Superintendent's End of Year Letter 2025
May 22, 2025
Dear BPS101 Community,
While our weather has been up and down, the past few weeks have been filled with great uplifting moments of celebrations. Recently, we have celebrated teachers, support staff, students, and our community partners. One of the most important celebrations occurred last night as we graduated our seniors at the NIU Convocation Center. It was a tremendous evening full of joy, laughter, and hope.
Since last year, we have been working very hard to ensure the District’s Strategic Plan comes to life for our students. With that work, the Administration has worked closely with our Board of Education, Batavia Education Association, and Batavia Education Support Personnel Association to ensure that we all honor the value of collaborating in the work we do for our students. I realize this year’s note to you is longer than normal, but I thought it was critical for you to know what we have been working on across the district. The work and progress come through the efforts of our dedicated educators, amazing staff, and the support of our community partners. Below are some of the key highlights, and not intended to represent the full, exhaustive list of work:
Enhance Teaching and Learning Practices
- Progression toward adopting a new ELA and Reading curriculum at the elementary and middle school levels through our Subject Area Leadership Team.
- Progression toward adopting a new Science curriculum at the elementary school level through our Subject Area Leadership Team.
- Progression toward adopting a new math curriculum, which will impact accelerated elementary programming, middle school, and freshman years through our Subject Area Leadership Team.
- Continuing the transition to a new social studies curriculum at the elementary school level through our Subject Area Leadership Team.
- Expanding career pathways and dual credit enrollment opportunities at Batavia HS and Rotolo MS.
- Increasing the diversity of participation in courses or programs such as AP Computer Science.
- Batavia HS was named to the College Board AP School Honor Roll in which only 32% of the nation’s high schools qualify for this recognition.
- Creating international relationships for both cultural and curricular learning as evidenced through the Unity Concert with Inagakuen Sogo HS.
Foster Inclusion and Belonging
- Expansion of clubs and activities to create more opportunities for students and their interests.
- Adding more after school busing at RMS and BHS to allow for students to participate in athletics and activities who don’t have a car or rides home.
- Implementing standards based social emotional curriculum.
- Began the Boys & Girls Club at HC Storm. The program will expand to JB Nelson next year.
- Ability for all parents to participate in the Glenbard Parent Series which meets online in the morning and evening on days they hold their session.
- Counseling and intervention services for students regardless of economic background.
- Expanding social emotional learning and Portrait of a Graduate lessons which include focusing on teaching students kindness, how to support peers, and educating what bullying, harassment, and intimidation look like.
- Increasing participation from our families through the District’s Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC).
- Launched Panorama which is our new survey tool to monitor how our students are doing from a social emotional perspective. This tool allows students to directly respond whereas in the past most of our elementary students and all of our Rotolo MS students’ teachers responded as the sole contributor.
- New reporting abilities and communication regarding bullying, harassment, and intimidation.
Operational Excellence and Resource Stewardship
- HC Storm will be undergoing renovations this summer as part of the Warm, Safe, and Dry plan which was Board approved in December 2023.
- Louise White undergoing renovations next summer as part of the Warm, Safe, and Dry plan.
- Increased staffing in services related and classroom teaching positions to meet students’ needs.
- Supporting the cycle of replacement of over 5,000 1:1 devices in the district, upgrading all safety and security systems, and streamlining customer services for staff and students at each building.
- Partnering with the City of Batavia to install electric vehicle charging stations at Batavia HS.
- Continuing the District’s excellent rating with the Illinois State Board of Education’s financial profile score.
- Continuous updating of Board policies to reflect the values and desires of the community while also maintaining best practices in the governance of a school district.
- Implementing direct payment systems online which include preferred home language for families.
As mentioned, these are just some of the things we have been able to accomplish as a school district. But, we also know there is always room for improvement and more that we can do. I truly believe in the saying “If you want to move fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” I believe BPS101 and the communities we serve are special. I believe that our partner groups such as the Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence, Parent Teacher Organizations, Chip-in, United Way, Batavia Activity and Athletic Foundation, Booster Club, Stage, Kiwanis, Rotary, and Music Buffs – just to name a few – help make this entire system special. These groups literally finance students and families in need, help people move or get clothing, contribute to teacher or district initiatives, and provide hundreds of thousands of dollars toward scholarships and grants. The District commits to striving for excellence and improving where we fall short. However, I would also be remiss if I did not acknowledge and thank teachers, support staff, administrators, parents, volunteers, retired educators giving back, the Board of Education and our students for everything they do to make us an excellent school district.
Thank you so much for the support and engagement you have shown our schools and the district. I hope this summer is filled with great family time and the ability for our students to recharge as they prepare for next year. Last night’s graduation ceremony was an amazing reminder of our “why” and the fuel to keep the work going for the classes behind them.
With Memorial Day Weekend around the corner, please take a moment to honor and reflect on those who have fallen in service of our great nation to preserve amazing communities and experiences like ours. I am forever grateful to be here and to be part of the amazing work with you. Take care and have a wonderful summer.
Sincerely,
Tom Kim
Superintendent
