[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6318063,"mediaKeyId","2368103-e2caf8b9d5cbf709ec544517765bd078","parentId",2368103,"title","District 21 reports gains in MAP scores, launches math pilot and expands attendance supports","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",7533000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2368103-e2caf8b9d5cbf709ec544517765bd078&start=7533&end=7533","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2368103-e2caf8b9d5cbf709ec544517765bd078/thumbnail_7533000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6318063/Illinois/District-21-reports-gains-in-MAP-scores-launches-math-pilot-and-expands-attendance-supports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318063-35d46053b0e977532712e17e9cb20125/orig.mp4?Expires=1775718401&Signature=jA91YSZVazmMseuPzy0~VLm-TorstGpW50jIx0UVWTqpkDeAnhm~NmPTqpgrVpBiBnlmBv~aTQBGJ2uGM20s8JIWydqEvVoZaRXFeOKCY7WenLMpl5IgRCk5t4-cNsI7GOdcjsP12ejJmdtrsMGCDaATkyTB7WXeHXNPl79bmRox1cCiSg-f8KPsqIQjEVvyTpyxS6URD22YC-crBUM~EKak-gQ~udqIRPcC-2CIAqEp7Y51zUvZXaF7v5roGHpjSqpX0Ipz9Sq9cwBpSSArvDTsjgZ6Tmj0La2Hufg4jnAYBOCprZi4OYOYKtUii4tCC-IhbBKTn67pTGtbvjmPFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wheeling CCSD 21","date","2025-02-21T09:04:12.043Z","article","Wheeling CCSD 21 administrators told the School Board on Thursday that winter assessment results show measurable gains in both reading and math compared with the prior year, and outlined several instructional and family-engagement initiatives now underway.

Assistant superintendents and curriculum directors described a district literacy alignment effort driven by state guidance and a robust program of learning walks: staff reported being inside nearly 200–300 classrooms this school year to observe instruction. Administrators said reading median-growth percentiles rose year over year, the district saw a 3 percentage-point increase in students classified as approaching/meets/exceeds on winter reading MAP, and that tier-3 (intensive intervention) groups are shrinking in many grades.

On math, district leaders announced a pilot of a new K–5 resource, Amplified Desmos, building on the district’s prior middle-school use. Carolyn Drohl and the math team said 90 classrooms have joined the pilot (almost 2,000 students). The district plans classroom visits, co-planning and teacher feedback sessions during the pilot; a decision on adoption is expected in March.

The district has also secured two waves of grant funding to expand Project Lead The Way (PLTW) STEM modules at the elementary level. Initial awards will fund pilot work at Kilmer, Frost and Field, and a second award was announced for Poe, Tarkington and Twain for next year, administrators said.

Attendance was a distinct focus. The district has standardized absence codes in PowerSchool, automated notifications for students missing 10% or more of school year to building administrators, and in January hired two attendance liaisons — staff who can work directly with families. The positions were funded in part by a Stronger Connections grant; administrators said the liaisons speak district top languages (Russian/Ukrainian and Spanish) and will support tiered attendance interventions.

Family engagement activity included district-run family literacy nights in partnership with Indian Trails Public Library; administrators said nearly 22,000 books were logged in the district’s reading incentive program and students collectively recorded about 1.45 million minutes of reading this year.

Why it matters
District officials said the combination of curriculum alignment, a math pilot, targeted interventions, family literacy events and attendance liaisons is intended to accelerate student progress and reduce chronic absenteeism — a major driver of long-term academic gaps.

Board questions and next steps
Board members asked about student feedback on the math pilot; administrators said the pilot is new and student feedback will be gathered as the pilot continues. Staff will return with teacher and student feedback from the pilot in March, share spring MAP results in May, and continue to expand STEM grants and family-literacy programming.

Ending
Administrators asked for continued patience as pilots run and data are gathered; they said early indicators are positive and that the district will report spring-map outcomes and final adoption recommendations once the pilot and data reviews are complete.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CCSD21 Board Of Education Meeting - February 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Administrators reported midyear MAP improvements in reading and math, launched a K–5 math pilot (Amplified Desmos) in 90 classrooms, expanded STEM Project Lead The Way grants at the elementary level, and deployed attendance liaisons after securing a Stronger Connections grant.","taxTitle","Wheeling CCSD 21, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",38576,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6318068,"District 21 rolls out security upgrades: Knox boxes, Carehawk displays, visitor kiosks and reunification planning",1648,2425000,4073000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2368103-e2caf8b9d5cbf709ec544517765bd078&start=2425&end=4073","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2368103-e2caf8b9d5cbf709ec544517765bd078/thumbnail_2425000.jpg","/articles/6318068/Illinois/District-21-rolls-out-security-upgrades-Knox-boxes-Carehawk-displays-visitor-kiosks-and-reunification-planning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318068-4735ac22785d5dce2b93eef8aabdac6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775718401&Signature=OatC4Y5492-j1m3KSDV8USTTa6cdNTV5Cdh2QJfVQDXMu~QffwwmRg-BpsdBd8CQgzfKISeyd~DMISHScbEIARRLJgNAkdTkqqrYN-i5lUsvH8KUta4bLsggT4O7sEsDNAlXcjjam24JGK-uX8MwTTrdz~Lbo-lDoAC-z~IvapWhOd1nyUahEc30vud4FfgmPu91UYeungB5udd5pWQxzy5jFEc1xf48XjePzYZel2VD13N~-eo0X6cpZyOXIdB5u4N7xOTtr-URzprooxtm1TzdxK-PKNZOtdDcP9CGQOifG57uoM6KSqlv~T52EM-GKsCDWTFwwDG9EqSygPz2uw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Danny Malek, the district’s Director of Safety and Security, told the Wheeling CCSD 21 Board of Education on Thursday that the district has completed several physical and procedural safety upgrades and is planning additional measures ahead of summer construction and the next school year.

Malek said the district installed two police-access “Knox” boxes on every building over the summer of 2024, added standardized emergency flip charts in every classroom, refreshed standard response protocol (SRP) training and produced a training video for staff. He described a multi-layer approach that pairs physical access (Knox boxes, exterior door numbering and window decals) with communications upgrades such as the Carehawk displays and CrisisGo integration.

“We always want to reinforce our top priority is ensuring a safe, secure learning environment for everybody, our students and staff,” Malek said. He explained that the district adopted the ICS-100 incident command certification for administrators, standardized drill procedures, and will pilot visitor-management kiosks at two schools to replace multiple paper sign-in sheets.

Malek said Carehawk—an integrated audio/visual alert system tied to the district’s mass-notification tool—has been rolled out to some buildings and will expand this summer. The system provides visual cues on hallway and classroom displays and can remotely coordinate protocols across multiple buildings.

On reunification, Malek said the district is forming a reunification task force—including collaboration with neighboring District 59—to plan safe reunification sites, staff roles and mutual-aid support. He also described ongoing parking-lot safety assessments and a redesign of London School’s drop-off/pickup pattern after a vehicle struck a pedestrian; the district said there were no serious injuries.

Other initiatives Malek highlighted included stop-the-bleed training and kits, a threat-assessment team structure and training, and a renewed focus on SRO (school resource officer) roles. He said the SROs are assigned to middle schools with scheduled outreach to feeder elementary schools and that NASRO training and role clarity guide their work. Board members asked for clarity about what SROs do and do not do; Malek emphasized relationship-building and training.

Why it matters
The district is implementing a layered safety strategy that pairs physical upgrades with staff training, standardized protocols and regional coordination. These steps affect emergency response times, visitor accountability and parent reunification in a serious incident.

What the board asked
Board members asked whether the district would seek community organizations to support reunification and whether mutual-aid partners would need trauma-informed training. Malek said region-wide emergency-management and health-care coalitions were likely partners and that external organizations would require specific training before taking part in reunification operations.

Ending
Malek said the district will continue third-party safety assessments, pursue grant funding for safety projects and pilot the visitor kiosks this spring before deciding on districtwide deployment.

","District Director of Safety and Security Danny Malek detailed a series of completed and planned safety upgrades across Wheeling CCSD 21, including Knox boxes at every building, standard-response training and flip charts, Carehawk visual displays, SRO engagement, visitor kiosk pilots and a district reunification task force.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6318073,"Board authorizes eminent-domain option for early-learning site, approves summer construction bids and budget transfers",915,7873000,8788000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2368103-e2caf8b9d5cbf709ec544517765bd078&start=7873&end=8788","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2368103-e2caf8b9d5cbf709ec544517765bd078/thumbnail_7873000.jpg","/articles/6318073/Illinois/Board-authorizes-eminent-domain-option-for-early-learning-site-approves-summer-construction-bids-and-budget-transfers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318073-ffd209e7943cb64bcd31ac060533ecdc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775718401&Signature=YNIfZ0JLuRvfkvXHKKtIOule-0t7TZiz9leb68me8wceHQMV-xwpwitOyUoG9~rdkYZozfzRq4vsOyYr0kRq-xwHrYxgSisxH0Iv0wTUmpvIBpxfAU53b6i18onWehFw9AHPf~WDiQ~TIzaClk0vAweEghNdXqX29RgCYgUSuuWfFzv7zET07Ch7B-xECiaKvqk4EKCx7JdAfwXgq0O6CrT8kLMXsERwL8Nmgkklmm2ZM47IzO0XfQC2y12TwizAz8D2TJavFUzvx44UaCqyqAz5Ru8vdyD4WUvocFnMtTOjcrzRIBGlHLS4eIYkDaKnbhfwcorFCOBqdrwI-InMew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wheeling CCSD 21’s Board of Education on Thursday approved a resolution authorizing the pursuit of eminent domain if needed to acquire a roughly five-acre parcel at 2814 E. Hintz Road for a proposed early learning center, and adopted several financial and construction items tied to summer 2025 work.

