Student Events Deemed a Success, New Construction Projects, Officer Honored

Last week's Evergreen Park Community High School had several updates to school events, construction projects and a special honor.

School may Receive Blizzard Relief

Supt. M. Elizabeth Hart said the school could possibly receive financial relief from the blizzard that blanketed the village in more than 20 inches of snow. According to Facilities Director William McGuire, the benchmark was near $7.5 million, but did not specify the amount that the school could possibly receive.

Student Events Deemed a Success

Principal William Sanderson said the school had a plethora of successful events since the January board meeting. A student representative reported that over 120 students attended Operation Snowball from schools across the Chicago area. Sanderson also said the school's event was a success. After the basketball game, students signed Oprah's No Phone Pledge. Evergreen Park Community High School students also presented Willy Wonka and sold more than 1900 total tickets to the performances.

Police Detective Honored

The school board, Mayor James Sexton and Police Chief Michael Saunders honored Detective Phillip Rizzo with a plaque and certificate of achievement for receiving the Illinois Elks Association’s Enrique Camarena Award.

Technology Upgrades

The Technology Integration Plan 2011 that was presented at the board meeting will include maximizing the bandwith available in the high school, new teachers' computers during the 2013-2014 school year, and several other upgrades for classrooms and offices.

Incoming Freshmen

Sanderson said out of students graduating middle school in Evergreen Park, there is a possible 239 freshmen who may go to high school at EPCHS. From Central Junior High School, there's a possible 233 students who could attend EPCHS. Of that number, 192 are currently enrolled and 40 are not enrolled.

Track Opening to the Community

Starting in March, the school track will be open to the community. "Our walking track will officially be open on March 14," said Sanderson. According to him, the track is currently being prepared by the maintenance department, however the school will have signs up to notify the community of the hours they'll be able to walk the track.

Football/Soccer Field Maintenance

McGuire said the football and soccer field will be re-sodded in the spring, costing the school about $14,000. He said the fertilization program could start as early as the middle of May, depending on whether or not the soccer team heads into the championship.

The next Evergreen Park Community High School District 231 Board of Education meeting will be held on March 15 at 7 p.m.