Sentinel 03-04-15

MARCH 4, 201 5 VOL. 20 ISSUE 12

HOT AIR there’s a new act in town for rialto Wisps of general knowledge culled from many areas of Will County

see Page 4

POLICE Plainfield teacher charged for having sex with student Brian D. Smith is charged with criminal sexual assault

see Page 5

COUNTY society partners with district to expand Pilcher Park Non-profit, local government partner to protect natural area see Page 8

SPORTS Joliet loses a legend Longtime coach Gordie Gillespie died at 88 years old

see Page 11

COME TO ORDER

small steps can lead to big results Overcoming resistance to change with small steps will lead to success

see Page 19

School districts weigh in on new statemandated assessment

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igor. college and career-ready. accountability. technology. that’s the language spoken in school districts across the state as they prepare to use a new assessment tool in march; one that is more aligned with the federally mandated common core standards. see the full story on PaGe 3

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sat. march 7 mostly sunny

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sun. Mar. 8 mostly sunny

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The PARCC test is given in two separate modules, one will be administered in March and another in April. According to PARCC, most students will spend about four hours each on the mathematics and English language arts/ literacy portions of the test, working on writing exercises, reading real passages and solving real-world math problems. Those will be broken down into smaller time blocks that will take most students 40 to 60 minutes, though schools will schedule up to 90 minutes for each unit to make sure that all students have the time they need to show what they know and can do.

School districts weigh in on new state-mandated assessment

By Laura Katauskas staff reporter

katauskas@buglenewspapers.com @lkatauskas

Rigor. College and career-ready.

Accountability. Technology.

That’s the language spoken in school districts across the state as they prepare to use a new assessment tool in March; one that is more aligned with the federally mandated Common Core standards.

Called archaic and unreliable, the Illinois Standard Achievement Test (ISAT) is out, and the new computer-based assessment tool

by Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), is in.

Many educators believed there was a disconnect between the ISAT and what was being taught in the classroom, thus not really giving an accurate picture of what knowledge students retain.

PARCC’s goal is to help ensure all students -- regardless of income, family background or geography -have equal access to a world-class education that will prepare them for success after high school.

“There is no comparison to ISAT—I’ve seen what we are leaving behind, and I am not sad to see it go,” said Michael LoCascio, director of K-12 assessment and data at Valley View. “With (PARCC), you not only have to know the answer, but you have to explain your reasoning. That is in alignment with common core standards, a much more analytical way of thinking, and it is something our students are becoming more and more familiar with.”

These tests use interactive

questions to determine whether students have mastered the fundamentals, as well as higherorder skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and analyzing sources to write arguments and informational essays – skills not easily assessed by traditional multiple-choice tests, as was done with ISAT. Education officials believe these state tests serve students of all achievement levels – advanced, average, and struggling – by identifying where they have areas of need, as well as where they are excelling.

In actuality, said LoCascio, the PARCC test is based on the very standards every school district should be teaching.

Illinois is one of 45 states that have been replacing their state learning standards over the past three years with the new Common Core State Standards for learning.

A consortium of state education and business leaders developed the Common Core standards to provide a more rigorous and uniform set of academic expectations nationwide.

Bottom line, educators say PARCC has the potential to be a successful tool for measuring student success, but still expect this to be a transition year.

In fact, the ISBE will treat this first test as a baseline year, so there are no consequences for schools or students. The numbers will be used as a baseline in order to measure growth by students, schools and districts in the future.

The first year of data will also be used to establish cut scores that determine the performance levels

Sample 1 Patricia needs to read for 120 minutes each week. She read for 26 minutes on Monday. She ready for 39 minutes on Tuesday. She read for 38 minutes on Thursday. How many more minutes does Patricia need to read this week?

at which students can be deemed “college and career ready.” The PARCC assessments will be able to be compared directly with their peers across the nations.

Sample 2 An art teacher will tile a section of the wall with painted tiles made by students in three art classes. Class A made 18 tiles Class B made 14 tiles Class C made 16 tiles Part A) What are the total number of tiles that are to be used?

Technical difficulties The road to the PARCC test that was fast and furious, leaving educators balking at its introduction. In November 2012, administrators learned the state would be switching to the new test for the 2014-2015 school year.

They knew much needed to be put in place to pull it off.

School districts were tasked with ensuring every school had the right technology and staffing in place to administer the test.

For school districts grappling with tight budgets, the investment was a big hit to their resources. It cost nearly $1 million to implement in Plainfield District 202 and nearly $400,000 in Valley View.

“We have also upgraded our technology network infrastructure,” said Charles Coleman, Joliet Public Schools District 86 superintendent. “The new network is designed to handle the increased bandwidth demands of the 21st century classroom, as well as online student testing.”

Over the past year, Astrid Welch, director of technology for Valley View, said the district has added 1,300 desktops, 865 Chromebooks, and furnished 121 rooms throughout the district at its 19 schools to administer the test. They also increased wireless access points to ensure seamless delivery.

“We are ready, but it was a very intense team effort by literally every department in the school district,

Part b) The grid shows how much wall space the art teacher can use. Use the grid to create a rectangular array showing how the art teacher might arrange the tiles on the wall. Select the boxes to shade them. Each tile should be shown by one

from technology and data services to building leaders and students,” said Rachel Kinder Valley View Community Unit School District 365u Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services. “It is touching everyone.”

While PARCC was certainly the impetus for the increased tech, all of the materials will not be used solely for PARCC. The new equipment also will be used for regular classroom instruction and to support curriculum throughout the year.

Test Prep In addition to knowing the PARCC material, students need to know how to use a computer to take the test.

Preparation is key and school districts across the board have been holding everything from webinars and hands on professional development sessions for teachers to community outreach meetings for parents and weekly sessions

shaded box.

Part c) Andy created a rectangular array showing how he could place 56 small tiles on the wall. He placed 7 tiles in each row. He wrote a multiplication equation using the ? symbol to stand for the unknown number, write an equation that Andy could have written.

for students on how to take the test.

In Joliet School District 86, resources for parents and students are listed online to help students familiarize themselves with some of the online tools and navigational skills they will need to know for the upcoming PARCC exam. This exam will be administered online for grades 4-5 and grades 7-8 in District 86.

The list includes everything from mouse and keyboarding games to virtual measuring tools and plotting points all in an effort to help their students become more comfortable with online test taking.

Across the board, school districts have been providing websites and other resources to staff and parents to assist students with the technology skills needed to successfully navigate the new online PARCC assessment.

Some of the 4,400 students in Troy District 30-C got a taste of PARCC last year, as did some of the teachers, said Daniela Fountain, the district’s Director of Curriculum. The small-scale trial run helped the district prepare for the real thing this year, she said.

see testing | page 9

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There’s a new act in town for Rialto There’s a new group on Facebook devoted to the Rialto Square Theater: “Working with the Rialto – For the Rialto.”

Sherry Carnes-Lewandowski, a real estate agent who lives in Shorewood, is a driving force behind the page, and she wants to make sure that everyone knows that the new group is not at all connected to another Facebook group, the sometimes-controversial “The Rialto Belongs to the People,” started by Dave Neal and controlled

by Mary Beth Gannon.

The people who post on the new page are trying to support the theater by spreading the word about shows, and they are also kicking around ideas for fundraising.

“We are working hard to do right by the Rialto on the page,” CarnesLewandowski said.

Can you hear me now?

Sometimes, it’s not what you say, it’s how loud you say it.

Around half of the Will County Board joined several other county officials at the Will County Farm Bureau’s annual government gettogether Feb. 26 at Al’s Steak House in Joliet.

The host for the evening, Farm Bureau Governmental Affairs Chair Jerry Davidson, asked County Executive Larry Walsh to introduce the various dignitaries in the

audience.

As Walsh had some difficulty getting the microphone to work, County Board Democratic Caucus Chair Herb Brooks tried to help.

“You don’t need a mic, Larry,” said Brooks, a pastor known for his booming voice.

“I know that,” Walsh replied. “The only one louder than me is you.”

Donkeys and Elephants II Snap quiz: Remember last week when we told you politically polar opposite County Board members Steve Balich and Jackie Traynere stunned those at the monthly board meeting by … agreeing?

Will County State’s Attorney Jim Glasgow did. Speaking to the Farm Bureau crowd at the get-together, the well-coiffed Democrat called out his “old Tea Party pal” Balich and said there is another issue he and Traynere would agree on: Redeploy Illinois, a program to provide services to youth between the ages of 13 and 18 who are at high risk of being committed to the Department of Corrections.

Glasgow noted the chief of staff for newly elected Gov. Bruce Rauner called him personally to tell him the governor would keep funding for the program in the budget.

Donkeys and Elephants III “Jackie (Traynere) agrees with me all the time,” Balich responded to

Glasgow. “She just doesn’t admit it.”

Congrats To Tammi Conn, Director of Career and Technical Education for Valley View School District 365U, who recently was named 2nd Vice President of the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education.

Conn, who joined the VVSD team during the 2012-13 school year after serving for 13 years in various capacities at Kaneland High School, was a presenter at the IACTE conference in Peoria in February.

And to Village of Bolingbrook Clerk Carol Penning on receiving the Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce Women in Business’s Community Leadership Award.

Best Wishes To Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar, who is having open-heart surgery this week. Bolingbrook is 50 years old this year, and Roger has been mayor for half that time.

A-pealin’ menu “Pancakes, sausage, eggs … carrots,” -- Shorewood’s Denise Schmidt, reciting the menu for the village’s first-ever “Breakfast with the Bunny” scheduled for April 4 at Troy Fire Station No. 2 on Seil Road.

This week’s Hot Air was compiled by reporters Laura Katauskas and Stewart Warren, and Managing Editor Nick Reiher.

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Plainfield Central teacher charged with having sex with 17-year-old student Charged with criminal sexual assault By bugle staff sweditor@buglenewspapers.com @BugleNewspapers

A male Plainfield Central science teacher was arrested Feb. 26 after allegedly having sexual relations with a 17-year-old female PHSCC student. The teacher, Brian D. Smith, 32, has been employed as a teacher in the district since August 2014. He was charged Feb. 27 in Will County Court with one count of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony.

Plainfield Police interviewed Smith Thursday. During the interview, Police said Smith confessed to the encounter and provided details which corroborated the student’s story.

Plainfield Police said the alleged sexual relations took place about two weeks ago in a PHSCC storage room adjacent to Smith’s classroom. The female was one of Smith’s students.

The Plainfield Police Department’s liaison officer for PHSCC and school officials provided the information leading to the arrest.

Approximately a week after the incident, officials were notified by an acquaintance of the student in regards to the incident.

The student was interviewed

by law enforcement officials and provided a detailed account of the incident. Police said Smith and the student had been communicating over various social media applications for approximately a month prior to the alleged incident.

Some of these messages were sexual in nature and included both text messages and photographs.

Smith will not be permitted on school grounds, school officials said, and has been directed to have no contact with PHSCC staff or students, pending determination of his employment status by the Superintendent and the Board of Education. District personnel are fully cooperating with the ongoing Police investigation. At this point in the investigation, it appears that this was an isolated incident.

A substitute teacher has assumed Smith’s teaching duties. Smith has not been in class since early Monday morning, Feb. 23.

Counseling services will be available to students needing assistance beginning on Monday, March 2, 2015, school officials said.

District officials will continue to work collaboratively with law enforcement in this investigation,

more information Individuals who have additional information that they feel may assist with the Police Department’s investigation are asked to contact the Plainfield Police Department directly at (815) 436-6544.

said Superintendent Lane Abrell.

Individuals who have additional information that they feel may assist with the Police Department’s investigation are asked to contact the Plainfield Police Department directly at (815) 436-6544.

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www.crimestoppersofwillcounty.org • 800.323.734 We dnesday, M arch 4, 2015 | bug lenewspapers.com

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4 21 The following items were compiled from the official reports of the Joliet Police Department. Appearing in the police blotter does not constitute a finding of guilt, only a court of law can make that determination.

JOLIET Cedric J. Williams, 25, 27 N. Hickory St., was arrested at 10:14 p.m. Feb. 20 at the residence for aggravated assault and battery.

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Carlos A. Mendez, 41, 258 E. Jackson St., was arrested at 11:50 p.m. Feb. 20 at the residence for domestic battery.

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Amanda P. Lowery, 19, 12179 W. 5000 N. Road, Custer Park, was arrested at 3:38 p.m.

Feb. 20 at 251 E. Laraway Road for battery.

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Raelle L. Harmon, 20, 2261 Wellington Court, New Lenox, was arrested at 5:35 a.m.

Feb. 21 at 1806 McDonough St. for possession of cannabis.

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Velus B. Bonds, 27, 22 Mississippi Ave., was arrested at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 at 2424 W. Jefferson St. for retail theft, possession of cannabis, resisting or obstructing a police officer

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and possession of cannabis with intent to deliver.

p.m. Feb. 22 at 2424 W. Jefferson St. for retail theft and possession of cannabis.

Florence N. Theis, 38, 357 Oneida St., was arrested at 9:32 p.m. Feb. 21 in the 1800 block of West Jefferson Street for retail theft.

Rolando Sanchez-Flores III, 30, 1007 Plaintain Drive, was arrested at 10:05 a.m. Feb. 23 at 2524 W. Jefferson St. for theft.

Gordon M. Williams, 68, 1320 Cedarwood Drive, was arrested at 10:10 p.m. Feb. 21 at 215 N. Ottawa St. for domestic battery.

Brianna O. Jamesray, 21, 1409 Green Trails Drive, Plainfield, was arrested at 2:31 p.m. Feb. 23 at the residence for domestic battery.

Jose A. Ramos, 21, 800 Meeker Ave., was arrested at 11:54 p.m. Feb. 21 at 814 Chase Ave. for motor vehicle theft.

Walter Mason, 49, 401 N. Bluff St., was arrested at 4:51 p.m. Feb. 23 at 358 E. Cass St. for retail theft.

Christopher J. Reed 32, 22 Hunter Ave., was arrested at 5 p.m. Feb. 22 at the residence for burglary.

Ignacio Brian Salazar, 21, 1201 Connecticut Ave., was arrested at 7:35 p.m. Feb. 23 at the residence for the violation of an order of protection.

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Michael Craig Jr., 28, 1850 McDonough St., was arrested at 2:26 p.m. Feb. 22 at 3551 Mall Loop Drive for domestic battery.

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Ulises Zarco, 38, 7442 W. 62nd Place, Summit, was arrested at 4:37 p.m. Feb. 22 at 3340 Mall Loop Drive for retail theft.

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Jerrid S. Allen Jr. 26, 102 Edie Lane, was arrested 9:02

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Timothy L. Lee, 22, 7438 S. Green St., Chicago, was arrested at 8:43 p.m. Feb. 23 at Jefferson Street and Mayor Art Schultz Drive for domestic battery, interfering with the reporting of domestic violence and criminal damage to property.

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Brandon M. Wojtak, 23, 2215 Francine Ave., was arrested at 9:21 p.m. Feb. 24 at 333 Madison Ave. for cruelty to animals.

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Nathan Jordan Bond, 23, 16328 S. Lexington Drive, Plainfield, was arrested at 8:10 a.m. Feb. 24 in the 800 block of Draper Avenue for aggravated domestic battery.

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Branden A. Mills, 17, 1003 Colonade Road, Shorewood, was arrested at 11:08 a.m. Feb. 24 at 110 Collins St. for possession of cannabis.

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Eduardo M. Cruz, 24, 2906 Bloomfield Drive, was arrested at 11:10 a.m. Feb. 24 at the residence for unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

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Andre D. Clark, 34, 3515 Exchange, Chicago, was arrested at 12:11 p.m. Feb. 24 at 1105 S. Richards St. for battery.

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Aime A. Vargas, 20, 263 Republic Ave., was arrested at 3:58 p.m. Feb. 24 at 2240 Route 59 for retail theft.

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Roosevelt T. Marshall, 61, 301 S. Ottawa St., was arrested at 3:35 p.m. Feb. 24 at the residence for possession of drug equipment, possession of cannabis with intent to deliver and possession of cannabis.

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was arrested at 8:47 p.m. Feb. 24 at the residence for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.

Donnie B. Johnson, 21, 1860 Asbury Circle, was arrested at 9:30 p.m. Feb. 24 in the 1800 block of Asbury Circle for possession of cannabis and resisting or obstructing a police officer.

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Gerald G. Shanahan, 61, 23756 S. Schoolhouse Road, Manhattan, was arrested at 10:37 p.m. Feb. 24 at 1601 E. Cass St. for driving under the influence of alcohol and the illegal transportation of alcohol.

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Alexander A. Bulanda, 27, 3515 Pandola, was arrested at 5 p.m. Feb. 25 at 200 W. Chapin, Morris, for domestic battery.

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Don D. Mayberry, 23, 414 Oneida St., was arrested at 1:05 p.m. on Feb. 26 at the residence of possession of drug equipment and possession of cannabis.

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Shorewood Nothing reported at press time.

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Dylan J. Schaefer, 21, 17911 S. Bronk Road, Plainfield,

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Worthy Events you Will flip for in “Men Who Cook,” a March 21 fundraiser for the Will County nreiher@buglenewspapers.com Children’s Advocacy Center. It’s a @JolietILNews great cause, and it’s a ball. It will be The pay isn’t always the best in held from 6 to 9 p.m. that day at the journalism – unless you’re Brian Pipefitters Training Center Local 597, Williams or Bill O’Reilly or one of 10850 187th St., Mokena.

According to the press release, those other liars – but the benefits roughly 50 local guys from can be great. right here in Will County I am not talking about will dish up spoonfuls of healthcare. In the old days, their favorite home recipes healthcare for journalists for hundreds of guests at was a bottle of brown liquor the annual competition in their desk drawers. and fundraiser for the Will There have been many County Children’s Advocacy days I could see why.

Center, a not-for-profit But as well as helping to agency that helps children meet many new friends, as nick reiher MANAGING EDIToR who are the victims of sexual well as my wife, raise two and physical abuse. kids and put a roof over all The cost is $40 per person; $75 per our heads, journalism has offered me couple. The price is $10 for children some prime opportunities.

I have gotten to meet Hugh Hefner between 6 and 12; kids 5 and under and see close-up a couple of his can attend for free. No need to dress Playmates without the benefit of air up; it’s a casual event.

I will once again be making a big brushing. I think some things look larger on them because the rest of cauldron of Bagna Cauda, a warm, them is so small, including arms like Italian dip make of cream, butter, pipe cleaners. Speaking of small, garlic and anchovies.

You dip little chunks of bread or Hefner is … about 5’6”.

Through endorsement interviews, veggies in it. But more and more, I I got to meet a future president twice, see people just chugging the little as well as a governor who would cupful.

There are appetizers, entrees and matriculate to a penitentiary.

I got to verbally spar with Senate desserts, and they all are wonderful. candidate Alan Keyes, and I got to Please come out. We can toast with a ask gubernatorial candidate Ron cup of Bagna Cauda.

Tickets are available on-line at Gidwitz to his face how he could run or they a state if he and his family couldn’t www.menwhocook.info run Evergreen Terrace Apartments in can be purchased at the door. For additional information, call the Will Joliet County Children’s Advocacy Center at Good times, indeed.

But more are coming, including (815) 774-4565. Or visit on the Web at two this month. On the same day, no www.willcountychildrensadvocacy. org, www.menwhocook.info, or on less. www.facebook.com/ Once again, I will be participating Facebook at By nick reiher

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I have gotten to meet Hugh Hefner and see close-up a couple of his Playmates without the benefit of air brushing. I think some things look larger on them because the rest of them is so small, including arms like pipe cleaners. menwhocook.

The other event that day? A little history: For more than a quarter century, my family has been joining my brother Gordy and his family at the Pioneer Festival at Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet.

There are demonstrations of pioneer activities, such as maple syrup making and period games.

The centerpiece, though, is the pancake breakfast held this year March 21 and 22, from 8 a.m. noon.

Tickets are $9 adult and $7 children under 12. Advance ticket purchase is suggested. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 815-741-7277 or e-mail pilcherpark@jolietpark.org.

If you come on Sunday, March 22, you will see Joliet Park Board President Glen Marcum flipping pancakes.

My family and I will, since we usually attend on the Sunday. But if you decide to attend on Saturday, March 21, you will see yours truly flipping pancakes.

