Niles West Auto Team Makes School History

Niles West became the first high school to ever win this national contest using a stick shift car.

The Niles West Auto Club Racing Team made high school racing history on Sept. 16 by becoming the champions of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) North Central Division Summit Racing Series Finals at the Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis. The club took first place in the High School Division, making it the de facto National Champions in Division 3, which covers five Midwestern states.  Driver John Wheeler, who is also the club president, shocked NHRA veterans because he won driving a 1978 Dodge Aspen with a manual transmission. “We are the only high school that has ever won this with a stick-shift car,” said Niles West auto teacher Tim Richmond, the team sponsor. The Niles West award was also the only division title won by the …

• Photos (1)

D219 Teachers Get New Contract, Students To Start School Earlier

The Niles Township Federation of Teachers and the Niles Township Support Staff approved a new collective bargaining agreement on Sept. 24. Changes include: A possible new school start date, salary increases and new teacher evaluations, among other things.

Teachers at District 219 will receive a salary increase of 1.2 percent as well as significant concessions on insurance and pensions, the district said on Tuesday. Patch reported earlier that the average teacher salary at D219 in 2010 was $97,000. According to those numbers, the average salary increase for each teacher should be around $1,164, plus increases for each of the three years of the contract. Meanwhile, employee contributions toward insurance and benefit plans was increased. D219 Board President Robert Silverman said the savings in the "plans alone will result in $1.8 million in savings over the contract period." In July, the board increased the budget by $11,403,600 - or about 7.31 percent - bringing the final number to $156 …

•  14 Comments
• Photos (1)

Student's News Article Nominated For Story of the Year

A Niles West student's news article has been nominated as being among the best by any high school student this year.

From the community ~ Niles West News writer Gabby Abesamis has been named as a finalist by the National Scholastic Press Association for Story of the Year. Abesamis’ story, nominated in the Diversity category, will receive a placing, from first to fifth, at the Fall National High School Journalism Conference in San Antonio, Texas on Nov. 15 through 18. To read the nominated story, click here. The Niles West News Adviser is Evelyn Lauer, Certified Journalism Educator.

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

High Schools Consider Starting 2 Weeks Earlier

Niles West and Niles North High Schools (D-219) are looking at a calendar change, requested by students, that would have them starting school two weeks earlier in August. But will it jive with grade schools, parks?

Students at Niles West and Niles North high schools could have a short summer next year, if the district moves ahead with a recommendation to start school in mid-August. The plan, which is included in the district’s annual review of programs, calls for classes to start about two weeks earlier than they do now. (School started on Aug. 21 this year; two weeks earlier would have been Aug. 7.) The first semester would end before winter break, and the second semester would end in May. “It was our own students who brought this to us,” said District 219 Superintendent Nanciann Gatta. “And it’s not the first time the idea has been raised. It’s been coming up for about 10 years.” Earlier: High school students skipping lunch to take more classes …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

Schoolmarm

11:08 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012

This schedule change is being proposed for district 219 only. It will affect teachers at the high schools, which you are not. Even IF it is implemented at the high schools, it will be up to each individual feeder district to make its own decision regarding whether or not to follow suit. That is the time at which it would be appropriate for you to approach your own administration and school board…   more ›

It's A Family Affair With MLB's George Kontos

The local athlete gets some big support from his Greek family. Kontos played at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs last Friday.

In this two-part series, Patch profiles San Francisco Giants pitcher George Kontos. The Niles West graduate was at Wrigley Field playing against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. To read Part 1, click here. George Kontos played at Proesel Park in Lincolnwood, among others, on his way to athletic stardom. In fact, he lettered in baseball, basketball and golf for the Niles West Wolves. But baseball is where he excelled. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Illinois in 2003 as he played for the Wolves under Coach Garry Gustafson, with whom he is still in touch. Colleges were paying attention, and that is when his parents began to think the fulfillment of a dream for so many teenage boys could be a reality for Kontos: a shot in the …

• Photos (1)

Letter to the Editor

D219 Calendar Changes Could Burden Families

District 219 wants to change the start and end date of its school year. The problem: Other schools and park districts are not aware of the proposed change. This could seriously impact families with kids in D219 and elementary school.

