Welcome to District 300, a comprehensive pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school district located 45 miles northwest of Chicago in the heart of the Fox River Valley. Our school district of over 19,200 students across 15 diverse communities is at the heart of one of the fastest growing areas in the Midwest, bringing approximately 400 to 500 additional students to us every year. In March 2006, District 300 voters approved a pair of referenda that allowed us to bring down class sizes to their 2002 levels, pay down our debt, build four new schools and make building additions and improvements district-wide, and radically improve our financial health and stability. Being ready is responsible. Being ready is the right thing to do, as our voters agreed. I’m happy to report that our test scores are up, our class sizes are down, and we’re READY TO GROW. The Board of Education conducts a daylong work session each year -- reflecting on the District 300 mission as well as our strengths, concerns and future needs of the District. The following goals were established at the 2005 work session, and will be evaluated this year as the Board continues to discuss and implement the Strategic Plan report that was published in late May 2007: • Vigorously support District initiatives to improve and enhance student achievement and opportunities. • Develop a financial plan that targets resources towards enhanced student achievement and opportunities. • Engage the public so that our communities have ownership in student achievement and opportunities. • Address growth so that student achievement and opportunities are not compromised. Vigorously support District initiatives to improve and enhance student achievement and opportunities. We are proud that the vast majority of our students have consistently scored above average on standardized tests, but we also know that far too many students continue to struggle. I realize the difficult task we have achieving this goal. Class sizes in all of our schools make it even more difficult. But, I also know the skill and dedication of our staff. They spend countless hours helping one another address the new standards of this critically important goal. District 300 is fortunate in having one of the largest percentages of National Board Certified Teachers in the State. The District continuously addresses the federal mandates under “No Child Left Behind.” District initiatives are designed first and foremost to assure that all District 300 students are receiving the best quality programs possible.
We have implemented a new kindergarten to grade 12 Math Curriculum. The District has also focused on reading by piloting a district-wide reading intervention program at grades three through five, and by standardizing reading support for grades six to twelve. The District also focuses on students needing additional support. We have standardized the English as a Second Language Curriculum and created opportunities for families to learn English. The District has expanded the Special Education Reading Program. The ACT Test Preparation Program has been successful. District 300 and the Board of Education are dedicated to academic excellence. The District finances are challenged by increased enrollment, the tax cap, and past deficit spending. The Board of Education has been dedicated to balancing the budget. The School calendar year 2004-05 finally showed all funds balanced. Gratefully with the passage of the education rate increase and bond referendum, the District looks forward to a positive future of educational opportunities for students. The District 300 Foundation for Education Excellence also provides the necessary tools and resources to help our youth. The Foundation, since its inception, has currently solicited over $160,000 in private funds pledged to support innovative and creative projects that improve teaching and learning that are normally funded within school budgets. The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. The trustees are community members and business leaders who are committed to a high-quality public education. The mission of the Foundation is to seek and make available resources that enhance, enrich, and extend learning opportunities for all D300 students. District 300 extends over 118 square miles that includes nine villages and small portions of four additional villages. We are urban, suburban and rural. Approximately 5 years ago District 300, the villages, and park districts within the school district boundaries committed to finding a district-wide common ground and to promoting quality education. They all came together in the form of the Community Leadership Council. The Council encourages open and ongoing communication of issues of mutual concern and interest. Council members work to identify a variety of existing and proposed funding sources to provide resources to maintain education. The work of the Council has resulted in consistent impact fees, transition fees from new development, and combined use of facilities. For example, larger gymnasiums were incorporated into two of our newer schools as a shared facility for park and school district. Village towers are now used as communication towers to enable the school district’s wireless communication system. The Leadership Council serves as a model for other school districts and communities in encouraging development of a strong cooperative relationship. The District Citizen Committees, the Community Finance Committee, the Community Building Committee and the School Building Committee are critical. These committees assist the Board of Education with establishing priorities for planning the future of the District. The work of these committees established the information base for our March 22, 2006 referendum. Board committees also include citizens. Community members participate on the Board of Education Finance and Construction and Facility Oversight Committees. Citizens share their professional expertise as well as their concerns as community members and parents. The schools’ PTO/PTC/HSO leaders also come together regularly to share information. These leaders meet regularly to discuss fund-raising, parent involvement, volunteers, what works, what doesn’t. These brainstorming sessions are becoming an invaluable resource for our parent organizations. This information sharing helps each organization work more effectively for the good of our schools and students. I also meet quarterly with the student council officers from our three high schools. It is again an opportunity for ongoing communication of school leaders to share information and concerns about their individual sites. Recently the District has formed a Ministerial Council with all of our local religious leaders. These leaders are coming together with one common goal - to help the children of Community Unit School District 300. The Ministerial Council meets much like the Leadership Council to encourage on-going communication and to seek ways to help youth. We need to move the District forward to a level that addresses the future needs of our community and of our children. Currently the District enrollment exceeds 18,000 students. The number of current and planned housing developments is staggering. In fact, over the next 10-15 years, 16,000 plus housing units have been identified for construction by villages and developers located within our school district boundaries. Our last demographic study by Ehlers & Associates, Inc. of Lisle, Illinois projects an additional 10,000 students in the same 10-15 year period. The demographic study takes a picture of a point in time. Political, economic and social factors all contribute to this ever changing set of enrollment projections. All indications suggest, however, that the growth will not stop despite a sluggish economy. We reside in a very desirable area, a good place to raise a family and to have our children attend public schools. Additional space will be needed to accommodate the influx of these additional students. The District has just broken ground for a new high school and elementary school in Hampshire. An additional elementary school is scheduled for construction in Gilberts, Illinois. We encourage and welcome your interest in District 300. Thank you for your past support. I ask for continued support and I encourage you to be become involved with Advance 300 or the various citizen committees. The information in this website is informative and helpful. We welcome the opportunity to answer any question you might have about our schools or about your child's education. Please give us a call at (847) 426-1300 or contact us by District e-mail. Discover and learn more why we are proud of our schools and of our kids. |
Our students excel academically and in numerous extra-curricular activities. Our school board last year recognized over 300 students who excelled at State and national competitions. Our students consistently score above State and national standardized tests. Although we are proud of our students, we continuously work toward even greater success. Our decisions for improvement are always based upon data and effective school research. |
We encourage and welcome your interest in District 300. These are exciting times for our schools. We hope the information in this website is informative and helpful. We welcome the opportunity to answer any question you might have about our schools or about your child's education. Please give us a call at (847) 426-1300 or contact us by District e-mail. Discover and learn more why we are proud of our schools and of our kids. |
Contact Information
Dr. Kenneth M. Arndt, Superintendent Lorraine Jensen, Assistant Allison Smith, Communications Supervisor |