August 18, 2026
Elmhurst District 205
Board of Education Meeting Highlights
Spotlight and Recognitions
York Girls Volleyball Recognized for Academic Excellence
The Board recognized the York Community High School Girls Volleyball Team for earning the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award for the second consecutive year. The Dukes posted an outstanding 4.6 weighted team GPA, far exceeding the award's 3.3 GPA standard and placing York among 1,432 high school and collegiate programs nationwide to receive the honor.
York Boys Water Polo Celebrated for Third-Place State Finish
The Board recognized the York Community High School Boys Water Polo Team for earning third place at the 2026 IHSA State Finals. The Dukes captured the Fenwick Sectional Championship, defeated New Trier in the Super-Sectional and closed out their season with a victory over Whitney Young in the third-place game.
York Students Earn National FCCLA Honors
The Board recognized York Community High School students Madison Kleinberg and Edith Garcia for their achievements at the 2026 FCCLA National Leadership Conference. Kleinberg earned a Silver Medal in Culinary Arts, while Garcia earned a Gold Medal and placed third overall in Event Management, marking the second consecutive year a York student has finished third nationally in the event.
Reports and Presentations
District 205 Highlights Summer Learning Opportunities
District 205 provided a wide range of summer programming in 2026 designed to support students academically while offering additional enrichment, fine arts and athletic opportunities. Offerings included acceleration courses, math preparation, Extended School Year, credit-bearing courses and English Learner support, with a Foundation 205 grant helping remove financial barriers for students participating in Summer Acceleration.
Action Items
District Strengthens K-5 Reading Support
The Board approved Acadience Reading as the District's new K-3 universal literacy screener beginning in the 2026-27 school year as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen reading instruction and intervention. The assessment will help educators identify student needs earlier, monitor progress and provide targeted support within the District's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), while also meeting new Illinois requirements for early literacy screening.
District Begins Search for Next York High School Principal
The Board approved an agreement with School Exec Connect to assist District 205 in its search for the next principal of York Community High School. The firm will support recruiting, stakeholder engagement, candidate screening and interviews, with the District aiming to recommend a candidate to the Board as early as December.
Superintendent's Communication & Communications Highlight
New Educator Academy & Institute Days
As we launched the school year, our New Educator Academy and first two Institute Days provided opportunities to welcome staff, build connections, deepen instructional practices, and prepare for a strong start with students.
This year, the district welcomed 57 new teachers through our four-day New Educator Academy. New educators connected with their mentors, district and school leaders, instructional coaches, and community partners while learning about our district priorities, instructional practices, and resources. This work was truly a district-wide effort, with every department contributing to the experience. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with new educators highlighting how organized and supportive the experience felt and sharing their excitement to begin working with students.
The first two Institute Days brought together more than 700 staff members for district and building-based professional learning, collaboration, and dedicated planning time. The structure provided a balance of shared learning and time for educators to prepare for the students they serve, from Early Childhood through our Transition program. Together, these opening days reflect the collaboration across our schools and departments that makes a strong start to the year possible.
First Day of School
What a wonderful start to the school year! It was a joy to see our schools come back to life as hallways and classrooms were once again filled with the energy, excitement, and smiles of our students.
The first day was a tremendous success across District 205, and I am grateful to our teachers, staff, administrators, and families for all they did to make the day welcoming and positive for our students. It was especially exciting to welcome not only our students back to school, but also the returning and new teachers and staff members who are beginning their own journey in D205 this year.
There is something special about the first day with the combination of excitement of new beginnings, new relationships, and all of the possibilities ahead. We are off to a great start and look forward to an outstanding year of learning, belonging, and leading together. Looking forward to a great 2026/2027 school year!
Curriculum Night & Open House
We are excited to welcome families to our annual Open House & Curriculum Nights across all 14 of our campuses. Parents and guardians are invited to hear from school leaders and teachers about what and how students will learn throughout the school year. We look forward to welcoming you to these special events over the next few weeks!
COMMUNICATIONS HIGHLIGHT: