WC_101118

10 | October 11, 2018 | The winnetka Current school
winnetkacurrent.com
Sunset Ridge School awarded prestigious LEED certification
First school in
Illinois to receive
platinum honor
Submitted by Sunset Ridge
School
The Sunset Ridge
School District 29 Board
of Education announced
that it has been awarded
the highly coveted LEED
Platinum certification.
The LEED (Leadership
in Energy and Environmental
Design) rating system,
developed by the U.S.
Green Building Council, is
the foremost program for
buildings, homes and communities
that are designed,
constructed, maintained
and operated for improved
environmental and human
health performance.
LEED is the most widely
used green building rating
system in the world,
with Platinum being the
highest achievable level.
More than 100,000 commercial
and institutional
projects are currently participating
in LEED, comprising
more than 2 million
square feet of construction
space in all 50 states and
more than 160 countries
and territories. According
to the U.S. Green Building
Council, the new Sunset
Ridge School is the first
LEED Platinum public
elementary school in the
state of Illinois, and one of
only a small few across the
country.
Sunset Ridge School
achieved LEED Platinum
certification for implementing
the highest level
of practical and measurable
strategies and solutions
aimed at achieving
an energy and resource efficient
building. These included
habitat restoration,
on-site renewable solar energy,
daylight harvesting,
storm water control, light
pollution reduction, water
reduction and reuse, the
use of low emitting materials,
and the reuse and recycling
of materials from the
previous existing building.
“We are very proud of
this designation and the
countless hours of design
work that went into
achieving LEED Platinum,”
Sunset Ridge District
29 Superintendent
of Schools Dr. Ed Stange
said. “Moreover, we are
honored to be able to utilize
the new school as a
tool to educate students
about environment consciousness.”
Since opening in August
2018, the new school has
affectionately been nicknamed
“Google for Kids”
by the community for its
plethora of engaging and
child-centered learning
spaces.
Sacred Heart School becomes
National Blue Ribbon honoree
Submitted by Sacred
Heart School
Sacred Heart School has
been named a 2018 National
Blue Ribbon School,
a prestigious honor that
recognizes the highest performing
public and nonpublic
schools in the country
and celebrates school
excellence at all levels.
The award was bestowed
upon Sacred Heart School
by Betsy DeVos, secretary
of the U.S. Department of
Education.
“The students, parents,
faculty and staff of Sacred
Heart School could not be
more excited about being
named a 2018 National
Blue Ribbon School,”
said Kristen Fink, school
principal. “There are so
many reasons our school
is a truly special place to
learn and grow, not only
because of our test scores,
which rank us in the top
15 percent in the country
in English and mathematics,
but also because of
our commitment to meeting
the individual needs of
each child.”
The preschool through
eighth-grade school has
been serving the Winnetka
community since 1902.
“The essence of Sacred
Heart is dedicated and active
families, a faith-based
approach to instilling values,
and exemplary teachers,”
Fink said.
According to Fink, the
total dedication and commitment
of Sacred Heart
teachers are the primary
reasons why Sacred Heart
has won this award.
“Every day, they go
above and beyond to make
sure every student is successful,”
Fink said.
The school integrates
state-of-the-art technology
into its curriculum. In fact,
since 2009, Sacred Heart
School has been designated
an Apple Distinguished
School more than
six times.
Sacred Heart School is
committed to educating
the “hearts and minds of
students,” Fink said, noting
that service projects,
Courtesy Catchers, Prayer
Families, and Viking
Bucks are key to fulfilling
the school’s Roman Catholic
faith-based mission.
Since 1982, the U.S.
Department of Education
has been recognizing public
and non-public schools
through its National Blue
Ribbon program. The program
was founded and
named by former secretary
of education Terrel H.Bell,
who was appointed by
President Reagan. Best
known for commissioning
the study of American
education that resulted
in A Nation at Risk, Bell
created the National Blue
Ribbon Schools Award
to bring public attention
to the best schools in the
United States and to facilitate
communication and
sharing of best practices
within and among schools.
Sacred Heart will receive
its commendation at
a ceremony in Washington,
D.C. on Nov. 8.
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Loyola
From Page 6
matter,” Schneider said.
“The police are investigating
the issue, and NSSED
will continue to cooperate
fully and keep you updated,
as appropriate.”
“We suggest that parents
of NSA high school
students discuss this matter
with your child directly
so they hear from you
that Mr. Laird will not be
returning to NSA and is
under investigation,” he
added.
Laird also worked as
a teacher’s aide at North
Shore Academy from 2010
to 2011 and from 2014 to
2017, according to the superintendent.
PROPOSAL
From Page 8
38 families that live at 711
Oak,” he said. “You have,
it’s not like you’ve ignored
us. But if any of you lived
in a place where they first
changed the zoning ... and
then almost doubled the
requirements, you would
all scream. And we’re quietly
screaming.”
Resident Phil Hoza said
he hoped the project would
proceed.
Post-Loyola Academy
career
After leaving Loyola
Academy in 2014, Laird
joined National Academic
Quiz Tournaments LLC as
a question-writer for bowl
tournaments, NAQT Chief
Financial Officer Chad
Kubicek said Oct. 3.
Laird worked for the
company for about nine
months, from Sept. 24,
2014, until the summer of
2015. He did not have direct
contact with children
in his role at NAQT, Kubicek
said.
When asked if NAQT
would notify schools, parents
or students that participated
in bowl competitions
during Laird’s time
with the company about
the criminal investigation,
“I don’t know any developers
that are going to
come to Winnetka again to
go through three years of
interrogation and multiple
... probably 40 meetings
plus to put together a project,”
he said.
Winnetka business owner
Vicki Hofstetter also
commented in favor of the
proposal, arguing it would
breathe life into that street
corner.
“I hope that this is the
last meeting that I have to
Kubicek was unclear about
the company’s next steps.
“I will put that to the
people that are in charge
of that,” Kubicek said,
declining to comment further.
Laird served as an assistant
coach during the
2016-17 season for the
quizbowl team at Adlai E.
Stevenson High School in
Lincolnshire, according to
the Quizbowl Wiki page.
McGrath and Heintz
encouraged anyone with
information that could be
relevant to the investigation
to contact Glenview
Police Detective Jamie
Medina at (847) 901-6145.
Check back to WinnetkaCurrent.com
for updates
to this developing story.
come to, because I want
this building more than
anybody here,” she said.
“Probably more than David
[Trandel].”
The proposal will face
final approval during the
next regularly scheduled
council meeting Tuesday,
Oct. 16. Historical documents
related to the One
Winnetka process can be
found on the Community
Development section of
the Village website, www.
villageofwinnetka.org.