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Made in Your Own Backyard Event
Shannon Podzimek

District 155 is excited to partner with local businesses, our feeder districts, and the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce for the “Made in Your Own Backyard” event. This open house event is a localized version of MFG Day, a national day of recognition to inspire a future generation of manufacturers. The event will be held on Thursday, October 10, 2019 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. and aims to increase awareness of unique products manufactured locally; and to educate parents and middle and high school students about the diverse manufacturing field and career opportunities our area. Together, parents and students will learn about the relevant coursework offered by our high schools and gain information about the career paths and tracks involved in being employed by one of these successful local companies. 

Students and parents will board a bus to tour and learn about various manufacturing companies, including General Kinematics, Mathews Company, Precision Waterjet  and Swiss Automation.

Middle school students should register for the field trip based at their designated high school. Space is limited and the event requires registration, which will be on a first come, first serve basis. Click here to register.

D155 High Schools Rank in Top 4 in McHenry County
Shannon Podzimek

Chicago magazine recently named the best public schools in the suburbs and all four District 155 schools earned the top four spots in McHenry County. Crystal Lake South High School ranked first, followed by Crystal Lake Central, Prairie Ridge, and Cary-Grove. The top 200 best public schools is featured in Chicago magazine’s September issue.

The methodology used included spending per pupil, SAT scores, 5Essentials, attendance, and graduation rate. Data from the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2017-18 school year was used to determine performance measures.

All four District 155 high schools also have been ranked in the top 10 percent nationally by U.S. News & World report and Niche.com.

Class of 2019 Pursues Education in 29 States
Melina Weil

Ninety-one percent of graduates in the class of 2019 will continue their studies at four-year colleges, two-year community colleges, and vocational and technical schools. Sixty-one percent of students are pursuing degrees at four-year colleges and universities. The class of 2019 will continue its studies at post-secondary institutions in 29 states. 

McHenry County College, Illinois State University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are the top three schools the class of 2019 will attend this fall. Students are most interested in studying health/non-medical science, business, and engineering. Eleven students plan to serve in the armed forces. 

Eighty-nine percent of students say their experience in school allowed them to learn more about themselves and their personal aspirations. 

Ninety percent of the class of 2019 participated in at least one extracurricular activity. 

  • 33% - Arts

  • 53% - Academic

  • 71% - Athletics

Seventy-two percent participated in volunteer/community service project not sponsored at Prairie Ridge. There were 347 graduates in the class of 2019. 

Community High School District 155 has conducted a uniform, district-wide senior survey for the last 12 years.

District 155 Summer Construction Wraps Up
Melina Weil

All District 155 schools opened successfully on August 14 after substantially completing 22 construction projects this summer. The Board of Education approved $14,552,000 in capital projects for the summer of 2019, including kitchen classroom remodels, tennis courts replacement, air conditioning, and parking lot replacements. 

"We want to thank the community and taxpayers for their support as we continue to enhance our learning spaces to give our students and staff the opportunity to be successful in their future endeavors,” said Steve Olson, D155 superintendent. “We understand the importance of showcasing these projects with our community so they can see how their tax dollars are being spent.”

The district communications office in collaboration with the operations department produced 10 videos to highlight construction updates which were viewed more than 24,000 times and totaled more than 79 hours. Videos are available to view on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @CHSD155 or visit the website to view the projects that were completed.

District 155 Ranks First in McHenry County for Best School District
Melina Weil

Community High School District 155 was named best school district in McHenry County by Niche. Rankings are based on data from the Department of Education, the US Census, and multiple reviews from parents and students. D155 earned the top spot out of 15. 

A senior who wrote a review said, “District 155 cultivates students to be great, and consistently demonstrates excellence. All of the staff are amazing, they always encourage students to do our best.”

Nationally, the district ranked in the top nine percent for best school districts, and placed in the top four percent for the best teachers. In the state of Illinois, D155 ranked eighth out of 638 schools for having the best teachers and placed in the top three percent for the best district. 

One parent review said, “The districts fundamental approach to the student’s education is constantly challenging the teachers and staff to put forth our ideas and experiences to better the way education is presented.” 

Every month, millions of people use Niche to choose the right schools or neighborhoods. Niche has report cards, rankings and reviews that are calculated from public sources along with reviews from parents, students, and residents.