Something Good is Happening Here
North Park Elementary School is dedicated to raising confident, selfreliant individuals while instilling a sense of curiosity, a passion for learning, and a commitment to impacting the broader community in positive ways. Donating time and expertise, and making NPES a priority for your family's charitable giving, sustains our unique combination of rigorous, challenging academics within a nurturing and supportive community. The generosity celebrated in this annual report enables the school to invest vital resources to help our teachers, students, and community thrive in new ways.
Our families support North Park through special events that bring our community together, and through annual giving, which is an expression of gratitude for what the school does for our children, and of support for NPES' constant search for additional ways to help students achieve their full potential, now and in high school.
Philanthropy has enabled us to reimagine and renovate our campus with collaborative learning, STEM, critical thinking, innovation, creative self-expression, adaptability, and teacher support in mind–all in a safe, engaging, and inclusive community that understands and appreciates every student's strengths and areas for growth. We are proud of and celebrate our engagement, and we are grateful for your investments – of all sizes and kinds – as a testament to North Park Elementary School's stability, success, growth, and commitment to every student, who they are today, and who they aspire to be tomorrow. On behalf of our Board of Directors, our Head of School John Novick, and all of our teachers and staff, thank you.
NPES Board President
Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math
With the renovation of our building came a new student Innovation Lab, focused on the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) with Design Thinking:
learning about the audience for whom you are designing
brainstorming and coming up with creative solutions
redefining and focusing your question based on your insights from the empathy stage
returning to your original user group and testing your ideas for feedback
building a representation of one or more of your ideas to show to others
In the Innovation Lab, our students are mentored to be curious, creative, and develop a sense of self in the larger community and we focus on extending learning that is happening in the classroom by offering tools and guidance to make connections for a specific audience. Fourth and fifth grade STEM teacher, Nicole Allen, engaged her students with LEGO robots and LEGO Mindstorm challenges, with C2STEM to guide her students to build, test, and adapt robots while learning coding and engineering skills. These robots could potentially be used to solve problems for a specific audience!
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
The 3rd grade Immigration unit is a much beloved unit of study at NPES. When Talia Blivaiss, 3rd grade teacher, started at North Park in 2011, the focus of the project was on European immigration through Ellis Island in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Students researched and took on the persona of an immigrant from Europe during that time.
Now, Ms. Blivaiss takes a much wider view - we welcome immigrants and migrants from all over the world, including those who are refugees, across countries of origin and time. She also does not shy away from the more difficult conversations about indigenous peoples who were here first and those who were forced here via the Transatlantic slave trade.
To make the unit meaningful to the students each year, family and friends come to speak about their immigration experience and students may now take on the persona of any immigrant, regardless of country of origin or point in time.
To continue building empathy, Ms. Blivaiss and her 3rd graders partner with Refugee One during their service learning project, collecting items for families newly arrived in Chicago.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Kindergarten teacher Zoe Ardito spent much of the winter and spring completing her 200 hour Breathe for Change certification.
Breathe for Change is a wellness and social emotional learning facilitator (SEL*F) training, based in yoga, mindfulness, and meditation practices. The program uses wellness as a vehicle for healing and social change and seeks to dismantle inequities by offering inclusive and accessible experiences.
There are many benefits to this practice, including improved self awareness and a deepening understanding of one's own emotions, goals and values, and personal identity. She hopes to help to develop self efficacy and optimism amongst students as well as helping them foster self management skills and social awareness. Ms. Ardito’s training also includes adult yoga, mindfulness, and meditation training, allowing her to support our staff as well as our students.
The impactful engagement of NPES families, and the vital role they play in the success of our school, is humbling and inspiring. I am so grateful for your trust and generosity, expressed through charitable giving and volunteering. You make our school stronger for every child.
-John Novick, Jr., Head of School
Our teachers are committed to the growth of their students, students enjoy beautiful spaces that work for them, and we work together as a community to make NPES thrive. Thanks to all of you, we are able to provide students with the tools and resources they need to learn about the world around them and make a positive impact.
-Laura McCammack Director of Development & Communications
Founders’ Feature
Faith Nielsen was a determined and persistent woman who believed that every child deserved and needed a fine arts education. Through the generosity of her family, in her memory and in regard for Faith's role as a founding mother, we have continued to expand and add materials to the visual arts and music classrooms, including our new kiln and related supplies. Without the Nielsen family's generosity, we would not have appropriate band chairs or a class set of ukeleles. Without Faith's determination, we would not have North Park Elementary School as it is today. We are proud to carry on Faith's legacy by offering an exemplary fine arts education to all students.
