Feature Archive - August 2008
Urbana School District Completing a Successful Summer Work Season
Buildings Receive Cleaning and Facelift
[featured 8/27/08 - 9/2/08]
Summer is the busy season for Urbana School District #116 building maintenance workers and contractors. With students out of school summer is the time to do some much needed cleaning, repair, and remodeling work on District #116 buildings. This summer has been no different, and as the new school year begins, students, parents, and staff will notice many improvements.
Director of Facilities Services Ota Dossett says Martin Luther King Elementary School received extensive work which included a renovated east wing, asbestos tile removal, new library, new sinks, carpeting, and floor tile. Dossett adds, “The gym lights were replaced and all lighting fixtures are energy saving. The exterior of the buildings received new landscaping and improved curb appeal. King also received playground equipment.” Prairie Elementary School also received similar improvements.
Workers upgraded the outside of Thomas Paine Elementary. “Thomas Paine School had new landscaping at the front entrance and circle drive, the entire entrance concrete was replaced and is handicap accessible, the entrance canopy and structure was repainted, air lock entry doors were installed to save energy, classroom lights in the southwest classrooms and gymnasium were replaced with energy saving lights. Restroom lighting will also be replaced later in the year. The kitchen had the asbestos flooring removed and all new flooring installed,” Dossett explains.
All schools received summer cleaning, and workers repaired, renovated, and “touched up” many parts of the buildings.
Dossett says there were 16 summer workers this year and he was impressed with their work ethic and skills. “Several of them are from Urbana High School and other schools. We had about 8 returning students that learned how to paint last summer and prior years. The new workers started out the summer by learning how to paint, move furniture, clean landscaping beds and a variety of other work. Now all the students are excellent painters and have done a wonderful job. It has been a great opportunity for them and has benefited the district tremendously. Coach Grey from UHS worked with us this summer as the supervisor and has done an outstanding job. The maintenance and grounds staffs also have worked at a rapid pace on many of these projects. Everyone worked cooperatively as a team. I am proud of the work that was done,” Dossett says.
So when you walk in to school this week, know that summer workers put in long and hard hours in getting the buildings ready for another year of learning.
Photo 1: Director of Facilities Services Ota Dossett gives a tour of Prairie Elementary School to the Board of Education.
Photo 2: Members of the Board of Education inspect the newly renovated Prairie Elementary Library.
Urbana School District #116 Opens New School Year
Teachers Report for Opening Inservice
[featured 8/26/08 - 8/27/08]
All Urbana School District #116 employees are ready to start the 2008-09 school year after a rousing First Day Inservice opening ceremony. The annual event, held this year in the Urbana Middle School Gym, served as a rallying point to get all staff in the right frame of mind as they prepare to welcome students back to school this Wednesday.
The day began with musical entertainment from the Tiger Marching Band marching down the center isle playing the UHS Fight Song, followed by songs from the UHS Choir. Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing extended her greetings on behalf of the city and District 116 Board of Education President Mark Netter also provided greetings on behalf of the school board. Champaign-Urbana Schools Foundation Executive Director Gail Rost praised the work of District 116 teachers and briefed them on the mission of the CUSF. Pam Shallenberger greeted the staff on behalf of the Urbana Education Association and Julia Johnson provided greetings to the school district on behalf of the University of Illinois Education in Small Urban Communities.
Assistant Superintendent Gayle Jeffries introduced employees that have completed five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of service to Urbana School District #116. All employees honored received a nice round of applause from their colleagues, but those being honored for 35 years in District 116 received an extra enthusiastic warm applause!
Dr. Williams addressed the employees on the topic “Bringing Out the Best is What We Do.” Dr. Williams stressed that each teacher has the power to inspire a student to achieve great things in their life while also warning teachers that they have the power to quash 
student dreams. “We are truly no stronger or no weaker than everyone one of you in this room,” Williams said.
Keynote Speaker Dr. Crystal Kuykendall (http://www.crystalkuykendall.com/) spoke on the topic, “Bringing Out the Best in ALL Students,” which drew a rousing standing ovation from the audience.
After the opening exercises the teachers broke off into separate inservice sessions.
Students report to school this Wednesday, August 27.
