It's Wacky Wednesday at Westview Hills and because the 6th grade won the April attendance Trophy, they got to vote on what Dr. Scott would wear for the day. He and Assistant Principal Meehan are looking very fashionable! #d60learns
We’ve asked our 8th graders to offer their aspirations and advice as they get ready for high school in the fall! Frank I. shared that his best memory from his time in Maercker District 60 was playing in Guitar Club. He said that Mrs. Cook is a teacher that left an impact on him because “she has always been kind to me and helped me when I needed help.” Frank plans on becoming a finance manager in the future, and shared his advice for incoming middle schoolers: “Study for tests, be good, and don't give up!”
Some of our fifth grade beginning band members put on a short concert of solos and ensembles for the second floor residents of Burgess Square nursing home and rehab center yesterday! It was a great opportunity for students to experience playing alone for an audience and putting together small ensembles with independent parts. There were lots of tapping toes and sing-a-long moments! #d60learns
Don’t miss a night full of the arts tomorrow, May 20! At 6 p.m., come enjoy the 6th Grade Cadet Band Concert, followed by the Gold Band Concert and Art Show at 7:30 p.m. Come support our students’ hard work! #d60learns
Congratulations to 8th grader Sreyashi whose entry in the National PTA Reflections arts program has been nationally recognized!
Her literature piece, "The Last Chair," received the Award of Excellence, and she is the first Maercker D60 student to achieve this level of recognition since we began participating in the program in 2020. Sreyashi is one of only three students from Illinois to receive this prestigious national honor. This year, National PTA received nearly 950 submissions from 42 states with 247 students recognized for their artistic achievements. As a national winner, Sreyashi has received a Young Artist Scholarship. We are incredibly proud of this amazing accomplishment! #d60learns
Her literature piece, "The Last Chair," received the Award of Excellence, and she is the first Maercker D60 student to achieve this level of recognition since we began participating in the program in 2020. Sreyashi is one of only three students from Illinois to receive this prestigious national honor. This year, National PTA received nearly 950 submissions from 42 states with 247 students recognized for their artistic achievements. As a national winner, Sreyashi has received a Young Artist Scholarship. We are incredibly proud of this amazing accomplishment! #d60learns
It is almost time for Chromebook Device Collection!
All student devices, chargers/cords, and styluses wil, be collected beginning on Wednesday, May 20.
Collection dates are:
-Holmes - 5/26 & 5/27
-Maercker - 5/21 & 5/26
- Westview Hills
---8th Grade - 5/20
---7th Grade - 5/26
---6th Grade - 5/22
All student devices, chargers/cords, and styluses wil, be collected beginning on Wednesday, May 20.
Collection dates are:
-Holmes - 5/26 & 5/27
-Maercker - 5/21 & 5/26
- Westview Hills
---8th Grade - 5/20
---7th Grade - 5/26
---6th Grade - 5/22
Last week, Mayor Nero of Westmont visited Westview Hills and presented this official resolution letter to members of the state champion chess team honoring them for their amazing season. So cool! #d60learns
As we prepare to say goodbye to our 8th graders and they get ready for the next steps in their educational journeys, we like to take time to hear from these D60 experts through our series, Ask an 8th Grader!
Let’s hear from Eli I., who will be attending Hinsdale Central next year.
What is your best memory of your time in Maercker District 60?
Conference Track meet
Who is a teacher who made an impact on you during your time here?
Mrs. Swoboda
What are you interested in doing for your future?
Pursuing pastorship
What advice do you have for students starting at Westview Hills Middle School next year?
Be you. Who cares about validation? Try everything you want.
Let’s hear from Eli I., who will be attending Hinsdale Central next year.
What is your best memory of your time in Maercker District 60?
Conference Track meet
Who is a teacher who made an impact on you during your time here?
Mrs. Swoboda
What are you interested in doing for your future?
Pursuing pastorship
What advice do you have for students starting at Westview Hills Middle School next year?
Be you. Who cares about validation? Try everything you want.
Today is National Speech Pathologist Day! Thank you to these professionals who make sure every student has the tools and communication resources they need to be successful. #d60learns
Teacher Cesar Tamayo, Multilingual Specialist Estela Rosales-Harrigan, and parent Jeanie Abbott attended the 20th Annual Statewide Summit for Bilingual Parents earlier this month. This is a conference for members of Bilingual Parent Advisory Councils and parents of Dual Language and English Learners. Thank you to these dedicated Maercker D60 community members for always finding ways to enhance the education of our multilingual learners! #d60learns
Dee Dee Ganski has been a part of Maercker D60 for 31 years and will be retiring this year! She is an instructional assistant at Maercker Intermediate School and started as a substitute at Holmes School when her children were young.
