At a Glance | District 401
Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401 is organized and operates as a unit district serving the educational needs of children from pre-kindergarten (PK) through 12th grade and others as required by the Illinois School Code.
What We Do
District 401 provides a comprehensive, standards-based public education to more than 2,800 students. To meet the needs of our community, we operate four schools:
► John Mills Elementary School | Grades PK-5
► Elmwood Elementary School | Grades K-5
► Elm Middle School | Grades 6-8
► Elmwood Park High School | Grades 9-12
The District's students are residents of Elmwood Park, Ill., a Near West suburb of Chicago with a population of about 25,000.
Our curriculum is fully aligned with the Illinois State Board of Education's Illinois Learning Standards and with the Common Core State Standards.
All four of our schools received a summative designation of Commendable School as part of the most recent edition of the Illinois State Report Cards, issued in the fall of 2019:
► John Mills Elementary | PK-5 | Commendable School Designation
► Elmwood Elementary | K-5 | Commendable School Designation
► Elm Middle | 6-8 | Commendable School Designation
► EPHS | 9-12 | Commendable School Designation
Our PK-12 enrollment for 2020-21 is 2,748 students:
► 594 students at John Mills
► 516 students at Elmwood
► 678 students at Elm
► 960 students at EPHS
The District is here to provide the necessary resources and supports for academic success and social learning. Together, these resources and supports make District 401 a place where the phrase "An Invitation to Opportunity" encapsulates everything we do for our students.
Where We're Located
Our address is Elmwood Park CUSD 401, 8201 W. Fullerton Ave., Elmwood Park, IL 60707.
The Rest of Our Story
To read more about District 401, click the sections located immediately below.
Elmwood Park CUSD 401, a unit district in a suburban community with a small town feel, strives to cultivate the following:
► Individualized social-emotional learning processes
► Rigorous academics fostering inquisitive minds prepared for critical thinking
► Active, engaged partnerships with the community and parents
► Innovative uses of 21st century technologies for teaching and learning
The vision of Elmwood Park CUSD 401 is to inspire minds in the pursuit of excellence.
District 401 is governed by a Board of Education consisting of seven elected members. The Board's current members are:
► Mr. Frank J. Parisi | President
► Mr. Michael V. Scheidt | Vice President
► Mrs. Sue Capraro | Secretary
► Mrs. Mary Bruscato
► Mr. Timothy P. Loughnane
► Mr. Jonathan M. Rivera
► Mr. Peter A. Volpe
To communicate with the entire Board, please use this email link. Individuals may also submit questions or communications for the Board's consideration to District 401 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Leah Gauthier.
The District 401 administrative organizational chart is available here.
To email any of the individuals listed below, please click the name of the person you want to reach. In general, all District 401 email addresses for individual employees follow the same pattern: lastnamefirstinitial@epcusd401.org. The main office phone number is 708-452-7292.
Please note that the list below is organized by job title. "Superintendent" and "Assistant Superintendent" are listed first, followed by the remaining job titles in alphabetical order.
Title |
Name |
Phone Number |
Superintendent of Schools |
708-583-5831 |
|
Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations / CSBO |
708-583-5840 |
|
Assistant Superintendent for Student Services | 708-583-5836 | |
Director for Buildings & Grounds | Mr. Joseph Sierra | 708-583-5859 |
Director for Curriculum & Instruction | Dr. Kimberly Ontiveros | 708-583-5835 |
Director for Instructional Technology |
Mr. Aaron Celmer |
708-583-5710 |
Director for Technology |
708-583-5707 |
|
Special Education Coordinator | PK-5 |
708-583-5852 |
|
Special Education Coordinator | 6-12 | Ms. Antigone Campobasso | 708-583-5851 |
To email any of the individuals listed below, please click the name of the person you want to reach. In general, all District 401 email addresses for individual employees follow the same pattern: lastnamefirstinitial@epcusd401.org. The main office phone number is 708-452-7292.
Please note that the list below is organized by job title. The titles are ordered alphabetically.
