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Caruso Middle School

Monday, May 13, 2013

Board Honors Citizens, Welcomes New Member

Three Guys and a Truck makes last run in June.

Before discussing legislation for Deerfield, the Village Board of Trustees took time to honor longstanding citizen contributions and the achievement of youth during its May 6 meeting. After a 10-year run, Three Men and a Truck will make its last run from 1 to 3 p.m. June 2 at the West Deerfield Township office. Founders Carl Berg, Don Bruss and Paul Zavagno will no longer handle an event which has collected food for the West Deerfield Township Food Pantry. Earlier: Runners’ Idea Fills Food Pantry Some years, the event stocked the pantry with sixth month’s worth of non perishable items, according to state Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield), who was involved with the event since its inception as the West Deerfield Township supervisor. Dylan …

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Readers Tell District 109 To Restore French

Response to Patch poll seeking opinion on District 109’s decision to eliminate French next is light but clear.

When Deerfield Public Schools District 109 chose to suspend French as one of the two foreign languages offered to students at Shepard and Caruso Middle Schools in the coming term, more than 40 people came to the April 29 Board of Education meeting to protest. Spanish will be taught to all incoming sixth graders. Earlier: Should District 109 Restore French to Curriculum In the stories Patch published on the issue, at least 64 reader comments were written expressing reasons to retain the program or agreeing with the Board’s decision to suspend it and study the outcome in the coming school year. Of the 16 people who responded to the unscientific survey, 14 wanted French offered to incoming sixth graders and two do not. One reason the District…

Bringin' Down Briarwood

11:48 am on Monday, May 13, 2013

As someone who has no dog in this race, it does seem odd that one language that has a more than twice as many students as two other languages is the one that is cut.   more ›

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Should District 109 Restore French to Curriculum?

Suspension of French from world language program has caused stir with some families.

A decision that will not give incoming sixth graders at Caruso and Shepard Middle Schools the option of learning French or Spanish in the coming school year as they have in the past has stirred debate in the community and on Patch. Patch wants to know what the community thinks and we are taking an unscientific poll to find out what our readers would have Deerfield Public Schools District 109 do. Earlier: Why Did 109 Suspend French Program From their comments to previous articles, Patch readers have had no shortage of opinions on the subject with views coming from all sides of the discussion. One reader, Patricia Reese, feels the suspension will hurt not only middle school students but those at Deerfield High School as well. “Suspending the…

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Why Did 109 Suspend French Program?

Amid community protest, Deerfield District 109 suspends French program because of sagging interest and scheduling.

When the community embraced a block scheduling program for Caruso and Shepard Middle Schools in November as a way to create a more intimate relationship between students and teachers, no one realized incoming sixth graders would not be offered French. The block scheduling program along with sagging interest in the subject and an added burden on teachers were given at the Deerfield Public Schools District Board of Education meeting Monday as reasons to suspend and study how best to teach foreign language. Earlier: 109 Restructures Middle School Program A diminished interest in learning French was not obvious at the meeting are between 30 and 40 parents, students, former students and community members came to let the Board know their …

Thursday, March 21, 2013

8th-Graders Eligible for Community Service Scholarship

Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to eighth-graders in District 109 who exemplify outstanding community service efforts. Nominate yourself or a student by May 15.

Each year, the Deerfield Education Foundation for District 109 seeks to award two $1,000 scholarships to an eighth-grade student or group of students—one each from Shepard Middle School and Caruso Middle School. The awards are given to students for their outstanding, self-motivated community service. That service could include reading to the elderly, helping younger students learn, or volunteering at an animal shelter or a nursing home—anything that helps to promote a better community. The students must demonstrate a strong desire to serve beyond the standards of their peers. School, required religious, or scout activities may serve as the catalyst for one or more project(s), but will not form the sole basis for determination. In short, …

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Caruso 8th Grader Heads to State Geography Bee

Justin Bank qualifies for statewide competition.

