5 Things to Know This Week

Homewood Days, 101 Dalmatians and a Teen Night Pool Party: 5 Things to Know

H-F Patch lets you know what events and activities you can look forward to in and around H-F in the upcoming week.

Come out and support your local Southland Vikings at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening! The game will be held at H-F High School and tickets are $5 for Adults, $2 for Students, and free for kids under 12. The family-friendly Homewood Days will feature carnival rides, games, and three stages of live entertainment and local fare. Hours on Friday and Saturday are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. There is a daily $5 admission fee for adults and children 12-years-old and over. Children 11-years-old and under enter free of charge. Proceeds benefit the Homewood Area Chamber of Commerce.     For more information, contact the Homewood Area Chamber of Commerce. Don't miss out on this rockin' event which will be held from 5-9 p.m. on …

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Remarkable Residents

Retiring Special Education Instructor Awarded at D153 Board Meeting

Long-time special education Gail Dodero was honored with the Jerry Morin Education Excellence Award for her more than 30 years of service to District 153. She is this week's remarkable resident.

Gail Dodero, a retiring special education teacher at Winston Churchill School with over 30 years experience, was awarded the Jerry Morin Education Excellence Award during the April 11 Homewood School District 153 Board of Education meeting. Cece Coffey, principal of Churchill School, delivered a special, personal message in support of Dodero during last night’s meeting. “I have known Gail as her colleague, as her supervisor and as the parent of one of her students,” Coffey said. “Gail is, by far, one of the most talented special education teachers that I have ever known.” Coffey went on to acknowledge Dodero’s above-and-beyond teaching style as one of her most noteworthy contributions to the district. “She goes so far beyond teaching …

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Homewood School Referendum Passes: “153 Will Not be Taking a Large Step Towards Average” [Video]

Homewood School District 153's $7.5 million tax referendum passed on Election Day with 80 percent approval.

A boisterous cheer erupted from the Homewood School District 153 referendum party at Grady’s Grille as initial precinct reports came in around 7:30 p.m. with 80 percent voting “Yes.” The percentage hardly budged as remaining precincts reported in. Despite the failure of every other referendum in Cook County, District 153’s passed with a final count of 2,588 votes “Yes” to 657 votes “No,” just shy of 80 percent approval. Alex Bosch, co-chair of referendum-backing organization Citizens for Homewood Schools, said 100 to 150 volunteers and 850 yard signs were used in the effort to promote the referendum. “People got together and had an opportunity to learn about the community, talk about the community, talk with each other, even if they weren’…

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District 153 Answers Referendum Questions [Video]

Video of Homewood School District 153's PTA Q&A session regarding the proposed $7.5 million tax referendum.

District 153 administrators answered questions during last Thursday's PTA meeting about the proposed $7.5 million tax referendum that will be voted on during Election Day, April 5. Watch our video to learn:

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District 153 Lays Out Cuts Should Tax Hike Vote Fail

Sixteen teachers and 10 others could lose their jobs if the $7.5 million referendum question is rejected, according to the district's contingency plan.

Homewood School District 153's Personnel and Finance and Property Committees have drawn up a contingency plan to address the course of action to be taken if the requested $7.5 million tax hike referendum fails. The plan was presented at Monday night's Board of Education meeting. The district will cut 26 positions, including 16 certified teaching positions, if voters don't pass the tax hike. In addition, every non-tenured faculty member will receive non-renewal notices and every non-certified assistant with fewer than four years of service will receive reduction-in-force notices, according to a district press release. “(It was) one of the most difficult meetings that I’ve … had to be a part of,” said Board Member and Personnel Chair Gregory…

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Daniel Anderson

10:30 pm on Sunday, May 8, 2011

Well Mr. Smailes you are a tax payer but I am sure you could care less about childrens education since you have never returned the request from your unknown son to meet you. You have never offered to give him any child support. You have been asked to be a friend on facebook and you will not respond. I think it is a shame that you can't just meet the guy who if you would try you might actually …   more ›

District 153 Special PTA Meeting Stresses Importance of Referendum

School District 153 held a special PTA meeting Thursday night to discuss and build support for the proposed tax referendum.

Homewood School District 153 held a special PTA meeting Thursday night to explain why a tax referendum will be put on the April 5 ballot and to rally support for its passage. District 153 PTA President Kim O’Lone began the meeting and established the tone of the evening. “We’re going to consider some really important issues,” O’Lone said. District 153 Supt. Dale Mitchell then took the floor and emphasized the importance of the district’s mission. “We are blue-ribbon quality school district,” Mitchell said. “We’ve got … Golden Apple winners in the district. The staff shines every day within (our) blue-ribbon quality … schools.” District 153 School Board President Shelly Marks followed Mitchell and expressed her consideration for the 80 …

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District 153 to Talk with Parents About Tax Referendum During Special Meeting

Homewood School District 153 will be taking the time to educate parents on why they will be going to referendum for the first time in 19 years, and what it means to them.

Homewood School District 153 will host a special PTA meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Hart/Millennium wood floor gym to discuss the upcoming tax referendum on the ballot in April's election. Parents can attend to learn more about what the tax referendum is, how it would affect them and why they should support it. The meeting also will serve as an open forum for parents to voice any questions or concerns relating to the proposed tax hike. Projecting a $600,000 deficit next year, the Board of Education decided earlier this month to ask voters for $7.5 million in the April 5 election. If approved, the measure would require local property owners to pay a higher assessment for the next seven years. Based on the assessment, property owners …

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Moment of Silence Back in H-F Schools

Homewood-Flossmoor schools are now required to include a daily moment of silence in public schools as an Illinois law comes back in effect.

An Illinois law requiring a daily moment of silence in public schools is back in effect after a two-year hiatus. How will this affect the schools of H-F? The Associated Press reports that the injunction on the law's enforcement was lifted by federal Judge Robert Gettleman. The State Board of Education notified districts last Friday. The law was passed in 2007 and was ruled unconstitutional by Gettleman in 2009. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago reversed Gettleman's ruling in October, citing that the law doesn't specify prayer and is therefore constitutional. According to the AP, the court said legislators stressed the moment of silence's secular and practical purpose in settling students down at the start of the school day. …

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School District 153 to Seek Tax Hike for First Time in 18 Years

Homewood School District 153 will be asking local taxpayers to raise their taxes for the next seven years so the district can get a crucial $7.5 million loan.

Homewood School District 153's Board of Education is proposing a tax referendum in April for the time since 1992. The school board is projecting a $600,000 deficit next year and is asking voters for $7.5 million. The measure would require local property owners to pay higher taxes for the next seven years. Based on the assessment, property owners would be required to pay an extra $100 per $100,000 of their equalized assessed value. This roughly amounts to an extra $150 per year for the average homeowner in Homewood. District 153 Communications Coordinator Shelley Peck explains that this is not the norm. “Typically, when you hear about school districts going up for referendum, they mostly ask for hikes in their limiting rate … a permanent …

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