What is a favorite memory or moment of your time in D60?
Of all the memories I have I think my favorite was a unique experience. When Linda Taylor was principal, the State of Illinois promoted an afterschool enrichment program. Linda talked me into developing a class and I am so glad she did. The requirements were simple, it needed to be FUN and educational. I was approved for a class centered on our 50th state and was fortunate enough to have firsthand experience due to my time in Hawaii and had acquired various materials and visuals such as shells, coral, dishes, clothing, etc.
We studied various topics such as geography, culture, food, music, history, and wildlife each week.
I taught many of these students every day, but this was an opportunity to do something very different where we could see each other in a whole new way. Our course culminated in a Hawaiian luau, incorporating many of the things we studied over the past weeks. I received many thank you notes from students and parents and was so happy to open the world of Hawaii to our students.
Oddly enough, on the same day your email with questions came, I received a letter from the State University Retirement system telling me they had forty-five dollars of retirement savings based on a small payment for this class and wanted me to sign a form so they could send it! Talk about synchronicity! Of the many memories I have at Maercker, this one is a favorite!
How did you make an impact for students during your time in the district?
I hope I made an impact on the students, especially in the world of reading. Though I have worked in special education and math interventions, most of my years here were centered on intervention classes focused on reading skills. I love reading and always hoped to open that world to our students since it can then open the whole world to them. Raising two children, and watching the increasingly competitive nature of employment, I wanted to do everything I could to give them the skills necessary to become lifelong readers and successful in whatever career they dreamed of. I can only hope I made some small impact on the students that it was my privilege to teach every day!
What is a favorite memory or moment of your time in D60?
Of all the memories I have I think my favorite was a unique experience. When Linda Taylor was principal, the State of Illinois promoted an afterschool enrichment program. Linda talked me into developing a class and I am so glad she did. The requirements were simple, it needed to be FUN and educational. I was approved for a class centered on our 50th state and was fortunate enough to have firsthand experience due to my time in Hawaii and had acquired various materials and visuals such as shells, coral, dishes, clothing, etc.
We studied various topics such as geography, culture, food, music, history, and wildlife each week.
I taught many of these students every day, but this was an opportunity to do something very different where we could see each other in a whole new way. Our course culminated in a Hawaiian luau, incorporating many of the things we studied over the past weeks. I received many thank you notes from students and parents and was so happy to open the world of Hawaii to our students.
Oddly enough, on the same day your email with questions came, I received a letter from the State University Retirement system telling me they had forty-five dollars of retirement savings based on a small payment for this class and wanted me to sign a form so they could send it! Talk about synchronicity! Of the many memories I have at Maercker, this one is a favorite!
How did you make an impact for students during your time in the district?
I hope I made an impact on the students, especially in the world of reading. Though I have worked in special education and math interventions, most of my years here were centered on intervention classes focused on reading skills. I love reading and always hoped to open that world to our students since it can then open the whole world to them. Raising two children, and watching the increasingly competitive nature of employment, I wanted to do everything I could to give them the skills necessary to become lifelong readers and successful in whatever career they dreamed of. I can only hope I made some small impact on the students that it was my privilege to teach every day!
Band students had a fantastic time yesterday with composer William Owens. He worked with the Westview Gold Band and the Maercker Band before the premier of his piece Greater Blue at last night's concert! #d60learns
Ellen Hopkins is the Family and Consumer Science Teacher at Westview Hills Middle School. She will be retiring after 21 years of service to our district!
What is a favorite memory or moment of your time in D60?
One of my favorite memories from my time in District 60 was our Pizza Judging and Cupcake Wars projects.These events brought so much excitement to the classroom. Students took great pride in their work and loved welcoming teachers into the room to share what they had created. Watching them explain their ideas, showcase their creativity, and light up from the positive feedback was always special. It created a sense of confidence, teamwork, and celebration that made learning memorable for everyone involved. Those moments were truly the icing on the cake of my time in District 60.
How did you make an impact for students during your time in the district?