This is a dream of mine. I am so stoked. If I were you, I would go to all three events. Just don’t eat for a week before. You won’t need to eat for a week after.

pryan@enterprisepublications.com 815.436.2431 ext. 106

Plainfield, Shorewood

Maureen vitacco mvitacco@buglenewspapers.com 815.436.2431 ext. 108

Niles, Morton Grove, Des Plaines & Park Ridge

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Email Legals@buglenewspapers.com editorial deadlines. Calendar & News: 3 p.m. Monday, three weeks before date of publication. sweditor@buglenewspapers.com

facebook.com/thebuglenewspapers twitter.com/buglenewspapers instagram.com/buglenewspapers EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed in guest columns, editorial cartoons and letters to the editor belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the The Bugle or its staff.

letter to the eDitor

the world is waiting for us to act immediately When Hitler killed and maimed his own people, we stood back because it wasn’t directly affecting us. He took over Poland and other Baltic states. We still did little because it wasn’t us. He took over the Eastern half of France, and still we did little. Only when he moved toward western France and started bombing England did we act.

We are acting the same way when it comes to the barbarians calling themselves the Islamic State.

Killing your fellow man is a poor reason for resolving issues. However,

in order to save innocent people and stop the spread of tyranny, we must.

Like a cancer, sometimes you need to remove the tumor before you can effectively treat and restore health to the good areas.

The world is waiting for us to act immediately and also to acknowledge and identify the enemy. Unfortunately, it will take significant number of boots on the ground, along with specific and saturation bombing to neutralize the situation.

All clergy, along with all people of all

faiths, must work and pray together to apply enough pressure to get this done.

We need to tell other countries they must join us with manpower, supplies and resources, or they are against us.

If so, we must stop trading with them immediately and suspend all military and humanitarian aid.

We need to take these actions before the barbarians come for us. If not, no one will be available to help us. mark Turk Joliet

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Shad Hallihan named next principal of Joliet Central Will succeed John Randich in July Joliet Township High School officials announced that Shad Hallihan will serve as the next principal of Joliet Central High School, effective July 1, 2015.

He will replace John Randich, the current Joliet Central principal, who is retiring after 34 years of service to Joliet Township High School.

Hallihan brings a wealth of knowledge to the principal position and holds 19 years of experience at Joliet Township High School.

He began his career as an English teacher at Joliet Central High School in 1995, moved to District Assistant Athletic Director in 2001 and Joliet West High School Division Chairperson in 2004. He became the Joliet West High School Freshman Academy Coordinator in 2005 before moving to his current position of Joliet West High School Assistant Principal in 2007.

Non-profit and local government join together to protect natural area

The Illinois Audubon Society announced March 2 its acquisition of 80-acres adjacent to Joliet Park District’s Pilcher Park in Will County.

With a $1.38 million grant from Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, the Society purchased the property for $1.9 million. The purchase price exceeds an all-time high in the Society’s history as a land trust. Pending the District’s receipt of an Illinois Department of Natural Resources Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant, the Society intends to sell the parcel to Joliet Park District (JPD) at a bargain-sale.

Through its Natural Areas Program, the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation assists nonprofit organizations and local governments in acquiring important natural areas and wildlife habitat. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has provided over $55 million in grant awards for the

Hallihan s leadership at Joliet Township High School was instrumental in the implementation and planning of the district s 1:1 computing initiative, academy structure and the New Teacher Orientation Program. He has worked with staff, deans, and security professionals to foster a positive school climate and safe learning environment.

The principal selection process included interviews conducted by a panel of community, parent, student, teacher, Board of Education and administrator representatives.

Prior to the interviews, the panel examined and discussed the qualities of an effective principal for Joliet Central High School and developed interview questions to reflect these qualities.

J oliet Central High School is a special place with a strong history of excellence, said Joliet Township High School Superintendent Cheryl McCarthy. S had has a wealth of leadership experience and holds a

great understanding of our parents, students and community. I have no doubt that he will continue the quality leadership that Principal Randich has demonstrated over the years.

Hallihan is looking forward to applying his leadership skills and vast experience in a new capacity.

“I’m honored to be given this opportunity,” said Hallihan. “Joliet Central is a special place with a rich tradition, and I look forward to working with the Steelmen students, families and staff.”

Over the next few months Randich and Hallihan will work together to implement a comprehensive transition plan.

“I’m proud of where our district is headed and of what Principal Randich has accomplished at Joliet Central,” said Hallihan. “I’m excited about taking on the challenge of making sure that all of our students are given the opportunities and resources they need to be successful.”

protection of habitat at 148 sites located in counties throughout Illinois.

“This acquisition is truly a future model for land protection,” Illinois Audubon Executive Director Tom Clay said. “We are adding 80 acres of high-quality woodland and wetland communities to one of Joliet’s most beautiful city parks at a minimal cost to taxpayers.

“At a time when state and local governments struggle to make ends meet, this transaction demonstrates thatprivateandpublicorganizations can work together in cost-effective ways to protect our most critical landscapes.”

Joliet Park District Chief Executive Officer Dominic Egizio said the District plans to immediately begin working on the addition.

“We will demolish existing structures, repair existing roads, address erosion in ravines, culverts and roadsides and align new trails for public use, connecting Pilcher Park to the added acreage,” Egizio said.

Pilcher Park and the surrounding tract offer an appealing mix of graceful ravines, lush bottomland

forest and small winding streams.

HarlowHigginbotham,animportant figure in Chicago during the late nineteenth century, once owned Pilcher Park. Higginbotham was the president of Chicago’s extremely successful Columbian Exposition in 1893. In 1920, Higginbotham sold the parcel to Robert Pilcher, a businessman and self-taught naturalist, who eventually donated his acreage of virgin woodland to the City of Joliet with the stipulation that the land be left wild.

The 80-acre tract buffers Pilcher Park (413-acres) and is in immediate proximity to Highland Park (41-acres) and Higginbotham Woods (239-acres). Pilcher Park is a Category 1 Natural Area Inventory Site (INAI), meaning the site hosts documented high quality natural communities.

“We have wanted to protect this Pilcher Park buffer for many years, and today’s acquisition is cause for celebration,” said Glen Marcum, President of Joliet Park District’s Board of Commissioners.

Marcum and the board intend to seek Illinois Nature Preserve status for Pilcher Park.

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Wedn esday, M arch 4, 2015 | bug lenewspapers.com testing | from page 3 “We’re looking forward to having (testing) aligned with our state standards,” she said. “It’s a different way of analyzing tests. … The transition (from the ISATs) will take some time, but it’s exciting to see where the journey will lead.”

Opting-out not an option The quick timeframe and cost to get systems switched to the new assessment had some school districts, including the largest, the Chicago Public School District, trying to opt out. That move has area school districts baffled, explaining that state assessments are directly tied to funding. PARCC, and formerly the ISAT, is required by the state as a tool to hold school districts accountable. If school districts do not meet certain scores, funding is cut. If the test is not taken, funding is cut.

“I don’t know how they can make that decision—it’s just not wise,” said Kinder. “We choose not to risk what could be substantial dollars.

We were given a directive, and we are following through.”

