Superintendent's Message

Dear Wood Dale 7 Families and Community Members,

As we enter into a new school year, we continue to take great pride in our exemplary school district.  The District 7 academic program focuses on serving the needs of all students.  We accomplish this through the implementation of our comprehensive, teacher-developed curriculum which is aligned to the State Standards.  All District 7 students, kindergarten through 8th grade, are provided with 1:1 technology devices to be used during the school day.  Our curriculum allows for the integration of technology into instruction in ways which are authentic and meaningful to what our students are learning.  District 7 is proud to offer a Dual Language Program.  Students enrolled in this unique program are provided with the opportunity to become fluent in both English and Spanish. 

I am pleased to report that the students of School District 7 made more than average gains in academics during the 2023/24 school year.  As we work through the 2024/25 school year we collectively must continue to focus on closing the learning gap that was started or in some cases widened during the pandemic.  The future of our students depends on our unwavering commitment to this goal.  District 7 has talented educators leading each classroom and committed families supporting their children at home and together we will achieve this goal.

In addition to our outstanding academic program, our students are provided with many extra-curricular opportunities including: band, choir, athletics, clubs, Future Cities, fishing, and drama.  District 7 places a major emphasis on family engagement and promoting the success of our students and staff members.  We encourage the parents of our students to get involved in their child’s education by supporting our schools through the PTO and various other district committees.  There are numerous opportunities to volunteer within our district.  Please contact your child’s school for more information on how you can be of assistance. We both welcome and need your involvement!  I would like to inform you of the goals developed by the Board of Education that we will be focusing on in District 7 during the 2024/25 school year.

• Increase student math achievement at a rate that will exceed typical growth as measured by NWEA MAP Growth Test (See Board Goals Below). 
• Increase student reading achievement at a rate that will exceed typical growth as measured by NWEA MAP Growth Test (See Board Goals Below).
• Provide family/parent education information & resources to assist families in supporting their students in increasing average daily attendance to 94% or above.
• Identify & hire a new superintendent for the 2025/26 school year no later than January 16th, 2025
• Hire a professional search firm in August.
• Solicit & include input from families, staff & community as part of the search process.
• Provide regular updates to families, staff & community throughout the search process.
• Ensure student, family & community awareness of the board’s newly developed position statement regarding social media. 
• Develop strategies to educate students and families regarding the importance of children not engaging in social media and families limiting overall screen time.
• Increase the engagement of all families with our schools and the wider community by promoting cross school events to families. 
• Collaborate with the Library, Park District & City of Wood Dale to promote child centered & family activities organized by their agencies. 
• Maintain a Financial Score of Recognition for FY25.
• Complete 100% of the 10 Year Life Safety Priority List by the end of FY25.
• Increase efficiency of district document management through the expanded use of digital technology.
• Complete selected projects from the operations & maintenance plan, to ensure an engaging and safe learning environment for all students and staff.

Click here to link directly to the 2024/25 Board of Education Goals.

District 7 is continuously seeking ways in which to improve our schools and programs. If you have a question, suggestion, or concern related to the school district or any of our programs, I encourage you to contact any member of the administrative team or me at (630) 595-9510 email - jcorbett@wdsd7.org.

Sincerely,

John W. Corbett, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools