It took an E-L-E-C-T-R-I-F-Y-I-N-G 24 rounds of competition before a seventh grader from Cooper Middle School emerged as the victor of the District 21 Spelling Bee, which was held Feb. 5 in the Community Service Center and Administrative Office.…

Dear CCSD21 community, In light of the latest forecasts predicting severe winter weather leading to potentially hazardous travel conditions from late morning through the evening on Wednesday, all CCSD21 schools will transition to an e-learning day tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12.…

  It’s safe to say that Maya S. has accomplished more in her 10 years on the planet than many people can claim in one lifetime. Since she was five years old, the now fifth grader at Tarkington Elementary School…

Community Consolidated School District 21 is excited to announce that registration for kindergarten and new students for the 2025-2026 school year is now open! If your child will be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2025, they are…

  For as long as Claire C. can remember, her house has been a beacon for the fine arts. “My parents are both my vocal teachers, and they’ve been opera singers since before I was born,” said the eighth grader…

Dear CCSD21 families, At District 21, we are deeply committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for all our students and families.  This week, we received several questions about recent changes in immigration enforcement and their potential impact…

Community Consolidated School District 21 is proud to announce our three eighth-grade student board representatives for the 2024-2025 school year. These outstanding students were selected for their exceptional leadership, commitment to their schools, and passion for making a positive impact…

January 20, 2025 Dear CCSD 21 Parents and Guardians, District 21 has been closely monitoring the forecasted cold temperatures for Tuesday morning.  Current forecasts do not meet our area’s criteria for implementing a cold weather emergency day which is a…

The Community Consolidated School District 21 Board of Education on Jan. 16 formally approved two bids totaling $1,511,773 to complete renovations of the remaining unused portion of the Gill Administration Building, which would convert it into storage space.   Approximately $1,175,900…

The latest edition of The 21 Ledger, our family and community newsletter, is now available! Check your email, head to our Facebook, or scroll below to read the full version. Let’s stay connected!

Dear CCSD21 parents and staff members: We want to inform you about a recent data breach involving our third-party database platform we use for student records, PowerSchool. While we understand this news may be concerning, we are pleased to report that…

  While classrooms sat quiet and hallways empty during winter break, Community Consolidated School District 21 was anything but idle. Teams of workers mobilized across the district to tackle vital upgrades and improvements aimed at enhancing school facilities and creating…

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…

Donna McDonagh “makes this place what it is,” says Amy McCall, literacy equity teacher at London Middle School, as she’s heading out of the library and media center for the day. “She makes it all look easy and is incredibly…

 

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…