Federal and state education

officials confirmed in December 2014 there is no waiver to districts that may want to delay administering the PARCC. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, also known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) requires states (including Illinois) receiving Title I funds to provide for administration of the state’s academic assessment to all designated students. Additionally, the department confirmed that thesame assessment must be used for all students, and if the district does not comply will be subject to the loss of both federal and state funding.

Tom Hernandez, director of community relations for Plainfield School District 202, said the district has been implementing Common Core for the past three years. He said they are confident their students ultimately will do well on PARCC. But they have warned parents initial PARCC scores will be lower than what they are used to seeing on the ISAT/PSAE. “This is to be expected, with the change to a more rigorous set of learning expectations,” the district told parents. “As we publicly predicted, District 202’s scores

dropped by about 20 percentage points two years ago on the ISAT/ PSAE after the State of Illinois phased in some Common Core content into those tests.

“However, our scores improved this past spring after teaching the new Common Core standards for a year. We fully anticipate that our students will continue to score very well on the PARCC once the new Common Core standards are fully implemented into our system.”

One educator is anxious about the possibilities with PARCC. “I think the test has merit, but because I have only seen samples of test questions and the students have not taken the test yet, I’m still open on this,” said one elementary school teacher. “I think this test will provide a more accurate measure of where our students stand academically, not only with students in Illinois, but with all states that have adopted Common Core.

“Hopefully the feedback we will receive from the PARCC test will be more specific for both teachers and parents. Yet the first year will be a learning curve for everyone involved since we really don’t know what to expect.”

9

FOR WHEN YOU WANT TO TAKE 5 MINUTES FOR YOURSELF Wednesday, M arch 4, 2015 | bug leneW spapers.coM

Aries

MarcH 21 TO aPrIl 20

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gemini

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Face the future with frankness. Honesty is the best policy where your job and health are concerned. You may be overly optimistic about your ability to complete tasks on time in the week to come.

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To win at Bingo you must pay attention to all the calls.

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Across

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1 PlaNE rEsErvaTION 2 baTTING PracTIcE arEa 3 aMazON vIsITOr 4 NOblE flOrENTINE faMIlY 5 laNGuaGE Of THE PHIlIPPINEs 6 cOrNEr cHEss PIEcE 7 alasKa NaTIvE 8 cOla cHOIcE 9 lIsT Of cOursEs 10 NOvElIsT wauGH 11 “JusT TasTE sOME!” 12 sHEllEY’s “__ TO THE wEsT wIND” 13 abOvE, TO sHEllEY 21 “__ OuT!”: uMP’s call 22 TOP 26 TEll 27 DYNaMITE INvENTOr NObEl 28 PING-PONG NEED 29 sOME sPuDs 30 blENDED sEasONING 31 GrIM fIlM GENrE 33 raGGEDY __ 34 sGT., E.G. 37 cOMMIT PErJurY

38 PH.D. HurDlE 40 PING-PONG DOOvEr 41 caN 45 faculTY vIP 46 cOvErT aGENT ExcHaNGE 50 PEP rallY crY 51 wITH HaNDs ON HIPs 54 GOOD NEws aT a JOb faIr 55 bub 58 cOuNsElOr TO caPTaIN PIcarD 59 NOODlE bar OrDEr 60 aPPlIEs GENTlY 61 MOvE, IN rEal EsTaTE lINGO 62 lINT cOllEcTOr 63 HOllYwOOD wOrKPlacEs 64 POPular 65 sElf-rEGarD

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sEPTEMbEr 24 TO OcTObEr 23

Don’t lose your momentum. Taking care of your home and family can be both a source of aggravation and a source of motivation. Circulate and network to gain new friends in the week to come.

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DEcEMbEr 23 TO JaNuarY 20

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Jumble

Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 2015

PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS

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• KINKY • MIDGE • PYTHON • ENGINE

Answer:

THE PawNbrOKEr was GOOD aT THIs -- KEEPING “TIME”

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2015

page 11

>> inside: jca Falls to rich south in sectional Final page 13

gorDie gillespie 1926-2015

passing

OF A LEGEND Iconic coach dies at age 88

By mark gregory sports reporter

mark@buglenewspapers.com @Hear_The_Beard

Fifth-nine-year coaching icon Gordie Gillespie, died Feb. 28 at his Joliet residence at the age of 88.

Gillespie, who spent 25 years with the University of St. Francis, was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, Texas in July, 2009.

Gillespie posts an overall baseball record of 1,893-952-2.

With St. Francis, Gillespie was 1,020-581-2 in his years on the bench. He spent 10 years at Ripon College in Wisconsin, where he was 239-130. His

59

yeARS COACHINg MUlTIPle SPORTS

college coaching career began at Lewis University, where he was 634-241 in 24 years.

“This has been a great life,” Gillespie told the Bugle in a 2009 story. “I know I am very fortunate and I thank God that He has allowed me to do this. As far as the College Baseball Hall of Fame, it is a tremendous honor.

You feel very humbled by it. I feel the same as when I started.

I don’t have an ego problem.”

Gillespie was not only a baseball coach, nor has he stayed at the college level.

He had a 222-54-6 record in 27 years as coach of Joliet Catholic High School, where he won

see legend | page 14

.672

CAReeR WINNINg PeRCeNTAge

PHOTO COURTeSy OF UNIVeRSITy OF ST. FRANCIS

gordie gillespie died feb. 28 at the age of 88.

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12

Wednesday, M arch 4, 2015 | bug lenewspapers.com

PHOTO by Mark gregory

Abdullah Assaf and Lockport finished fourth in the state.

wrestling

Porters take 4th in state

By Mark Gregory

sports reporter

mark@buglenewspapers.com @Hear_The_Beard

BLOOMINGTON — When the season started and junior George Wolfe came to Lockport from Wisconsin, coach Josh Oster knew he had something to work with.

“I told him he was good at doing moves, but he didn’t know how to wrestle,” Oster said. “But, he grew a long way. He got to learn how to wrestle and put a whole match together and I think today was the best he has looked all season.”

There was strategy being talked about before the state quarterfinal match against Deerfield as to who to put in to get the win.

“It was something we weren’t sure what we were going to do there and Shayne (Oster) looked at me and said, ‘it will work. I will pin him and George will do what he needs to,’ ” Oster said.

With Shayne Oster’s pin of Andrew Grossman in 1 minute, 23 seconds at 138 pounds, the Porters led Deerfield 33-27 with one match left.

Win or lose, all Wolfe had to do was not get pinned at 145.

The match was back and forth, between and Andrew Mehrholz and in the closing minute of the match, Wolfe tied the match at 7-7 with a takedown.

After a few seconds, the Porter bench began yelling to Wolfe to let Mehrholz escape and essentially lose the match, 8-7, which he did.

Had the match gone into overtime, it would have given more time for Mehrholz to attempt a pin and tie the match.

With Wolfe’s match loss, the Porters held on and won the dual 33-30.

That locked up the Porters’ first dual wrestling trophy in school history.

