Category: - THE BURBANK BEAT

District 111 Seeks Applicants For Board Vacancy

8/15/2016

David Kasper | Dist. 111

Burbank School District 111 has a school board vacancy to fill after David Kasper, whose term ends in spring 2017, resigned from the board.

The school district posted the following statement on their website Monday:

"On behalf of the students, families, and staff of Burbank School District 111, we would like to thank David Kasper for his service as a Board Member for the past seven years. His dedication and commitment to the students in District 111 has been truly appreciated. We wish Mr. Kasper well in his future endeavors. Due to this resignation, we now have a vacant seat on the Board of Education. Interested candidates shall submit a letter of intent to the Board of Education."

Kasper was the subject of a Daily Southtown story earlier this month after question emerged regarding his residency status.

"Little Tobin" And A Brief History of School District 111

7/27/2016

Stickney Township School or "Little Tobin" once stood at the southwest corner of 79th and State Road

Henry Zieman, a former Burbank resident who now resides in Lake Ozark, Missouri, recently contacted The Burbank Beat with the following question:

In 1946, I attended school at 79th and State Road for one year. I then attended Luther Burbank School after it first opened (and remember we had to use outdoor bathrooms because the main bathrooms in the school had not yet been finished). I finished up grades 7 and 8 at E. J. Tobin and then attended Reavis.

Many of us [classmates] still communicate on Facebook these days but no one seems to remember the name of the school at 79th and State Road. Many of us called it "Little Tobin" but we think there is another name! I believe the location of the school is now a bank.

Can you be of any help?

We put this question to Burbank School District 111’s Public Relations Coordinator Kristi Mueller. Kristi was kind enough to scour the district’s archives in search of materials that could answer Mr. Zieman’s question (many thanks Kristi!) and here's what we learned...

According to School District 111 records, the school at 79th and State Road that Mr. Zieman referred to was originally called “Stickney Township School.”

The original Stickney Township School building was a two-story white frame house that was sold to the school district in 1875 for $300 by Mrs. John D. Lemoyne with the stipulation that it be converted from a home to a school.

That structure burned down in 1920 and a new building was erected the next year on the very same spot. Records seem to indicate that Stickney Township School later became the original Edward J. Tobin School.

[Ed. note: Stickney Township School may have been renamed around 1933 to honor the passing of Cook County School Superintendent Edward J. Tobin (see bio below).]

On April 5, 1940 a dedication was held and the new school at 85th and Narragansett was named Edward J. Tobin in honor of the late superintendent of Cook County Schools. Mrs. Belle Tobin, Edward's widow, attended the ceremony.

Around that time, Stickney Township School received the nickname “Little Tobin.”

“Little Tobin” remained a school until 1956 when the students were transferred to the new Harry Fry School at 78th Street and Mobile Avenue.

The following year “Little Tobin” was converted into the Board of Education Building that housed the district's administrative offices.

Eventually Burbank School District 111 relocated the central school office to a new administration building at 7600 S. Central Avenue.

“Little Tobin” was sold and razed in the 1970s to make way for a bank and office building.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SCHOOL DISTRICT 111

The following record was taken verbatim from an account of the history of School District 111

Prior to 1875 records show there was a school at 83rd and State Rd.
In 1875 school was held in a two-story frame house at 79th and State Rd. This building was given to the district by Mrs. John D. Lemoyne and family to be used for school purposes. It was called Stickney Township School.
In 1920 this building burnt [sic] down. The fire started on the North side of the building right after school was dismissed.
In 1921 a school was built on the same place and called Stickney Township School. (This information was received from Mr. Herman a resident, and school district treasurer of District 111. He attended school in the district in 1911 and was later elected to the school board and he hired Mrs. McCord).
In 1937 the first PTA was started and called the South Stickney Township PTA.
In 1938 the school at 85th and Narragansett was built.
On September 11, 1939 the South Stickney Township PTA met in the new school.
On April 5, 1940 – the 85th and Narragansett school was dedicated and called Edward J. Tobin. It was named for the county superintendent at that time. The Stickney Township school then received the nickname of Little Tobin. This is believed to have been started by Mrs. McCord.
January 13, 1941 the PTA changed its name to Edward J. Tobin PTA.
In 1948 of the school at 83rd and Linder was built in for a long time was known as the Linder Avenue school. It was finally called Luther Burbank, Named after a famous horticulturalist.
In 1950 to a school was built at 75th in Nottingham and named Nottingham Park school. It was named after the Nottingham fire department.
In October 1952 the PTA changed its name to District 111 PTA.
In 1950 for a school was built at 83rd and Sayre. It was name Rosa G. Maddock after a principal of the school district.
In 1955 the Nottingham school formed its own PTA and named it after the school.
In 1956 of school was built at 77th and LeClaire. It was named Marjorie Owens school, named after a principle of this district.
Also in 1956 the Rosa Maddock school formed its own PTA and named it after the school.
In 1956 the District 111 PTA change its name to Burbank Manor PTA, named after the Burbank Fire Department.
In 1956 parents of the children going to Little Tobin formed a PTA and called get Harry Fry PTA. The children were transferred to another new school at 78th and Mobile, it was named Harry Fry after another principle of this district.
In 1957 the Little Tobin school was converted into a board of education building for a central school office.
In 1958 Marjorie Owens and Richard Bird school form their own PTA and name them after the schools.
This left the Burbank Manor PTA which changed their name to Luther Burbank after the school. In 1960 the John Foster Dulles school was built and a PTA was started under the same name.

