🌟 Gold Standard Spotlight: Julie Milos 🌟
Julie’s dedication, creativity, and collaborative leadership inspire both students and colleagues. From designing engaging lessons to building confidence in her students, she is a true role model and superhero teacher. Thank you, Julie, for being The Gold Standard! 👏💛
Julie’s dedication, creativity, and collaborative leadership inspire both students and colleagues. From designing engaging lessons to building confidence in her students, she is a true role model and superhero teacher. Thank you, Julie, for being The Gold Standard! 👏💛
Staff members made homemade tamales with Dr. Corona during Hispanic Heritage Month. ¡Que sabroso!
Join us for our special Dia de los Muertos event TOMORROW, Oct. 28, from 6:30-8 p.m. at Holmes School!
All families are welcome to:
-Visit the community ofrenda (altar) honoring family and culture
-Learn about the traditions of Día de los Muertos
-Enjoy craft stations for families
-Celebrate culture, memory and togetherness
We’ll see you there!
All families are welcome to:
-Visit the community ofrenda (altar) honoring family and culture
-Learn about the traditions of Día de los Muertos
-Enjoy craft stations for families
-Celebrate culture, memory and togetherness
We’ll see you there!
Throw kindness around like confetti! Club Lead at Holmes created posters all about spreading kindness in the building. #d60learns
We’re excited to share that the Maercker D60 PTA Family Trunk or Treat is coming up this weekend! Join in the spooktacular fun this Sunday, Oct. 26, from 3-5 p.m. at Westview Hills Middle School at 630 65th St. in Willowbrook. The free event is open to all families and students across the district and is organized and hosted by the PTA. Families are encouraged to bring canned goods to donate to the People's Resource Center Food Pantry.
Costumes are encouraged, but please note: no masks, weapons or backpacks.
To find more event details and to sign up to volunteer or donate items, visit the PTA website:
https://www.maerckerpta.org/trunk-or-treat
Costumes are encouraged, but please note: no masks, weapons or backpacks.
To find more event details and to sign up to volunteer or donate items, visit the PTA website:
https://www.maerckerpta.org/trunk-or-treat
Let’s spotlight our final principal, another new face to our district, Dr. Juan Corona!
Dr. Corona joined the district for the 2025-26 school year as principal of Maercker Intermediate School. He says that everything is going great so far and that he spends a lot of time getting to know staff and students, as well as the PTA. Some initiatives he is excited about include bringing more fun engagement opportunities for students and continuing to share his heritage with staff like when they recently made authentic tamales.
After 10 years of being a Bilingual Director, he wanted to find ways to reconnect with students and staff at the building level which led him to the Maercker Principal job. He says that he works closely with the other principals in the district and that they are just a phone call away.
“It is an amazing feeling to see our students learn and grow and see staff continue to further develop their craft,” said Dr. Corona. “My advice for anyone wanting to become a principal is to keep your passion for learning active with professional reading and networking. Set a goal every year and stay true to your vision. Always listen, ask clarifying questions and don't forget to reflect on your leadership and learn from the feedback you receive!”
Dr. Corona joined the district for the 2025-26 school year as principal of Maercker Intermediate School. He says that everything is going great so far and that he spends a lot of time getting to know staff and students, as well as the PTA. Some initiatives he is excited about include bringing more fun engagement opportunities for students and continuing to share his heritage with staff like when they recently made authentic tamales.
After 10 years of being a Bilingual Director, he wanted to find ways to reconnect with students and staff at the building level which led him to the Maercker Principal job. He says that he works closely with the other principals in the district and that they are just a phone call away.
“It is an amazing feeling to see our students learn and grow and see staff continue to further develop their craft,” said Dr. Corona. “My advice for anyone wanting to become a principal is to keep your passion for learning active with professional reading and networking. Set a goal every year and stay true to your vision. Always listen, ask clarifying questions and don't forget to reflect on your leadership and learn from the feedback you receive!”
🌟 Gold Standard Spotlight: Kierstyn Setter 🌟
Kierstyn’s positivity, creativity, and collaboration inspire both staff and students every day. She builds trust, empowers teachers, and goes above and beyond to support our Wildcats. A true lighthouse in our building, she is The Gold Standard! 👏💛
Kierstyn’s positivity, creativity, and collaboration inspire both staff and students every day. She builds trust, empowers teachers, and goes above and beyond to support our Wildcats. A true lighthouse in our building, she is The Gold Standard! 👏💛
In 8th‑grade science, students are learning about the roles of macromolecules in the human body. One way they explore this is by burning each type of molecule to observe how energy is released from it! #d60learns
Let’s celebrate another one of our incredible principals during Principal Appreciation Week!
