2012 recap: What a year it's been!

"What are YOU doing to make a positive difference?"

Once again, a good idea for a new post title came from a comment in the previous thread.

 In this season of thankfulness and sharing, how can each of us step up to make D131 better?

"Many voices, many choices"

Quoting from a post in the previous thread, we indeed have many voices and many choices--in both local and national arenas.   One opportunity to express our opinion is at the polls;  make sure you VOTE (and encourage others to do so, as well!) 

Something to consider

Sometimes there's a direct route to our goals... and sometimes it takes awhile to achieve them!

Perception

Just something to think about...

May cooler heads prevail!

We definitely had some HOT weather this summer--more 90+ degree days than usual, with hardly any rain to cool things down. Now that we're into September, let's hope that hot stuff's behind us for awhile. And as the political climate "heats up" in this election year, it's good to remind ourselves that maintaining a calm, rational attitude is in everyone's best interests!

Starting afresh

Here we are at the beginning of a brand new school year; let's make it a grEAt one!

District 131 in the larger community

As we prepare for a new school year, it's good to remind ourselves that our district is part of a city, county, state, and country. Like a ripple in a pond, our students' and staff's decisions and behavior can have a wide-ranging effect. Just something to think about...

Ingredients for success

Wouldn't it be nice if there were an easy fix for all the challenges we face in life (or for that matter, in a school district)--like a magic spice that would make everything in a soup or salad taste delicious, even if some important ingredients were missing or stale? Unfortunately, even the best chef can only create a quality product from quality ingredients. What are some of the necessary "ingredients" for a successful school district and community?

"One size fits all"...sometimes doesn't fit at all

Someone in the previous thread mentioned that "one-size-fits-all" is not the best approach to dealing with the issues facing our district. Because we in D131 are diverse in backgrounds, economic resources, political views, etc. it is a good idea to explore multiple solutions to our unique challenges. Brainstorming, anyone?

We're on the home stretch!

It's hard to believe, but there are only a few short weeks left in the 2011-2012 school year. As we wrap up another year, it's a good time to reflect on what went well over the past months and also how we can improve things in our district. Happy Spring, everyone!

Looking forward

Our unusually warm weather has many of us looking forward to summer. The hiring of former Chicago Bear Kurt Becker as our new coach has many of us looking forward to football season. Our hard-working students and staff are looking forward to spring break. What other good things are we looking forward to in District 131?

"Good things happening in our own back yard"

Quoting from someone a couple of days ago, who was referring to a band concert and spaghetti dinner...there are always plenty of activities going on throughout our district in late winter & early spring. Enjoy--and support our students!

Spring is just around the corner!

And lots of things are happening in our community: concerts, athletic events, fundraising, political campaigning, volunteer opportunities...

What are YOU choosing to do this spring to make our district better?

Resolutions and priorities

Here we are nearing the end of January! It's a time when many of us have made (and possibly already broken) resolutions about how we intend to improve certain things in our lives. Maybe we're trying to exercise more or save money; maybe we've resolved to keep our temper under control or maintain a positive attitude at our job; maybe we've just decided to make the most of each day as it comes.

What can we do in this new year to make our district better? And what seems to be working well, that we can celebrate and resolve to continue?