Community High School District 117 released its May update on May 8, providing families, students, and staff with reminders, upcoming event links, and district news. The update includes information about Teacher Appreciation Week, important end-of-year dates, summer planning tips, progress on the Portrait of a Graduate initiative, and a new community travel plan.
The monthly message aims to keep the school community informed as the academic year concludes. Dr. Jeff Feucht said that as Teacher Appreciation Week ends this weekend is an ideal time to send a note of gratitude to educators: “While teachers have a lasting impact on generations, they often do not realize the full extent of their positive influence. Given that teaching is frequently cited as one of the most stressful careers, your own ‘5 Minute’ email could truly brighten someone’s week.” Feucht also mentioned recent interviews with six staff members about their service to the district.
The district outlined several key dates for students and families: seniors are preparing for Commencement next Sunday while underclassmen will begin finals soon after. Important August dates include Freshman Orientation Day on August 12 (for freshmen only), Freshman First Day on August 17 (freshmen only), and the first day of school for all students in grades nine through twelve on August 18.
Feucht provided an update on District 117’s Portrait of a Graduate project. This spring over fifty participants—including students, staff, parents, and Board Members—reviewed competencies through presentations and group discussions. Artificial intelligence was used to summarize feedback from thirty-seven groups: “A key finding was that many are still unfamiliar with the specific definitions of these competencies,” Feucht said.
The Village of Antioch is working with support from IDOT to develop safer bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure around schools in partnership with Community High School District 117. Data shows Safe Routes to School programs can increase student walking or biking by up to forty-five percent while reducing pedestrian injuries by up to seventy-five percent; these changes offer health benefits for both students and residents according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
Community High School District 117 serves Lake County including Antioch Community High School and Lakes Community High School according to Illinois Report Card. The district had an enrollment of two thousand six hundred thirty-five high schoolers during the twenty nineteen–twenty twenty academic year across grades nine through twelve in Lake Villa and Lake County according to Illinois Report Card. Demographically it is seventy-eight percent White; three point one percent Black; twelve point one percent Hispanic; three point two percent Asian according to Illinois Report Card. In terms of staffing there are one hundred seventy-eight teachers earning an average salary of sixty-three thousand nine hundred twenty dollars per year before pension contributions—with no teacher having more than ten absences annually—and nearly fifty-eight percent women according to Illinois Report Card.
Financially in twenty-twenty Community High School District 117 spent approximately twenty-nine thousand five hundred fifty-three dollars per student totaling over seventy-seven million dollars according to Illinois Report Card. The chronic truancy rate stood at four point six percent—below statewide averages—with one hundred twenty-one chronically truant students out of total enrollment during that period according to Illinois Report Card.
