[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":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,"_75":74},"mediaId",6047671,"mediaKeyId","3516756-a57cddc4e16551a1b5f2088595b5cae9","parentId",3516756,"title","District 15 students honored for stock market challenge and Seal of Biliteracy","audioSeconds",366,"startMs",495000,"endMs",861000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3516756-a57cddc4e16551a1b5f2088595b5cae9&start=495&end=861","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3516756-a57cddc4e16551a1b5f2088595b5cae9/thumbnail_495000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6047671/Illinois/District-15-students-honored-for-stock-market-challenge-and-Seal-of-Biliteracy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047671-e1b6f44efe1078c2c5be815c6970af66/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140202&Signature=aKjDPnqBUgtn6209SAAZgblWAQ9pfLpDQcJ5HakqhY6A49vOE~Fyx~rJ-EthkDxog-DYgQPVLLpA9CpncQlOl0tHeB-MrQkkjhIg4Xkjjf7uTfwNxfppslcZziY8JH0m07WrSwtIy4ApRyTMUgfjQN0vSBgTbp107Ps6mcWk-MBdzA6q1cP60bL08mN1dQwguL4cPEwSaXsbUOwPA5NLcG9ibyQCQlo6ydO1me7eMOHwrmQMIzE-kPRY7WF518LxJmFt0F-yb7I16DFiBfnshYy-mOjIihcllMUtUkoFqErWcgzdSp8UAOaSdMVCdQljGt4lAQKQ~Gan5hE09fK8cg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","McHenry CCSD 15","date","2025-05-13T00:00:00Z","article","At its May 13 meeting the McHenry CCSD 15 Board of Education recognized two student accomplishments: an MMS sixth-grade team’s placement in the Capitol Hill Stock Market Challenge and 21 graduating seniors who earned the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy.

Sherry Hagen, an MMS sixth-grade teacher, and teacher Missus Kagan described the Capitol Hill Stock Market Challenge as a national competition in which congressional offices may have up to two schools representing them. Presenters said more than 1,400 teams competed and the MMS team finished in the top 5 percent nationally. Presenters said the team had $100,000 in virtual capital, learned about stocks, bonds and mutual funds, met with Congressman Bill Schneider for a classroom visit, and had net virtual gains “of almost $3,000” by the day of the presentation.

Maureen Cassidy, executive director of Multilingual Services for District 15, presented the Seal of Biliteracy recognitions. Cassidy said the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to graduating seniors who demonstrate high proficiency in English and another language; District 15 awarded the seal to 21 students this year, and Cassidy said nine awardees were alumni of the district’s English Learner program. As part of the district’s Pathways to Biliteracy initiative, those students received graduation cords and certificates.

Board members offered congratulations from the dais and the district provided certificates and photographs for students. The recognitions were presented as ceremonial items; no board action was required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting 05/13/2025","oneSentenceSummary","McHenry CCSD 15 recognized an MMS sixth-grade team that finished in the top 5% nationally in the Capitol Hill Stock Market Challenge and celebrated 21 graduates awarded the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy, including nine alumni of the district's EL program.","taxTitle","McHenry CCSD 15, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",74245,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6047676,"McHenry D15 board members sworn in; Chad Mihavic elected president, Lindsay Turner vice president",650,3210000,3860000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3516756-a57cddc4e16551a1b5f2088595b5cae9&start=3210&end=3860","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3516756-a57cddc4e16551a1b5f2088595b5cae9/thumbnail_3210000.jpg","/articles/6047676/Illinois/McHenry-D15-board-members-sworn-in-Chad-Mihavic-elected-president-Lindsay-Turner-vice-president","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047676-397fdcf84de9e5fe66477f558fdecda0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140202&Signature=M1riwhHsb9CX8AjR2IphjkcB8USEB4hMYW~jdVreY~GjE5ptcZl6btfUHsoUG05KmFrbFCkroDz-S8A48GFbLrogezJo1DBpV1MLp8PGExluDMUotZMAa348FQXJ4DDuc7XniS1xkQLdB4vGnY2fzvfBbOqtxOrf4oepP~MtbkdmqbaAH~CEST6K-KsEz84ymZ9JSJ517dvsXJgHBPVq6ARLz3jq4AIP2Z5UJrGnnhgXVmHTSFLYQ9vMUB-txL~2rZkRUqYo9JEmLu6ViVUX97yzeG6a9GAPAU9hlR6K-gLZRqzvamWCzJOuUHepCuVIZVEvG8K~k5fPQrBCryNn7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McHenry CCSD 15 Board of Education on May 13 administered oaths to newly elected and reelected members and completed its reorganization of officers and procedural appointments.

The meeting record lists the following members as taking the oath of office: Chad Mihavic, Lindsay Turner, Rachel McDonnell, Jennifer Sinek and Ernie Waltmyer. After the oath, the board held officer elections. Chad Mihavic was nominated and elected board president; Lindsay Turner was nominated and elected vice president; and Rachel McDonnell was nominated and elected board secretary.