Photo 1: The UHS Marching Band welcomes District 116 staff back to another school year!
Photo 2: All District 116 staff attended Opening Inservice August 25, 2008.
Photo 3: District 116 Superintendent Dr. Preston Williams challenges employees to make a difference in student lives.
New Teachers Learning the Ropes in Urbana School District #116
New Teacher Orientation A Chance for Teachers to Settle In
[featured 8/22/08 - 8/26/08
Thirty-six new teachers for Urbana School District #116 have had the chance to learn about the District this week during the new teacher orientation. The New Teacher Orientation took place this past Thursday and Friday at Urbana Middle School.
“We do this every year,” says New Teacher Mentor Coordinator Alexis Jones. The teachers were first introduced by their building principals, and then received words of welcome from Superintendent Dr. Preston Williams, Board of Education President Mark Netter, UEA President Pam Shallenberger, and Champaign-Urbana Schools Foundation Executive Director Gail Rost. Dr. Williams welcomed the new teachers to the school district and encouraged them to ask questions and work with each other and their supervisors this year. “We’re here to see you succeed,” Williams told the new teachers.
The new teachers learned about district technology, supports for new teachers, teacher mentoring, print shop information, and Human Resources policies and procedures.
“As soon as school gets started, things go very quickly,” Jones explains. “So it is very nice to have people all in one room to hear about purchasing, the print shop, and who to contact at central office for this and who to go to in their building for that.” Jones also says that the new teachers will have the chance to be paired with a veteran teacher to be mentored this school year.
All teachers report for the school year August 25. The first day of school is August 27.
Photo 1: New District 116 Teachers gather at Urbana Middle School for New Teacher Orientation.
Photo 2: Superintendent Dr. Preston Williams welcomes the new teachers.
Incoming 6th Graders Get Used to Urbana Middle School
Student and Parents Participate in Transition Day
[featured 8/21/08 - 8/22/08]
We’ve all been there either as kids or as adults. The first day in a new, big, or different environment is stressful and sometimes scary. The same can be true with sixth-graders coming to Urbana Middle School for the first time. That’s why UMS staff opened the doors to the building Wednesday for students and parents during sixth-grade transition day. Only the sixth-graders were allowed in school during this optional day.
During transition day students were able to take a tour of the school, get used to opening their lockers, get a snack and thus get used to the cafeteria, and get to know their teachers. “We had better attendance than we’ve had in a long time,” says UMS Principal Nancy Clinton. “The parent population was outstanding. We had to bring in folding chairs to accommodate (the overflow). The kids really enjoyed it.”
Clinton says there was one big objective behind this transition day. “They (the kids) got to feel that ‘I’m a part of Urbana Middle School, I’m a sixth-grader, this is a safe place and it’s not so scary,’” Clinton explains.
This special day for sixth-grade students is also very important for parents of sixth-graders. Students are coming from elementary schools where the student population is small and the kids are sheltered. The student goes from that environment to the biggest middle school in Champaign-Urbana. “Some of the parents are equally if not more nervous than their children. And so what we do is take them into their own room and tell them about middle school and give them a panel of middle school and community members that know our school well. The parents can also ask any question they want to and get an answer from not us, but from people who have their children here,” Clinton says. Clinton adds that the parents also got a tour of UMS, separate from the students, so the adults could feel just as re-assured as their kids.
All middle school students report for classes on August 27.
Clinton has been organizing the sixth-grade transition day for all seven years she’s been at Urbana Middle School - 13 years total going back to when she was principal at Edison Middle School in Champaign. “It’s my favorite day,” Clinton says. “That’s because the sixth-graders come up that sidewalk full of energy. They’re a little apprehensive, they’re excited to be here, they’re so innocent, and they’re so ready for middle school. It’s just a joy to see that in their faces.”
Urbana High School Makes Adequate Yearly Progress
High School Meets NCLB Standards
[featured 8/18/08 - 8/21/08]
The Illinois State Board of Education has released the 2008 Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE) scores for Urbana High School Students, and the results have UHS staff and faculty smiling. Urbana High School scores have shown great improvement, and the school has met the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The PSAE is used by all high schools in the state of Illinois to measure AYP.