Title |
Name |
Phone Number |
Accountant |
708-583-5844 |
|
Accounts Payable Specialist |
Ms. Marsha Bogan |
708-583-5842 |
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent |
Ms. Nancy Lasselle |
708-583-5831 |
Board-Certified Behavior Analyst & Special Education Teacher |
Ms. Victoria Rayser | To be posted |
Board-Certified Behavior Analyst & Special Education Teacher |
Ms. Kelly Swindler | To be posted |
Human Resources Generalist |
Ms. Barbara Boydston |
708-583-5838 |
Instructional Coach for ELA & Social Studies |
Ms. Jamie Kanas |
708-583-5822 |
Instructional Coach for Math & Science | Ms. Vanessa Woof | 708-583-5821 |
Instructional Technology Coach | Mr. Paul Uhler | To be posted |
Language Coach | Ms. Dominique Byrnes | To be posted |
Network Administrator |
Mr. Quirino Carlin |
708-583-6280 |
Network Administrator |
Mr. Douglas Selix |
708-583-5703 |
Occupational Therapist | Ms. Patricia Thomas | To be posted |
Occupational Therapist | Ms. Danielle Zeisig | To be posted |
Payroll Specialist |
Ms. Tanya Campbell |
708-583-5843 |
Physical Therapist | Ms. Elizabeth Hickman | To be posted |
Psychologist |
Dr. Kristen Green |
708-583-5853 |
Psychologist | Ms. Jessica Zielinski |
708-583-5853 |
Special Education Parapro | Ms. Roshenna Walker | To be posted |
Special Education Teacher | Ms. Jaclyn Kause | To be posted |
Student Services Accounts Payable | Ms. Tousha Summers | To be posted |
Student Services Secretary | Ms. Kelli Girka | 708-583-5460 |
Technology Specialist | Ms. Fran DiDavide | 708-583-5702 |
Technology Specialist | Mr. Herbeis Garcia | 708-583-6762 |
Technology Specialist |
Mr. Anthony Ginczycki |
708-670-0815 |
Web/Media Specialist |
Mr. Dave Porreca |
708-583-5704 |
If you want to reach the District Office by email, please use the general information email address listed below, or send your message to the appropriate individual listed elsewhere on this page.
The District Office is located inside the Elmwood Park High School building, 8201 W. Fullerton Ave., Elmwood Park, IL 60707.
Phone |
Fax |
General Email |
Office Hours |
708-452-7292 |
708-452-9504 |
7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday |
District 401 provides a comprehensive public education to the 2,748 students enrolled in our four schools. Elmwood Park residency is required for enrollment.
► John Mills Elementary School | PK-5
- Address: 2824 N. 76th Ave., Elmwood Park, IL 60707
- Navigation: Map | Directions
- Phone: 708-452-3560
- Fax: 708-452-0349
- Email: millsinfo@epcusd401.org
- Grades: PK-5
- Enrollment: 594 students for 2020-21
- Principal: Mr. Frank Kuzniewski
- Assistant Principal: Ms. Alexandra Oreluk
- About: John Mills at a Glance
► Elmwood Elementary School | K-5
- Address: 2319 N. 76th Ave., Elmwood Park, IL 60707
- Navigation: Map | Directions
- Phone: 708-452-3558
- Fax: 708-452-5567
- Email: ewinfo@epcusd401.org
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 516 students for 2020-21
- Principal: Mr. Matthew Lerner
- Assistant Principal: Ms. Stephanie Hagins
- About: Elmwood at a Glance
► Elm Middle School | 6-8
- Address: 7607 W. Cortland St., Elmwood Park, IL 60707
- Navigation: Map | Directions
- Phone: 708-452-3550
- Fax: 708-452-0662
- Email: elminfo@epcusd401.org
- Grades: 6-8
- Enrollment: 678 students for 2020-21
- Principal: Ms. Ashley Groeneveld
- Assistant Principal: Ms. Morgan Freeck
- About: Elm at a Glance
► Elmwood Park High School
- Address: 8201 W. Fullerton Ave., Elmwood Park, IL 60707
- Navigation: Map | Directions
- Phone: 708-452-7272
- Fax: 708-452-0732
- Email: ephsinfo@epcusd401.org
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 960 students for 2020-21
- Principal: Mr. Douglas Wildes
- Assistant Principal: Mr. Bernhard Walke
- Dean of Students: Ms. Leanne Hightower
- Dean of Students: Mr. David Parolin
- Athletic Director: Mr. Doug Noyes
- About: EPHS at a Glance
All visitors to the District Office and to District 401 schools during hours when students are present must sign in and out at the appropriate security desk and obtain a visitor’s badge.
Visitors must observe the District's policy concerning visitor conduct on school grounds.