It was the perfect match then for Wolfe, as the match that locked up the Porters’ first-ever state team wrestling trophy came all down to strategy.

“He lost, but he wrestled smart,” Oster said. “We knew he could win that match, but we had to minimize risk and George wrestled smart.”

What Wolfe did was not lost on his teammates.

“He sacrificed. He lost on purpose for the team so we could win a trophy,” said Trevell Timmons. “He did that for the team. He could have won that match, but it shows how unselfish he is and how unselfish we are as a team. This is not about anyone but the team.”

After securing the quarterfinal match, the Porters lost to eventual champion Oak Park-River Forest 51-21 in the semifinals and lost to Glenbard North 42-24 in the third-place match.

“We wanted to maximize our place, but Glenbard North has a bunch of trophies. They have been there before and they know

see porters | page 16

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girls hoops

13

JCA can’t hold lead, falls to Rich South for 4th time

By Mark Gregory sports reporter

mark@buglenewspapers.com @Hear_The_Beard

Everything seemed to be going the right way for the Joliet Catholic Academy girls basketball team in the Class 3A Coal City Sectional final against Rich South.

It was the fourth time the two teams had met this season, with the Stars winning the previous three, however, the first two were while Angels star junior Nicole Ekhomu was out with a back injury and the third saw the JCA leading scorer foul out after just returning from the injury.

That one player appeared to be the difference early on, as Ekhomu scored 11 of her teamhigh 23 points in the first quarter, but as the defense adjusted and Ekhomu became a passer more

than a scorer, her teammates failed to convert what were several easy attempts.

That, coupled with a host of Angel turnovers, led JCA to lose a 10 point lead in the second half and fall 62-56 to the Stars. ““They didn’t do anything different on Nikki in the second half,” said JCA coach Kenny Battle said. “She wasn’t as aggressive, but she made some good passes and we didn’t finish. When we get the ball into the lane, those should have been points and we came up empty.”

The Angels (20-9) gave Rich South several opportunities late in the game, helping facilitate the comeback.

“We had a lot of turnovers that led to easy baskets,” Battle said.

“There was one point where we had four travels in a row when we had a six- or seven-point

lead. They scored after every one and took the lead. They took advantage of every missed opportunity we gave them.”

When the Stars were not taking advantage of a first-chance opportunity, they were getting multiple looks at the basket, outrebounding JCA in the second half.

After taking its first lead at 4544, Rich South closed on a 13-3 run in the closed two and a half minutes to win the game.

“They were getting three shots at times,” Battle said. “With as many things as we had going on, we still were right there at the end,” Battle said. “But we missed two or three layups and missed a one-and-one and they made their free throws. We can’t fault anyone. We had our chances. We

see JCA | page 14

PHOTO by Mark gregory

Nicole Ekohmu’s 23 points weren’t enough as JCA fell to Rich South 62-56 in the Coal City Sectional final.

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14

Wednesday, M arch 4, 2015 | bug lenewspapers.com legend | from page 11 Class 4A titles in 1975-’78 and the Class 5A title in 1981.

Gillespie also coached USF football for eight years, netting a 48-33-0 record.

He coached Lewis’ mens basketball team for 15 years, putting up a 228-124 record.

He also coached women’s basketball at USF for one year, posting an 11-7 mark.

Overall, Gillespie has a coached a total of 3,453 games, with a 2,402-1,170-8 record, a win percentage of .672.

He won four championships in college, three at Lewis and one with the Saints.

“I had a thrill at Lewis when we won three championships in a row in ‘74, ‘75 and ‘76,” he said. “At St. Francis, we won a championship in 1993. Those are a little extra special because of the extra competition going all the way. It is like winning the World Series anywhere else.”

While in college, Gillespie learned from a pretty good coach, playing for Ray Meyer at DePaul.

As a player, Gillespie posted a record of 2,292-1,122 at DePaul and Kelvyn Park High School in four different sports.

jca | from page 13 controlled our own destiny.”

Andriana Acosta tallied 12 points, while Mia Farrell added nine. Ty Battle and Kennedy Weigt scored five points each.

The positive for JCA is the fact that there is not a senior on the

Coming out of college, it was not unusual for him to coach multiple teams.

“It was expected. My first contract at Joliet Catholic, I taught five classes, was assistant football coach, assistant baseball coach and coached the basketball team,” he said.

“At one time, I was head coach in three sports, plus Athletic Director, plus teaching my classes. To coach, you had to teach two classes, so I taught my classes at the high school, then was off to Lewis where I coached basketball and baseball and was Athletic Director.”

That was from 1959-1965, when he coached football at Catholic High and baseball and basketball at Lewis, while serving as AD. His stint as Lewis basketball coach ended in 1965, however, from 19661976, he coached both football at Catholic High and baseball at Lewis. He left Lewis in 1977 and began coaching baseball at St. Francis, where he coached college baseball and high school football until he retired from the Hilltoppers in 1985.

Gillespie was always more concerned about molding the athlete, not getting the win.

“The W’s and L’s don’t matter really. It is seeing the kids develop. Not only as a player, but in their lives. Having the kids I coached send a picture at Christmas time with their four kids, that is the beauty of it. A lot of fellas are retiring from high school positions, because that can do that at $100,000 a year.

And that is great, I am happy for them. “You hope the kids will remember what you have tried to teach them.,” he said. ”The fundamentals are fine, but it is knowing right and wrong.

Playing honestly, playing with integrity, playing fairly — that is what it is all about. If you can’t take that away from the game, what can you take away.”

Although he has had several players through the years make it to professional baseball, Gillespie said that was not his primary goal.

“There have been so many great kids and see them succeed.

I don’t know how many kids we had make it in professional baseball, but I was proud of them,” he said. “I am awfully proud, too of the amount of doctors and lawyers and school teachers. That is what this job is all about.”

roster and the entire team will return hungry.

“We have everybody back and some good freshmen coming up. I won’t let them forget this,” Battle said. “They will work hard in the summer. Many of them play on the same AAU team and almost all of them play in the

same AAU tournaments, so I can go to one tournament and watch all my kids. These girls, they understand their faults and will work on them.

“We are going to sit down and have an evaluation with all of them and go over individually what they need to work on.”

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15

st. francis

Presniakovas reaches 1,000 point mark in thriller Gonnering becomes NAIA D-II women’s career leader in free throws made Junior Edvinas Presniakovas’ (Plainfield, Ill./ Plainfield South) long 3-point shot with 19 seconds left in the game lifted No. 21-ranked University of St. Francis to a 67-66 win over Roosevelt University in the quarterfinal round of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Wednesday night at the Sullivan Center.

St. Francis (23-8) scored the first 13 points of the game and maintained a double-digit lead

throughout the remainder of the first half. With the first of his two 3-pointers on the night, at the 13:37 mark of the opening period, Presniakovas became the 19th player in USF men’s basketball history to reach the 1,000-career-point plateau.

USF led 34-21 at halftime, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Roosevelt’s Tyree York and Kevin Priebe in the first 68 seconds of the second stanza pulled the Lakers to within seven (34-27).

