Hello! 

I’m Lisa Small, Superintendent of High School District 211.

Graduation is right around the corner, and I couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this milestone. Our mission is to prepare every student for life beyond our high schools. Specifically, we focus on helping them reach their full potential to succeed in careers, college and life. 

Our work in that area continues to broaden and build.

I’m standing outside the Schaumburg High School gymnasium. Just a week ago, this gym was full of hundreds of seniors who plan to pursue a career immediately after high school  … as well as nearly 80 employers from our community who are ready to hire them right now.

This was an opportunity for our students to take on roles like machinists, technicians, machine operators,  sales representatives, marketing interns, culinary artists and caregivers. These are real jobs that can and in many cases will translate to tremendous careers.

This is a newer opportunity for our students, and a capstone to other readiness events like our College Night for college-bound students and families; First Generation College Night for students who will be the first in their families to attend college; and the Directions Fair, which helps our students with special needs discover postsecondary opportunities. 

On April 29, we had our District 211 students showing off the house they built under the guidance of District 211 educators in our expanding Building Construction program. The pride on their faces was unmistakable for building a home during their high school years.

By the end of this month, we will have 80 students sign a commitment  to become educators through our Education Pathway, interning in partner elementary schools and our own high schools. 

Each May, our student entrepreneurs from across District 211 pitch their business ideas to teams of investors, using skills they honed through the help of instructors and coaches this year. They have the opportunity to walk out with startup money provided by donations to our District 211 Foundation.

Finally, we celebrate our many students who have completed the Certified Nursing Assistant program through a partnership with Harper College. They have a special pinning ceremony to mark this occasion … and they’ll also have a head start on their next step.

Our stories don’t end there. 

In the four years I’ve served as superintendent and the 32 years I’ve been part of District 211, I have watched these opportunities continue to grow under the leadership of outstanding educators who believe in our students and their boundless potential to succeed … no matter what their dream may be.

This work is supported by local companies, community leaders, teachers, career advisors and counselors in our schools, who are ready to help your student discuss their vision for their future and how we can help them get there. 

I am so proud of our students and staff. Their hard work, their dedication and their innovation have produced incredible results. I am also grateful to you, their families. Thank you for your support – not only for your child, but also for District 211.

This summer, we will continue to offer opportunities to learn through our Summer School program. If you haven’t checked out these options yet, you can do so through a link below. 

We also will have ongoing summer construction to maintain our buildings and continue to keep them ready for our students to have one-of-a-kind opportunities to succeed.  This may cause some inconveniences, but summer is the best time for us to do our major projects. 

This is an exciting season in District 211. A time for great celebration for everything that’s been accomplished … and a time for us as educators to continue to make sure we have the best curriculum, learning opportunities and instructional spaces for students to succeed. 

Congratulations to our Class of 2024! 

We are honored to have been part of your success story.

Have a wonderful summer.