The board also approved the superintendent’s recommendation to appoint Kate McInany, executive assistant to the superintendent, as the board’s recording and corresponding secretary. The appointment was described by the superintendent as separate from the elected board secretary’s duties and was approved by roll-call vote.

The administration asked the board to reaffirm the existing Board of Education Policy Manual and to continue its four standing committees (curriculum, finance, facilities, policy and personnel) and two recurring ad hoc committees (transportation with District 156 and negotiations). The board voted to reaffirm policies and approved the recording-secretary appointment; committee assignments were described as continuing practice, with the superintendent asking members to notify administration if they wished different assignments.

No contested nominations were recorded; roll-call votes for officer elections and the recording-secretary appointment were taken and recorded as carried. The reorganizational meeting concluded with adjournment at 7:56 p.m.","At the May 13 McHenry CCSD 15 reorganization meeting five newly elected or reelected board members took oaths of office; the board elected Chad Mihavic president, Lindsay Turner vice president and Rachel McDonnell secretary, and approved the superintendent’s appointment of the district recording/corresponding secretary, Kate McInany.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6047681,"Hilltop presenters detail social-emotional learning programs, student-led Smile Squad",1862,1328000,3190000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3516756-a57cddc4e16551a1b5f2088595b5cae9&start=1328&end=3190","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3516756-a57cddc4e16551a1b5f2088595b5cae9/thumbnail_1328000.jpg","/articles/6047681/Illinois/Hilltop-presenters-detail-social-emotional-learning-programs-student-led-Smile-Squad","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047681-0f416b70badb4617e7a185dc38440793/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140202&Signature=Z7NT8oL3XrF9iHsz0ntJ5deYuaePFKUuidcQBuxql3M7TMvJ3UlTWH9~6bOcCK2bF6r8lhtvamDOe39PPpKrtITiGfUJy0X~wKQla3OPAfDy61gb6ZuiC4JKOeZ-u52FtHcZRXi7hPqDZ3f5IYeWSIXAFUyk0y4sw7X1Qp6m1ZXnhvsn5EaF0mTuS-P88EulclEulQDUB8kCN4zriPViLY47uCizd-QLhy-8JHrbIhaEQTC8ThLenZt6aOeVEqrU7mpYgFM4uLyxk1kdepxSiTnMrsK~2eHL2vwyhfcssiRBpG9LzBYm2oc1HP9fPvU4e54B3OZoYYfd-ZipbM4knA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hilltop School staff and students on May 13 presented a yearlong social-emotional learning (SEL) effort to the McHenry CCSD 15 Board of Education, describing data-driven supports, staff morale efforts and student-led activities intended to boost connection and reduce behavior problems.

Administrators and teachers said the school uses a multi-tiered system of supports aligned to the Illinois SEL standards and the CASEL framework and measures student growth with the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA). Hilltop staff described schoolwide incentives, targeted small-group interventions and community-building activities; students demonstrated the Smile Squad, a third-grade group that leads announcements, reading visits and short performances.

School leaders said the work matters because connection supports learning and reduces incidents that interrupt instruction. Principal Christy Brown told the board the programs aim to ensure that ‘‘every learner matters’’ and that the school’s data show movement from red (need instruction) toward green (skills demonstrated) on DESSA measures between October and March. Learning resource teacher and SEL team leader Jenny Mihavic asked board members to consider how students remember teachers for how they made them feel, not just subject matter: “It wasn’t necessarily the lessons or the subjects that they taught, but the connection you had with them.”

Hilltop described several concrete practices: a staff-nomination program called VIB (Very Important Bee) that produced 19 nominations this year to boost adult morale; a partnership with Playworks to teach structured games and reduce unstructured-time conflicts; a classroom incentive system (Golden Class) with seven reward levels; targeted small-group interventions and a Check-in/Check-out system; and the Making Connections mentoring program. Staff said they use DESSA to identify competency areas needing instruction, such as responsible decision-making, and that targeted classroom visits were used to provide focused lessons on those skills.

Students from the Smile Squad described their activities and rationale: they said they visit classrooms to read, post jokes on morning announcements twice a week and lead small kindness activities. A student said the group formed because “Addie came to me and asked. She just needed some more connections.” Hilltop staff described a classroom songwriting project and other student-led work to increase belonging.

Board members applauded the presentation. A board member said, “Great job to all of you. Tremendous,” and the board provided certificates and photographs for the students. The presentation was informational; no formal motions or policy changes were proposed or taken at the meeting.

Hilltop staff asked the board to recognize the connection between adult morale and student outcomes and to continue support for the programs into next year.","Hilltop School staff and students described a multi-tiered social-emotional learning program, cited measurement with DESSA, partnerships with Playworks, staff morale work (VIB program), classroom incentives and a student-led Smile Squad during a May 13 McHenry CCSD 15 board meeting; the board offered praise but no formal action was taken.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District 15 students honored for stock market challenge and Seal of Biliteracy

McHenry D15 board members sworn in; Chad Mihavic elected president, Lindsay Turner vice president

Hilltop presenters detail social-emotional learning programs, student-led Smile Squad