In an effort to elevate achievement and provide 21st century technology, District 114 puts a Chromebook in the hands of each Stanton student. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media)

School District 114 Superintendant John Donnellan, is beyond proud of his school district.

Based on statistics alone, the school might appear to be disadvantaged: with a 48 percent of the population characterized by the state as low income, an 18 percent disabled population, and a lower-than-average academic growth. Donnellan is inspired by “the kindness, compassion, expertise, bravery, and overall professionalism” of the staff parents and students.

Immediately after the shooting death of Police Lt. Joseph Gliniewicz, the two schools in Districrt 114 — Lotus School (pre-K through fourth grade) and Stanton School (fifth through eighth grade) went into lock-down. According to Donnellan, he feels “truly blessed to work alongside a group of people who care so much, about so many, every single day.”

Days later, the funeral procession passed by the school. The foresight and generosity of the staff, parents, and students made it possible for water, energy bars, and fruit to those who stood in the 90 degree heat for hours to pay their respect.

Donnellan is in his 15^th year at District 114. In 2003, Donnellan and the staff began exploring transformation based on Jim Collin’s book “Good to Great.” They challenged each other with “what if” questions:

“What if our students could hit ‘meet and exceeds’ percentages like those of the surrounding districts?”

“What if we had the best-trained staff in Lake County?”

“What if our facilities were clean and bright — something our children, staff, and community could be proud of?”

From there, they developed the first measurable goals and strategic plans on the journey from Good to Great.

The district is in the first year of the most current three-year strategic plan. The students benefit from a ratio of one staff member for every 13 students, which includes paraprofessionals, as well as certified teachers.

In an effort to elevate achievement and provide 21^st century technology, District 114 puts a Chromebook in the hands of each Stanton student. The students access Google Apps for Education, which gives them the ability to create documents and spreadsheets, and to access other web-based tools.

District 114’s professional development program is unique to many schools, according to Donnellan. Each week, the students enjoy an early release day while the staff assesses the student data and adjusts their instructions to maximize their effectiveness.

District 114 is in the process of implementing core curriculum, a current Illinois State School Board mandate. Their assessment scores “took a hit” this year because of new PARC testing. Donnellan is confident they will rebound. This year 53 percent of the students ranked in the “exceeds standards” category.

In August, the Illinois Association of School Boards awarded District 114 Board of Education IASB 2015 School Board Governance Recognition designation. The award recognizes District 114 for engaging in activities and modeling behaviors that lead to excellence in local school governance in support of quality public education. District 114 is one of the few districts that received this award multiple times.

In the words of Donnellan, “ … every member of our District 114 family (goes) the extra mile to make sure that our children have what they need to be successful in a world that is becoming increasingly more complex and cold.”

He considers them his heroes.

–Future bright for Fox Lake School District 114–