The 2011 Berwyn Challenge

Berwyn CARES is once again supporting Berwyn teachers and students through our Donors Choose Berwyn Challenge. Click here to learn about some of the exciting proposals submitted by Berwyn teachers! Please consider making a donation, however large or small, to directly support student learning and to show that Berwyn CARES.

District 98 to Present ISAT Results Wednesday

The agenda for tomorrow night's District 98 Board of Education Meeting includes a report on the ISAT test results for 2011 by Dorothy Wunderlich, the Assistant Superintendent. See the full meeting agenda here.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 at Prairie Oak School. Many residents anxiously await the releasing of these test scores in late October each year. Funding for schools and property values are tied to the standardized test results. While there is disagreement among educators and parents regarding the usefulness of ISAT scores in determining whether schools are considered "good" or not, there is no denying the obsession our society has over the results.

Last year, 75.4% of District 98 students met or exceeded standards on the ISAT test. This performance ranks the district in the bottom half of districts in IL, with two of the four schools in the district ranking in the bottom 25%. See CARES analysis of last year's ISAT scores here.

CARES plans to once again host a town hall forum regarding test scores. Superintendents will be invited to respond to the CARES analysis and present their plans for continued improvement in education. Our hope is to have participation from all districts in Berwyn. Details to follow.

Five Morton West Teachers Receive Funds for projects; Hundreds of Students Benefit

All five Morton West teachers who submitted proposals for the Berwyn CARES Morton West Mini Challenge on Donors Choose found their projects fully funded in time for the beginning of the new school year. To read about the projects and the personal letters of thanks click here.

Thanks to all who contributed. You helped give students calculators, books, cameras and more. Together we made a difference!