School District
School is back in session! Westchester Public Schools, School District 92½, opened their doors to students on Thursday, August 23. Unlike previous years when the first day of school was only an hour, this year the students began the year with a full day of classes. This change was in anticipation of the new State law requiring the first and last days of school to be full days. The law takes effect statewide for the 201314 school year. There have been several personnel changes throughout the district. First, beginning on July 1, Mr. Mike Dziallo took over as superintendent replacing Dr. Jean Sophie, who left the district to take another position in the Lake Bluff School District. Mike comes to Westchester from Cicero School District 99 where he has served as principal for eight years and for the past four years as the assistant superintendent for educational services. Other administrative changes include the Westchester Primary and Intermediate Schools. Leading the primary building is Mrs. Lori Henkels who comes to Westchester after serving as principal for the past four years in Wheeling School District 21. She is excited to be back in the
primary grades where her heart is. Transferring to the intermediate school from Westchester Middle School is Ms. Erin Dwyer. Erin, a Westchester resident, worked there as the assistant principal last year. She is replacing Mrs. Mary Leidigh at the intermediate school. Mrs. Leidigh retired from her position on June 30. Replacing Ms. Dwyer as assistant principal is Mrs. Stephanie DelFiacco who comes from North Berwyn School District 98 in Berwyn. Other new faculty and staff members include Ms. Angela Eichinger, Social Worker, and Ms. Jennifer Flanagan, kindergarten teacher, who both will join the faculty atWestchester Primary School. In addition to them, Mr. David Davis will support the teachers and students of Westchester Primary and Westchester Intermediate Schools with the integration and use of technology. Also joining the staff at the intermediate school are Rachel Dotseth who will join the fifth grade team of teachers, and Erin Wallace who will join the third grade faculty. Joining the faculty and staff of the middle school is Ms. Kelly Bylica who will teach music for the 2012- Ms. Judy Sardinas, who will serve as a 13 school year, Ms. Deborah Graham, cafeteria supervisor. who is joining the custodial staff, and Please welcome the new employees
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as they embrace their new responsibilities to serve the residents of Westchester.
Financially speaking… The tight economy and the remnants of the recession are still evident throughout the country. There is a belief that local governments are exempt from recession woes. This is not the case at all. Rather, the consequences of a slowed economy affect local governments, such as school districts the same as it affects anyone else. The local governments tend to feel the sting of the recession later than most consumers, however. In anticipation of tighter times, the Board of Education and the administration of Westchester Public
Schools, District 92½, have slowed spending to align more to the loss of revenues, as the State of Illinois has either slowed their payments to local governments or the payments have been stricken altogether. Westchester Public Schools, School District 92½, have taken some measures to lessen the blow of the recession. One strategy was to move the medical insurance of its employees to another carrier saving some monies on the cost of the insurance. Another approach taken was to refinance bonds. The revenue
generated from the bond sale was actually collected in the last fiscal year and is reflected in the fund balances to begin this school year. Last, and the most prevalent approach, was to underspend budgeted amounts. These approaches are what allow the school district to function on a daily basis with monies to carry the district in anticipation of future payments from the State that may arrive late or not at all. Subsequently, in the spirit of transparency and responsibility to the Westchester community, the school district is
currently operating with a deficit budget. In other words, the FY13 budget for the district includes expenditures that outweigh the anticipated revenues for this fiscal year. However, the aforementioned bond sale monies were received as revenue in FY12 while the expenditures being made with those monies are reflected in the current FY13 budget. So, although the budget is in deficit, spending is not. Actual spending by Westchester Public Schools, District 92½, did not exceed available monies.
Upcoming events held throughout the school district September brings with it the opportunity for parents to meet their children’s teachers and learn about what this school year has to offer the students. Westchester Middle School will have their Curriculum Night from 6:308:15 p.m. on Thursday, September 6 at the middle school. Westchester
Intermediate School will host its Curriculum Night the following week, Thursday, September 13 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The Curriculum Night for Westchester Primary School will be on Tuesday, September 18 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Parents and guardians are highly encouraged to attend. Market Day is available at the middle
school. Pick-up is scheduled for Saturday, September 8 between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. For more information about WMS Market Day, please call the school at 708.450-2735. Parents of middle-school-aged students are reminded of the Westchester Middle School-High School Night. Representatives from
various area high schools will be present to answer any questions and speak about their programs. It will be held at WMS, 1620 Norfolk Avenue, on Thursday, September 27 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. All are welcome to learn about the various high school programs offered to the students of Westchester.