Winnetka School District 36
Encyclopedia
Winnetka School District 36 is an elementary school district based in Winnetka
, Cook County
, Illinois
, a suburb of Chicago
that is due north of the city. The district is composed of five schools: three neighborhood elementary schools, one middle school, and one junior high school. All schools are located within Winnetka boundaries.
or Hubbard Woods Elementary School All schools educate students from grades one through four; after elementary school, students move on to Skokie Middle School, which houses the fifth and sixth grade. The last school that students in Winnetka District 36 attend is Carleton W. Washburne Middle School
, which covers grades seven and eight; Washburne and the Skokie School are located on the same campus. The district has two interim co-superintendents: Dr. Mark Friedman and Dr. Kenneth Cull. The public high school is New Trier Township High School.
methods. In 1919, the District hired Carleton Washburne
as Superintendent. Washburne was a product of a Chicago elementary school founded by Francis Parker
, who together with John Dewey
were early practitioners of progressive education. Winnetka's education program was transformed during Washburne's 24-year tenure and came to be known as the Winnetka Plan
. Driving the development of progressive education through research and publication, Washburne's academic program ultimately included (among other things): individualized learning geared to the readiness of each child, interdisciplinary learning, creative project work and jettisoning of grades in favor of individual student goals.
The five buildings comprising the Winnetka Public Schools were constructed during the 19th and 20th centuries. Of note is Crow Island School
opened in 1940 and designed by Chicago architects Perkins, Wheeler and Will in collaboration with the father and son team of Eero Saarinen
and Eliel Saarinen
. The innovative architecture of Crow Island served as a model for many US schools built after World War II. The school has been the recipient of many design awards and was named a National Historic Landmark
in 1990.
Instructional strategies are based on the premise that learning is most effective when instruction is differentiated to meet the individual needs of each child and when children are challenged by genuine problems associated with their interests. District curriculum utilizes both integrated units of study (encompassing multiple subjects) and experiential education
to foster higher-order thinking, creativity and practical application.
The Winnetka Public Schools are affiliated with the Progressive Education Network(PEN) at both the national and regional levels. The District is a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools and a founding member of the Winnetka Alliance for Early Childhood. Committed to lifelong learning for all its learners, the District has long sponsored educational sessions for its teachers through the Winnetka Teachers Institute and for the broader community through the Winnetka Parents Institute.
In 1995, the Illinois legislature instituted “tax caps” for Cook County which limits the annual growth of property taxes (and thus the revenue to taxing bodies such as school districts) to the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 5%; whichever is less. Additional revenue requests require voter approval. Since 1995, Winnetka residents have approved five capital and operating referenda.
Winnetka Public Schools District 36 has received a Certificate of Financial Recognition from the Illinois State Board of Education and has maintained a AAA bond rating since 2008, one of only 20 elementary districts in Illinois.
Winnetka School Board members are nominated by the Winnetka Caucus Council and serve up to two four-year terms after being approved in a general election. The Caucus system is a form of self-government instituted in the Village of Winnetka in 1915 that gathers information from annual resident surveys and nominates qualified candidates to serve on Village governmental bodies.
Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka is an affluent North Shore village located approximately north of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. Winnetka was featured on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2011...
, Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, a suburb of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
that is due north of the city. The district is composed of five schools: three neighborhood elementary schools, one middle school, and one junior high school. All schools are located within Winnetka boundaries.
District schools
Students in the district may begin their education as prekindergarteners in Samuel Sewell Greeley Elementary School or as kindergarteners at either Crow Island Elementary SchoolCrow Island School
Crow Island School is an elementary school significant for its progressive philosophy and its architecture. The design of its building was a collaboration between the Chicago firm of Perkins, Wheeler and Will and Eero Saarinen...
or Hubbard Woods Elementary School All schools educate students from grades one through four; after elementary school, students move on to Skokie Middle School, which houses the fifth and sixth grade. The last school that students in Winnetka District 36 attend is Carleton W. Washburne Middle School
Carleton W. Washburne Middle School
Carleton W. Washburne Middle School is a public 7th and 8th grade junior high school located on Chicago's North Shore in Winnetka, Illinois in the United States. It was opened in 1969 and named for Carleton W. Washburne., an internationally-recognized progressive educator who served as...
, which covers grades seven and eight; Washburne and the Skokie School are located on the same campus. The district has two interim co-superintendents: Dr. Mark Friedman and Dr. Kenneth Cull. The public high school is New Trier Township High School.
