Superintendent's Message

Dear Wood Dale 7 Families and Community Members,

As we work through the 2023/24 school year, it is important to keep in mind what our students, families, and teachers have been through since March 2020. During that time, our students needed us to rapidly and dramatically transform our practices to continue to educate them during the pandemic.  The District 7 staff and families demonstrated incredible flexibility and strength by going above and beyond every day and together we made it through those challenging years.  While the pandemic is (gratefully) becoming less and less significant and we happily see it shrink in the rearview mirror, its impact unfortunately lingers with most of our students. It is evident that our students need us now more than ever.  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.

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 and beyond.  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. 

In addition to our outstanding academic program, our students are provided with many extra-curricular opportunities including: band, choir, athletics, clubs, 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 some of the goals we will be focusing on in District 7 during the 2023/24 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 93% or above.
• Increase the engagement of all families with the school community by hosting three special events designed to increase parent/family awareness regarding issues that impacts their child(s) academic, social/emotional, and physical growth.  
• Review existing student wellness programs and identify strategies to increase their effectiveness. Examples include: Nutrition of school meals (sugars, carbohydrates, fats, and overall calories), parent and student health education programs, and fitness/movement opportunities for students. 
• Improve communication channels with District 7 families and the community by: a) Updating the District 7 website design and format and b) Installing an electric sign in front of the district office. 
• Maintain a Financial Score of Recognition for FY24.
• Complete 90% of the 10 Year Life Safety Priority List by the end of FY24.
• 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 2023/24 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.

Please follow us on "X" @wdsd_7 for regular updates regarding activities taking place in District 7.  Search our hashtag #wdsd7 to see all the activities taking place in and out of our classrooms.

Sincerely,

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