Throughout my time in District 60, I hoped to make an impact by creating a classroom where students felt supported, encouraged, and excited to learn. I worked to build relationships with students, so they felt comfortable taking risks, growing in confidence, and believing in their abilities. Whether through hands-on projects, encouragement, or simply being someone who listened and cared, I wanted students to know they mattered and that their success both in and out of the classroom was important. Helping students grow and gain confidence was the heart of the recipe for everything I did.
What is a favorite memory or moment of your time in D60?
One of my favorite memories from my time in District 60 was our Pizza Judging and Cupcake Wars projects.These events brought so much excitement to the classroom. Students took great pride in their work and loved welcoming teachers into the room to share what they had created. Watching them explain their ideas, showcase their creativity, and light up from the positive feedback was always special. It created a sense of confidence, teamwork, and celebration that made learning memorable for everyone involved. Those moments were truly the icing on the cake of my time in District 60.
How did you make an impact for students during your time in the district?
Throughout my time in District 60, I hoped to make an impact by creating a classroom where students felt supported, encouraged, and excited to learn. I worked to build relationships with students, so they felt comfortable taking risks, growing in confidence, and believing in their abilities. Whether through hands-on projects, encouragement, or simply being someone who listened and cared, I wanted students to know they mattered and that their success both in and out of the classroom was important. Helping students grow and gain confidence was the heart of the recipe for everything I did.
Our fifth grade teachers went BANANAS at our fifth grade beginning Band concert on Tuesday! The Beginning Band’s last performance is tonight at Downers Grove North High School at 7 p.m.!
The Westview Hills Middle School Horticulture WIN class took the classroom outside recently to leave a lasting mark on the campus! In a fantastic collaboration with the Village of Westmont Public Works, students planted two brand new trees right on the Westview Hills Middle School property. Thank you to everyone who made this opportunity a reality! 🌳 #d60plants
Fourth Grade Teacher Rebecca Merrill will be retiring at the end of the school year marking 26 years of service to D60!
What is a favorite memory or moment of your time in D60?
Watching the “new” Maercker school being built, adding to the time capsule, and moving into the new building. It was an exciting time for the students and staff!
How did you make an impact for students during your time in the district?
I tried to always focus on highlighting the amazing diversity of our students, community, and country. I liked to show students to the cultures, beliefs and traditions of themselves and others as well as civil rights and liberties. Acceptance and appreciation of others have always been a theme in my classes throughout my teaching career.
What is a favorite memory or moment of your time in D60?
Watching the “new” Maercker school being built, adding to the time capsule, and moving into the new building. It was an exciting time for the students and staff!
How did you make an impact for students during your time in the district?
I tried to always focus on highlighting the amazing diversity of our students, community, and country. I liked to show students to the cultures, beliefs and traditions of themselves and others as well as civil rights and liberties. Acceptance and appreciation of others have always been a theme in my classes throughout my teaching career.
As the talented Peggy Sue Casey prepares for retirement, join us for her final Maercker Band concert tomorrow, May 14 at 7 p.m.! Come support our Band students and their hard work as we near the end of the school year! #d60learns
Third graders’ learning came to life when the Westview Hills Middle School Jazz Band delivered a soulful performance! Third graders spent time learning all about melodies, solos, instruments, swing, and improvisation as part of a literacy research unit about jazz. They then saw their learning in real time during the concert, and their faces said it all as they looked at each other with excitement. What an amazing connection between classroom learning and real-world experiences! 🎷🥁 #d60learns
Our next retiring staff member is Fifth Grade Teacher Megan Casey who has been in the district for 22 years!
What is a favorite memory or moment of your time in D60?
My favorite memory from my time in D60 was time spent with my 5th grade team at White Pines. We were able to bond with our students as well as teachers and our principal. It was filled with laughter and memories that will last a lifetime.
How did you make an impact for students during your time in the district?
My daily read aloud, and my love of reading are what I feel have left the greatest impact on my students. Class discussions and encouraging reading and going to the local library are important habits that I hope to instill in all my students. My personal love for travel and incorporating that models for students to be curious about other cultures and the world.
The Art, Books, and Beyond Fair is TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 13 from 5:30-7 p.m.! Come view your student’s hard work in STEM and Fine Arts, get some books for the summer, and spend time with our partners from Westmont and the Indian Prairie Public Library. We’ll see you there! #d60learns