EDWARD J. TOBIN

E. J. Tobin abt 1912

Edward J. Tobin was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin on January 8, 1871, to Patrick and Mary (née Finan) Tobin, both of whom immigrated to the United States from Ireland.

Tobin attended public school in Kenosha until he was 16 years-old when he was given a job teaching at Kenosha High School. He left Wisconsin briefly to attended Valparaiso University for a summer but soon returned to Kenosha to resume his teaching duties.

Around 1893, Tobin moved to Chicago with his parents and secured a job teaching at the Bremen Cook County School in Tinley Park for a period of time.

He went on to attend Chicago Normal School (now Chicago State University), and Bryant and Stratton’s Business College.

Tobin began teaching in Chicago Public Schools. Around 1898, he was appointed principal of Hayes School located at Leavitt and Fulton Streets on the westside of Chicago. In 1904, he was appointed principal of Robert Healy School in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood.

On July 24, 1907, Tobin married Miss Belle Padden, a teacher at Chicago’s Harrison School. They had two children together; Ruth Tobin Heffernan, and Edward J. Tobin, Jr.

In September 1910, he stood for election as the Democratic candidate for the position of Cook County School Superintendent and handily won. Tobin continued to be reelected to the position and remained in office for another 23 years until his death.

As Cook County School Superintendent, Tobin won high praise from educators and school administrators throughout the country. He inaugurated many changes in educational methods which were considered radical but in time became widely accepted.

He worked to eliminated all political influence from the school system. He was an innovator who reorganized the rural school system of Cook County — which was copied throughout the state and nation. Tobin also instituted new rules governing the hiring of teachers in which only college graduates were considered.

During his tenure as county school superintendent, Tobin and his family resided at 11350 S. Longwood Drive in Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood and attended St. Cajetan Roman Catholic Church.

In February 1933, he was taken to the hospital suffering from heart disease and nephritis. He returned home and several weeks later succumbed to his illness on March 2 at the age of 61.

Funeral services were held at St. Margaret’s Church on 99th and Throop streets. Rural schools under Tobin’s supervision closed for the day in his honor and many students attended the services. Edward Tobin was interred at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Worth, Illinois.

© The Burbank Beat 2016. All rights reserved

Ben Carson Reading Rooms to Open at School District 111

4/29/2016

Dr. Ben Carson

Burbank, Ill. — Through the generosity of Advocate Christ Medical Center and the Carson Scholars Fund, Burbank School District 111 is pleased to announce the grand opening of two Ben Carson Reading Rooms.

The beginning opening ceremony will take place on Monday, May 2, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. at Rosa G. Maddock Elementary School, 8258 S. Sayre Avenue Burbank, IL 60459. The following opening ceremony will take place at 10:15 a.m. at Jacqueline B. Kennedy Elementary School, 7644 S. Central Ave. Burbank, Il 60459.

World-renowned retired pediatric neurosurgeon, New York Times bestselling author and Carson Scholars Fund co-founder, Dr. Ben Carson is scheduled to attend both ceremonies and address the students, administrators and community members.

The Ben Carson Reading Project is an educational initiative of the Carson Scholars Fund. The purpose of the Ben Carson Reading Project is to create a literacy enriched environment for children to develop their reading skills. The reading project is dedicated to promoting reading as a key to unlocking a child’s full potential.

As a child, Ben Carson had a dream of becoming a physician. Growing up in a single parent home with dire poverty, poor grades, a horrible temper and low self-esteem appeared to preclude the realization of that dream until his mother, with only a third grade education, challenged her sons to strive for excellence. Dr. Ben Carson credits reading as being a catalyst to his success. He said “If a child has a dream, they can enhance that dream through reading. To provide a place for children to fall in love with reading opens the door to their imagination, sparking creativity and exercising their mind.”

“Burbank School District 111 is grateful to Advocate Christ Medical Center and to the Carson Scholars Fund for providing reading rooms for our students and for their support of literacy in our schools.” said Dr. Franzy Fleck, Superintendent of Burbank School District 111. “These rooms offer a 21st century learning environment that will encourage our children to fall in love with reading and prepare them for their promising futures. We hope these rooms will become a place where students can ‘Think Big!’ and discover that their dreams can come true.”

Currently, there are 143 Ben Carson Reading Rooms serving students in 19 states and Washington D.C. These are the first Ben Carson Reading Rooms to be located in Burbank School District 111. To learn more about the Carson Scholars Fund visit www.carsonscholars.org.

Source: Burbank School District 111 press release

© The Burbank Beat 2016. All rights reserved.

Byrd School Teacher Wins STEM Grant

10/29/2015

Mr Ed Fialek, Mrs. JoAnn O’Riordan, Mrs. Marie Hammad, and Ms. Geri Russell

Burbank School District 111 announced that Byrd School has been awarded a grant to participate in the Energizing Student Potential (ESP) program for the 2015-2016 school year.

ESP is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) focused program for grades 5 through 8 designed to engage and educate teachers and students alike, with an emphasis on the science and industry of energy.

The program will help educators bring energy into the classroom and provide all the tools and resources necessary for students and teachers to learn together, explore energy together, and teach their local communities about energy.

Byrd was one of 40 area schools to receive a grant. According to the District’s website, Mr. Ed Fialek, a Byrd sixth-grade teacher, was instrumental in obtaining the grant for the school. Fialek and three other teachers, Mrs O'Riordan, Mrs. Hammad, and Miss Russell, will implement the ESP program at Byrd.

The school will also receive:

• A $750 cash grant to be used to support the STEM Project.
• $3,000 of hands-on kits and curriculum
• An Energizing Student Potential Energy Fair Kit to host an Energy Fair and Carnival at your school
• Access to Educational Energy Audits, Field Trips and ClassroomVisits
• Two-Day Professional Development for a team of 2 teachers per school
• Celebration of Energy hosted as a culminating event at the end of the school year
• Connections to STEM professionals to help students see all the possibilities of STEM and Energy Careers

About Energizing Student Potential
Energizing Student Potential (ESP) is an unprecedented collaboration of six energy companies serving northern Illinois and northwest Indiana to engage and encourage the future scientists and engineers who will make up the energy workforce of tomorrow. Working with the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, ESP provides a full suite of programs that foster passion for science, technology, engineering and math in 5th through 8th grade students and provide teachers the tools they need to reach this goal. ESP will serve 120 diverse schools throughout the region within three years and produce measurable outcomes in advancing STEM. The collaboration includes the Exelon Foundation, ComEd, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas and BP America.

District 111 Seeks Input On Burbank School Renovations

6/7/2015

NOTICE:

Public Hearing for Burbank School

Wednesday, June 10

6:30 pm

Luther Burbank School

8235 S. Linder

Burbank, IL

The Board of Education of Burbank School District 111 has set a Public Hearing to receive input from the community regarding the following options for renovating Luther Burbank School:

1. Master site plan consisting of constructing a new addition to the 1964 building and modifications to the site configuration. New addition shall replace the original 1947 building which would be demolished. (approximate cost $21 million)

2. Preserve Luther Burbank School by master scheduling an aggressive, multi-year renovation and remodeling plan to replace aged infrastructure and interior finishes, adding an elevator, fire sprinkler system, and mechanical room addition. (approximate cost $12 million)

3. Identify wants and needs of Luther Burbank School, continue to complete minor renovation work, and react to infrastructure issues as they arise.

If Option 1 is selected, the Board of Education will decide to either use working cash bonds or put it on the ballot for a voting referendum.

All District 111 parents, residents, employees and community members are encouraged to attend and present comments to the board. Audience members who wish to speak must sign in. Speakers may be limited to five minutes.

- See more at: http://www.burbank.k12.il.us/News/129#sthash.tLQNOxIu.dpuf

Burbank School District 111 Spelling Bee Winners

1/26/2015

Students in 4th through 8th grade competed in the Thirty-second Annual Spelling Bee of Burbank School District 111. The district finals were held on January 22nd at Liberty Junior High School. Nicholas Opiola of Liberty Junior High School won the honor of being the 2015 District 111 Spelling Champion. Cameron Makswiej of McCord School was the runner-up. The winning word for the spelling bee was “flambe.”

Nicholas will represent District 111 at the South Cook ISC Bee, as assigned by the South Cook ISC on Monday, February 2nd at Prairie JH School in Alsip, Illinois.

Three students from the South Cook ISC Final will advance to the 2015 ComEd Regional ISC Spelling Bee, which will be held the evening of February 19, 2015. One student advances to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in June.

Winners from each District 111 school:

SCHOOL

Burbank

Byrd

Fry

Kennedy

Liberty Junior High

Maddock

McCord

Tobin

PLACE

Champion
Runner Up

Champion
Runner Up

Champion
Runner Up

Champion
Runner Up

Champion
Runner Up

Champion
Runner Up

Champion
Runner Up

Champion
Runner Up

STUDENT

Genesis Abad
Paola Chavez

Konrad Dziewulski
Kevin Rodriguez

Elizabeth Nou
Adrian Bednarczyk

Alanis Muro
Jason Kanka

Nicholas Opiola
Matthew Diaz

Zuzanna Radecki
Layaly Abdelkarim

Cameron Makswiej
Majd Hamid

Eion Bubbett
Karolina Walus

GRADE

6
4

5
5

5
4

4
6

8
7

5
6

5
6

5
5

School News

11/4/2014

Reavis High School Fall Musical

Reavis High School will present their fall musical, In The Heights - Nov. 6th & 8th at 7:00 p.m. and Nov. 9th at 3:00 p.m.

IMPORTANT: In support of our victorious football team, Reavis Drama is moving our Friday performance of IN THE HEIGHTS to Sunday, November 9th at 3:00 p.m.

Ticket Information:
Purchase reserved seats at ShowTix4U.com
Click on Reavis High School's "In the Heights"

Senior Citizen, Reavis Staff Member, Booster Parents
Reserve your complimentary tickets through Diane Erin
at dmerin64@gmail.com

Queen of Peace High School Students Welcome Honor Flight Chicago Participants

On Wednesday, October 29, Queen of Peace High School students and chaperones traveled to Midway Airport as part of the group welcoming Honor Flight Chicago participants. Honor Flight Chicago’s mission is to honor American Veterans—especially World War II Veterans—by bringing them to Washington, DC to thank them and pay tribute to these heroes.

The Queen of Peace students cheered for the veterans and made posters for them in a welcome home parade. While at the parade, the Queen of Peace students were able to meet the World War II veterans and personally thank them for their honorable service to our country.

Source: Queen of Peace High School Press Release

First Responders Mass

On Sunday October 12, 2014, Queen of Peace High School hosted a First Responders Mass to honor all active and retired police officers, firefighters/EMS and all branches of the military.

Fr. Brandt, Chaplain Director of the Chicago Police Department presided over this celebratory Mass. Many Queen of Peace families, students, alumnae and guests from the surrounding communities attended to honor our nation’s heroes.

Source: Queen of Peace High School Press Release

Officer Bourret and his proud Peace alumnae family gather after Mass for a picture.

Maddock Teacher Travels The World

Ms. Karen Krzystof is a 6th grade teacher at Maddock School in Burbank, IL. Ms. Krzystof is bringing the world to her classroom through her summer travels. Besides her students at Maddock School she has 40 new “kids” in Indonesia that will maintain an old-fashioned pen pal letter exchange throughout the year!

The following link is a recent internet article that asks Karen all about her travels and teaching.

http://www.teachingtraveling.com/2014/10/20/amazing-summer-travel/

Source: School District 111 News Release

Kennedy Students Raise Money For Breast Cancer Awareness

The students at Kennedy School sold pink raffle tickets and raised over $683 for Susan G Coleman Cancer Awareness Foundation and the week ended in PINKalicious fashion. We are proud of the school’s efforts and the children’s generosity to help this worthwhile cause.

Source: School District 111 News Release

School Sexual Abuse Assemblies To Empower Kids With Knowledge

5/12/2014

Erin's Law Assemblies

Beginning this school year, in kindergarten through sixth grade, each school will hold an assembly which, through scenes that explore safe touch versus non-safe touch, will address the mandates in Erin’s Law on an age-appropriate level. This presentation from Imagination Theater entitled No Secrets is designed to 1) create awareness and encourage children to think about different kinds of touches and their feelings about touch, 2) discuss the difference between safe and unsafe touches, and 3) emphasize that if you are touched in a way that makes you uncomfortable, it is not your fault, and you should tell an adult that you trust.

