Des Plaines teen keeps a positive outlook while facing difficult medical challenges.
There is no anger in her voice. Yet, if ever there was a teen that had a good reason to be angry, it’s Amber Moosvi, 17, of Des Plaines. Instead, Amber is beating medical odds, and doing it while drawing on her spirituality, family’s support and a conscious choice to exude a positive attitude. “Keep a smile on because you only have one life, and do as best as you can,” Amber recently said at her family’s condo on the northwest side of Des Plaines. Amber was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, stage four glioblastoma multiforme, in November 2011, said her mother, Dorothy Hillbrandt. She has undergone numerous medical procedures, including two brain surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy, she said. “She wasn’t supposed to …
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Hundreds attended a special Maine Township High School District 207 meeting in Park Ridge on Wednesday to discuss personnel issues related to the bullying and hazing allegations at Maine West High School.
Impassioned statements made by current and former Maine West High School students, and one parent, in support of coaches scrutinized by the school district over bullying and hazing allegations were not enough to convince board members to continue employing the varsity soccer coach and high school teacher Michael DiVincenzo. Tait Jensen said he played on the varsity soccer team at Maine West for three years, and was co-captain of the team for one year. “The culture Divo and Rodriguez created and sanctioned was exactly what you want your schools’ athletic programs to have,” Jensen said. “It wasn’t a culture of hazing or mistreatment or assault; it was an atmosphere of friendship and understanding that fostered trust amongst players and …
6:41 am on Saturday, January 26, 2013
Good decision by the school board to let this guy go. Given the accusations, he can't coach effectively, which is what've was hired to do. The school district has better things to spend its money on, like education. There is enough evidence that he did something wrong to terminate him. more ›
Current and former Maine West High School students spoke in support of two teachers on paid leave, pending the results of D-207’s investigation into bullying and hazing allegations.
Hundreds of community members filled the Maine Township High School District 207 boardroom in Park Ridge Wednesday as the school board met to discuss personnel matters related to the bullying and hazing investigation at Maine West High School in Des Plaines. Approximately a dozen current and former Maine West students, and one parent, addressed board members in support of Michael Divincenzo and Emilio Rodriguez, both teachers and coaches at the Des Plaines high school. A 2012 Maine West alum who spoke to the board on Wednesday night, Tait Jensen, said he played soccer under the supervision of Coaches Divincenzo and Rodriguez for three years. Jensen said the environment the two coaches promoted was one of respect, and they would not condone…
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11:19 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
It is a shame that there is such blind faith. Did these kids and parents read the text messages about kids complaining of being depants? Is this normal behavior for kids to do this? The principal, and both coaches responded to these texts yet nothing really happened. The bottom line is that those in these positions of authority have to do more to protect our children, then just ask the kid if he … more ›
A special meeting for the Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Dec. 19.
A special meeting of the Maine Township High School District 207 Board of Education to discuss personnel matters related to the investigation into bullying and hazing allegations was scheduled for Wednesday. The meeting will include an opportunity for public comment, said David Beery, spokesperson for D-207. The board will go into closed executive session, Beery said, return to open session and take a vote, if needed, on any personnel matter. Five D-207 employees were reassigned following the allegations of bullying and hazing. Michael Divincenzo and Emilio Rodriguez have teaching contracts with D-207 and are coaches at Maine West High School in Des Plaines. Divincenzo and Rodriguez were reassigned with pay, pending the result of D-207’s …
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The Daily Herald reported several experts’ explanations about how and why hazing occurs.
In light of reports of hazing at Maine West High School in Des Plaines and Hoffman Estates High School, the Daily Herald reported what experts on the subject had to say about what it is, why it persists, what can be done about it and more. In a Patch poll which asked readers, are schools doing enough to stop hazing, bullying?, 39 readers voted no, schools are too often a breeding ground for this type of behavior. Eight readers voted yes, the ultimate responsibility falls on the students and their parents, not the schools. Four families of current or former Maine West students filed a hazing and bullying complaint against Maine Township High School District 207 administrators, faculty, coaches and staff in November. The Illinois Department …
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Patch readers voted in a poll which asked, are schools doing enough to stop hazing, bullying?
In our Patch poll last week, we asked Patch readers, are schools doing enough to stop hazing, bullying? Eight readers, 17 percent of the total votes, voted, yes, the ultimate responsibility falls on the students and their parents, not the schools, as of Dec. 9. The majority of readers, 39, which was 82 percent of the vote, voted no, schools are too often a breeding ground for this type of behavior. Readers also discussed the issue in the comment section, where, as of Dec. 9, 79 comments were posted. Here is a roundup of some of what readers wrote in the comment section. GuitarMan: Our community is at fault, just as much as schools are. We shrink from telling others they are disrespectful to others, and create a standard, bullying, that is …
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Hundreds like page started to express support for two coaches named in a bullying and hazing lawsuit.
An outpouring of support for two Maine West High School coaches named in a bullying and hazing lawsuit has quickly grown on a Facebook page started for that purpose on Nov. 29. In less than one week approximately 800 people have “liked” the “Support for Divo and Coach Rodriguez” page, which was, according to the description, “A page created by students of Divo and Coach Rodriquez to show their support of these men in hopes of combating the negativity surrounding them.” Michael Divincenzo, physical education teacher and varsity boys soccer coach at Maine West, and Emilio Rodriguez, applied arts and technology teacher and freshman boys soccer coach at Maine West, were named in a lawsuit filed by four families in November, which accused Maine…
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6:31 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
So many people are going to be really upset when they find out this guy who they think is so great allowed the sexual abuse of teens to occur and did nothing to stop it. This has been going on for 4 year and taking place on the field during practice, there is no way he didn't know this was happening. more ›
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services referred reports Maine Township High School District 207 officials knew of bullying and hazing incidents prior to 2012, but did not report them to DCFS, to the Cook County State's Attorney.
The state has referred allegations to the Cook County State's Attorney that Maine Township High School District 207 officials knew about hazing and bullying incidents, but failed to report them. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services stated on Monday it referred to the state’s attorney to determine whether Illinois’ Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act was violated. A lawsuit filed on behalf of four Maine West families accuses D-207 administrators, faculty, coaches and staff of allowing multiple instances of bullying and hazing to occur, and failing to report some of the cases immediately to DCFS. Antonio Romanucci, an attorney representing the Maine West families, presented an enlarged copy of a letter sent to Audrey …
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1:14 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Hail to thee the Blue Gold and White. Not ! to think i once went to this fine institution of learning. To think i got tossed out for 5 days once and this goes on and nothing ! Hearman Ryder is spinning in his grave ! more ›
Athletes at the Des Plaines high school were given letters with information about hazing to present to their parents on Nov. 28.
Maine West High School student athletes were given agreement letters regarding hazing for them and their parents to sign on Nov. 28, as previously reported, the same day a press conference regarding a bullying and hazing lawsuit, and Maine West Township High School District 207 released a statement about investigations into reports of bullying and hazing at the Des Plaines high school. D-207 distributed the anti-hazing agreements to some Maine West athletes and club members, coaches and faculty advisors, Dr. Ken Wallace, superintendant, said, and plans to ask all student athletes, club members, coaches and faculty advisors in the district to sign them as they roll the new initiative out in the next few weeks. Included here are copies of …
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Maine Township High School District 207 released a statement about investigations into reports of hazing and bullying at Maine West High School in Des Plaines on Nov. 28.
A few hours after the parent of a former Maine West High School student spoke about her son being hazed and bullied in 2008, and the response from school and district officials, at a press conference at her attorney’s Chicago office on Nov. 28, Maine Township High School District 207 released a statement regarding investigations into the allegations. In part, D-207 stated: “Maine Township High School District 207 is aware of correspondence from 2008 between the mother of a student and Maine West High School administrators concerning a hazing incident that occurred that spring. As previously stated, that incident, involving members of West’s freshman baseball team, came to the attention of Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Wallace on November 16, …
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Clarissa Wood
9:31 am on Friday, January 4, 2013
I follow many children with cancer and that is how I found you Amber......and I am so glad I did! You are such an inspiration to others and a wonderful young girl! I pray every day for a cure for cancer so beautiful children, as well as adults no longer suffer from this horrendous disease! I have lost many people to this disease.....family and friends and it would be awesome to find a cure! You … more ›