Highland Middle School

Angela K. Balanag, a Libertyville resident and Copeland Manor parent, was sworn in as the new school board member during a Board of Education meeting Monday night.

Balanag was unanimously approved by the school board and was sworn in by School Board President Wendy Schilling during the meeting. Schilling replaced Tom Vickers as board president as he stepped down from the president position due to work obligations on Nov. 19th. Under board policy, the vice president, which was Schilling, moves to president. The board then voted 6-1 to have Marc Grote step into the role of vice president.  

Balanag, 47, will serve until the April 6 Consolidated Elections, completing the term of  Linda Lucke, who resigned after moving out of District 70 boundaries. An English teacher at Grant Community High School, Balanag noted in her application that, “I am an educator who is passionate about equity. I think all students, staff, faculty, administrators, parents, and community members deserve high-quality opportunities to grow.”

With a master’s degree in school leadership from Northeastern Illinois University and a master’s degree in English and teaching and learning from DePaul University, Balanag first majored in mass communications and history at Illinois State University. She worked as a professional broadcaster while working on her bachelor’s degree. 

“I have great respect for public service and the role of the community in public education,” Balanag said. “I recognize the high-quality decision-making process of the staff, faculty, administration, and board of education that District 70 engages in. It would be an honor to serve the community for a few months.” 

She began her education career as a substitute teacher in Community District 128 (LHS) and in Waukegan Community School District 60. She also has taught at Antioch Community High School and served two years as the head coach of the Boys Bowling Team at Grant Community High School. 

Balanag and her husband, Edgar, have a daughter, Vivian.

Tom Vickers is stepping down as board president of Libertyville School District 70, saying his work obligations have increased dramatically and can no longer give the school board and school district the attention they deserve. He will remain on the board and supportively serve out the remainder of his term.   

According to School Board Policy 2:110, board Vice President Wendy Schilling will step in to serve as board president beginning with the Nov. 23 school board meeting. 

Do you enjoy memorizing random facts about science? Building things like circuits or learning about crime-solving? Then Science Olympiad might be for you. We will be running a modified and virtual Science Olympiad club this year and would love to tell you more about it. Stop by this Thursday at 3:45 in Mrs. Oshinski's virtual room, toshinski, to find out more!

Congratulations to the HMS orchestra young musicians who  participated in the virtual audition for the Illinois Music Educator's District 7 Honor Orchestra Festival Day of Music. They have been accepted and will attend a virtual day of music November 14. Highland is very proud of their outstanding accomplishment.

Videos of archived school board meetings during COVID-19.  

 

Information on eSchool and the first fall trimester can now be found under a new 20-21 Fall menu item found along the top of the district and the schools' websites. 

Nominating petition forms for the April 6, 2021, school board election in Libertyville School District 70 will be available on Sept. 18 at the Lake County Clerk's Office, 18 N. County St., Waukegan, Il.

Petitions may begin to be circulated on Sept. 22. A school board candidate's petition must be filed in the Lake County Clerk's Office no earlier than 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 14, and no later than 5 p.m. on Dec. 29. 

Four of the seven-member board of education seats are open in the April 6 election. Candidates elected will take office at an organizational meeting to be held within 28 days following the election and serve the four-year terms until April 2025. 

To be eligible to serve, a school board member must be, on the date of the election, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years old, a resident of the State of Illinois and Libertyville School District 70 for at least one year immediately preceding the election, and a registered voter.

Elections are nonpartisan and board candidates do not indicate political party affiliation. Candidates should be aware of financial conflict-of-interest limitations set forth in the school code. 

Important information: 
April 6, 2021, Consolidated Election Calendar
2021 Candidate's Guide
2021 Election Campaign Finance Calendar  

Registration for KINDERGARTNERS and NEW STUDENTS and RETURNING STUDENTS is now open on the D70 website.

For new kindergartners, as well as students who will be new to the district this fall for the 2020-21 school year:

• On the d70schools.org website, go to HOME, then NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION and follow the directions.
• You may also register on your home school website, under PARENTS. 
• Please register as early as possible so we can make sure we have staff in place for all students.
• We encourage you to pay online. 
• You may pay by check by mailing the check to Libertyville School District 70, Educational Resource Office, 1381 W. Lake St., Libertyville, Il. 60048.  
• Questions? Email District 70 registrar, Cristina, directly at cdistefano@d70schools.org. 

• Go to your parent PowerSchool account at powerschool.d70schools.org.
• Sign in with username and password.
• If you forgot your password, select "Forgot Password" and create a new password.
• Fill out the section called School Forms. You must fill out School Forms separately for each of your children you are enrolling.
• We encourage you to pay online. 
• You may pay by check by mailing the check to the Libertyville School District 70, Educational Resource Office, 1381 W. Lake St., Libertyville, Il. 60048.   
• Questions? Email District 70 registrar, Cristina, directly at cdistefano@d70schools.org. 

Student immunizations required for the 2020-21 school year are listed here by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Physicians are conducting well visit exams and giving immunizations throughout the pandemic. Neither the Illinois State Board of Education nor the IDPH has offered any changes for medical requirements during COVID-19. Please send in your child's appropriate grade level health forms upon the start date of school on Aug. 24. 

Details on health exams required according to grade level can be found on your school site under Resources under Health.  

The D70 Calendar for the 2020-21 school year (updated 11.10.20)

District 70 is pivoting quickly during the pandemic. Some very important information will be sent out via text because it will need your immediate attention. An email also will follow these important messages. 

By law, however, you must opt-in to receive the information via text by texting 67587 with either Y or YES as the message you send. (This will not be activated for 48-hours from when you opt-in.) This text (SMS) service only will be used in the event when very important information needs to be shared with you.  

District 70 has created an e-Learning Plan to replace Emergency Days through the next three school years, 2020-2023.  

The plan would allow District 70 to use e-Learning days, instead of Emergency Days (such as Snow Days), so that students can continue to learn remotely.

The state mandates that five emergency days are built into the school calendar to accommodate emergency school closures due to inclement weather or other events beyond our control (flooding, school power outages, etc.).  The emergency days are built into the school calendar at the end of every school year.

The e-Learning Plan, approved by the school board on Oct. 26 and pending approval before the Regional Office of education, will allow students to learn remotely when school has to be closed and also will allow the school year to end on a set date without being extended to accommodate the built-in emergency days. 
e-Learning Letter to Families, e-Learning Proposed Plan, eLearning Verification Form for ROE, Oct. 26 School Board PowerPoint Presentation