Source: http://www.burbank.k12.il.us/news_detail.asp?id={6C7C6982-791F-4E42-B4F7-99389698B3AC}

erins_law.pdf
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Burbank Police Plan Mock Shooter Drill At Tobin School

3/3/2014

Credit: BSD 111

Schools have historically held fire and tornado drills throughout the year to prepare students and staff alike to react quickly in the event of calamity. In recent years, school shootings like those at Columbine High School in Colorado and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut have prompted state officials to mandate that schools conduct “shooter drills” in conjunction with law enforcement.

Burbank Police will be assisting two local schools this week in preparing for the worse case scenario, an active shooter within the building. Drills are planned for Reavis High School on Tuesday, March 4th and Tobin Elementary School on Wednesday, March 5th.

Division Chief Mike Dudlo said “The purpose of the drill is for the schools and Law Enforcement to comply with the State Statute (Public Act 094-0600 aka ‘The School Safety Drill Act’). The purpose of the Act is to establish minimum requirements and standards for schools' emergency and crisis response plans.”

A letter dated Feb. 28, 2014 from the Burbank Police Department was distributed this week to some residents living near Tobin School informing them that the police will be conducting a “school safety drill” on Wednesday. Tobin is located at 8501 Narragansett Ave. The drill is scheduled to begin about 2:45 p.m. and conclude by 4:00 p.m.

The letter advises that “There will be a substantial police presence in the area due to police department personnel being directly involved in the drill.”

Dudlo said, “We have assisted the Burbank school districts and local schools with several of these types of drills this school year.”

It is unclear whether students will be participating directly in the upcoming drills. Student volunteers have taken part in some past school exercises. It is likely that Tobin faculty will have some roll in Wednesday’s shooter drill; School District 111’s website indicates there will be a “staff meeting” on Mar. 5 at Tobin between 2:45 and 5:00 p.m.

Last August, Oak Lawn officials conducted a full-scale “active shooter” drill at Oak Lawn High School. According to an Oak Lawn Patch article, the training exercise, was one of the largest multi-agency drills in the state, designed to test the response capabilities of local first responders during a mass casualty/active shooter event.

The Oak Lawn exercise included first responders from Burbank and more than 30 other suburban police and fire departments, and over 100 recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Station that portrayed shooting victims.

Burbank Police say that any questions or issues regarding the school safety drills should be directed to Lieutenant Thielen or Lieutenant Shore at (708) 924-7300.

Credit: Leanna Ochoa via Facebook

Chicago Bears Player Visits Byrd School

11/19/2013

The gymnasium at Richard E. Byrd was awash in orange and blue Tuesday as the students, faculty, and staff gathered for a special assembly to welcome Chicago Bears’ player Martellus Bennett. Bennett was on hand to present the school with an NFL PLAY 60 grant on behalf of the National Football League and Comcast.

According to an NFL representative, the NFL PLAY 60 Super School contest selected one school in each of the 32 NFL markets and two non-NFL markets to receive a grant. The NFL’s PLAY 60 campaign encourages children to get 60 minutes of exercise a day.

Earlier this year, three of Byrd’s faculty members submitted the grant application and Byrd was the lucky school selected in the Chicago market to receive the $10,000 grant for health and wellness programming and equipment.

School officials learned they had been selected about a month ago but did not know which Bear player would visit the school. They were told last week that Bennett would be the Bears’ representative and were excited Sunday when Bennett made the long catch to set up the Bears’ game winning field goal in overtime.

The students cheered wildly as Bennett entered the gym. Bennett spent about 20 minutes answering student questions such as “What are your favorite foods to eat before a long practice?” (bananas and apples) and “What is your favorite stadium to play in?” (Soldier Field because of the awesome fans).

Bennett closed the assembly by trying his hand at Dr. Seuss:

“Skit, scat, scadoodle

My goldfish ate my poodle

Which is kind of strange because he usually only eats noodles”

The kids loved it! Bennett really seemed to connect with the children.

After the assembly ended, the students returned to their classrooms. Bennett toured the school greeting the kids and checking out the posters they made. Afterwards he led an NFL PLAY 60 Ultimate Physical Education Class on the playground.