Volunteerism
As an NPES parent and Development Committee Chair, I am inspired by our volunteers. Our room parents, lunch and recess monitors, basketball coaches, drama support team, gala chairs, committee members, and other volunteers generously give of their time for the benefit of our children's daily lives–and the impact is huge.
-Ted Moore Board of Directors,
Development Committee
Chair
Donor Honor Roll
North Park Elementary School has always relied on the generosity of the community - parents, grandparents, relatives, friends, and employers - to give of their time, talent, and treasure. We are grateful for all of you and quite literally would not be able to offer the educational experience that we do without your financial support above and beyond tuition. Whether you contributed through a special event or made a gift directly to the NPES Fund, your gift made a difference in the lives of our students and faculty Thank you
$20,000-$40,000
The Nielsen Family in honor of Faith Nielsen
$10,000-$20,000
Susan Tsai & Ravi Kalhan
Jill & Josh Samis
$5,000-$9,999
Anita Pancholi & Nevin Boparai
Paul & Rosemarie Dinan
Eowyn & Matt Ford
Marrianne & James Gruverº
Harisha & James Haigh
Brian & Elizabeth Harper
Lauri Frankowski & Logan LaHive
Claire Thomas & Alan Littlechild
Jorie & Daniel Lombard
Vince & Renee Meneesº
Jennifer & Jonathan Miller
Neepa & Manish Patel
David & Shannon Poe
Mark & Jennifer Sampias
Michael & Susan Schuetz
Garrett & Brenna Sheridan
Alexis & William Valasek
Robert & Cara Veriganº
$2,500-$4,999
Daniel & Rachel Aaronson
Bianca Da costa & Kevin Ahn
Cheryl & Brian Atwood
Katherine Balson
$2,500-$4,999 (cont.)
Gregory & Claire Barnes
Robert Bennett & Jerusha Bennett
Samantha & Daniel Carroll
Crystal & Andrew Crestodina
Melody & Bill Cross
William & Amy Daly
Megan Campbell & Gregory Durkin
Tara Todd Farris & Daniel Farris
Greg & Kristina Gawor
Rachel & Lou Glaser
Hilary & Matthew Goldfineº
Meredith & Brian Hannah
Carolyn Braff & Andrew Hermanº
Grey Tanzi & Erik Hogstrom
Erin & Scott Holcomb
Daniel & Julie Jacobson
Leslie Crea-Kammerer & Christopher
Kammerer
Laura Coy & Brian Krumm
Bryan & Julie Lamb
Jeffrey & Andrea Levoff
Darren & Elizabeth Lubotsky
Deena & Eric McCauley
Andrew & Molly McSweenº
Anita Denes-Meador & Matthew
Meador
Ted & Kelly Moore
Rosemary Feit & Matthew Moren
Rebecca & Derek Norman
Jennifer & Davin Peelle
Lauren & Ryan Perry
David & Stephanie Petti
$2,500-$4,999 (cont.)
Alicia Gonzalez & Gerald Saltarelli
Steve Schneider & James Schroeder
Jennifer & Herb Seitz
Julia Singh & Davor Sicel
Marci & Jeff Sieracki
Sharon Wise & Nicholas Sinnott
Patrick Simoniello & Jeffrey Stanfield
Rebecca & Jeffrey Tatom
Alicia Valencia-Unterbrunner & Adam
Unterbrunner
Kristen & David Van Dyke
Shannon & Andrew Weber
Courtney Welton
Jessica & Bryan Westhoff
William & Melissa Zaikos
$1,000-$2,499
Anonymous
Sarah & Jonathan Adelstein
Anonymous
Maria Logli Allison & James Allison
Anoop & Priti Anekalº
Alison & Gareth Anthonisz
John Arnold
Jonathan & Lori Arnold
Meg Ogishi & Ryan Bowersock Dennis & Taylor Boyerº
Olivia & Timothy Brennan
Amanda & Stuart Brody
Leslie Patterson & Todd Brown
Patty Brummet
Jillian Inserra & Brian Burcham David & Valentina Burciaga
Kathryn Fitzgerald & Howard Chang
Tracey Sanders & Michael Check
January Jarecki & Abigail Claiborne
Beth Cummings & Regan Davis
Rebecca & Cliff Deutsch
Julie Michaelson & Bill Faude
Dawn Zarembski & Mark Frankeº
Carla Suffi-Greenstein & Justin Greenstein
Cindy Sobel & Matthew Greiner Emily
Morgan & Timothy Grimes Emily Hall & Peter Gwinn
Kristine & Robert Hall
Michael & Angela Heitz
$1,000-$2,499 (cont.)