The following is a letter to the editor from local parent, Michael B.  The following opinions are those of the author. Patch provides a platform for readers to express their views.  Niles Township District 219 High Schools have posted their annual review of programs for the 2013-14 school year. You can view what the district posted on their website here. There are a number of issues in the review to which the public should give careful consideration, but the item of greatest significance is the proposed change to the school calendar. It reads: "With final exams ending prior to winter break; school would start the second week of August and end at Memorial Day." While the district offers a number of sound reasons to consider making this …

•  23 Comments
• Photos (1)

D219 To Spend 7.3% More Due To Pool

Plan calls for 7.3 percent spending increase in Niles Township High School District 219's budget for the next school year. It's mostly due to a new pool; residents can comment--view budget online.

The Niles Township High School District 219 school board approved a tentative $156 million budget for the next school year. That marks a 7.31 increase in spending over the 2011-2012 budget, with much of the increase due to the cost of the new aquatic center at Niles North High School. District 219 also includes Niles West High School. The plan also estimates that the district will receive $156 million in revenue, a 1 percent decline from last year’s revenue estimate. The tentative budget will be on public display until Aug. 27, when the school board is expected to vote on it. It can be viewed online here. Earlier: District approves new pool at Niles North         New financial officer welcomed  At the same meeting, the school board …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)

D219 Hires New Chief Financial Officer

The recent departure of former Chief Financial Officer Paul O'Malley has paved the way for a new CFO at School District 219.

From the community ~ The Niles Township High School District 219 Board of Education appointed Kristine Rull the district’s new Chief Financial Officer at its July 9 meeting.   Rull has more than 20 years’ experience in financial and operations management in the private, public and non-profit sectors. Rull was most recently Senior Vice President and Director of Specialized Markets at Urban Partnership Bank in Chicago, which is recognized for its commitment to community development banking, according to the school district.  She also served as Chief Operating Officer for Three Arts Club in Chicago, a non-profit gallery and residence for women in the arts. Rull served Bank One (formerly First National Bank of Chicago) in a number of roles …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

UPDATE: See Who Won Patch's Athlete of the Week

We have another weekly winner in the Patch Athlete of the Week contest.

With 7 votes in the comments section, Niles West's Kyle Colletta was proclaimed the winner. Colletta helped the Wolves to a 6-0 win over Leyden for a Class 4A baseball regional championship. The senior pitcher yielded only six hits and had five strikeouts in the victory. HONORABLE MENTION Leland Later, senior, track and field, New Trier - Later won the Class 3A state championship in the 1600 last weekend. The senior ran a personal best, finishing in 4:09 and beating the next closest competitor by a full 4 seconds. Michal Filipczak, senior, track and field, Maine South - Filipczak won the Class 3A state championship in the 800 last weekend. He finished in a time of 1:51.93 and took second in the same event last year. Angela Cruz, senior, …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

14 Pairs Of Twins May Set Guinness Record

Niles West is hoping to set world record for number of twins in one class. Double the fun?

  Niles West High School sophomores looked around earlier this year and thought they were seeing double, because there are more twins than usual in the class. It was actually one of the twins who brought the unusual number of sibling pairs to the attention of the school, said Jessica Ogulnik, the director of student activities, and suggested that the school might find its way into the Guinness Book of World Records. Earlier: Niles West sets sustainable standards So Ogulnik combed enrollment documents to see how many twins are in the class of 2014 at the school, and came up with 14 pairs. Some are identical – coming from a single embryo that divided and thus sharing their full genetic code -- but most appear to be fraternal, she said, …

• Photos (1)