Glenbard High Schools All Earn Title of Illinois Democracy Schools

From Glenbard Township High School District 87

The Robert R. McCormick Foundation has recognized Glenbard East and Glenbard West high schools as 2012 Illinois Democracy Schools. Illinois Democracy Schools are recognized for providing students with experiences in the rights, responsibilities and tensions inherent in living in a constitutional democracy. Through these experiences, they strive to equip students with the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for informed, effective engagement in our democracy.

As recognized Democracy Schools, Glenbard East and Glenbard West high schools will receive a stipend from the McCormick Foundation to invest in high quality civic learning initiatives.

Illinois Democracy Schools embrace their mission to provide high quality civic learning opportunities for all students. Their leadership emphasizes civic learning through development of professional faculty and staff capacity, and proven civic learning practices are woven throughout the curriculum. Democracy Schools foster a school climate that nurtures and models civic dispositions and build reciprocal relationships within the community.

From class discussion on current issues and democratic simulations to extracurricular and service learning opportunities, students are able to experience first-hand the critical role they can play in shaping their government and society.

At the Sept. 24 Glenbard District 87 Board of Education meeting, the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition will present Glenbard East and Glenbard West with a banner and a certificate signed by the chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education, the chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court and the schools’ state legislators.
Glenbard East social studies department chairman Peter McGivern and Glenbard West social studies department chairwoman Kristin Brandt led the two-year application process for their schools.  McGivern’s Democracy School application team included Kelly Sarrels, Anthony Bartolotta, Nicole Hildreth and Leland Livingston.  Brandt’s team included AnneMarie Giampa, Gina Curtis, Maggie Freda and Natalie Rubino.

Glenbard North and Glenbard South also are Democracy Schools.  Glenbard Township High School District 87 is one of only two school districts in Illinois to have all of its high schools recognized as Democracy Schools.