Lake County Gazette

Student success remains a central focus for Lake Villa Community Consolidated School District 41 as the district concludes the first year of its Portrait of a Graduate initiative. The program aims to develop students' skills as critical thinkers, communicators, and collaborators in preparation for a changing world.

Superintendent Dr. Sandra Keim-Bounds credited progress to the commitment of educators, support from families, and community involvement. "This progress has been made possible through the dedication of our educators, the support of our families, and the involvement of our community partners. Together, we’ve created empowering learning environments where students are inspired to take ownership of their education," said Keim-Bounds.

The district marked several milestones over the past year. A teacher was named Lake County Educator of the Year, while other staff members received honors from the Lake County Regional Office of Education. The district also partnered with the Lake Villa Historical Society to celebrate Pleviak School’s legacy. Judy Bock was recognized as Board of Education Citizen of the Year.

Other achievements included successful implementation of Illustrative Math to improve student engagement and understanding, and completion of the first year for PreK for All supporting early learners.

Dr. Keim-Bounds noted leadership changes ahead: "We also look forward to welcoming a new principal and assistant principal to our leadership team and invite community members to consider joining the Board of Education—a meaningful way to help shape the future of education in District 41."

Lake Villa Community Consolidated School District 41 includes B.J. Hooper Elementary School, Olive C. Martin School, Peter J. Palombi School, and William L. Thompson School within Lake County (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to state data, it employs 157 teachers with an average salary of $60,885; 92.4 percent are women and 7.6 percent are men; no teachers have more than ten absences per school year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Demographically, students are 56.5 percent White, 2.8 percent Black, 29.1 percent Hispanic, and 2.7 percent Asian (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In fiscal year 2020, per-student spending was $17,181 with total expenditures reaching $43 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Dr. Keim-Bounds thanked stakeholders for their continued partnership: "Thank you for your continued partnership and support."