In just two years volunteering for the District 300 Foundation for Educational Excellence, Diane Magerko has raised the bar to a stellar level.  Her creativity and tireless commitment to D300 students have earned her special recognition by the School Board at the Board's upcoming meeting (May 10).

Many people know that Magerko is the mother of twins at Westfield Community School.  But few people may know that she was the brains, sweat, and heart behind such major D300 Foundation projects as the Algonquin Commons Art Fair, the student holiday note-cards, and the Save the Music initiative.  Linda Keyes, executive assistant to the D300 Foundation, said that Magerko has demonstrated larger-than-life enthusiasm with a clear, determined vision.

"She really sees the big picture and the big idea," Keyes said.  "She's not afraid to jump in and really go after it."

D300 Communication Services Supervisor Allison Strupeck agreed, noting that Magerko often seeks opportunities for businesses to support the schools in their community. 

"Diane manages to push for student opportunities without ever seeming pushy," Strupeck said.  "She is graceful and kind while rolling up her sleeves to get the job done. Her sincere love of art and her community is never in doubt."

Magerko joined the Foundation's Board of Trustees in 2008 after her initial one-woman effort to start an art fair at the Algonquin Commons did not take off.  Trustee Jim Pratt, the Commons general manager, urged her to consider putting her talents to work for the Foundation.  Within a year, the Foundation launched its inaugural juried art fair under Magerko's direction. Save the date! The juried art fair this year will be August 14-15 at the Commons.

Her next creative pursuit was to solicit student artwork for a series of holiday note-cards, with sales benefitting the Foundation.  The students' holiday note-cards were produced at little cost to the Foundation, thanks to Magerko having secured the donation of most materials and printing.  This year, the note-cards for sale will be "all occasion" cards featuring a variety of student artwork.  Look for them to go on sale this fall.

The Foundation recently concluded its Save the Music initiative in partnership with Houlihan's, in which the public was encouraged to donate gently used instruments for less fortunate D300 students to borrow.  Nearly 25 instruments were collected, so that passionate performers with little means will no longer have to use severely damaged and untuned instruments.  Magerko saw the need when visiting the class of music teacher Michael Kasper of Carpentersville Middle School.

"From concept to coordination, and from getting volunteers and sponsors to posting fliers, Diane was the brains and the soul behind the operation," Keyes said.

As Chair of the Foundation's Fine & Performing Arts Committee, Magerko has helped award grants for artists to visit D300 schools.  In fact, next week (May 12-14) Chicago artist Connie Noyes will spend time with students at Dundee-Crown, Hampshire, and Jacobs high schools to create artwork out of recycled and everyday objects.  For more on Noyes, visit http://connienoyes.com/home.html

Magerko also produced the Foundation's ornaments for the Village of Lake in the Hills' Holiday Tree Festival.  She worked long hours with designer Patti Douglas to redesign all of the Foundation's marketing materials this year and will soon unveil a new Foundation website.  Additionally, she is the Foundation's Co-Vice President for Fund Development and will be working to help secure corporate donations to further improve grant opportunities.

Magerko will be honored by the School Board at 7:30 p.m. this Monday, May 10, in the Carpentersville Middle School auditorium.  The public is welcome.

FOR MORE  INFORMATION ABOUT THE D300 FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE, WHICH IS FUNDED ENTIRELY THROUGH PRIVATE/CHARITABLE DONATIONS, PLEASE VISIT http://www.d300foundation.org/

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D300 Foundation to send 3 high school students to national leadership conference 

Monday, March 8, 2010 

Three exceptional young men will have the opportunity of a lifetime later this month when they 

attend the National Young Leaders Conference, proudly representing the District 300 

Foundation for Educational Excellence. 

The D300 Foundation will send one junior from each D300 high school to the conference March 23-28 in Washington D.C. 

They are Kwamayne King (DundeeCrown High School),ChristopherEgger (Hampshire High School), 

and Stephen Lenzini (Jacobs High School). These applicants were chosen based on 

factors including a list of school activities, out of school activites, school/community awards, leadership 

experience, an essay on a leader that made an impression, a statement of future goals, and letters of 

recommendation. Additionally, each of these students has a special story to share in overcoming the 

odds against them in pursuit of excellence.  

Liz Miller, co-chair of fund development for the D300 Foundation, said young people today 

face an entire new set of challenges compared to the generation before them.   

“Kwamayne, Chris, and Stephen all possess the inner-spark necessary to face the 

challenges,” Miller said. “Any part the Foundation can play in helping to identify and encourage

these young leaders in an ever‐changing world is something to which we truly want to 

commit ourselves.” 

The Algonquin Commons Shopping Center will host a reception for the students at 6 p.m. 

tomorrow (Tuesday, March 9) at the Barley House.  The news media are welcome and 

encouraged to attend.  Attendees will also include Superintendent Ken Arndt and several 

Foundation Board trustees. 

Jim Pratt, the Foundation’s student leadership chair and senior property manager of The 

Algonquin Commons, worked with some of the D300 high school division heads to 

award the grants.  The divisionals involved were Alan Wahlert (Dundee-Crown High 

School), Marce Kersten (Jacobs High School), and Geoffrey Falk (Hampshire High

 School). 

The D300 Foundation Leadership Grant covers the conference tuition, lodging, breakfasts, 

dinners, curriculum materials, and private motor coach transportation within the Washington 

D.C. area for the D300 young leaders.  The local Rhodes Foundation generously provided 

funding for the D300 students’ transportation to and from the conference.  D300 Foundation 

Board members also stepped forward to personally pay for the students’ lunches at the 

conference so they will have virtually no out‐of‐pocket expenses. 

The D300 School Board will honor these young men at an upcoming Board meeting.  The students will  

also be invited to appear on a future D300 radio talk‐show to reflect on their experiences at the  

conference.  Stay tuned for dates and times of these two appearances. 

Dr. Scarpino reads in character as Big Anthony to children at Barnes & Noble on Black Friday.

Mary Fioretti, Chairman & Deb Kelley, VP Development recieve $1000 IASBO donation from Dr. Crates

DOE Christine Cohn presents INSPRA award to Chairman Fioretti with Dr. Arndt

District 300 Foundation Chairman Mary Fioretti earned the very highest honor among 40 impressive nominees as 2008 Public Education Ambassador of the Year for the entire state of Illinois.  The judging committee determined that Fioretti was the epitome of “distinguished service to public education.”  The Distinguished Service Awards program is facilitated by INSPRA (the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association).

News Digest   March 23, 2008
School District 300
Alumni to be honored

The Community Unit School District 300 Foundation will honor five outstanding alumni with Distinguished Alumni Awards at the annual Award Ceremony Spring Gala at 6 p.m. April 25 at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake. Awards are given to alumni over 30 years old who have made significant accomplishments in their profession or service to the community. Alumni were nominated by people within the community who have been affected by the recipients' work. The recipients are Craig Rakow, Dr. Donna Schuring Redmer, Kevin Orr and Laro Tan. The recipient of the Distinguished Young Alumni Award is Bethany Carson Jaeger. Tickets for the event are available at www.rauecenter.org. For more information on the recipients and the awards visit www.d300foundation.org.

March 5, 2008

D300 Foundation Honors Alumni Award Recipients

Click here to read the entire press release on the Distinguished Alumni Awards

Author Yuyi Morales

Read Across America Day

The Foundation and LEAD present all D300 Schools with new books to their libraries.

The D300 Foundation and the D300 Teachers Union (LEAD)  celebrated Read Across America Day on March 2, 2009 by donating the book Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face by Children's Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky to every elementary school library across District 300 including deLacy and the Charter school.  Together with the Teachers Union LEAD, which will be donating the Twilight series of books to the middle school and high school libraries, have collaborated to celebrate literacy.      Literacy is a core program of the Foundation.  The goal is to increase the desire to read.    Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face is a delightful book filled with 100 poems that will make any young reader finish the book till dawn.   Jack Prelutsky has tips on how to read to small children.

As a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award Craig was featured in a Dundee Journal May 2008 article that covered his lifes work in leadership and service to his community. 

November 16, 2007

New Leadership at District 300 Foundation for Educational Excellence

CARPENTERSVILLE – On September 5, 2008 newly elected Trustees were seated on the District 300 Foundation. Mary Fioretti, Institute for Continued Learning Coordinator at Roosevelt University, was elected as Chairman along with co-chair Joseph Cavallaro, Village Manager of West Dundee, who served two years and Chairman. Rita Lintzeris, branch manager of the Harris Bank in Algonquin was elected as Treasurer. Kristi Stern, Program Director of Main Stay Therapeutic Riding Program in Richmond, was elected as Secretary and retains her Public Relations position.

Elections and appointments for committee chairs also took place. Sara Foster, Allstate Insurance Six Sigma Manager, was elected as Vice Chair of Projects, Deborah Kelley was elected as Vice Chair of Development, William Ganek, Village Manager of Algonquin, Chair of Nominations, Barbara Hansen, retired Arts Educator, retains her chair for the Performing and Fine Arts Committee, Deborah Sosine, Algonquin Village Trustee, retains her chair for the Science and Technology Committee. New member William Uhl, recently retired principal from District 300 was appointed the Literacy Committee Chair. New members Matthew Voss, President of Northern Illinois Mortgage, and David Ward, President of Algonquin Bank and Trust, were appointed co-chairs of the Student Leadership committee. New member Dennis Cleveland, retired District 300 educator, has been appointed to serve on the Projects Committee and is overseeing the new initiative Distinguished Educator of the Year Award.