Will your child be starting kindergarten at Holmes in the fall? Be sure to register for the Kindergarten Summer Leap Program to give them a head start on their educational journey at the end of the summer! #d60learns https://www.maercker.org/article/1623966
Kindergarten Leap is an excellent opportunity for students to get used to the flow of the school day and be ready to start strong. Check out the story from last year to learn more! #d60learns
https://www.maercker.org/article/1461069
Congratulations to all the Westview Hills students who received awards during the end of the year ceremony! View the full list of award recipients and photos on our website. #d60learns https://www.maercker.org/article/1619604
Let’s check in on another 2024 high school graduate from Maercker D60! Aiden Galeckas is graduating from Hinsdale Central and plans to study computer science next year at College of DuPage. Aiden has accomplished a lot since his time at Westview Hills including receiving the Technology Student of the Quarter award, Athlete of the Month in wrestling, being a Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo, receiving Academic All Conference on the football team all four years of high school, and becoming a certified lifeguard.
He shares that he still has many close friendships that he made back in his middle school days and that he enjoyed getting to do chess club with Mr. Enburg, wrestling team under Coach Vincenzo, and of course all of the hands-on learning of robotics and 3D printing. Congratulations Aiden!
Today is the last day of school for the 2023-24 school year! Don’t forget that schools will have early dismissal with Westview Hills at 11 a.m., Holmes at 11:30 a.m. and Maercker at 12 p.m.
Have a great summer!
Students at Holmes raised $400 for a local animal shelter through the One Book, One School program. To celebrate, they got to choose one staff member to get a pie in the face and they chose Principal Kassir. They were so excited!
D60 parents, we may have run into an issue with the latest E-news being delivered via email. Get end-of-the-year updates ahead of the last day of school tomorrow at the link: https://secure.smore.com/n/6tgc4-news-notes
Let’s celebrate our final retiree for 2024!
Terri Williams has been a part of the D60 team for 13 years and is currently a second grade teacher at Holmes. She started in D60 as a substitute for Christine Hallin in 7th grade resource at Westview, then long term substitute for Andrea Quigley in third grade at Maercker, then long term substitute for Karen Dahl in second grade, then long term substitute for Jamie Free in Kindergarten, then first grade at Holmes and now second grade at Holmes.
She has many fond memories of her time in the district, including taping Principal Sepich to the wall with duct tape for a fundraiser.
“I really thought he was never going to get his circulation back again,” said Terri. “I have made many great memories at Holmes and will always have them with me, but the most significant memories will be the colleagues that I learned and grew with as an educator and every moment a student made progress or started to understand something. Those light bulb moments are my favorite part of teaching.”
Thank you for your dedication to D60 Terri and congratulations!
This year, Maercker D60 is celebrating two teachers who are retiring from our district!
First up is Maercker Fourth Grade Math and Science Teacher Lynn Gorey! She has worked at Maercker for 15 years and has run clubs including Ecology Club, Coding Club and STEM Club as well as helping to run and judge the Science Fair each year. When asked her favorite memories of her time in D60, she said:
“I love the relationships I have made with my students and their families and many friendships I have made with my coworkers. One of my proudest moments is when I won a Distinguished Golden Apple Award. It was an intense process with the Golden Apple committee watching me teach all day, interviewing the administration, my coworkers, my students and parents, but it was an honor.”
The Student Leadership Teams did a great job this year and were able to share an update on their work with the D60 Board of Education last week! #d60learns #d60leads
Today we pause to remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and our freedom.
D60 Beginning Band Members performed two concerts for the residents of Burgess Square last week! The audience was treated to many solos and ensembles including “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Aura Lee,” and “We Will Rock You.” Way to go! #d60learns
Don't forget, Monday, May 27 is a non-attendance day! Enjoy the long weekend!
Westview band students shared their talents with the residents of Bria retirement home today! Spreading beauty and cheer on their last days of school, Wildcats, we are proud of you! #d60learns
The last day of school for the 2023-24 school year is just one week away! Schools will have early dismissal with Westview Hills at 11 a.m., Holmes at 11:30 a.m., and Maercker at 12 p.m. What an amazing year!
We hope you have been enjoying Ask an 8th Grader!
Prapti S will be attending Hinsdale Central next year and shared that she really enjoyed the field trips with the band and her time in theater while at Westview HIlls. She says that Mrs. Lathrop, Mrs. Moffett, and Mr. Huff were her favorite teachers at Westview and that she is looking forward to a future in the world of creating games or becoming a software engineer.
Her advice for students is similar to others and is focused on getting involved!:
“Join clubs and sports as soon as you can! Don't wait around to see what's happening!”
Do you need meal plans for today? Head to Buona in Darien and show the flyer to have 20% of your total be donated to the Maercker D60 PTA! https://www.maerckerpta.org/event-details/buona-beef-benefit-day
Maercker third grade students are learning about citizenship and participation in their Social Studies class. The third grade team incorporated real-world experiences, like visits from elected officials, to enrich the learning process. Congressman Sean Casten visited Maercker school and students were so excited to have him there! He shared insights and stories that resonated with the students and answered student questions. Thank you to Congressman Casten for visiting! #d60learns
The 2024 Cultural Festival was a truly amazing reflection of culture and community represented in Maercker D60. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this event happen! #d60learns
Alexandra D will be attending Downers Grove North next year and says her favorite thing about her time at Maercker D60 and Westview Hills are the wonderful friends that she has made along the way and credits the environment and community of school with those friendships. She says Mrs. Lathrop is her favorite teacher and plans to pursue a STEM-related career in the future like engineering.
When asked her advice for middle school students, Alexandra said:
“Don't be afraid to try new things! Joining the clubs you want, and being involved in school is really the best thing you could do for yourself.”