St. Francis used a 9-2 run to push

its lead to 14 (43-29) at the 16:32 mark and held a double-digit edge until Korey Ryan’s basket trimmed USF’s lead to 56-47 with 5:42 to go.

After sophomore Jake Raspopovich (Merrillville, Ind./ Merrillville) put USF back on top by double-digits (62-52) with a 3-pointer at the 3:23 mark, the Lakers (17-13) made three 3-pointers during a 14-2 run that gave them their only lead of the game, 66-64, with 39 seconds left in the contest.

With 19 seconds remaining, Presniakovas buried his second 3-pointer of the game from several feet behind the arc for

what proved to be the winning basket. Roosevelt had a chance to win the game in the closing seconds, but Priebe’s jump shot missed and junior Jens Kennedy (Dwight, Ill./ Dwight) corralled the rebound to preserve the victory for the Saints.

Junior Ilya Ilyayev (Los Angeles, Calif./ Palisades) led USF with 17 points, while Raspopovich added a careerhigh 16. Presniakovas finished with 11 points as the Saints won for the 12th time in 13 home games this season.

York led the Lakers with 17 point and six assists. Priebe and Jeremiah Jackson tallied 16 and

12 points, respectively.

Tony Smit scored a gamehigh 26 points to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists as No. 18-ranked Cardinal Stritch University defeated No. 21 University of St. Francis 83-68 in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament semifinal action Friday evening at Olivet Nazarene University.

St. Francis concluded the regular season with a 23-9 overall record and remains in contention for an at-large bid to the NAIA Division II

see SAINTS | page 16

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16

Wednesday, M arch 4, 2015 | bug lenewspapers.com porters | from page 12 how to do this and we are over that hump now,” Josh Oster said.

“I am proud of our guys. It has been a fun year. I am happy for the seniors who got to end their career with a state trophy.”

In the quarterfinal opening match, Timmons opened with a win over Patrick Sardi via technical fall, 23-6 at 152.

From there, Deerfield went on three straight wins before Chris

Murino defeated Alleman Bulut 16-6 at 195 and Tyler Johnson pinned Sergio Rangel in 25 seconds at 220.

After a loss at 285, Dalton Dwyer (103) defeated Dylan Utterback 1-0 and Abdullah Assaf (113) pinned Matt Templeton in 49 seconds.

At 126, Lockport’s Sam Fuentes beat Aaron Brailov 3-1.

On the day, Johnson, Timmons and Shayne Oster all went undefeated.

“This is a great feeling to be part of the first state trophy,” Johnson said. “When I was a freshman, it was the first time we ever made it to state, so it was great to be part of both first times. We knew what we wanted to do here, we knew we wanted a trophy.”

“We worked hard all season for this and it is a great feeling right now,” Timmons said. “We had taped a fake trophy on the wall and we kept looking at that every day.”

Saint Xavier (29-2) never trailed in the contest. The Cougars opened up a 15-4 lead midway through the first half en route to building a 35-14 advantage at the break. Saint Xavier outscored the Saints 12-2 during the first five minutes of the second stanza and maintained at least a 30-point edge for most of the remainder of the game.

In addition to her 20 rebounds, Stuut collected eight rebounds and eight assists.

Senior Katie Gonnering (Seymour, Wis./ Freedom) paced

the Saints with 10 points, all from the free throw line. With her 10 free throws, she finished her career with 702 – the most in NAIA Division II women’s basketball history. Gonnering also increased her NAIA Division II season free throws made mark to 255 and raised her USF singleseason scoring record to 720 points.

Senior Cydney Weisflog (Oak Creek, Wis./ Oak Creek) came off the bench to add nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.

saints | from page 15 Championship Tournament. The 32-team field will be announced Wednesday at 3 p.m., with the-

WOMEN’S HOOPS Led by Mikayla Leyden’s 22 points and Morgan Stuut’s 20 rebounds, No. 4-ranked Saint Xavier University defeated the University of St. Francis women’s basketball team 71-47 in the semifinal round of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Friday night at SXU’s Shannon Center.

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17

plainfielD east

q & a with local athletes

FEATURING

Wilyam Wright

Basketball @Big21wil

What Do you uSe tWItter For? I like to get the word out whenever we have a game and to let people know how we are doing. I also use it to get stuff off my chest. hoW oFten are you on tWItter?

I’m probably on 2 or 3 times a week to see what is going on and for big social issues like the Missouri situation and to help out people with school in some classes.

Who Do you lIke to FolloW? I always like the athletes motivation tweets and athlete facts because it lets you know how real it is. I also saw something that told you how to pick your team up after a loss, which is really helpful, being a captain of the team.

which boys basketball team will advance the furthest in the playoffs?

plainField north

Maine south

bolingbrooK

benet

22.2% 22.2% stevemillsaps @JolietWestad

44.4% 11.1% @lthswrestling: Dual-Team 4th place finishers Will Derrick Rose play again this year?

yes no

“rest in peace legendary coach gordie gillespie.

2402 victories in four sports! you will be missed. thoughts & prayers to your family!” ndCp_enrollment @ndCp_enrollment

“notre Dame defeats marian central 63-41 tonight for 1st undefeated escc championship since 1970! #Dons move to 24-4, 9-0! ” plainfield sWimming @pfldsWiming “congratulations @Brandon_tran_ 8th place in 200im 1.53.42 & new team record”

18

Wednesday, M arch 4, 2015 | bug leneW spapers.coM

Answering questions about Continuing Education 3. ARE THE fINANCES

Adults go back to school for a variety of reasons. They may have personal accomplishment goals or their motivation could be purely financial. Unemployment has recently led many individuals back to the classroom.

Many colleges and universities report that re-entry or adult students are the new majority on campus. Adults ages 25 to 69 are increasingly enrolling in courses around the country.

Going back to school is a serious undertaking. Not only is it an investment of time, but it is also an investment of money. for those thinking about going back to school, consider these questions.

1. IS NoW THE RIGHT TIME? Those going back to school because they think it might provide better job prospects or yield higher salaries could be mistaken.

Many employers are cutting continuing-education grants and scaling back on hires with advanced degrees.

That’s because companies are feeling the heat of the recession as well. Advanced degrees generally mean having to pay an employee a higher salary, something many companies are not in a position to do right now. Therefore, an advanced degree might prove a hindrance in today’s job market and not become the financial windfall some students expect.

Attending school is no small undertaking.

Whether a public, private or online school, tuition can cost several thousand dollars per year.

coursework. If money is tight

4. WHAT IS THE RIGHT SCHool?

Those who have a full-time job can look into a school that offers evening or weekend classes.

Many schools now offer online courses that allow individuals to take classes remotely.

There is a growing interest in schools that specifically specialize in online degrees.

Such schools enable students to take classes on their own time and complete assignments in a manner that’s less timespecific.

Continuing students who may not have a spouse or children can move around to the school of choice.

Once again, finances figure to play a major role when deciding on a school.

