Spark from ARC
HOME STRETCH MOTIVATION- MARCH 2025
The home stretch of the school year is here, and I want to take a moment to recognize and appreciate the
dedication, heart, and hard work you pour into our students each day.
From the very beginning of the year, we committed ourselves to operating with courtesy, dignity, respect,
professionalism, compassion, and empathy - values that shape our interactions with students, families, and
one another. These principles are the foundation of a workforce culture that is not only productive but also
meaningful and inspirational. They help bring out the best in each of us, fostering an environment where
learning and growth can thrive.
TEACHER APPRECIATION - MAY 2024
In light of recent staffing adjustments, it's understandable that uncertainty may exist within our community. Yet, within change lies opportunity. Each transition presents us with a chance for growth, adaptation, and renewal. Let us embrace these moments, understanding that challenges are not barriers but pathways to progress.
A HOLIDAY SPARK FROM ARC - DECEMBER 2023
On behalf of the Board of Education and Financial Oversight Panel, thank you for making a positive difference in the lives of our students. As we approach the end of the calendar year and semester, each of us should reflect on what we have accomplished and focus on our goals for the second semester.
EXCELLENCE IS A HABIT - AUGUST 2022
Our theme this year is “Excellence is a Habit.” Habits are heavily influenced by your thoughts. When you sow a thought, you reap words that eventually become actions. Your actions form habits, which shape your character. Character is critically important because it determines your destiny. The aforementioned transitions started with your thoughts.
LEVEL UP TO EXCELLENCE - JANUARY 2019
Are we demanding enough from ourselves and our students? High expectations are critical to our success and the success of our students. What is success? Success is typically defined as the accomplishment of one’s goals. To attain success, we must have the ability to move from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.
THE POWER OF BELIEF - MARCH 2018
Our thoughts are one of the most powerful tools we possess. The self-talk we do in our minds will motivate or minimize our actions. I know firsthand that life shrinks or expands in proportion to our beliefs, courage and expectations.
PROGRESS ON THE PATH - DECEMBER 2017
District 189 is making progress. The annual Illinois Report Card shows our students are making real academic gains that are leading to improved graduation rates, college readiness, college enrollment and persistence.
COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE - AUGUST 2017
We are blessed to be chosen to work with our community’s most precious resource, our children. They depend on us to provide them with a high-quality education in spite of every adversity we face. For children, education is the gateway to opportunity, the pathway to the future and their ticket to the middle class.
The school year will soon be coming to a close. It is hard to believe that most of the school year is already completed. There have been many great experiences and successes during this time. Four high school students will be graduating with their high school diploma and their associate’s degree from SWIC through the Running Start program.
REFLECTIONS OF EXCELLENCE - DECEMBER 2016
At the close of a calendar year, it is customary to reflect on our successes and challenges. Reflection is a crucial habit to ensure continuous improvement. A commitment to excellence requires us to never settle for low quality, mediocrity or poor performance. On our journey toward excellence and greatness, we should celebrate our successes; however, we must not be content until we reach our destination.
TRUE GRIT: PREDICTOR OF EXCELLENCE - SEPTEMBER 2016
In her book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Persistence, Angela Duckworth explains that a critical predictor of success is not talent, but grit. This former MacArthur Fellow makes the case that reaching excellence, despite the presence of challenges, requires the sustained and focused application of deliberate, hard work over time. It means operating with a passionate persistence and a steadfast desire to succeed.