Eric & Kelly Hoberman
Nan Li & Yuheng Huº
Melissa Lewis & Scott Huegerich
Vivian Lee & Matthew James
Sarah & Robert Jamiesonº
Laura & Erik Joss
Kim Sabo & Robert Kaplan
Libby & Alan Keribar
Peter & Lisa Knight
Cassidy & Theodore Lasser
Lisa Key & Kevin Lint
Lynne Mann
Mark & Kelley Masino
Maria & Erick Matos
Maurine & Trey McAdams
Laura & Brian McCammack
Lynn Anderson & Jerry McEntee
Art & Jo Moore
Kim & Michael Moran
Mark Pascaris & Jennifer Morris
Dana & John Novick
Tracy & Bryan Paullº
Lauren & Ross Rocklin
Dinakar Vinnakota & Susan Russell
Christy & Chris Sears
Leah Rimkus & Nishant Shah
Goran & Emer Simic
Sandra Soellner
Sneha Soni & Marcus Turnboº
Marzia & Taher Valika
Carey Schueler & Kate Varde
Rob & Carrie von der Sitt
Keith Walker
Denise Burch & Eric Weinstein
Lisa & Randy Weinstein
Irena & Bryan Weiss
Taylor & Christopher Wood
Up to $999
Beth & Michael Aaronson
Jason & Lahnna Addington
David & Devra Adelstein
Sridhar Adiga
Dale Anderson
Jill Anderson
Wendy Andrews
Zoe Ardito
Up to $999 (cont.)
Steven Axler
Ariel Barbick
Tim & Eloise Barron
Jennifer Barton & Jonathan Calfee
Emily Beck
Robb Bennett
Catherine Chapin & Chetan Bhupali
Joseph Bingen
Talia Blivaiss
Steven & Alana Block
Jon Boley
Julia Boncher
Przemyslaw Bosak
Jamie Boyer
Kelsey Boyer
Roger Boyer
Jim & Julie Bradford
Mike & Margaret Brennan
Cam Brown
Paul Bulgajewski
Julia Burciaga
Robert Burciaga
Lauren & Zach Carusona
Nai Chang
Joanne Chittick
Lawrence Christensen
David Claiborne
Eileen Claiborne
Karry Clarke
Jacque Nelson-Cogan & Dan Cogan
Morgan Collier
Rachel Costello
John & Cynthia Coy
Helen Daley
Mary Daley
Pablo Denes
Mary Jenner & George Dengler
Giselle & Joseph Donado
Katharine Dryden
Janet & Larry Eaton
Justin Eaton
Bev Eisenberg
Shanti & Siva Elangovan
Kyrsten & Marcus Emanuel
Stephanie Hlywak & J. Gabe Estill
Rosanne Farris
Up to $999 (cont.)
Andrea Bingen & John Forbeck
Emily Friend
Andrew Sokol & Tim Gallagher
Jarek Gawor
Kay Gingerich
Deborah Ginsberg
Daniel & Rachelle Golden
Joshua Grossman
Mike Harper
John Hartley
Shelby Heator
John Heidloff
Shannon Heidloff
Kurt & Rebecca Hirsch
Rob Hirsch
Diane Hoberman
Rebecca Holbrook-Erhart
John Holcomb
Ashley Holmes
Ginny Hotaling
Jessie & Rhodi Hotaling
Deb Hughes
Caron Jacobson
Nancy & Mark Jacobson
Dana James
Fran Jones
Jayne James
Matt James
Shelby Klingberg
Krishen Kotecha
Irina Vodonos & Chris Kupcho
Mary Kupcho
Margaret & John LaMarche
Lynn Lawrence
Nikki Lawrence
Elisabeth Lindsay-Ryan
Amy Lint
Margaret Lint
Adam Litt
Kelly Lombard
Madelyn Lombard
Richard Lombard
Dale Lubotsky
Megean Lundberg
Kerry Maman
Falguni Mangat
Up to $999 (cont.)