If this is the case, delaying an advanced degree for a few years may be a more financially sound idea.

2. WHAT ARE yoUR GoAlS? Individuals need to examine their long- and short-term goals regarding education.

Goals should include whether time is available to complete the degree.

Some degrees can take months or years to finish, depending on how many credits a person already has. Is the goal to receive a completely different degree and begin a new career?

If so, adults should put it down on paper so they have a definite goal in sight.

AVAIlABlE? Attending school is no small undertaking. Whether a public, private or online school, tuition can cost several thousand dollars per year.

Tests taken to be accepted to school can cost money, and books will be needed for

right now, continuing school may not be the best option, especially if high-interest loans are the only viable means to continuing education.

However, if the finances are there and school won’t detract from other bills, then school might be the right choice.

5. IS A CollEGE DEGREE REAlly NECESSARy? For many, continuing education doesn’t mean heading to a college campus.

It can involve taking certificate programs and vocational training.

Today’s seniors, particularly those who already have passed retirement age, may find themselves with many free hours to fill now that a job no longer accounts for most of their time. Returning to school may help seniors realize lifelong dreams of finishing a degree, exploring a hobby, getting educated to gain work in a new field, or just to fill some time in a productive way. Information from the United States Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics finds the demand for continuing education is still growing. for those aged 35 and older, the center says adult enrollment should grow by at least another 7 percent through 2016.

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Get SoMe help Some time may have passed since you last toted textbooks or entered a classroom setting. Things have changed since you last were in school. Sit down with a guidance counselor or a career advisor and go over your schooling goals to plot out a degree map. This will help you determine which courses to take or what schools will best fit your needs. reSearCh SChoolInG optIonS According to the National Survey of Students in Continuing Education, adult learners prefer post-secondary education that is affordable and close to home. Recognize that many schools now offer online learning, which may be ideal for you if you prefer to learn from the comfort of home. Decide what

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is important to you in a school, then narrow down your prospects.

SCheDule a CaMpuS vISIt Tour the campus to get a feel for the school environment. Visit with someone in student services or attend an event for adult learners so you will know what the admissions process entails.

Get FInanCIal aSSIStanCe Scholarships, grants and other financial aid are not just for young students. you may be eligible for financial help. Speak with a financial aid advisor to determine your eligibility for programs.

DeCIDe enrollMent StatuS Do you want to go to school full time or part time or do you want to take classes here and there? Knowing in advance will help you develop the right schedule.

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Taking small steps now can lead to big results Overcome initial resistance to change by trusting that small steps will lead to success even the most seemingly trivial steps that one might dismiss as www.pilesTosmiles.com insignificant are indeed significant as they lead Does the thought of towards accomplishing getting organized leave a goal. The very fact that you overwhelmed and the steps are small helps uncertain how to get block the fear that often started? The concept accompanies change, even of “kaizen” can take positive change. you from that feeling Rather than our brain of overwhelm to one come To order telling us to hold back on of being in control and WITH SUE BECKER doing something because on the path towards of the fear it associates accomplishment.

Kaizen is a term that was coined with a departure from our normal in Japan as it began to rebuild itself behaviors and routine, the little after World War II. It’s the concept steps of kaizen help mask the of small steps and continuous change and bypass the fear we might otherwise feel. improvement.

So what does this all mean when Kaizen is based on the premise that we can overcome initial it comes to getting organized?

When you’re facing the prospect resistance to change by patiently trusting that small steps will lead of getting organized and don’t know where to begin, taking any us to success.

The idea of kaizen is that small action that gets you started By sue Becker Come to order

IN oRDER To BE SUCCESSfUl IN GETTING STARTED WITH KAIZEN, folloW THESE TIPS fRoM THE lIfE EXCEllENCE NEWSlETTER: Think of how to do it, not why it cannot be done; Do not make excuses and start by questioning your current practices. Making excuses for not doing something is easy; and Wisdom is brought out when faced with hardship. will help you get unstuck and lead to other small (or maybe bigger) steps that will keep you moving forward.

To figure out what small step to take, ask questions to give yourself insight into the right move to make.

For example, “What’s one small thing I can do to de-clutter this room?” or “What can I do for five minutes every day that will help me reclaim my office space?”

If you find that your best efforts at taking small steps still lead you to resistance to change, revisit and scale back the size of your steps so

DaVe saYs By daVe ramsey dave says

www.daveramsey.com @DaveRamsey

amount. Little things like this will help keep your total money makeover moving in the right direction without wearing you out!

—dave

dear dave, Should you budget for mad money, or just iT’s a BeTTer idea carrying around cash, To Pre-Plan when you’re trying to get out of debt? dear dave, aurora My wife passed away dear aurora, last year, and she was just What really matters daVe says 43-years old. I paid cash MoNEy ADVICE By is the amount of mad DAVE RAMSEy for the funeral and all the money you allow arrangements. yourself to have.

Now, I’m getting Everyone needs a little pocket solicitations from the funeral money. It’s probably not going to home, wanting me to prepay my throw you off too much if you put own funeral. I’m 45-years-old. Is $10 or $20 in there. this a good idea?

But $100 or $200? That’s a bit dave much when you’re scrimping, dear dave, saving and supposedly working God bless you and your family. hard to get out of debt.

I’m so sorry you have to go through Think of it as a safety valve, this, but I’m glad to hear you were Aurora. Everyone needs a break in good enough shape financially and a little fun now and then. to handle the burden.

Whether it’s grabbing lunch out, That means you were both very or going to a movie once in a wise with your money. while, you need to relax and let off My advice is to pre-plan, but don’t little steam. prepay. As you discovered, having Just make it part of your regular to make important decisions in monthly budget, and stick to the the midst of that kind of grief is

a hard thing to do. Sometimes, people are so emotional during times like these that they make bad decisions. So, pre-planning and making selections ahead of time is a great idea.

But it’s never a good idea to prepay for this kind of thing, and here’s why.

If you live to an average age, for what you’d prepay today at age 45, you could invest the amount, be self-insured for that kind of thing, and in all likelihood have a ton of money sitting there when your time comes.

Events like this make you realize the need for proper planning, but don’t ever prepay them.

Lots of people in the funeral industry don’t like me for this stance, but that’s just because they make lots of money on prepayment plans.

—dave

* Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He has authored five New York Times bestselling books, including Smart Money Smart Kids. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 8.5 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.

you can sidestep that opposition and move forward.

Remember, the goal is to make the steps so tiny and seemingly insignificant that you barely notice that any effort is necessary. These small steps provide an acceptable alternative to failure. In her book “It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys,” Marilyn Paul wisely says, “Small steps actually taken lead to more progress than great steps that never

happen.” Here’s to your small steps actually taken.

Sue Becker is a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization who helps individuals and businesses discover the simplicity, harmony, and freedom of being organized and productive. She also speaks to companies and organizations about how to get organized and make the most of their time. Sue can be reached at www.PilesToSmiles.com or 630-7241111.

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