In 2008 UHS students recorded some of the highest scores on the PSAE since NCLB was instituted. UHS students recorded the highest-ever scores in 2008 in:
- Math (all students)
- Low income students in math
- African American students in math
- Special education students in math
- Special education students in reading
Students from all socio-economic and ethnic sub-groups increased their scores on the 2008 test in reading and math.
Urbana High School Principal Dr. Laura Taylor says,
“I am not surprised that UHS students are performing at the highest levels ever since NCLB was instituted. We have been systematically making purposeful changes to our curriculum, teaching, and environment to improve student learning. Our goal of having high expectations for all students while providing them with both academic and relational support to meet those expectations is clearly having an impact. We were confident that by dropping all remedial levels, providing all students with access to challenging courses, and improving discipline and attendance, we would improve student performance. True change takes time, and I am very pleased with the progress we have been making”.
Urbana School District #116 Superintendent Dr. Preston Williams is also pleased to hear about UHS making AYP. “I applaud the efforts of Dr. Taylor, the administrative staff, teachers, and students. We knew that the changes implemented over the years would yield success. We also understand that this is a step in the process - we have to do even better next year… (but) hopefully this will be the beginning of a long string of successes for Urbana High School as it relates to the PSAE,” Williams says.
Urbana High School Marching Band Camp Trains Musicians
New Director Prepares the Tiger Marching Band for Rigorous Season
[featured 8/15/08 - 8/18/08]
Fifty-three students are preparing for the upcoming marching band season. The Urbana High School Marching Band will perform at all home football games this year, the 4th of July parade, homecoming parade, Labor Day parade, various community and school events, and 4 marching band competitions. The marching band is under the direction of Leif Hall, a veteran marching band instructor, in his first year at UHS.
“My primary goal as a teacher of the marching band is to provide students with an ‘experience of a lifetime’ through music and performance. I want my students to learn the benefits of working unselfishly together in rehearsal and in performance, toward a common goal of ‘pride in excellence.’ Ultimately, I believe that students in marching band will develop musicianship skills and creativity that will transfer into all aspects of their lives,” Hall says. Hall has worked hard from the start of marching band camp this past week by perching himself up in a crow’s nest with a public address microphone and putting the marching band through its paces on the practice football field.
Hall taught marching band for four years in California and for two years at Central High School in Champaign. “I made the move to UHS to be part of a well established team of excellent music teachers. Urbana School District #116 has a reputation of having a high quality music program,” Hall says. He continues, “I've always been attracted to the sights and sounds of marching bands ever since I started playing trumpet in 5th grade. As a teacher, I most enjoy the process of seeing my students improve as performers in the marching band. It's thrilling to see my students working together to produce a high quality music and visual product at football games and marching band competitions.”
Hall gives credit to a large group of volunteers that have helped him with his first band camp. Hall comments, “I'm fortunate to be part of an incredible team that works with the marching band, including Erin Lodes (Urbana Middle School Band Director), Nicholas Jaworski (Percussion Instructor), and Kathleen Gohr (Color Guard Instructor). I would also like to thank Sue Garton and Karen DeBauche for volunteering as music instructors during band camp. Special thanks go to band booster president Susan Ferguson and District #116 Music Coordinator Darren Hicks for all their help with the logistics of the marching band.”
So be sure to go out to a home football game this fall and be on the look out for the Tiger Marching Band. The students and instructors have been working long and hard to put on a good show for the community.
Photo 1: Members of the UHS Marching Band practice during band camp.
Photo 2: First-year marching band instructor Leif Hall observes the marching band from high atop the practice field during band camp.
Urbana High School Exceeds State Average on ACT
UHS Class of ’08 Continues Tradition
[featured 8/13/08 - 8/15/08]
Urbana High School has again exceeded the State of Illinois average on the ACT. The composite average in the state is 20.7. The UHS Class of 2008 scored 21.0. The high school has outperformed the state on the ACT since at least 2001.
“We are very pleased with the fact that for at least the 8th year in a row, UHS students have performed above the state average on the ACT. This is a clear indication that we continue to make progress toward increasing student achievement by providing all students with the opportunity to learn in a supportive, nurturing environment,” says Principal Dr. Laura Taylor.
