Superintendent Moyer delivers State of Schools address
Pictured is Dr. David Moyer, Superintendent of Schools for District 205, offered a State of the Schools address to a group of about 60 people gathered at the Commons of York High School on Monday, Sept. 18. Other District 205 leaders talked about innovative learning experiences they have provided in the classroom. Seated behind Dr. Moyer is School Board member Kara Caforio, who led the Focus 205 endeavor.
Topics included innovative programs, applied learning, all-day kindergarten
By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
District 205 has “an unrelenting focus on improving student achievement.”
This was the premise that began the comments of District 205 Superintendent Dr. David Moyer as he delivered a State of the Schools report to a group of about 60 residents gathered in York Commons on the evening of Monday, Sept. 18.
Moyer began by listing a number of awards and achievements the School District had earned over the past few years followed by a list of student accomplishments by groups and individuals. For instance, a record 13 National Merit Semifinalists became finalists last spring, with four earning National Merit Scholar status. He also mentioned that 33 members of the York Class of 2017 were named National AP Scholars, earning an average score of 4.56 out of a possible 5.
First, the bad news…
“The District must build sustainability into its long-range financial planning,” he said, touching on the financial aspect of the School District. “There is so much uncertainty at the state and federal level, and while District 205 relies primarily on local sources of revenue, an unfortunate reality is that next week, the administration will present to the Board a budget that reflects a $3 million operating deficit.
“It is not sustainable to continue to go into the fund balance and this could mean difficult decisions are on the horizon.”
Moyer brought up realities like the fact that Lincoln School is 100 years old and has many issues that adversely impact learning. In addition, Field School is 85 years old and needs upgrades that would cost $5- to $8-million just to bring it up to standard. There are other issues across the District including technology infrastructure, a need for improved safety and security, air conditioning, and more.
“The good news is that there are options available to address these issues that will not result in an increase in taxes for the owner of a median-priced home in Elmhurst, based on current home values and interest rate projections,” Moyer said. “However, it is ultimately up to the community to decide what, if anything, it is willing to support in regard to addressing these and other district facility needs.”
Accelerating the learning process
Moyer then talked about four core beliefs that support District 205’s mission of accelerated learning. They are 1) all students must learn and grow; 2) we accept shared responsibility for student growth; 3) we make decisions based on what is best for students; and, 4) we are a future-focused community of learners.
“Excellent teaching and leadership at all levels of the organization, combined with a supportive and engaged community and professional expertise and data are necessary for the principals to be fully realized,” he said. “It is our belief that student engagement drives everything… learning becomes more about what students can do with what they know, as opposed to only being about what they know.”
Examples from Fischer School
Principals and teachers from various District 205 schools were invited to the podium to discuss some of the innovative learning tools they had been using. For example, Fischer Principal Jane Bailey and three others talked about experiences at summer school. Students in Grades 1-2 at Fischer studied architecture and built structures using toothpicks and marshmallows. In the process, they learned that placing the toothpicks in triangles rather than straight up and down made the building stronger so they could build them taller. A “real” architect came in to talk to the students and view their creations.
First and second graders also took part in “Space Camp,” where they learned about outer space, the planets, the solar system, the sun, the moon, etc. Students worked on puzzles with big “spaceman” gloves on. They also built an international space station out of Legos® completely on their own with no instructions.
Other impressive programs were discussed and can be viewed on the community cable channel when the broadcast sometime in October.
“In Elmhurst, we believe that culture trumps strategy,” Moyer said in conclusion. “It is paramount that the culture of District 205 is a culture of innovation. In this type of culture, risk-taking is rewarded and failure is redefined as a way to learn and grow. Our administrators know that we must model this ethos every day.”
