Advance 300's Other Goals

Working For the Future

Roughly a year ago, Advance300 came into being with an immediate goal of encouraging the passage of the March 2006 referenda.

We also looked at the past, present & future of our school district. We set several benchmarks that we hoped to see attained by and for the district:

Adequate space and physical resources to facilitate student learning.
The presence of highly qualified teachers to prepare students for the challenges they'll face in the 21st century.
Greater cooperation and interaction between the district and the communities it serves.
Responsible use of the financial resources granted to the district.
A state legislature that meets its obligations to the students and communities in District 300.

To follow up:

Two elementary schools are under construction, scheduled to open in the fall of 2007. Attendance boundaries are not yet final, but the new Gilberts and Hampshire schools will significantly ease the burden at Sleepy Hollow, Liberty and the existing Hampshire Elementary Schools. A new high school is being built in Hampshire and renovations are taking place at both Jacobs and Dundee-Crown High Schools. It is hoped that middle school renovations will begin in the fall of 2007. All existing schools had a team of teachers, parents & administrators to assist architects in designing the most effective use of space. Every attempt has been made to lower class sizes at all levels and to maintain a 26:1 ratio at the elementary level.
District 300 currently boasts more Nationally Board-certified teachers than any other district in Kane County. Dr. Crates, our CFO, and Mr. Lopez, ass't principal at Jacobs HS, have both received statewide recognition for their contributions to the field of education. Dr. Arndt has received national accolades for literacy improvements in the district, as well as for strengthening community bonds through the Leadership Council. We can also look at some examples of what our students have accomplished: At two-thirds of the schools where the ISAT is administered, 90% of students met or exceeded math standards; half the schools achieved an 80% passing rate in reading. Additionally, twenty-five 2006 graduates of D300 earned the title of AP Scholar or higher after taking Advanced Placement final exams. Only 18% of all students taking AP classes earn this honor.
Examples of interaction between the community and the schools abound. Examples of this are the numerous citizen teams advising the district on future directions: the Attendance Boundary Committee, the School & Community Building Committees, and the Community Finance Committee. Local schools have hosted guest speakers on topics such as college financing, avoiding drug use, and health & wellness. Many schools collected food and warm clothing for local shelters and food pantries. Groups of students from Dundee- Crown High School and Perry Elementary have worked with others in the community to preserve a piece of local history in Raceway Woods. The district is also actively seeking community input on the development of a 5-year strategic plan.
District 300 has made great strides in paying down the $27 million deficit they were facing last year. The district was able to pay off $22 million in debt this year. This improves the districts financial picture enough to make it easier and less expensive to borrow additional monies for ongoing capital projects.
The issue of the state meeting its obligations to the schools is worthy of a page all to itself. See Capital Development Board Grant Money and District 300.