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Dear MCHS Community, On behalf of the teaching, maintenance, and administrative teams, I would like to welcome you to the 2009-2010 school year. Growth As the economy slowed, so did the rate of growth of our student population at MCHS. This year, we opened our doors to 1,264 students at South Campus and 1,193 students at Central Campus. This is an increase of 120 students from our 2008-2009 school year enrollment, and brings our overall enrollment to over 2,450 students. New Faces at MCHS We are excited to add six new teachers to our staff, including: Ms. Candace Baker (Social Studies Department), Mr. Paul Desruisseaux (Mathematics Department), Ms. Erika Downey (English Department), Ms. Sarah Massey (South Campus Deans' Office), Mr. Mark Smith (Science Department), and Mr. Andres Torres (English Department). Our administrational structure also changed over the summer, as well. My role in the district now is to oversee both MCHS campuses as principal. I will do so in conjunction with a team of assistant principals, including Dr. Dan McDonnell (Assistant Principal for Curriculum & Instruction), Ms. Carol Whiteaker (Assistant Principal for Student Services), and Mr. Matt Wikoff (Assistant Principal of Operations and Safe Schools). This team and our staff will work together to help more students achieve at higher levels while doing so in a safe and secure learning environment. Maintenance/School Safety The summer of 2009 brought some cosmetic changes to Central Campus to help create similarities between the two schools. One of the major changes was the addition of air conditioning to a majority of Central Campus. This change will allow our students at Central Campus to learn in a comfortable environment from the start of the school year to the end of it, regardless of the weather. Special thanks are extended to our maintenance staff, who did an amazing job cleaning the classrooms, hallways, and offices after summer construction ended. This allowed us to welcome students back to school on time and to a clean, comfortable learning environment. Academics We continue to see a steady increase in our ACT scores. These scores have either remained the same or increased in each of the past four years. This is promising in light of our continued need to provide a quality education to a growing and diverse population of students. Please view our ACT and AYP scores on our website at www.mchs.net. We also continue to address the needs of students who can benefit from additional educational assistance. Now in their second year, the courses READ 180 and Algebra I AB allow us to provide specialized instruction for students who struggle in the areas of reading and mathematics. These classes provide students with an opportunity to meet on a daily basis to acquire and practice the skills needed to succeed in these vital subject areas. Remember, we welcome your input and feedback as the 2009-2010 school year progresses. Your input and feedback will help this year to be another one filled with student learning and achievements. Please contact us at Central Campus at 815-467-2140 or at South Campus at 815-521-4001 if you have any questions or concerns. Yours in education, Bob Williams Principal Minooka Community High School |
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