Hinsdale High School Teachers Association

Paul Faeh, Social Studies Teacher at South, has been named a top three finalist in the 2010 Illinois History Teacher of the Year Award given by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Gilder Lehrman History Institute.

Congratulations Paul!

The Doings is on the story about award winning South Economics teacher Jeff Waterman:

Hinsdale South teacher Jeff Waterman has a lot of faith in his students.

So much faith he put up $50,000 of his own money for students to use on stocks when he started an investment club at the Darien high school. He also takes economics education from boring and dry to intriguing and interesting, using stories and memory tricks in the classroom.

Waterman’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. On Oct. 26, he received a 3M Star in the Classroom Award in Chicago, along with 12 other Illinois teachers.

[…]

“I was identified in the competition for the (National) Economics Challenge,” Waterman said. “We won state and finished 16th in nationals.

“With our students doing well, it put me on their radar.”

Winning state in its first try over competition such as Homewood-Flossmoor and Stevenson high schools was unexpected and rewarding, Waterman said.

[…]

“He was one of the best teachers I have ever had,” said Christine Miller, a freshman at the University of Virginia and a member of the state-winning Hinsdale South Economics Challenge team. “I have often heard of economics being referred to as, arguably, a boring and difficult subject, but because of his class, I plan on majoring in economics.”

Dan Zagri, a freshman at Harvard University, had Waterman as a sophomore at South, but returned as a member of the Economics Challenge team as a senior.

“He’s an unbelievable resource for students, and an astounding example of someone who truly enjoys doing something worthwhile,” Zagri said. “He’s not doing it for the recognition, but he certainly deserves it.”

For more information, see our previous post on Jeff’s success.

Friday, October 22 is the date for this year’s Hinsdale High School Teachers Association Spaghetti Dinner from 4:00 to 8:00PM, served in the cafeteria at Hinsdale South. You can bring your kids, your parents, your friends and enjoy all-you-can-eat spaghetti with your choice of meat sauce or vegetarian sauce, salad, bread, dessert and beverage, all for the unheard-of low price of $5.00 ($4.00 for students.)  All profit go directly to the HHSTA Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to Hinsdale South graduating seniors.  Over $20,000 in scholarships have been awarded in the last 3 years alone.  Please join us!

During the October 4 Board of Education Committee of the Whole Meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Dr. Bruce Law updated the Board on the following question:

“Have we extended the Hinsdale District 86 tradition of excellence?”

The answer was presented in data for student achievement. Student growth was measured in the difference between Explore testing taken in 8th grade and ACT testing taking in a student’s junior year:

Hinsdale South did not make AYP last year. However, it is important to observe that over the past five years the doubling at Hinsdale South of those sub- groups that historically and generally have under-performed has not always had the predictable, downward effect on PSAE scores or academic growth. Moreover, Hinsdale South juniors for whom the school has both an Explore test (taken in eighth grade) and the ACT (taken in eleventh grade) consistently made as much progress as national norms of progress for nearly every sub-group, even in those sub-groups that did not make AYP.

Students at Hinsdale Central also grew beyond national norms, which is striking because Central students started with higher Explore scores. The PSAE tells us how academically tall students are; we use the Explore and ACT tests to see how much they grew, regardless of their original academic stature. Thus while we clearly see more students in certain sub- groups need to be lifted up to state standards by their junior year, the amount of growth at both Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central strongly suggests that our students work very hard under the instruction of highly effective teachers.

Where differences in Explore and ACT tests showed growth, AP classes were used to demonstrate rigor:

AP classes are more demanding than regular courses in the same subject area and thus serve reasonably well as a proxy for curricular rigor. Although the percentage of students taking at least one AP course during their four years rose only slightly at Hinsdale Central and decreased at South in 2010 over 2009, both schools had more students taking AP courses in 2010 than five years ago. Compared to 2006, six percent more students at Hinsdale Central took an AP course in 2010, and the percentage of tests of Central students earning at least a three on a five point scale on AP examinations—and therefore passing, according to the College Board—rose slightly. That is remarkable.

How do District 86 students compare to other students nationally on AP exams:

Compared to 2009 results, the most recent year the College Board makes data available, 13 percent of students in the US who took an AP course scored at least a three, compared to 48 percent at Central and 37.1 percent at South. For students to learn at high levels in rigorous courses, teachers must offer an instructional program to empower students to succeed, and the percentage of students who consistently pass AP exams indicate the strength of the instructional program.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South Economics Teacher Jeff Waterman for being named a 2010 3M “Star in the Classroom” award recipient. From Econ Illinois Website:

Winners of the 2010 3M Economic Educator Awards will be lauded for their outstanding commitment to economic education.

[…]

Criteria for Stars in the Classroom: Effective implementation of Econ Illinois programs in the classroom, helping students learn more about our economy and their roles as workers, consumers, investors and voting citizens.

Jeff and twelve other teachers will be recognized at the Econ Illinois Economic Education Day luncheon on October 26 held at the Union League Club of Chicago. Congratulations Jeff!

The Hinsdale High School Teachers Association is pleased to report that eighteen graduating seniors were the recipients of $12,800 in scholarships awarded by the Association this year. The scholarship fund was raised through the Staff Talent Show and Spaghetti Dinner at Hinsdale South, and Pancake Breakfast at Hinsdale Central. Events were held during Homecoming week at both schools.

Student recipients were selected from an outstanding pool of applicants. Criteria for consideration included: academic achievement, community service, demonstrated pursuit of excellence, commitment to a career in teaching and financial need.

Recipients at Hinsdale South included four $1,000 scholarships and eight $500 scholarships awarded to:

• Gina Calvello
• Grace Chang
• Cristina Duran
• Yasmine Hatamleh
• Christine Miller
• Kevin Miller
• Justin Ng
• Rahul Puranmalka
• Jessica Reif
• Vienet Romero
• Mariah Wood
• Dan Zangri

Recipients at Hinsdale Central included five $700 scholarships and one $1,300 scholarship awarded to:

• Maeve Andrews
• Christina Lantero
• Colleen Leahy
• Erin Quaid
• Ann Marie Richard
• Jordan Spinazola

Congratulations and best of luck in college to our recipients!

The HHSTA at Hinsdale South is pleased to announce that we have once again set a record in the number of scholarships awarded to graduating seniors of the Class of 2009.  Four $1000 awards were given, as well as eight $500 awards.  Recipients of these scholarships, based on applications submitted in the spring of 2009 were:

• Angelene Arito
• Meghan D’Andrea
• Eva Davis
• Hilary Fung
• Danielle Jauregui
• John Leganski
• Amanda Lofgren
• Emily Markham
• Meghan McDonnell
• Marina Nir
• Brittany Novy-Mackey
• Allison Ross

Scholarship funds are derived from the HHSTA Spaghetti Dinner, held the Friday evening of Homecoming Week.  Also, for the last four years, a Faculty Variety Show has been held during Homecoming Week.  Proceeds from the first V-Show benefited victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Proceeds from the shows in 2006, 2007 and 2008 went directly to the Scholarship Fund.

We urge community support of these efforts, in order to continue to offer these funds to deserving Hinsdale South graduates.  The date for this year’s Faculty Variety Show is Wednesday, September 30, curtain rises at 7:30 pm.  The Spaghetti Dinner will be held on Friday, October 2 from 4 to 8 pm.  Please join us!!!