History
The district's first school was founded in 1859, a decade before the village of Winnetka was incorporated. The first Winnetka Board of Education was formed in 1892 when Winnetka had two schools. At that time, the Board endorsed a program of study being taught in the Chicago public schools, but questions arose about the effectiveness of traditional educationTraditional education
Traditional education or back-to-basics refers to long-established customs found in schools that society has traditionally deemed appropriate. Some forms of education reform promote the adoption of progressive education practices, a more holistic approach which focuses on individual students'...
methods. In 1919, the District hired Carleton Washburne
Carleton Washburne
Carleton Washburne was the superintendent of schools in Winnetka, Illinois from 1919 to 1943. He is most notably associated with the Winnetka Plan that he developed for his district.-External links:...
as Superintendent. Washburne was a product of a Chicago elementary school founded by Francis Parker
Francis Wayland Parker
Francis Wayland Parker was a pioneer of the progressive school movement in the United States. He believed that education should include the complete development of an individual — mental, physical, and moral...
, who together with John Dewey
John Dewey
John Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. Dewey was an important early developer of the philosophy of pragmatism and one of the founders of functional psychology...
were early practitioners of progressive education. Winnetka's education program was transformed during Washburne's 24-year tenure and came to be known as the Winnetka Plan
Winnetka Plan
The Winnetka Plan was an educational experiment held in the Winnetka, Illinois-based Winnetka School District 36. Developed by Carleton Washburne, who was the district superintendent, and inspired by John Dewey's work in the University of Chicago Laboratory School, the plan attempted to expand...
. Driving the development of progressive education through research and publication, Washburne's academic program ultimately included (among other things): individualized learning geared to the readiness of each child, interdisciplinary learning, creative project work and jettisoning of grades in favor of individual student goals.
The five buildings comprising the Winnetka Public Schools were constructed during the 19th and 20th centuries. Of note is Crow Island School
Crow Island School
Crow Island School is an elementary school significant for its progressive philosophy and its architecture. The design of its building was a collaboration between the Chicago firm of Perkins, Wheeler and Will and Eero Saarinen...
opened in 1940 and designed by Chicago architects Perkins, Wheeler and Will in collaboration with the father and son team of Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen
Eero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect and industrial designer of the 20th century famous for varying his style according to the demands of the project: simple, sweeping, arching structural curves or machine-like rationalism.-Biography:Eero Saarinen shared the same birthday as his father,...
and Eliel Saarinen
Eliel Saarinen
Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen was a Finnish architect who became famous for his art nouveau buildings in the early years of the 20th century....
. The innovative architecture of Crow Island served as a model for many US schools built after World War II. The school has been the recipient of many design awards and was named a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1990.
Philosophy and Academics
Winnetka School District practices are aligned with progressive education philosophy, many aspects of which are now included in the more recent 21st Century Skills educational movement. Developed with community and staff input, the District's vision document: Winnetka:A Community of Learners forms the basis for its educational goals and delineates the District's commitment to developing the "whole child" and to the mastery of academic skills.Instructional strategies are based on the premise that learning is most effective when instruction is differentiated to meet the individual needs of each child and when children are challenged by genuine problems associated with their interests. District curriculum utilizes both integrated units of study (encompassing multiple subjects) and experiential education
Experiential education
Experiential education is a philosophy of education that describes the process that occurs between a teacher and student that infuses direct experience with the learning environment and content. The term is mistakenly used interchangeably with experiential learning...
to foster higher-order thinking, creativity and practical application.
The Winnetka Public Schools are affiliated with the Progressive Education Network(PEN) at both the national and regional levels. The District is a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools and a founding member of the Winnetka Alliance for Early Childhood. Committed to lifelong learning for all its learners, the District has long sponsored educational sessions for its teachers through the Winnetka Teachers Institute and for the broader community through the Winnetka Parents Institute.
Financial Health
Winnetka residents are tremendously supportive of their schools as demonstrated by the passing of all educational operating and capital referenda since 1895.In 1995, the Illinois legislature instituted “tax caps” for Cook County which limits the annual growth of property taxes (and thus the revenue to taxing bodies such as school districts) to the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 5%; whichever is less. Additional revenue requests require voter approval. Since 1995, Winnetka residents have approved five capital and operating referenda.
Winnetka Public Schools District 36 has received a Certificate of Financial Recognition from the Illinois State Board of Education and has maintained a AAA bond rating since 2008, one of only 20 elementary districts in Illinois.
Building Renewal
In 2007, 61% of Winnetka voters approved a $47.3 million capital referendum (the largest in Winnetka history) for the repair and restoration of all five school buildings as well as the expansion of two schools. Washburne School now includes state-of-the-art science labs, music rooms and gymnasiums, with all schools benefitting from the installation of wi-fi and other technological supports.Community Support
The Winnetka Public Schools Foundation (WPSF) was formed in 1995 as a not-for-profit fundraising organization whose purpose is to extend the educational mission of the Winnetka Public Schools beyond the means of conventional public funding. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided over $4.2 million in support to the District. WPSF grants help to fund teacher research and development, artists-in-residence, technology, equipment and other special programs.Winnetka School Board members are nominated by the Winnetka Caucus Council and serve up to two four-year terms after being approved in a general election. The Caucus system is a form of self-government instituted in the Village of Winnetka in 1915 that gathers information from annual resident surveys and nominates qualified candidates to serve on Village governmental bodies.