Melinda Swank & Fletcher Martin
Carrie McBreen
Joseph McBreen
James & Marilyn McCammack
Kem McClelland
Timothy McGlinchy
Lisa Mekelburg
Nancy Melin
Carla Melnyk
Marsha Meuser
Jason Miller
Steven & Jacqueline Miller
Kim & Tom Miniscalco
Larissa & Brian Modesitt
Nancy Morris
Sarah Morris
Anna Nardulli
Katie Newell
Jonathan & Laura Novy
Melissa Oglesby
John & Susan O'Connell
Donna & Tom Pascaris
Justin Past
Mark & Tara Patek
Chloe & Andrew Patton
Linda Patton
Linda Paull
Melissa Payne
Diana & Paul Peelle
Kathleen Pereles
Bella & Anatoly Polyachenko
Jennifer Quay
Emily Reitmeier
Rustin Rethemeyer
Brad Riggs
Cathy Rimkus
Edmund Rimkus
Allie Robbins
Harriette Robbins
Julie Robbins
Katie Rovani
Lauren Russell
Melliney & Gerry Saltarelli
Lisa & Michael Samis
Mark Schab
Aimee Schnabel
Gloria Schneider
Up to $999 (cont.)
Christine Schroeder
James & Patricia Schroeder
Ronald Schueler
Elizabeth Schug
Elizabeth Seagle
Erin & Rick Sedlak
Rita & Sam Shah
Jill Sickle
Nicole Smart
Kim & Sean Smith
Elizabeth Vadas & Paulos Strike
Heather & Joseph Summers
Mary Anne Talotta
Lawrence Tanzi
Morgan Tate
Cathy Taylor
Julie Thomas
Juliana Tiryaki
Levi Todd
Rachelle Todd
Pete Tortorici
Michelle Villarreal & Vladimir Uman
Pamela Valenta
John Varde
Judith Verigan
Leonid Vodonos
Valery Vodonos
Jessica Wacker
Kelly & Nathan Walker
Michelle & David Weber
Susan Weber
Dana & Michael Weed
Katherine Weil
Adrienne Weinstein
Jan Nguyen & Sam Weller
Mary Wells
Deborah & Thomas Williams
Elizabeth & Scott Wolff
Penni Wolfmark
Anne Wong
Reed Woodson
Naomi Skolnick & Mike Yazzie
Jeff Yosowitz
Anne Zagotta
Abizer & Fatema Zanzi
Michael Zlotnik
Stephen Zuckerman
Corporations
Albany Bank*
Allstate
AmazonSmile
Arbonne International
Bank of America
BDT
Boeing
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation
Cardinal Health
Cobalt Energy Services, Inc.*
CustomInk
Deconstruct Architecture*
Fitch Ratings
Genevieve LLC
Google, Inc.
Healthier Tomorrows*
Intercontinental Exchange
Macon Construction*
Marsh & McLennan Companies
Melissa Lewis Interiors*
Morningstar
Motorola Solutions Foundation
North Point Lending Services - Rob von der Sitt*
NPES Board of Directors
NPES Dads' Club
NPES Moms' Club
Options Clearing Corporation
PepsiCo
Prudential Insurance
Quinn Emanuel Trial Lawyers - Daniel
R.Lombard*
Soul Daddy
Speciality Store Services*
Tara Todd Farris, MHS CCC-SLP/L*
Team Sears*
The Loop SLL*
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
William Blair & Company*
Foundations
Hoellen Family Foundation
Kalhan Foundation
MacArthur Foundation
John & Kathleen Schreiber Foundation
ºA special thank you to these donors, who generously secured a matching gift from their employer.
*Gala Sponsor
We have made every effort to accurately list all donors. If we have made a mistake, please accept our sincerest apologies and contact the development office so that we may update the online posting.
Project North Park
Several years ago, NPES set out to renovate our building and expand into what was a garage to create a school that worked for students - natural light in classrooms, a student innovation lab, a new science lab, and a more secure entrance are all a reality now. Thank you to our generous donors who made it all possible. You have left your mark on NPES and we are excited and equipped for the future.