Caruso Middle School eighth grader Justin Bank qualified as one of 100 students throughout Illinois to take part in the State Geography April 5 at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. Bank first had to win the Caruso competition and then complete a test scored by the National Geographic Society, one of the sponsors along with Google and Plum Creek, to reach the State Bee. Of all the people taking the test, only 100 made the grade. The state winner advances to the national Geography Bee May 23. Get local news in a daily email from Patch. It's like getting a free newspaper. Learn more and then "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Caruso Wrestlers Take Third at State Meet

Dylan Utterback becomes a state champion. Shepard finishes 20th out of 100 teams.

Behind state champion Dylan Utterback and three other medal winning performances, the Caruso Middle School wrestling team finished third in the State Meet Friday and Saturday in DeKalb while Shepard Middle School was 20th among the 100 teams. Joining Utterback, the 85-pound champion, on the medal stand from Deerfield were teammates Holden Heller (85), Reece Heller (75), Ken Kerstein (100) along with Shepard’s Marco Perovic (185) and Kyle Klough (95). The Blue Jays improved from 14th last year. Earlier: Caruso, Shepard Wrestlers Head to State Meet Utterback was dominant yielding only one point in his four matches. After pinning his first round opponent, he won 9-1 in the quarterfinals, 4-0 in the semifinals and 5-0 in the title bout. Holden…

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Gallery: Deerfield Spellers Compete in Regional Bee

Students from Village’s elementary and middle schools test their mettle against area’s best.

Students representing six Deerfield schools took part in the Regional Spelling Feb. 27 at South Park Elementary School. Earlier: Kyla Guru Repeats as Spelling Bee Champ Competitors were Kyla Guru of South Park Elementary School, Sofia Li, Caruso Middle School; Brett Toban, Kipling Elementary School; Matthew Seltzer, Wilmot Elementary School; and Halle Mangurten, Walden Elementary School. None of the participants advanced to the Lake County Finals. Deerfield Public Schools District 109 Superintendent Renee Goier was the master of ceremonies while judges were District 109 Board member Steve Schwartz, West Deerfield Township Supervisor Alyson Feiger and Deerfield Library Board Marla Dembitz. Get local news in a daily email from Patch. It's …

Monday, March 4, 2013

Caruso, Shepard Wrestlers Head to State Meet

Seven District 109 grapplers win Sectional titles, 15 qualify for State Finals

With 15 local wrestlers from Caruso and Shepard Middle Schools qualifying for the State Meet, both teams dominated the Illinois Elementary School Association Sectional Meet Saturday at Caruso. The Blue Jays finished second in the team competition with 162 points behind Hadley Middle School of Glen Ellyn with 179. The Spartans were fourth out of 16 teams with 136.5 points. Last year, 15 local athletes also went to the finals. Earlier: Mehrholz, Heller Wear State Wrestling Crowns Of the 15 qualifiers, eight come from Shepard and seven from Caruso including seven Sectional champions. One was Blue Jay Holden Heller. He took the 2012 state championship at 80 pounds and will try for the 85-pound crown this year. Other Caruso title winners are …

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Kyla Guru Repeats as Spelling Bee Champ

Four other champions crowned in District 109 schools.

South Park Elementary School fifth grader Kyla Guru successfully defended her championship recently in the Deerfield Public Schools District 109 Spelling Bee competitions. Guru, who won a year ago, did it again this year. Earlier: Kyla Guru Makes Spelling a Family Affair Sofia Li, a Caruso Middle School seventh grader, won her school’s title while Brett Toban, a fourth grade student, won at Kipling Elementary School. At Wilmot Elementary School, Matthew Seltzer, a fifth grader was the winner while fifth grader Halle Mangurten won at Walden Elementary School. The winners will compete in the Regional competition Feb. 27 at South Park. Get local news in a daily email from Patch. It's like getting a free newspaper. Learn more

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