Every kindergartner through third-grader in Elmhurst District 205 will take a new literacy assessment this school year after the Board of Education approved Acadience Reading as the district's universal K-3 screener at its Tuesday, Aug. 18 meeting.
The adoption satisfies a new state mandate. Illinois Public Act 104-0389, effective Jan. 1, 2026, requires districts serving K-3 students to report which early literacy screeners they use, which grade levels are tested and how often. Districts must file that report within the first 30 days of the school year.
The district said in its meeting highlights that the screener will fit inside its Multi-Tiered System of Supports framework, helping teachers flag struggling readers earlier, track progress and direct students to targeted intervention.
York principal search moves forward
The board also approved a contract with School Exec Connect, an Oak Park-based education executive search firm founded in 2004, to recruit York Community High School's next permanent principal. The firm will handle recruiting, stakeholder engagement, candidate screening and interviews. The district aims to recommend a finalist to the board as early as December, with a permanent hire set to start July 1, 2027.
York has cycled through three principals since 2020. Former principal Jessica Hurt left in summer 2026 for a curriculum director role at Indian Prairie District 204. The board appointed co-interim principals Dr. Linda Yonke and Stephan Bild at a special May 6 meeting to hold the position while a full search took place.
"Recruiting and hiring a new high school principal ideally takes place earlier in the school year to attract the highest quality candidate," Superintendent Dr. Keisha Campbell said at that May meeting, explaining why the district opted for interim leadership first.
Yonke earns $1,300 per day and Bild earns $1,100 per day in their interim roles, according to the Elmhurst Independent. The cost of the School Exec Connect contract has not been disclosed.
Student and team recognitions
The board recognized several York achievements:
- Girls Volleyball earned the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award for the second straight year, posting a 4.6 weighted GPA against the award's 3.3 minimum. York was among 1,432 high school and collegiate programs honored nationwide.
- Boys Water Polo finished third at the 2026 IHSA State Finals after winning the Fenwick Sectional, beating New Trier in the Super-Sectional and topping Whitney Young in the third-place game.
- Madison Kleinberg earned a Silver Medal in Culinary Arts at the 2026 FCCLA National Leadership Conference. Edith Garcia took Gold and placed third overall in Event Management, the second consecutive year a York student finished third nationally in that event.
New school year underway
Students returned Aug. 13, and the district welcomed 57 new teachers through a four-day New Educator Academy. More than 700 staff members participated in the first two Institute Days. Open House and Curriculum Nights are scheduled across all 14 D205 campuses in late August and September.