Thousands of Urbana School District #116 Parents Register Their Children
Centralized Registration Allows Parents to Register in One Location
[featured 8/8/08 - 8/13/08]
They lined up two hours before the doors opened. Parents are ready to get their children back into school. At least that was the atmosphere on the first day of Urbana School District #116 Centralized Registration Process. Parents from all across District 116 came to Urbana Middle School to register their children for all grades and all schools. Centralized Registration ran from August 6-8.
“Centralized registration is a one stop process for parents and families. In the past, families would have to visit each of the schools at which their children attended. Now all the schools are in one place,” explains Assistant Superintendent Don Owen. He continues, “From a district perspective, it helps provide consistency of student data. Having registration centralized and focused on three or four days means that we can get a better idea earlier of the number of students in each building, and it facilitates scheduling of students.”
Parents lined up down the UMS sidewalk and out into the parking lot right before the doors opened just before 10:00 a.m., on August 6. Each parent went from station to station providing information, receiving forms to fill out, and paying school fees. District 116 staffers were also on hand to help parents with questions and provide information on school services. “Many parents like it because they do not have to travel to separate schools if they have students in both elementary and secondary buildings,” Owen says.
This is the third year of Centralized Registration for Urbana School District. Owen says it is a labor of love for District 116 staff commenting, “Centralized registration does put an incredible stress on the staff involved, but the nice thing is that we are all there to support each other. As we continue to perfect the process, staff has participated a lot in providing suggestions and ideas to make the process smoother and more efficient.” But Owen says the parents seem to enjoy it. “We have had close to 2000 parents on the first day of registration. The first two hours were very crowded, but people were friendly and patient, and overall, it went very smoothly.”
District 116 parents who missed Centralized Registration can attend a make-up day on August 14, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., at Urbana Middle School.
Photo 1: Parents register their children for school at Urbana School District #116’s Centralized Registration.
Photo 2: District Parent Liaison Janice Mitchell and Assistant Superintendent Don Owen prepare to open the Centralized Registration process August 8, at Urbana Middle School
Urbana School District #116 Looking for Funds to Keep Middle School Program
SPLASH Grant Ends After This Year
[featured 8/6/08 - 8/8/08]
For five years, Urbana Middle School students have had the chance to enjoy a variety of before and after school activities thanks to the Students Playing and Learning After School Hours (SPLASH) Program. A federal grant pays for the SPLASH Program, but the grant ends after this school year. District 116 officials are looking for funds to keep this valuable program going.
SPLASH activities are led by UMS staff, Urbana Park District staff and community partners. University of Illinois tutors volunteer in the Homework Lab. 34% of UMS students (335 kids) participated in SPLASH last year.
It costs around $125,000 annually to run SPLASH. The federal grant is to get SPLASH started and sustain it for five years, and then it is up to the school district to raise funds to keep SPLASH going. This coming year is the final year of the federal grant, so District 116 is looking for funds for the fall of 2009.
Urbana Middle School Principal Nancy Clinton says, “Our attendance data shows that there is an interest and need for the students of our community to ‘bridge the gap’ between the hours of 3:35 and 5:30 in the afternoon. More and more parents are working, and this provides their children an opportunity to experience numerous leisure activities, get assistance with their homework, or learn about something new.” Clinton continues, “One of the positive impacts of the program has been that many students have attended the homework lab and academic team which allows them to get extra help with their schoolwork. It has also enabled students who have not experienced success in one area to have that opportunity in another.”
District 116 Superintendent Dr. Preston L. Williams, Jr., says Urbana School District will begin actively searching for funding to continue SPLASH beyond this coming year. “SPLASH has been a tremendous program for our students and community by giving our students an opportunity to explore a number of areas that might be of interest to them beyond the classroom and the core curriculum. For me it’s a very important piece of having a holistic approach to educating our students,” Williams explains.
August 2008 Urbana School District #116 Monthly Online Newsletter
[featured 8/1/08 - 8/6/08]
Stay up-to-date with current events in District 116 with the "Urbana School District Monthly" online electronic newsletter.
The August 2008 issue features an article from the Superintendent, articles about centralized registration, Urbana Health Center, the District's 2008-09 calendar and more.