May 23 to visit local legislators who participated in a question-and-answer panel during the forum. Our goal was to thank the legislators, tell them what we've been doing since our last meeting and follow up on their work to make schools safer.

I would like to thank State Sen. Chris Nybo (pictured in the center of the bottom right photo above), State Rep. Deb Conroy (pictured in the center of the bottom middle photo above), State Sen. Tom Cullerton (pictured in the center of the bottom left photo and at right in the bottom right photo above), State Rep. Kathleen Willis and State Rep. David S. Olsen (pictured in the center of the top right photo above) for taking time to meet with our students to continue these important discussions. Cullerton introduced the group in the Senate and shared with his peers the leadership role our students are taking in the area of school safety. Willis introduced the group in the House of Representatives and also discussed the March 12 forum with the House. The senators and representatives applauded our students for their tremendous efforts and initiative.

I also would like to thank Peg Agnos and Jen Figurelli from Legislative Education Network of DuPage County (LEND) for their assistance in coordinating this visit, as well as the forum in March.

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 2018-19. On behalf of the District 88 Administration and Board of Education, thank you for your continued support, and we wish you a wonderful summer break.