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By Kevin Lyons DISTRICT 200

The importance of family engagement has never eluded administrators and teachers in Woodstock School District 200, nor has the challenge of maintaining those connections over several months of remote learning.

Scores of university studies show that students whose parents are engaged participants with their schools attend school more frequently, get better grades, have more confidence, and experience fewer behavioral issues. District 200 schools have been fortunate to enjoy a positive relationship with its families, but officials say that’s something they’ve never taken for granted.

Particularly at the elementary school level, families have been urged to attend themed science and literacy nights among other events, which hundreds of parents have routinely attended. Other events such as honor roll recognition ceremonies, college nights, and open houses take place in middle and high schools.

“Whether the school doors are open or closed, we’re staying connected with our students,” D-200 Superintendent Mike Moan said. “A big part of that connection is maintaining the strong ties we have with our families. Education is a partnership, and we’re very appreciative of our families’ commitment to that partnership despite the physical limitations.”

Ryan Doyle, principal of Dean Street Elementary School, had more than 70 families participate in a virtual Family Night on Nov. 18. Families were sent Google links to 18 different activities, from yoga and story time to online board games and Mad Libs. Participants who completed activities were entered into a raffle for prizes, including gift cards and baskets with complete Thanksgiving dinners.

Doyle said a committee of teachers worked hard on the program, which he said received great feedback from parents who participated.

“They really appreciated the games and the ideas to be able to engage with

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their kids,” Doyle said. “There was a lot of laughter and a lot of excitement.”

At Westwood Elementary School, teachers have also committed to connecting virtually with each family in their homeroom on asynchronous Fridays, which Principal Ryan Hart said had been extremely valuable in identifying what students’ needs are.

Hart said one thing they learned was that even though some students were doing well academically, they had some social needs that weren’t being met as they would be in an in-person setting, so they allowed students to talk to each other in Google groups.

“Teachers said they learned it’s important to create time to get out of the way and let the students interact with each other,” Hart said.

At elementary schools, the One Book One School events are still being held virtually. All families are encouraged to read the same book and participate in activities surrounding the story and characters. Drive-by parades are being held; virtual painting nights and reading by the fire events are planned, among others.

The high schools have held virtual college nights, open houses, and Facebook Live chats about various subjects. Woodstock North High School hosted a drive-in bonfire Nov. 20 with a highlight video from former Thunder football players. Middle schools have held drive-by honor roll recognition events, food drives, and virtual open houses.

Julie Smith, principal of Greenwood Elementary School, said the Family Game Week her staff held in November was a big hit with families.

“There was a lot of excitement,” she said. “It was really neat because it involved the whole family. It wasn’t just the parents. Some of the older siblings were also participating.”

Smith said she and her colleagues realized how important it is to maintain this sense of school community between staff and families, which will likely need to continue even when students are allowed to return to school. To maintain safety, visitors might still not be allowed inside buildings.

The virtual components of some of these popular events are things Smith said principals might consider even after the pandemic, since parents aren’t always able to attend the events in person.

“These connections are important because we want families to know that we’re here for them and we want their children to do their very best,” Smith said. “We believe in them and we support them.”

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With COVID-19 metrics showing no improvement locally or nationwide, Woodstock School District 200 is remaining noncommittal about the return to school.

Superintendent Mike Moan sent an email to parents last week to confirm the district would remain with remote learning through Dec. 18, the end of the first semester.

Despite a plan to return D-200 students to classrooms in October, they have remained in remote learning since March as the McHenry County Health Department’s school metrics “remain far out of reach,” Moan wrote. The Board of Education decided in September that the return to school would be determined by those metrics.

“COVID-19 test positivity has been at or near 20 percent,” he reported, “while the county metric goal is under 8 percent; the incidence rate is at 80 per 100,000, while the goal is 14; and the weekly count of new cases has risen by hundreds of cases each week.”

Moan noted that scientists had accurately predicted this “difficult phase of the pandemic.”

“We’d hoped for better news that the metrics might allow students to return to classrooms before the year ended,” he said, “but that isn’t the case.

“We know remote learning isn’t ideal, but we are extremely proud of the way our students and staff have responded to this temporary reality. ... Students and teachers will eventually return to classrooms – a celebration we eagerly anticipate.”

Administrators hope students will be able to return to school early in 2021, Moan said.

“In the meantime, we’d urge everyone to continue to wear face coverings in public, avoid gatherings, remain socially distant, and follow other health professional recommendations to help slow the spread of COVID-19.”

Marian Central Catholic High School inducted 23 students into the National Honor Society during an in-person ceremony last month.

To allow for the in-person induction, 10 seniors and 13 juniors were divided into two groups during the event Oct. 21, when each students was allowed to bring two guests. A 6:30 p.m. ceremony inducted the juniors, followed by an 8 p.m. event for seniors. The ceremony was held before new state limits on the size of gatherings.

“Inductees must possess the NHS core principles of character, service, scholarship, and leadership,” NHS adviser Glenn Pinnau said. “They must demonstrate academic achievement, show outstanding character, uphold Christian values, and serve as leaders in their community.”

