Approximately 25% of the roof at Holmes Middle School will be repaired and replaced during the summer following repeated damage from high-wind and inclement weather incidents, one of many projects scheduled to be completed across the district over these next…

When students and staff return to CCSD21 in the fall, they will likely notice an increased presence of security cameras throughout each of the district’s 13 schools.  As part of the next phase of school safety that was made possible…

The Community Consolidated School District 21 welcomes a new leader to the 2023-2024 school year.    After serving successfully as an assistant principal at Cooper Middle School, Jenny Lagunas will now use her skills and talents to lead Holmes Middle…

SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE Dear CCSD21 Parents and Community Members, Respectfully, Dr. Michael Connolly Superintendent of Schools UPCOMING EVENTS MARK YOUR CALENDAR WITH THESE IMPORTANT DATES Friday, May 19, 2023 - School Improvement Day – AM Classes Only, No Pre-K Monday, May 29,…

CCSD21 and First Student extended their pupil transportation services agreement for the 2023-2024 school year at an increased rate of 10.5% over the 2022-2023 school term. While the new terms remain below similar increases for First Student clients throughout the…

CCSD21 is planning to transfer $20 million from its education fund into the operations and maintenance fund. This money will then be transferred into the capital projects funds, as required by law, for use to complete projects as part of…

A competitive boys volleyball program will be introduced across CCSD21 middle schools beginning with the 2023-2024 school year. Dr. Michael Connolly, superintendent of CCSD21, notified the board of education during its monthly meeting on April 27 of the plan, after…

When the CCSD21 Community Service Center and Administrative Office officially opened to the public at the beginning of the year, a question that remained was what would occupy the empty office space on the north side of the first floor…

  The CCSD21 board of education, during its monthly meeting on April 27, recognized a departing board member, welcomed a new one, and decided on its new structure for its next legislative session. Stacy Hipsak Goetz, who joined the board…

  The CCSD21 board of education on April 27 voted to appoint a new director of teaching and learning for science and social studies, along with a new assistant principal for Field Elementary School. Dr. Astrid Rodrigues will join the…

Cooper Middle School’s Symphonic Winds will make its triumphant return to the Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival on Friday, May 5, after being chosen for the state-wide competition for the second consecutive year. Last year’s appearance marked the first time…

The mood inside the band room at Holmes Middle School could be defined as excited, as the roughly 30 seventh and eighth graders in the school’s symphonic band prepare for a performance at the Illinois Grade School Music Association’s Northern…

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,”…

As a young girl living in Peru, Gladys Erdmannsdorfer’s mother took godchildren into her home who were in need, helping them with groceries, babysitting, transporting their children to school, or whatever else she could do to assist. Gladys never forgot…

Kilmer teacher Katie Gore learned a lot from her parents. “My dad worked in sales but didn’t really care for his job. It was a way to make a living and support the family,” Katie says. “My mom was a…

A challenging math class in 6th grade and a teacher who spent the time working with Emily Ford sent her on a path to become a teacher. As with many who go into education as a profession, it takes a…

You’d be surprised to know that Octavio Alvarado, head custodian at Tarkington Elementary School, is afraid of heights… as he has to climb ladders, paint classrooms and ascend to the roof of the school to fix, clean and maintain the…

 As an Italian woman who loves to cook, one of Meagan Novara’s favorite things to do is have a big, crowded house with lots of people eating good food. Large gatherings are not a problem for Meagan as she is…

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…