The information below is based primarily — but not exclusively — on District 401's most recent Illinois School Report Card (2019-20). Enrollment figures are current for 2020-21.
► Grades: PK-12
► Schools: Four
- John Mills Elementary | Grades PK-5
- Elmwood Elementary | Grades K-5
- Elm Middle | Grades 6-8
- Elmwood Park High | Grades 9-12
► Summative Designations for Each District School
- John Mills Elementary | Commendable School
- Elmwood Elementary | Commendable School
- Elm Middle | Commendable School
- Elmwood Park High | Commendable School
► Students: 2,748*
- 594 students at John Mills
- 516 students at Elmwood
- 678 students at Elm
- 960 students at EPHS
*These figures are updated for 2020-21.
► Employees, Full & Part Time: 320 (approximate)
► Teachers: 194 (full-time equivalence)
► Expenditure Amounts: $72 million
► Instructional Spending Per Student
► Operational Spending Per Student
► Average Teacher Salary
► Average Administrator Salary
► Curriculum Standards
► Graduation Rate (four year)
- District: 86 percent
- State: 88 percent
► Graduation Rate (five year)
- District: 93 percent
- State: 88 percent
► Pupil/Teacher Ratio
- District (Elementary Students per Teacher): 17 to 1
- State (Elementary Students per Teacher): 18 to 1
- District (High School Students per Teacher): 21 to 1
- State (High School Students per Teacher): 19 to 1
► Pupil/Certified Staff Ratio
► Pupil/Administrator Ratio
► Average Class Size
► Teacher Retention
- District: 83.5 percent
- State: 85.9 percent
► Teachers with Master's Degree or Higher
- District: 68.9 percent
- State: 59.8 percent
► Teacher Demographics by Gender
- Female: 73.9 percent
- Male: 25.8 percent
► Teacher Demographics by Ethnicity
- White: 90.4 percent
- Hispanic: 6.1 percent
- Asian: 1 percent
- Black: 0.5 percent
- Two or More: 0.5 percent
- Pacific Islander: 0 percent
- Not Reported: 1 percent
► Student Attendence
NOTE: This measures average daily attendance.
- District: 95.2 percent
- State: 95.4 percent
► Achievement Gap in SAT Scores
NOTE: Achievement gaps display the differences in academic performance between different student groups. The data below displays the gap in readiness for the next level between low income students and non-low income students on the SAT for both English language arts (ELA) and math.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District Non-Low Income | SAT ELA: 34 percent
- District Low Income | SAT ELA: 19 percent
- District Achievement Gap | SAT ELA: –16 percent
- State Non-Low Income | SAT ELA: 50 percent
- State Low Income | SAT ELA: 19 percent
- State Achievement Gap | SAT ELA: –31 percent
- District Non-Low Income | SAT Math: 36 percent
- District Low Income | SAT Math: 28 percent
- District Achievement Gap | SAT Math: –8 percent
- State Non-Low Income | SAT Math: 48 percent
- State Low Income | SAT Math: 17 percent
- State Achievement Gap | SAT Math: –31 percent
► Student Mobility
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students who experienced at least one transfer in or out of the school between the first school day of October and the last school day of the year, not including graduates.
► Chronic Absenteeism
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students who miss 10 percent or more of school days per year either with or without a valid excuse.
- District: 11 percent
- State: 11 percent
► Dropout Rate
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students removed from a local roster before the end of a school term.
► Chronically Truant Students
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students who miss 5 percent of school days without a valid excuse.
- District: 5.6 percent
- State: 9.6 percent
► High School Freshmen on Track to Graduate
NOTE: Students identified as "on track" have earned at least five full-year course credits (10 semester credits) and have earned no more than one semester "F" in a core course (English, math, science or social science). Course credits from summer sessions are not included in this calculation. Freshmen on track is a key predictor of high school success.
- District: 88.7 percent
- State: 88.8 percent
► Early College Coursework
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students taking early college coursework in grades 9-12.
- District: 38.4 percent
► Postsecondary Enrollment Within 12 Months
NOTE: This measures the percentage of graduating seniors enrolling in a two- or four-year college within 12 months.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District: 77 percent
- State: 73 percent
► Postsecondary Enrollment Within 16 Months
NOTE: This measures the percentage of graduating seniors enrolling in a two- or four-year college within 16 months.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District: 79 percent
- State: 74 percent
► Community College Remediation
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students at Illinois community colleges taking remedial courses.