Current distancing limitations have not allowed the group to meet in person, but they have continued with several outreach projects. Some members tutor fellow students in various subjects, and the society is currently organizing a book drive to collect new and gently used books to donate in this area.

Current officers are Gretchen Gilmore, president; Alyssa Graff, vice president; and

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Jenna Knapp, secretary.

Additional board members are Brian Hopp and Joseph Walsdorf, directors of tutoring; Nicole Santopadre, public affairs; Jeremy Kleberg, service project coordinator; and Katherine Strode, recycling coordinator.

“It is so comforting to know that these new NHS inductees continue to show their character and leadership through these most challenging times,” Marian Principal Debra Novy said. “The resilience we see in these students provides hope for the future of Marian Central and our community as a whole.”

Seniors – Isabella Maureen Antonetti, Madison Elizabeth Baird, Alexandra Joelle Delacruz, Ellice Agnes Fernandez, Carlo Johann Fragante, Christopher Alexandre Ghita, Phillip Joseph Konicek, Grace Isabelle Kramer, Aron Sait Olivares, and Courtney Christine Sensabaugh

Juniors – Christopher Thomas Atadero, Matthew Carl Cotting, Emma Elizabeth Dalton, Nandana Devarajan, Amanda Rose Hintz, Patrick Matthew Kumm, Matthew Thomas Martin, Graciella Lyn Miroballi, Stella Adeline Ross, Maddison Paije Shepard, Abigail Renee Todd, Julia Francis Widhalm, and Jodie Lynn Winkelman

Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.00INDEPENDENTTheWoodstock June 10-16, 2020 A&E Fireworks at Emricson Park will be different – still a blastPAGE 11 SCHOOLS Retirees in District 200 recall their careers with fondness PAGE 8 See DEBT, Page 2 Which bad option is best? BUSY MORNING D-200 wants your thoughts on tax hikes, program cuts By Larry Lough LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM How would you prefer Woodstock School District 200 manage its $161 million bond debt?Would you mind much if the school property tax went up, say, $120 a year – or more?How about combining the athletic programs at the two high schools, eliminating middle schools sports, and maybe cutting into co-curricular activities such as music and art? Or maybe stretching out payments on the debt three or four years, adding millions to the payback? And how much of the district’s $25 million surplus should be spent as part of whatever solution the Board of Education eventually approves? You are apparently going to have the opportunity to share your opinion in a survey that will ask about budget cuts, tax increases, and other options no one likes.“Eventually, if you want to save money,” Superintendent Mike Moan told the board last week, “you’re going Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.00INDEPENDENTTheWoodstock June 17-23, 2020 SCHOOLS Local INCubatoredu program has national ‘pitch’ competitor PAGE 9 See PHASE 3, Page 2 Phase 3 opens up a little PRIDE PROUD Moving too fast puts local liquor license in jeopardy By Larry Lough LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM Lines extended more than 200 feet for much of last week at the state license branch in Woodstock, spilling out of the office and wrapping around the laundromat at the south end of the building along Eastwood Drive. People waited an hour or more even though license branches statewide are open to serve only new drivers, customers with expired driver’s licenses/ ID cards, and vehicle transactions. People didn’t seem to know or care the state had extended the expiration date until Oct. 1 for licenses, vehicle registration, and other permits that have expired or will by July 31. The weather cooperated last week with the reopening of some social and business activities that had been limited by the coronavirus. Sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s and 80s called people to take advantage of outside dining at restaurants throughout the city. Lots of activity was observed on the patio at Public House restaurant; at tables in the street along the Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.00 INDEPENDENT TheWoodstock June 24-30, 2020 COMMUNITY Crafts for kids a big part of library’s summer reading plan See PHASE 4, Page 2 Are we ready to open? Woodstock prepares for more activity under Phase 4 By Larry Lough LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM Woodstock seems ready for Phase 4. Summer concerts by the City Band – in its 136th season – will begin July 1 on the Square. We will have fireworks on the fourth in Emricson Park. And city of Woodstock offices and facilities plan to reopen next week, as Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday released guidelines for the state to move to the next level of his Restore Illinois plan. Phase 4 will allow gatherings of up to 50 people and permit restaurants, bars, and theaters to invite customers inside for the first time in three months since the state issued a shelter-in-place order to prevent spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Specific crowd and capacity limits are included in guidelines. Although “normalcy” will return, guidelines continue to encourage face masks, social distancing, and hand washing as the norm. If you want to visit City Hall, masks are mandatory – and available there.SUBSCRIBE As a small business we need you more than ever! Please consider supporting your local newspaper.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER Downtown Woodstock, as evidenced by this photo of Cass Street, was as busy Saturday as it had been for a while when the Farmers Market returned to the Square for the first time this season. Because of coronavirus concerns, the producers market had stayed at its winter home at the McHenry County Fairgrounds. It will now resume the normal summer schedule of being open each Tuesday and Saturday. The Woodstock Independent 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 Fax: 815-338-8177 Thewoodstock independent.com COMMUNITY Neighborhood flower walk honors Woodstock couplePAGE 14 Obituaries 4 OpiniOn 6 schOOls 8 a&e 11 Marketplace 12 cOMMunity 14 calendar 18 classified 20 puzzles 22 public nOtices 23 spOrts 25 INDEX City adds space to grow downtown See DOWNTOWN, Page 2 By Larry Lough LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM When the time is right for development of the downtown area, Woodstock will have a big place to develop. The City Council last week approved the purchase of the vacated grain silo site at 313 Short St. for $200,000. Under the sale agreement, the seller, DeLong Co., will demolish all structures on the site.According to Garrett Anderson, the city director of Economic Development, that 1.02 acres means the city will will have 16.5 acres north of the Square “which could potentially be developed” among more than 17 acres the city will own in that area.City Manager Roscoe Stelford said the site of the former grain elevator was a “key piece” of the city’s long-term plan for downtown development. “This puts the city in a much better position of having control of the parcel,” he said of the area north of INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVERMelissa McMahon and daughter Charlotte McMahon Thomas stand outside their home Sunday on the Woodstock Pride Pomenade route of more than 30 decorated homes and businesses throughout the city. The Woodstock Independent 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 Fax: 815-338-8177 Thewoodstock independent.com MARKETPLACE Finch Farm revived with sweet scent of lavender PAGE 13 COMMUNITY Project Front Line linked restaurants with workersPAGE 19 OpiniOn 6 schOOls 9 a&e 11 Marketplace 13 cOMMunity 19 calendar 24 classified 26 puzzles 28 public nOtices 29 spOrts 30 INDEX MCAT expands police resources See MCAT, Page 3 By Larry Lough LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM When a traffic accident is serious, a call goes out to MCAT.“It has to be a serious injury or death,” said Sgt. Rob Pritchard of the Woodstock Police Department. Since May 2019, Pritchard, 50, has been commander of the McHenry County Regional Major Traffic Crash Assistance Team.That’s what kept him on the scene of a fatal accident June 4 for more than eight hours, leading a team of nine police officers from five city police departments who investigated the collision at U.S. 14 and Route 120 (Washington Street).Pritchard said “serious injury” meant broken bones, loss of limbs, and similar critical injuries. Just days before the wreck in Woodstock, MCAT investigated a Spring Grove accident involving a motorcyclist who survived hitting a tree.Based on information he received June 4 from the Woodstock Fire/ Rescue District, Pritchard activated INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY TRICIA CARZOLI On the first day of summer 2020, umbrellas protected diners at The Double Yolk Café from sun early in the morning and from raindrops later as the Woodstock Farmers Market finished its third week on the Square. The Woodstock Independent 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 Fax: 815-338-8177 Thewoodstock independent.com PAGE 16 SCHOOLS 20 students in District 200 receive 2020 PRIDE awards PAGE 8 MARKETPLACE Local food trucks find hungry customers during shutdown PAGE 13 Obituaries 4 OpiniOn 6 schOOls 8 a&e 11 Marketplace 13 cOMMunity 16 calendar 20 classified 22 puzzles 24 public nOtices 25 spOrts 26 INDEX Virus sparks restaurant competition See FOOD TRUCKS, Page 2 SUMMER’S START By Larry Lough LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM Deputy Mayor Mike Turner urged the Woodstock City Council to “be creative” in considering changes to the city’s food truck regulations to address complaints from brick-andmortar restaurants about their mobile competitors. “It’s kind of a blank canvas as to whether to do anything different,” he said. After discussing the issue for more than an hour, council members agreed to do nothing – for now. The issue was a discussion-only item on the agenda for last week’s council meeting. Changes to the city’s 2012 ordinance could be made at the council’s meeting July 21, depending on what members hear from the public – including restaurants – between now and then. Turner said the issue was raised by Benton Street bars about the Que Pasta truck being parked on the street outside Ortmann’s Red Iron Tavern at Church and Clay streets.We Are Woodstock! 3 MONTHS FREE Call or email for details FOR NEW SUBSCRIBERS TODAY! Your news, your business, your community

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Jack Granat is a senior at Woodstock North High School. He is the son of Evelyn Hunter and Cary Granat, Woodstock. Teachers from the English department unanimously agreed that “Jack has always been a role-model for success in the classroom. His commitment to top-quality work is unparalleled. In addition to his test scores, Jack is a gentleman and leader among his peers, and we look forward to seeing his many future accomplishments beyond high school.” Jack has achieved high honor roll and is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. He is a National Merit Commended Student and a College Board Rural and Small Town Scholar. Jack is the marching band drum captain, student council president, NHS vice president, and a member of math team and ACES. When asked who inspires him, Jack said, “Someone who inspires me is my grandpa, as he was a hard worker who did everything to the best of his ability and constantly strived to do what was right.” When asked what makes him feel successful, Jack said, “ I feel that I am successful because of the work ethic and determination that was instilled in me by my parents and grandparents. I’ve had to deal with numerous challenges in life and have applied the determination and perseverance learned to overcome them, growing in the process and becoming able to deal with whatever challenge I am faced with in life.”