Thanks to the wonderful team at Assistance League for inviting me to - PDF document

Thanks to the wonderful team at Assistance League for inviting me to speak today. (show slide) Take a look. At first glance, this might be an inner city school. Perhaps somewhere like Chicago, or New York, or Philadelphia. But it isn’t. It’s my neighborhood school in Burr Ridge – just down the street from many of your own neighborhood schools. Visually, this probably doesn’t look anything like your school. And it’s not really what I imagined my school would look like either, the school where I’d send my two girls. The disconnect continues on paper. If we examine the numbers, my school still looks different. Ninety seven percent of our students qualify for a free or reduced lunch. To qualify, a family of four earns less than about $40,000 annually. So many qualify, in fact, that the government has implemented a plan for schools like ours that allow us to provide free meals to everyone. And we do. Breakfast too. And our population comes and goes – about 30% year over year. So, for instance, when we look at last year’s 8 th grade class of 68 students, just 16 had been with us since kindergarten. Perhaps more significantly, of those 68, 31 came to us just two years earlier. But over the years, when my girls attended both Anne M. Jeans Elementary school and Burr Ridge Middle school, and when I got to know many of the parents through school events, girls scout troops, and so on, something became clear: while we may not look alike – in a photo or on paper -- we do where it matters, in our hearts.

When I talk to these parents they want for their kids the same things I want for mine: happiness, health, and success. The difference is that they don’t have the means – and more importantly, the context – to help them get there. Most of them did not attend college. Some didn’t finish high school. They didn’t grow up with the school as an ally or partner or resource. And they simply don’t know some of the fundamentals of how to prepare their child to be a lifelong learner. (The rest of these photos were taken of students in our district at Assitance League events.) So, like Assistance League, I too believe. And I believe that every child is entitled to an excellent, free education. Because, I also believe, an excellent education is the key to breaking the cycle so that today’s students go beyond what their families have done and become tomorrow’s leaders. Ask audience : How many of your kids went to school able to read a little bit? Maybe knew some math? Our students don’t arrive reading. In fact, many don’t know their letters. They typically have no experience in organized social play or learning. They didn’t do mommy and me at Gymboree. They didn’t do playgroups. They didn’t go to art or dance or music programs at the park district. They didn’t visit museums and arboretums and zoos. And they didn’t play organized sports of any type. In many ways, they are a blank slate. And the district picks up the chalk. From pre-school programs designed to nurture the children, help with socialization, and build foundation skills from as early as age three all the way through intramural clubs and activities at the middle school level that give everyone the chance to get involved.

We’ve hired curriculum experts to ensure that we meet the kids where they are, and get them where they need to be to be competitive with their same-aged peers at other schools. We have data that show that when kids stay with us for two or more years, they make significant gains, and retain them. We have summer and after school programs – all free - to be sure that they don’t lose what they’ve learned. We’ve got a model for quickly assessing transfer students and determining where they’re at both academically and socially so that we can make a plan to catch them up if need be. We have exceptional administrators, teachers and coaches who play the role of mentor, friend, and parent as the situation calls for. We have one-to-one computing because those skills are critical in today’s world. And we make sure our kids arrive to and from all of our activities on time and safe by transporting them at the district’s cost. Most importantly, we plant the seeds of success – seeds that won’t be planted otherwise – early. Grades and effort. Participation. Community service. The importance of doing well in high school. College. We know if the kids don’t hear it from us, they may not hear about it until it’s too late. And what’s the result? Well … pretty great, actually. Those same kids who arrived not knowing a B from D, much less how to sit in a circle and wait for a turn, go on to the high school and excel. We’ve had a two- time state track champ. We’ve had the star of the school play – time after time. We’ve had the drum major for the band. We’ve had the homecoming king and queen. We have student leaders. All of our students are engaged, involved, and academically on track. And they go on to college. In fact, the percentage of students who attended Burr Ridge Middle school that continue on to college – 93% - is about the same as the percentage of all seniors who plan to go on from our high school – 96%.

Illinois State. Whitewater. COD. Eastern. DePaul. Duke. Pretty impressive no matter where they came from. Exceptional considering their beginning. But as a district, we can only do so much. And this is where we prove that it really DOES take a village. Without groups like Assistance League – and a host of others, the district – and our kids – might not show this success. That adorable little girl who grew into a Duke graduate might not have had good attendance without the new coat and cozy hat from Assistance League each year since 2004. It’s hard to come to school when you’re cold. That charming young man who dominated Hinsdale South with his theater presence may not have taken that path if one of our readers hadn’t piqued an interest by reading him the book “Opera Cat” when he was in kindergarten. That track star may not have gone out for track at all without the Kohl’s Shopping Day that let him purchase the personal items that made him comfortable changing in the locker room. So I thank you. And our students and community thank you. And I really do believe that it’s a thousand small gestures that together make a lasting impact. I believe we’ve made a difference both in our students’ lives today, and the lives they’ll grow into tomorrow. But there’s so much more to be done. And I believe that with your help we can do it. Thank you so much.