- District: 66 percent
- State: 43 percent
► Student Demographics
- Hispanic: 56.5 percent
- White: 37.8 percent
- Asian: 2.2 percent
- Black: 1.7 percent
- Two or More Races: 1.5 percent
- American Indian: 0.2 percent
- Pacific Islander: 0.1 percent
► Low-Income Students
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches, live in substitute care or whose families receive public aid.
- District: 48.2 percent
- State: 48.5 percent
► Homeless Students
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students who do not have permanent or adequate homes.
- District: 0.4 percent
- State: 2 percent
► English Learners
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students whose primary language is not English.
- District: 20.5 percent
- State: 12.5 percent
► Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
NOTE: This measures the percentage of students who receive special education and related services in accordance with their IEPs.
- District: 15 percent
- State: 15 percent
► Students (Grades 3-8) Meeting or Exceeding Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) Expectations in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means a student is proficient — that is, on track for the next grade level.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 43 percent (36 percent met, 7 percent exceeded)
- State | ELA: 38 percent (32 percent met, 6 percent exceeded)
- District | Math: 28 percent (26 percent met, 2 percent exceeded)
- State | Math: 32 percent (27 percent met, 5 percent exceeded)
► Students (Grades 3-8) Approaching IAR Expectations in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means a student may need additional support to meet expectations at the next grade level.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 29 percent
- State | ELA: 26 percent
- District | Math: 28 percent
- State | Math: 27 percent
► Students (Grades 3-8) Partially Meeting IAR Expectations in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means a student may need additional support to meet expectations at the next grade level.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 16 percent
- State | ELA: 19 percent
- District | Math: 30 percent
- State | Math: 25 percent
► Students (Grades 3-8) Not Meeting IAR Expectations in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means a student may need additional support to meet expectations at the next grade level.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 12 percent
- State | ELA: 16 percent
- District | Math: 14 percent
- State | Math: 16 percent
► Students (Grade 11) Attaining SAT Proficiency in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means meeting or exceeding standards in the relevant subject matter.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 28 percent (21 percent met, 7 percent exceeded)
- State | ELA: 37 percent (26 percent met, 11 percent exceeded)
- District | Math: 33 percent (29 percent met, 4 percent exceeded)
- State | Math: 35 percent (26 percent met, 9 percent exceeded)
► Students (Grade 11) Exceeding Standards on the SAT in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means the student has exceeded the proficiency level and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the knowledge and skills needed relative to the Illinois Learning Standards.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 7 percent
- State | ELA: 11 percent
- District | Math: 4 percent
- State | Math: 9 percent
► Students (Grade 11) Meeting Standards on the SAT in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means the student has met the proficiency level and demonstrates adequate understanding of the knowledge and skills needed relative to the Illinois Learning Standards.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 21 percent
- State | ELA: 26 percent
- District | Math: 29 percent
- State | Math: 26 percent
► Students (Grade 11) Approaching Standards on the SAT in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means the student is approaching the proficiency level and demonstrates an incomplete understanding of the knowledge and skills needed relative to the Illinois Learning Standards.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 52 percent
- State | ELA: 36 percent
- District | Math: 35 percent
- State | Math: 32 percent
► Students (Grade 11) Partially Meeting Standards on the SAT in ELA & Math
NOTE: This means the student has only partially met the standards and demonstrates a minimal understanding of the knowledge and skills needed relative to the Illinois Learning Standards.
Data for 2019-20 unavailable because of COVID; figures below are from 2018-19.
- District | ELA: 21 percent
- State | ELA: 28 percent
- District | Math: 33 percent
- State | Math: 34 percent
► Information About the SAT
- The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has made the SAT with Essay the Illinois state accountability exam.
- As of spring 2017, all 11th-grade students attending public high schools, including public charter schools, take the SAT as part of a school day at no charge.
- The SAT is an admission test accepted by all U.S. colleges and is intended to determine a student's level of college readiness in the academic subjects of math and English language arts.
- As the required Illinois high school state assessment, the SAT fulfills the requirement that students take an assessment for college and career readiness in order to receive a regular high school diploma, unless eligible to take the alternative assessment or otherwise exempt from testing. The SAT also fulfills the requirement that high school students must take an assessment accepted for student admission to institutions of higher education.
- The SAT is used for school and District accountability requirements.