Board members said the eminent-domain authorization is intended to move negotiations forward and avoid prolonged delay; the district’s staff said it is the next procedural step if a negotiated purchase cannot be reached. The same meeting also approved publication of a permanent budget-transfer notice, a $2.75 million transfer from the district’s internal service fund to the education fund, the award of summer construction bids, and the construction manager fee structure for the summer projects.

Supporters said the package will allow the district to complete promised projects — including removal of modular classrooms and campus safety upgrades — in a timely way. Opponents on the dais said they were concerned about the optics of adopting an eminent-domain authorization before exhausting additional direct negotiation and asked for more time or for the full board to be present for the vote.

The board also appointed Jillian Dorn as principal of Booth Tarkington Elementary School and approved the consent agenda items and travel/expense requests listed on the agenda.

Votes at a glance
- Resolution authorizing acquisition by eminent domain (2814 E. Hintz Road): outcome — approved; tally: yes 3, no 2; notes: board members who voted yes said the authorization is intended as a tool to encourage a negotiated settlement and to keep the project on schedule.
- Appointment of Jillian Dorn, principal, Booth Tarkington Elementary School: outcome — approved; tally: yes 4, no 1; notes: Dorn previously served as assistant principal at Tarkington and spoke briefly to accept the role.
- Publication of notice for a permanent budget transfer: outcome — approved; tally: unanimous (board roll-call recorded yes votes); notes: action continues the district’s multi-year capital planning.
- Transfer from internal service fund to education fund, $2,750,000: outcome — approved; tally: unanimous (recorded as approved); notes: this is part of the district’s planned funding moves for capital and operational needs.
- Approval of summer 2025 construction bids: outcome — approved; tally: unanimous (recorded as approved); notes: bids came in below construction manager estimates, allowing additional work within budget.
- Approval of construction manager fee structure for summer 2025 projects: outcome — approved; tally: unanimous (recorded as approved); notes: district staff said the fixed-cost and reimbursable components reduce the effective percent of fee compared with prior years.
- Consent agenda (routine items): outcome — approved; tally: consent minus items A and B approved; items A and B later approved (one board member abstained on A & B).

Why it matters
The board’s votes clear the path for the district to complete a slate of capital projects this summer, and establishes the district’s legal posture toward acquisition of property for the early learning center. District officials said a successful purchase (by negotiated sale or eminent domain) is necessary to meet timelines for removing modular classrooms and building the early-learning facility.

Board and staff comments
District administrators said the eminent-domain resolution is not intended to initiate immediate litigation but to provide leverage and certainty so the project can move forward without repeated delays. One board member said she would vote against the authorization to preserve “optics” and give the seller another final window to negotiate. Superintendent-level staff framed the authorization as a standard legal step when talks have stalled.

What’s next
District staff will continue negotiations with the parcel’s owners; if talks fail, the district has board authorization to begin an eminent-domain proceeding. Separately, contractors selected for the summer projects will begin pre-construction activities once formal contracts are completed.

Ending note
Board members said they expect to publish the detailed summer construction schedule and the district’s longer-term facilities outlook after final bid paperwork is complete.

","Wheeling CCSD 21 authorized a resolution allowing eminent-domain as a potential means to acquire a five-acre parcel for a proposed early learning center, approved summer 2025 construction bids and related manager fees, and approved a permanent internal fund transfer and other budget notices during its regular board meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District 21 reports gains in MAP scores, launches math pilot and expands attendance supports

District 21 rolls out security upgrades: Knox boxes, Carehawk displays, visitor kiosks and reunification planning

Board authorizes eminent-domain option for early-learning site, approves summer construction bids and budget transfers