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Wheeling CCSD 21 superintendent outlines facility upgrades, new SRO and upcoming events in January message
Summary
In a January 2026 message, Superintendent Dr. Michael Connelly summarized recent facility upgrades across district schools, announced a new school resource officer, reviewed inclement-weather communications and survey results, celebrated middle-school sports successes, and listed upcoming registration and events.
Dr. Michael Connelly, superintendent of Wheeling CCSD 21, used a January 2026 district message to outline recent facility improvements, introduce a new school resource officer and flag several upcoming events for families and students.
Connelly said the district has invested in building maintenance and student spaces over the past few months. “Both London and Holmes Bridal Schools received brand new bleachers in their main gyms, and Holmes and Cooper also had their main gym floors screened and recoated with polyurethane,” he said, and added that Frost and Twain received new foyer furniture with other schools scheduled to receive similar upgrades. Connelly described the projects as part of the district’s “commitment to provide safe, functional, and inviting learning environments for every student.”
The superintendent reminded families and staff about inclement-weather procedures and the district’s communication channels. Notices about schedule changes due to snow or extreme cold will be shared through ParentSquare, email, social media and local media; Connelly urged families to confirm their contact information so they do not miss updates. He also said “more than 2,000 families and staff members” participated in a recent survey on inclement-weather days, and that the feedback will guide future decisions about closures and e-learning days.
Connelly introduced Officer Dennis Wolf of the Buffalo Grove Police Department as the new school resource officer for the Cooper strand of schools, noting Wolf’s family ties to the district and that he is fluent in Russian and Ukrainian as well as English. “Officer Wolf brings experience, energy, and a real commitment to building positive relationships with our students and staff,” Connelly said, and asked the community to welcome him.
On student activities, Connelly highlighted recent athletic achievements at the middle-school level: London’s eighth-grade boys’ team won the regular-season title in the Midsuburban Middle School Athletic Conference, their first conference championship since 2009 and capped by a 10-game winning streak, and London’s seventh-grade boys won their grade-level MSMSAC tournament for the first time.
Looking ahead, Connelly announced that new-student registration for students who are new to the district, including incoming kindergartners, will begin Monday, Feb. 2, and that the district will share more details about required documents and dates in the coming weeks. He also urged the community to mark Feb. 4 for the District 21 spelling bee, which the district hopes to livestream, and promoted upcoming family literacy nights at the Arlington Heights and Indian Trails libraries.
Connelly closed by thanking families, staff and students for their work and participation in district activities and said he will return with an update in February. “I look forward to another great month, and I’ll see you back here in February,” he said.