$100,000+
Anonymous
$70,000-$99,999
The Nielsen Family in honor of Faith Nielsen
$40,000-$69,999
The Balson/Stein Family
Vince & Renee Menees
Joanna Williams
$30,000-$39,999
Jorie & Daniel Lombard
Ted & Kelly Moore
Jill & Josh Samis
Rob & Cara Verigan
$20,000-$29,999
Anonymous
Samantha & Daniel Carroll
Melody & Bill Cross
Will & Amy Daly
Shanti & Siva Elangovan
Eowyn & Matt Ford
Hilary & Matthew Goldfine
Harisha & James Haigh
Eric & Kelly Hoberman
Danny & Julie Jacobson
Susan Tsai & Ravi Kalhan
Bryan & Julie Lamb
Maurine & Trey McAdams
Jennie & Jonathan Miller
$20,000-$29,999 (cont.)
Kim & Michael Moran
Neepa & Manish Patel
David & Shannon Poe
Mark & Jennifer Sampias
Steve Schneider & James Schroeder
Michael & Susan Schuetz
Jennifer & Herb Seitz
Heather & Joseph Summers
Courtney Welton & Tyler
Vanlonkhuyzen
Dana & Michael Weed
Denise Burch & Eric Weinstein
$10,000-$19,999
Anonymous
Anonymous
Alison & Gareth Anthonisz
Anita Pancholi & Nevin Boparai
Jillian Inserra & Brian Burcham
Megan Campbell & Gregory Durkin
Andrea Bingen & John Forbeck
Brian & Liz Harper
Grey Tanzi & Erik Hogstrom
Liz Siegel & Greg Jacobs
Laura Coy & Brian Krumm
Cassidy & Theo Lasser
The Logli/Allison Family
Darren & Beth Lubotsky
Andrew & Molly McSween
Dan Cogan & Jacque Nelson-Cogan,
Doug Nelson
David & Stephanie Petti
$10,000-$19,999 (cont.)
Lauren & Ross Rocklin
Sandra Soellner
Irina Logovinsky & Mohan
Subramanian
Heather & Zach Wasilew
Jessica & Bryan Westhoff
Up to $9,999
Daniel & Rachel Aaronson
Anonymous
Hannah Anthony
Lori & Jonathan Arnold
Steven & Alana Block
Jon Boley
Meg Ogishi & Ryan Bowersock
Amanda & Stuart Brody
Leslie Patterson & Todd Brown
Kathryn Fitzgerad & Howard Chang
Rebecca & Cliff Deutsch
Giselle & Joseph Donado
Randi Ellias
Dawn Zarembski & Mark Franke Greg & Kristina Gawor
Rachel & Corey Glasson
Alicia Gonzalez
Carla Suffi-Greenstein & Justin Greenstein
Cindy Sobel & Matt Greiner
Mike Harper
Shannon Heidloff
Mike & Angela Heitz
Carolyn Braff & Andrew Herman Erin & Scott Holcomb
Nan Li & Yuheng Hu
Paul & Maria Jackson
Sarah & Robert Jamieson
Ian Jipp
Laura & Erik Joss
Eric & Nelly Kamenetsky
Leslie Crea-Kammerer & Chris Kammerer
Peter & Lisa Knight
Irina Vodonos & Chris Kupcho
Barbara LaPiana
Chris & Lara Lerner
Lisa Key & Kevin Lint
Up to $9,999 (cont.)
Diana Majerczyk
Deena & Eric McCauley
Anita Dense-Meador & Matt Meador
Rosemary Feit & Matt Moren
Swetha & Arvind Movva
Lindsey Jukes & Stephen Murphy
Randy Needlman
Rebecca & Derek Norman
Dana & John Novick
Jennifer Morris & Mark Pascaris
Chloe & Andrew Patton
Sara Perz-Hintz
Emily Friedman & Dan Protess
Jennifer Quay
Rachel Kaplan & Bob Riesman
Brad Rose
Gerald Saltarelli
James & Patricia Schroeder
Chris & Christy Sears
Garrett & Brenna Sheridan
Goran & Emer Simic
Sharon Wise & Nick Sinnott
Staci Woodrum & William Stephens
Lisa & Erik Timbo
Michelle Villarreal & Vlad Uman
Susan Russell & Dinakar Vinnakota
Rob & Carrie von der Sitt
Nathan & Kelly Walker, Keith Walker
Shannon & Andrew Weber
Irena & Bryan Weiss
Jan Nguyen & Sam Weller
Lisa & Scott Wolff
Anne & Bob Zagotta
Bill & Melissa Zaikos
Corporations
Cobalt Energy Services
Fitch Ratings
Google, Inc.
Interactive Business Systems, Inc. &
Dan Williams
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation
Takeda Pharmaceuticals
William Blair & Company