January 20, 2026
Elmhurst District 205
Board of Education Meeting Highlights
Spotlight and Recognitions
Middle School Students- Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA)
Middle school students from Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 were honored by the Board of Education for their selection to participate in the Junior ILMEA Festivals. Students each year participate in a rigorous selection process for placement in the Illinois Music Educators Association Junior Band, Chorus, Orchestra, and Jazz Band ensembles, with selection reflecting a high level of musicianship, commitment, and artistic achievement
Hawthorne Elementary School Spotlight
Hawthorne Principal Tim Riordan shared a presentation with the Board of Education that highlighted how the staff at Hawthorne are utilizing the data analysis tool, NextPath, to support students.
Reports and Presentations
2026–27 Summer Programs Overview
Each year, the District offers a wide range of programs for students during the summer. Historically, academic programs have been offered to students with disabilities and students who need additional academic support as well as programs for students interested in fine arts, athletics, and enrichment. Additionally, York High School offers credit-bearing courses for students. For the District’s upcoming summer programming, the District again took intentional steps to continue to ensure a unified approach to academic and enrichment offerings. In the past, D205 received positive feedback about this approach and remains committed to ensuring that a streamlined process will be provided for all stakeholders. District Administration shared an overview of planned Summer programming for this summer.
Summer Capital Projects Overview
As part of its Strategic Plan, District 205 is committed to modernizing and maintaining high quality facilities. This work is supported financially and logistically through a number of channels. First, the Board of Education commits $4,000,000 of operating funds annually through its Capital Projects Fund. Secondly, District 205 Maintenance and Custodial staff engage in projects throughout the year to enhance and repair facilities as needs arise. Finally, the Board of Education has secured $15 million of Life Safety Bonds to address needs that have been identified through the statutory ten-year Life Safety Survey. District administration shared an overview of the 2026 Facility Improvement Projects list for the upcoming Summer.
Superintendent's Communication & Communications Highlight
The Illinois ISAC 2026-27 State Scholar Program (SSP) is an academic recognition program run by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) that honors graduating high school seniors in Illinois for superior academic achievement. Selection for the SSP is based on a recognition by a high school counselor and a formula that combines:
ACT or SAT college entrance exam scores, converted to a standardized score,
High school academic performance (class rank or unweighted GPA),
And class size data submitted by the student’s high school.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026 Illinois State Scholars from York High School listed on the slide, this is a prestigious academic honor and a true testament to a commitment to academic success!
All D205 Choir Festival Concert
On Thursday, January 15, York High School hosted over 725 4th-12th grade choir students from across D205 at the All-District Choir Festival. All-District Festivals provide students the opportunity to interact across schools and grade levels for the purpose of building relationships, making music together, and understanding future opportunities in D205 and beyond. Students participated in rehearsals during the day as well as an evening concert that was free and open to the public. The concert was also livestreamed on the D205 YouTube channel where a recording of the concert will soon be available.
Kinder Night Event and Student registration update
The annual Kindergarten New Family Information Night will be held next week on Monday, January 26 at 6PM. The event will be held at Churchville Middle School this year in their auditorium. New families will have the opportunity to learn about the enrollment process, District 205 curricular programming and supports, and how to stay connected with your child’s school and the District.
Next Parent Education Series Event
We are excited to share the details for our next event in the Parent Education Series. On Tuesday, January 27, Dr. Laura Koehler, a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in School-Aged Anxiety & Behavioral Health, will be joining us for a presentation entitled Understanding Anxiety - Strategies to Support Your Child.
During this presentation Dr. Koehler will share information about:
Signs of youth anxiety
How to respond without reinforcing avoidance
Tools that build resilience—not just relief
The event will be held at Churchville Middle School in the Auditorium and will begin at 6PM.
5Essentials Survey
The annual 5Essentials Survey will open for families on February 2, 2026! District 205 families, staff, and students have the opportunity to share experience on key elements of their school.
The 5Essentials Survey is administered online. This survey is based on the Five Essentials for School Success, an evidence-based framework developed by the University of Chicago. This framework identifies how school performance on five factors or “essentials” can lead to important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains.
The results from the survey are analyzed at the school and district level and utilized to create goals in school improvement plans, so we want to ensure these results clearly reflect all stakeholders' experience. Research has shown that schools strong on three or more of the 5Essentials were 10 times more likely to improve student learning gains than schools weak on three or more of the Essentials.
Families can be on the lookout for information regarding 5 Essentials in school-based newsletters and district-wide communications.
Excellent Educator Video Series Spotlight: Nicole Noverini