Sixth-Grader Wins Meridian Middle School Spelling Bee

Ani Nuthalapati takes first place in the annual contest.

Meridian Middle School sixth-grader Ani Nuthalapati was declared the school's best speller when she won this year's spelling bee. Her win came when she spelled "hallucination" correctly, School District 102 reported in its e-newsletter. Second place went to sixth-grader Mythili Bulusu. "The two top competitors were both exceptional spellers and battled it out for a long time," said Reading Specialist Susan Melnick, who organized the spelling bee competition for the seventh year. Forty students competed in this year's event.

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Buffalo Grove's Contested 2013 Races

Here's a look at the candidates you'll choose among on the April 9 election ballot.

  Buffalo Grove Village Board (three seats, four candidates) Related news:  School District 21 (four seats, five candidates) School District 96 (four seats, five candidates) School District 102 (four seats, five candidates) Vernon Area Public Library (three six-year seats, four candidates) Read about the uncontested races affecting the Buffalo Grove area here.

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District 102, Teachers Approve Three-Year Contract

The new contract runs from 2013 to 2016.

Aptakisic-Tripp School District 102 and the district's teachers union have signed off on a three-year contract that provides average salary increases of 3.75 percent, the district announced Tuesday. The contract, which runs from the 2013 to 2016 school years, also allows the district to continue to attract and retain top educators while ensuring the preservation of the district's strong financial condition, the district's announcement said. "This agreement reflects the collaborative relationship between the Board and the Association and the commitment we all have to providing our students with a program of academic excellence for which the District is known," School Board President Gary Friedlander said. "The Association has worked hard …

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Parenting Talk Open to Entire Community

Topics will include communication, discipline and understanding children.

How Much Do District 102 Educators Make?

Data from the state board of education helps break it down.

The highest paid teacher at School District 102 earned nearly $100,000 in 2010-11, while the lowest-paid educator made $18,153. The figures come from data released by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), which collected it from many districts. The data shows the names, positions, salaries and benefits of all teachers and administrators. Several District 102 administrators earned more than the highest-paid teacher. Search the database: How Much Do Educators Make at Your School? For school years 2010 and 2011, when a July 1 reporting deadline was in effect, school districts were directed by ISBE to include in their reports payments made through June 30, 2010. As a result, projected July and August payments to individuals paid over …

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Want to Serve on the District 102 School Board?

Interested citizens can pick up paperwork now.

Nominating petition forms for the April 9, 2013 District 102 School Board election are now available. Forms may be picked up from the office of the board secretary at 1231 Weiland Road on any business day between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. A School Board candidate’s petition must be filed in the same office no earlier than 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 17 and no later than 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 (This date could be subject to change.) Candidates’ names will appear on the election ballot in the order in which their nominating papers are received in the secretary’s office. Four seats on the seven-member board of education will be filled in the election. Candidates elected will serve four-year terms expiring in April 2017. To be eligible to serve, a …

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District 102 Receives Financial Reporting Certificate of Excellence

Award recognizes financial accountability and transparency.

School District 102 has received a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting award from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) for having met or exceeded the program's high standards for financial reporting and accountability. The district was recognized for its comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year ending 2011. Sponsored by VALIC, the Certificate of Excellence (COE) award confirms the school business office’s commitment to financial accountability and transparency. Recognition through the COE program can help strengthen a district’s presentation for bond issuance statements and promotes a high level of financial reporting. The Association of School Business Officials International (…

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Teachers Honor Aptakisic Junior High Students

Jessica Zheng, Stanley Fayn and Jack Rappaport are this year's award recipients.

Each year, two Aptakisic Junior High School students, one boy and one girl, are selected by teachers for their commitment to service and leadership qualities. Each recipient of this award receives a $50 savings bond in honor of Bob Basofin who was a leader in School District 102. This year, the eighth-grade teachers selected Jessica Zheng and Stanley Fayn to receive this award. Jessica Zheng not only strives for excellence through her grades, but also takes a leadership role through her participation in the PALS program, Orphans of the Storm, Newspaper Club, National Junior Honor Society and many other activities. Stanley Fayn immerses himself into AJHS activities such as volleyball, orchestra and Sforzando Strings. Stanley doesn't let a …

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About Town

A Book Fair Like No Other

School District 102 pulls out all the stops to make this June 2 book fair a huge success.

Reading. It’s my thing. However, getting some kids to read is another thing altogether. Years ago I chaired the book fairs at my kids' schools with an underlying desire to single handedly pass my passion for reading into these hundreds of children’s minds. Let’s just say it ended up being a good day if the kids remembered to bring money in to buy a book! Thankfully, there are books that have succeeded in getting the kids’ attention due to excellent writing. Also, the advances in technology has made reading “cooler” to kids now that it comes in techno savvy packaging; Nook, Kindle, iPhone/Pad.    School District 102 in Buffalo Grove has run traditional book fairs at the individual school buildings, but also holds a Book Fair bash for all …

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Teachers Invite Former Students to Retirement Celebration

Tripp Elementary School teachers Roberta "Bobbi" Goldsmith and Ronni Goldberg are ending their careers, which began at Tripp in the late 1980s.