As the curtain rises at the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming concert on April 30, one of the youngest performers on stage will be just 10 years old — and hails from Field Elementary School. After winning the 2025 Bach…

    With the simple pop of a can tab, students and staff in Community Consolidated School District 21 have made a big impact. Thanks to their ongoing collection efforts, the district recently joined the Ronald McDonald House Charities’ prestigious…

    Don’t call it a comeback! For the third time in four years, Cooper Middle School’s Symphonic Winds will return to the Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival on Friday, May 9, as one of only seven middle school bands…

  While most students and staff will spend their summer break in and around the Chicago area, one teacher at London Middle School will trade her classroom for the landscapes of Africa. Tracy Crowley, a sixth grade science teacher, has…

Community Consolidated School District 21 is proud to launch its new Attendance Matters initiative, aimed at promoting consistent school attendance and supporting students and families in building strong attendance habits that lead to long-term academic and personal success. Attendance is…

The Board of Education, during its special board meeting on April 10, invoked the severance clauses and will pay the severance amounts reflected in Section 19(B) of the employment contracts of Micheal DeBartolo, assistant superintendent of finance and operations, and…

WORLD SILVER MEDALIST Contributed by Communications Apprentice, Kenny Munao   In December 2024, Aiden D., an eighth grader at London Middle School, won a silver medal in the Team Male Cadet division at the 2024 World Poomsae Championships. Poomsae is…

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Introducing Board Briefs, a new way to stay up to date on what’s happening at CCSD21’s monthly Board of Education meetings! Each month, Board Briefs will provide a quick and easy-to-read summary of key discussions, decisions, and updates from the Board. Whether…

Since classes resumed after spring break, visitors to London Middle School or Riley Elementary School may have noticed a new way to sign in at the front office. Community Consolidated School District 21 has utilized the  Raptor Visitor Management System…

  As anticipation for the upcoming academic year builds, Community Consolidated School District 21 (“CCSD21”) is thrilled to announce its much-awaited kindergarten preview nights, offering a sneak peek into the world of elementary education. These events are designed to welcome…

The Community Consolidated School District 21 Board of Education on Thursday, March 20, officially approved the process by which approximately $11.5 million will be transferred from the district’s education fund to its operations and maintenance fund and finally transferred from…

  At the incredible age of 102, Mrs. Evelyn Schuler is a cherished former District 21 educator who dedicated 28 rewarding years to teaching in our district. A true inspiration, she spent her career shaping young minds with wisdom, patience,…

Michelle Turek has always loved art. She is a creative soul who immersed herself into artistic endeavor's as a child in an early pursuit of an art career. Her parents, however, wanted her to pursue a different path – a…

Common thinking about technology positions is that it requires a computer science degree. CCSD21 technology support specialist Alli Tower busts this myth. With her calm demeanor and excellent customer service support, she possesses the perfect combination of qualities to assist…

Born and raised in Albania, Dhurata Devija dreamed of coming to America to work as a teacher. Surrounded by a family of educators, she was inspired to make a difference in students’ lives, like her mother, who was an elementary…

As a third grader at Whitman Elementary School in the late ‘90’s, Janet Acosta struggled with math, English and other subjects. With the guidance and patience of teacher Clara Riley, Acosta was able to progress with the other classmates. “Ms.…

As a young immigrant from Mexico, Ariadna Navarro was a quiet child. She was in first grade and didn’t understand English when her family moved to the States. It was only when a teacher who took an interest in her…

There is a famous quote about leadership that goes something like this: Where one goes, others will follow. This couldn’t be more accurate for the Alvarado brothers, all of whom work at CCSD21. Born in Mexico, four Alvarado brothers (and…

Sometimes fate has a way of guiding you towards the next steps of your life. After being employed in a variety of jobs, including supporting autistic children at Clearbrook home-based services, working at Starbucks, and teaching kids how to swim,…

It’s so inspiring when you hear that someone has found their purpose. They radiate light. They are happy. They are energetic. They connect with others. They contribute to a greater community. Kasia Gold, library and media center assistant at Field…

Maria Elena Martinez frequently gets mistaken for a student. “It’s probably because I’m small in stature and have youthful energy,” Martinez quips. But this teacher’s assistant at Twain Elementary School has over 30  years of teaching experience both in the…

If you haven’t had the opportunity to meet Buffalo Grove resident Dennis Depcik yet, you’re missing out on knowing a local renaissance man – a cultured, compassionate and open-minded person who has worn many hats during his long, rich life.…

While Josue Velazquez’s main role as a physical education teacher at Twain Elementary School is to teach the students how to be fit and keep active, he’s much more than that. If you look up the word “mentor” in the…

 

As the superintendent of Barrington School District 220, Dr. Craig Winkelman’s most important objective is to be student-centered in the decisions made for the district, most importantly giving students interesting and unique experiences inside and outside the classroom. One of…

One of CCSD21’s alumna, Chris Pippin Northwick, has a simple life philosophy: make connections with others. She believes that it has a direct correlation to personal success and creates emotionally, well-balanced individuals. And she should know. As the Co-Executive Director…

Alumna Lynda (Steckling) Collins sees her life as a series of building blocks. Learning a new skill and then securing a job with exactly that skill set required. Living internationally, and then securing a job that depends on cultural diversity.…

Contributed by Thomas Parker, Communications Intern   From a young age, Jim Ray, an alumnus of District 21, learned the valuable lesson of taking the chance to try something new. This was one of many lessons he learned during his…

Contributed by Comms Intern, Thomas Parker   For as long as she can remember, Gillian Sherman has dreamed of being a teacher. Her time in District 21, attending Longfellow Elementary School and Cooper Middle School, taught her a lot and…

Glenn Meier ‘68 Contributed by Thomas Parker, Communications Intern   From being a part of the very first class at Holmes Middle School in 1966, to his current membership with the Rotary Club of Buffalo Grove, Glenn Meier has always…

Contributed by Thomas Parker, Communications Intern  Andrew Manuel Sanchez, a native of the northwest suburbs, has always felt connected to the community. During his time within District 21, Sanchez attended Twain Elementary School starting in second grade before moving on…

Maya Belorusskiy has not always been the confident and outgoing individual she is today. She described herself as shy and anxious when looking back on her days at Longfellow Elementary School and Cooper Middle School. Belorusskiy  credits her favorite teachers,…

Allyson (“Ally”) Bremer didn’t have the best time in middle school. “I was really unhappy and never pictured an opening for myself,” said Bremer. That is, until, London Middle School teacher Miss Brand (now Mrs. Thomas) came into the picture.…

  Matt Pomilia is earning his second master’s degree. This comes after earning two other degrees from other higher education institutions. Education is important to Pomilia. “It’s the process of self discovery,” says Pomilia. “It’s a way to accentuate yourself…

Maggie Khayyata “Lights Up” (a song from Harry Styles' Fine Line album)  when talking about being able to see her favorite artist in concert. Besides her love for Harry there is so much more to know about her. Maggie attended…

  Joseph Eckert is one of four physical education teachers at Cooper Middle School and believes middle school P.E. is one of the most important classes students take. “Students learn social, cognitive and physical skills when they are doing athletic…