Lake County Gazette

Beach Park Community Consolidated School District 3 has reported improvements in its latest Illinois School Report Card designations, with four out of five schools achieving a “Commendable” status for the first time. The annual report, released by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), is intended to provide transparency and accountability for public schools across the state.

Superintendent Dr. Denise Wilcox addressed the community regarding these results. “While no single report can fully capture the daily progress students make or the personal journey they are on, we use these tools to measure our growth and align our resources to continue supporting our students on their journey to Learn, Lead, and Succeed,” Wilcox stated.

Among individual school outcomes, Howe Elementary moved into a “Targeted Support” designation due to technicalities in measuring progress for students with disabilities. According to Wilcox, this group’s progress may not be fully reflected within current reporting systems.

The district also highlighted academic gains over the past year. Reading proficiency increased from 20.9% to 29.2%, while math proficiency rose from 9.2% to 14.2%. These figures reflect changes in ISBE’s benchmark scores for determining proficiency on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). When adjusted for updated cut-off scores in 2024, student reading and math proficiency still showed increases of 8.3% and 5%, respectively.

Looking ahead, Beach Park District 3 plans to focus on creating engaging learning environments across all subjects, fostering curiosity in classrooms, targeting improved math performance through strategic action plans, and strengthening family partnerships. Chronic absenteeism was reduced from an all-time high of 38.7% to 26.6%, but remains an area of concern.

Wilcox encouraged continued collaboration among students, staff, and families: “Please join me in celebrating the students, staff, and families of our Beach Park Community, as well as the partnership in academic learning and support. We are proud of our combined efforts to meet our students where they are and help them grow, learn, lead, and succeed. The new report card shows that while we have work to do, we are on the path to becoming a Blue Ribbon school of excellence.”

Beach Park Community Consolidated School District 3 serves Lake County through its five schools: Beach Park Middle School, Howe Elementary School, Kenneth Murphy School, Newport Elementary School, and Oak Crest School (source).

According to ISBE data (source), there are currently 149 teachers employed by Beach Park District 3 with an average salary of $63,553 before pension contributions; nearly four out of five teachers are women; none had more than ten absences during a school year.

The district’s student population is diverse: approximately 54 percent Hispanic students attend its schools along with Black (22 percent), White (16 percent), and Asian (2 percent) peers (source). In fiscal year 2020, source reports indicate spending totaled $46 million—about $22 thousand per student.

Dr. Wilcox concluded her message by inviting questions from community members: “If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out as my door is always open.”