The playground outside Riley Elementary School was abuzz on Monday, Aug. 28, as the Rams community celebrated the new structure with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  “Free play outside benefits students in a variety of ways,” said Dr. Michael Connolly, superintendent of…

The September 2023 family newsletter is now live! Follow these links to access your specific version: English Spanish Polish Russian

Jack London Middle School will be closed today. The main chiller that serves our classrooms is non-operational. We are working to rectify this issue as soon as possible, however we do need to close school for the day. Buses will…

The August 2023 family newsletter is now live! Follow these links to access your specific version: English Spanish Polish Russian

As part of a routine refresh cycle, incoming kindergarten, third and sixth grade students, and all new students will receive new Dell Chromebooks shortly after school begins. Returning third and sixth graders will return their existing device and receive their…

Among the projects at Community Consolidated School District 21 during the summer break was the installation of additional security cameras across the district’s 13 schools. The total number equates to a 20% increase.  These new cameras were installed in stairwells…

The parking lots at Field, Whitman, Tarkington and Frost Elementary Schools are set to be reconfigured in time for the 2023-24 school year as Community Consolidated School District 21 looks to improve student arrivals and dismissals, according to Micheal DeBartolo,…

The contract between Community Consolidated School District 21 and Advocate Aurora Health for a student-based health center in the Community Service Center and Administrative Office is “being reviewed” by lawyers for the district and the non-profit health care system, according…

  Community Consolidated School District 21’s board of education on July 18 voted in favor of appointing two new assistant principals between Holmes and London Middle Schools. Dr. Ali Zimmerman will head to Holmes to become the assistant principal of…

With plans to keep in place for the new school year all bus routes that were in operation during the 2022-2023 school year, Community Consolidated School District 21 intends to engage in a comprehensive review of its transportation routing and…

The Community Consolidated School District 21 board of education during its June meeting approved a $165,038 contract with Patriot Pavement Maintenance, based in Wheeling, to sealcoat and restripe the parking lots and playground areas at each of the district’s 13…

Community Consolidated School District 21 renewed its contract with food service partner OrganicLife, entering the third year of its four-year renewal cycle with the provider.  The contract is next up for bid again for the 2025-2026 school year.  “OrganicLife has…

For someone who describes himself as a closet nerd, Wheeling Police Officer Devin Ladesic is far from it. Raised by a single mother, Ladesic attended Whitman Elementary and Holmes Middle Schools. He exudes a youthful, fun spirit that will serve…

A move from Poland to the U.S. when Lukasz Czapla was 14 years old was the impetus for helping other students navigate the school environment. He and his family landed in LaSalle-Peru, Illinois where he didn’t know a word of…

Michael Essig does not have a New Jersey accent, despite originally hailing from the Garden State, as he and his family moved to Illinois when he was quite young. “I still have many relatives who have an accent and it’s…

Gabe Gyorgy is a custodian at Frost Elementary School whose booming and positive personality lights up the halls. His job keeps him going as he loves working with kids. He is also a part of the neighborhood, making him truly…

  Hi, my name is Sofia Horwitz and I’m a senior at Buffalo Grove High School. I just started as an intern this summer with Community Consolidated School District 21. I've always had a passion for reading and writing all…

For as long as Patricia Zelasko can remember, she wanted to be a teacher. As an alumna of Whitman Elementary and Holmes Middle Schools, Patricia – like many others –  dreamed of coming back to the district that raised her…

When the AIDS epidemic was in full force, Olivia Aguado was a student at Wheeling High School and asked her counselor if she could do something to educate her peers on this deadly virus. The counselor consented and Olivia put…

Nora Molina, the family liaison for pre-kindergarten students in CCSD21, has a passion for helping people, education and traveling. She is enthusiastic and free-spirited; but her life started out in a very conservative way. She attended a strict Catholic all-girls…

It’s no surprise that Madeline Bennett turned out to be a nurse. She is the oldest of five  daughters and was the caretaker to her younger sisters. She spent a lot of her youth looking after her siblings, playing the…

Dawn Oda is the first face you see when entering Riley Elementary School. She is smiley and bubbly. As the baby of a large family, Dawn had to learn to get along with others. In fact, this extrovert is the…

Sarah Mendoza gets to experience a glimpse into the life of her students that most teachers don’t see. She delights in being part of the connections that her students make at school. Sarah is a special education teacher in the…

Kassidy Lindholm loves to travel. In fact, she lived in Ecuador for two years after college. “I love to go to places that are very different from mine to see beyond my own life. It helps me understand others better,”…

Meet Jasmine Rene, a current sophomore at Wheeling High School. She is the youngest of five older brothers and graduated from Mark Twain Elementary and Holmes Middle School. During her time at Twain a very memorable experience was her gym…

Since he was 2 years old, CCSD21 alumnus Henry Allan has been performing. His first depiction, Jon Bon Jovi – and he nailed it!  Since then, his life has been filled with creative endeavors: writing, directing, singing, composing, arranging and…

CCSD21 alumnus Noah Festenstein embraces life. Always has. “I like to take in new experiences, explore and embrace moments,” said Festenstein. As a child at Riley Elementary School, he participated in the homework club, which helped him do well in…