Elisa Maldonado is new to the district this year and is leading the team at Holmes Primary School. She has elementary teaching experience in a variety of suburban districts and CPS and has 14 years of school leadership experience as an assistant principal and principal in Minnesota and Illinois.
She says that she loves the diversity of the community and the students at Holmes and that she is really enjoying spending time with the young learners at such a fun age. A typical day for her is starting the day with arrival and ending it with dismissal but in between those, you will see her visiting classrooms, sitting in on meetings, and expecting the unexpected.
“Some days the schedule may look light but we are always moving and working to support staff and respond to student and family needs,” said Maldonado. “The first day of school this year went by really fast and I don’t know if I sat down all day. It was exciting to see the kids and get to be a part of their day.”
She was drawn to administration because she loved the impact that she could have on students as a teacher, but wanted to do that at a larger scale. She collaborates a lot with the other principals in the district and says that the team works well together because they have different strengths and support each other through guidance and collaboration.
“I don’t think there’s a more rewarding job at the end of the day,” she said. “We are in the people business so it’s all about supporting the people connected to our school. You may not see an immediate impact, but we really do help to make an impact. There is no training that you can really receive to prepare you for being a principal because you have to be open and be a listener and mostly be willing to learn and grow as you go!”
Elisa Maldonado is new to the district this year and is leading the team at Holmes Primary School. She has elementary teaching experience in a variety of suburban districts and CPS and has 14 years of school leadership experience as an assistant principal and principal in Minnesota and Illinois.
She says that she loves the diversity of the community and the students at Holmes and that she is really enjoying spending time with the young learners at such a fun age. A typical day for her is starting the day with arrival and ending it with dismissal but in between those, you will see her visiting classrooms, sitting in on meetings, and expecting the unexpected.
“Some days the schedule may look light but we are always moving and working to support staff and respond to student and family needs,” said Maldonado. “The first day of school this year went by really fast and I don’t know if I sat down all day. It was exciting to see the kids and get to be a part of their day.”
She was drawn to administration because she loved the impact that she could have on students as a teacher, but wanted to do that at a larger scale. She collaborates a lot with the other principals in the district and says that the team works well together because they have different strengths and support each other through guidance and collaboration.
“I don’t think there’s a more rewarding job at the end of the day,” she said. “We are in the people business so it’s all about supporting the people connected to our school. You may not see an immediate impact, but we really do help to make an impact. There is no training that you can really receive to prepare you for being a principal because you have to be open and be a listener and mostly be willing to learn and grow as you go!”
Our Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) is hosting an event for all District 60 families next week! Join us for a special Dia de los Muertos event on Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 6:30-8 p.m. at Holmes School at 5800 S. Holmes Ave. in Clarendon Hills.
All families are welcome to:
-Visit the community ofrenda (altar) honoring family and culture
-Learn about the traditions of Día de los Muertos
-Enjoy craft stations for families
-Celebrate culture, memory and togetherness
We hope to see you there!
All families are welcome to:
-Visit the community ofrenda (altar) honoring family and culture
-Learn about the traditions of Día de los Muertos
-Enjoy craft stations for families
-Celebrate culture, memory and togetherness
We hope to see you there!
Beginning Band is in full swing at Maercker School! This fall, 106 eager students are studying band instruments! #d60learns
🌟 Gold Standard Spotlight: Rose Ortiz 🌟
From welcoming new families with warmth and empathy to jumping in on day one to communicate bus delays, Rose goes above and beyond to keep our students and families supported. Her positivity, adaptability, and student-first spirit make her a true MVP. Thank you, Rose! 👏💛
From welcoming new families with warmth and empathy to jumping in on day one to communicate bus delays, Rose goes above and beyond to keep our students and families supported. Her positivity, adaptability, and student-first spirit make her a true MVP. Thank you, Rose! 👏💛
Over the weekend, the girls cross country team competed at the state meet and finished in 14th place. The boys cross country team competed at the IESA State meet on Saturday and finished in second place, and Yebby earned second place in the state race and all state honors, as well as second place in the 8th grade hall of fame. Awesome work, everyone! #d60runs
In 7th-grade Family and Consumer Science (FACS), students are challenged to create their own food trucks, complete with a menu. In Spanish class, students complete a similar project, but all menu items must be in Spanish. Later in the unit, students from these classes practice ordering from the food trucks, applying their language and culinary skills in a fun, interactive way! #d60learns
Happy Diwali from all of us at Maercker D60!
