Homewood School District 153 and the Village of Homewood partnered to host a back-to-school party at Village Hall on Aug. 23 to celebrate the start of the new academic year. Community members enjoyed music spun by a DJ, games, a rock climbing wall and many other activities. Food trucks provided[Read More…]
Tag: Homewood School District 153
District 153 presents honors to students at graduation
During the graduation ceremony for the 210 James Hart School students May 28, special awards were announced. Mateo Garcia and Jordi Pesce received the Betty Dillon Academic Achievement Award for earning all As while taking the most rigorous courses. Antonio Britton and Chloe Schneider received the Wally Burns VFW Post[Read More…]
Retirement: Nilles brought changes to Willow School’s library
Margaret Nilles’ job was reading stories for and introducing books to the children at Homewood’s Willow School. She was happy to find the latest Jory John book for the youngest readers in pre-kindergarten or the chapter books about sports, dinosaurs and adventure characters for the second graders. Classes would come[Read More…]
District 153 awards food service contracts, sets new meal prices
The Homewood District 153 school board approved food service contracts to four food suppliers at the June 9 meeting. According to Eric Trimberger, chief school business official, the grocery and meat products deals have been awarded to the following companies for the 2025-26 school year: These costs total $298,910[Read More…]
District 153 invites families of home-school, private school students to meeting
Homewood School District 153 is urging families with home-schooled students or students that attend private school within the district’s boundaries and need special services to meet with District 153 staff for an annual Timely and Meaningful Consultation (TMC) at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 27. During the meeting with parents, staff[Read More…]
District 153 welcomes board member Becky Popelka, says good-bye to Shelly Marks
The District 153 school community welcomed new board member Becky Popelka on Monday, May 5, as it said good-bye to Shelly Marks, its longest-serving member. With the April 1 election results certified, Marks conducted a reorganization meeting for the board. She led incumbents Broderick Booth and Christine Scully and new[Read More…]
District 153 board presents Shelly Marks with honorary playground
As Shelly Marks departs from her seat on the District 153 school board after 33 years of service, the board’s parting gift was renaming the Willow School playground in her honor. A plaque highlighting her accomplishments will be placed at the school door leading out to the playground. It reads[Read More…]
District 153 makes staff cuts due to budget constraints
Despite its best efforts to reduce costs, the District 153 school board agreed, at its Monday, April 7, meeting, to cut positions through a reduction in force (RIF) process. One full-time and one part-time music teacher and 17 paraprofessionals working in classrooms at Willow, Churchill and James Hart Schools will[Read More…]
Search firm hired to find District 153’s next superintendent
The District 153 school board hired the School Exec Connect search firm to help it find the district’s next superintendent. The board approved a $19,500 contract with expenses on Monday, March 10, with the national search and consulting firm based in Oak Park. The board interviewed three firms before making[Read More…]
Two accept new positions to fill retiring administrator’s job
The Homewood School District 153 school board appointed Morgan Koncel and Cathryne Czarnecki to take over administrative duties now handled by Kathy Schaeflein, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment. She retires at the end of the school year after 13 years in the position. Koncel and Czarnecki will keep their[Read More…]


