Lake County Gazette

North Shore School District 112 held its regular Board of Education meeting on September 16 at Northwood Middle School, with a livestream available on the district’s Vimeo channel. A Spanish-translated video will be posted online in the coming days.

During the meeting, principals and associate principals were recognized for Principal Appreciation Week and Day. Executive Director of Personnel Rachel Filippi read a proclamation from Governor JB Pritzker. Board President Art Kessler stated, “We are so fortunate in District 112 to have the best of the best. Thank you, all, for doing what you do every day.”

Superintendent Dr. Mike Lubelfeld congratulated student-athletes from Edgewood and Northwood for qualifying for the state meet last weekend. He also announced that District 112 received recognition from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) for its commitment to student data privacy, earning the CoSN Trusted Learning Environment Mini Seal for Leadership Practice. Only seven districts in Illinois have received this honor. Dr. Lubelfeld thanked Executive Director of Technology and Operations Jeremy Wickham and his team for their efforts.

Deputy Superintendent Dr. Monica Schroeder provided an update on TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804, which serves special education needs across several districts including District 112. After some member districts considered withdrawing, a reorganization proposal was developed to keep most members engaged. Dr. Schroeder explained that District 112 had previously voted to withdraw not out of preference but to avoid being left as the sole member, which would pose significant challenges. She and Board member Lisa Hirsh recommended rescinding this intent at the next board meeting.

The Board approved a 2026 student trip to the Dominican Republic for 45 students from Northwood and Edgewood schools. Due to high costs, donations are needed so all interested students can participate; about $40,000 more is required this year according to Dr. Lubelfeld. Donations can be made through the 112 Education Foundation website by specifying they are for the Dominican Republic trip.

Board member Bennett Lasko reported on the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC), which held its first meeting in September with strong attendance and a presentation by parent coach Sergio Negri on family engagement. BPAC is open to families with Dual Language Program or English Learner students; its next meeting is scheduled for November 4 at Oak Terrace.

Lori Fink, board liaison to Highwood Library and Community Center, reminded families about resources and events available at the library serving Highwood and Highland Park.

Vice President Melissa Itkin summarized results from the annual FUNd Run hosted by the 112 Education Foundation on September 27, noting over 1,200 participants raised more than $57,000 to fund scholarships and other initiatives benefiting district students.

The next regular Board of Education meeting is set for November 18.

North Shore School District 112 covers several schools across Lake County including Braeside Elementary School, Edgewood Middle School, Elm Place School, Green Bay School, Indian Trail Elementary School, Northwood Junior High School, Oak Terrace Elementary School, Ravinia Elementary School, Red Oak Elementary School, Sherwood Elementary School, and Wayne Thomas Elementary School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district employs approximately 325 teachers who earn an average salary of $79,315 before pension contributions; most teachers are women (80.7 percent), with no teacher recording more than ten absences annually (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The student population is predominantly White (63.9 percent), with Hispanic students making up nearly one-quarter (26.9 percent), along with smaller percentages of Black (1.9 percent) and Asian (3.3 percent) students (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In fiscal year 2020, spending per student was $27,611 with total expenditures reaching $107 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

For further information or contact details regarding the Board of Education visit their website or email boardmembers@nssd112.org.