Did you know that October is National Principals Month? Plus, here in Illinois, we celebrate principals with Principal Appreciation Week from Oct. 20-24 and even Principal Appreciation Day on Friday, Oct. 24. We love celebrating our incredible school leaders, so we will be highlighting them this week.
First up is our longest-serving Principal, Dr. Allister Scott of Westview Hills Middle School!
Dr. Scott has been the principal at Westview for five years and says that he was interested in becoming a principal because he wanted to make an impact on more students and educators beyond what he was formerly doing as a high school science teacher.
“What gives me the most joy is that I feel like we have a small enough system that we can really make an impact on the lives of students and families while also supporting teachers,” said Dr. Scott. “I’ve always believed in the impact that education can have on students and I felt that being a middle school principal in a small environment is where I can make the most impact!”
He says he starts each day with a full lap of the building to say good morning to staff and students and that there is no predictable routine after that until the buses leave. He visits classrooms as much as possible and says that the job is largely centered around problem solving and supporting people. He tries to emulate a mentor who was the principal at his daughter’s school years ago.
“Something I took away from him is the ability to insert time into a situation so that things never felt rushed,” said Dr. Scott. “I know how hectic life as a principal can be, but he always made it feel calm and like he was really connected to the situation at hand and that made a real difference for my child so I try to do that for our families.”
First up is our longest-serving Principal, Dr. Allister Scott of Westview Hills Middle School!
Dr. Scott has been the principal at Westview for five years and says that he was interested in becoming a principal because he wanted to make an impact on more students and educators beyond what he was formerly doing as a high school science teacher.
“What gives me the most joy is that I feel like we have a small enough system that we can really make an impact on the lives of students and families while also supporting teachers,” said Dr. Scott. “I’ve always believed in the impact that education can have on students and I felt that being a middle school principal in a small environment is where I can make the most impact!”
He says he starts each day with a full lap of the building to say good morning to staff and students and that there is no predictable routine after that until the buses leave. He visits classrooms as much as possible and says that the job is largely centered around problem solving and supporting people. He tries to emulate a mentor who was the principal at his daughter’s school years ago.
“Something I took away from him is the ability to insert time into a situation so that things never felt rushed,” said Dr. Scott. “I know how hectic life as a principal can be, but he always made it feel calm and like he was really connected to the situation at hand and that made a real difference for my child so I try to do that for our families.”
🌟 Gold Standard Spotlight: Julia Damon 🌟
Julia’s patience, care, and student-first approach inspire confidence and growth in her students while supporting colleagues through her leadership and collaboration. She embodies our values of Student-Focused, Inclusion, and Resiliency every day. Thank you, Julia, for being The Gold Standard! 👏
Julia’s patience, care, and student-first approach inspire confidence and growth in her students while supporting colleagues through her leadership and collaboration. She embodies our values of Student-Focused, Inclusion, and Resiliency every day. Thank you, Julia, for being The Gold Standard! 👏
Both of our cross country teams crushed it at sectionals last week! The girls finished in third place and qualified for state for the third year in a row. Our boys finished in first place and dominated the race. Good luck to these athletes at the state competition tomorrow, Oct. 18!
4th Grade’s first ELA unit included some fun adventures as they learned about polio. During their personal narrative unit, they read chapters from “Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio” and learned survivor Peg Kehret’s story. They read about how Peg attributed her ability to eat normally again to a chocolate milkshake, and how she learned to play the accordion to develop her muscles. To immerse themselves in the story, they were treated to chocolate milkshakes by the Maercker PTA, and to a performance from Jon Kostal, Westmont’s very own owner of Uncle Jon’s Music, who volunteered his time to teach all the students about the accordion and play several songs!
They also learned about how the game Candyland was created by Eleanore Abbott, a polio survivor as well, to help kids in hospitals keep their mind off of polio and play a fun and magical game.
What a great way to learn! #d60learns
They also learned about how the game Candyland was created by Eleanore Abbott, a polio survivor as well, to help kids in hospitals keep their mind off of polio and play a fun and magical game.
What a great way to learn! #d60learns
We’re recognizing our Gold Standard honorees for all that they do for our students! From strengthening emergency planning and creating allergen-free snack procedures to screening hundreds of students for vision and hearing, Amy Bailey goes above and beyond to keep our Wildcats safe and supported. Her student-focused dedication makes her truly The Gold Standard! 🌟
