December 2020 Village of Westchester Newsletter by Village of Westchester, IL

Village of

Westchester DECEMBER, 2020

POLICE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS

3 4

FIRE DEPARTMENT

LIBRARY

SCHOOL DISTRICT

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

SCOUTS

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our Westchester Families! We kicked off the Holiday season with Thanksgiving and it couldn’t be a more perfect time for the Village to say Thank You to our residents! Thank you for trusting in our team and for coming out to the Town Halls and participating in the telephone Town Halls and participating in the future of Westchester. The response was unanimous and the Village will be moving forward with is infrastructure program over the next 5 years. Since the vote came in, staff has been hard at work putting together next year’s projects and setting up calendars to get everything in order to accomplish these tasks. We are in the process of putting together a special web page devoted to the infrastructure projects which will detail what projects are scheduled first, when the bond will be issued for those projects, how you as residents will be able to purchase some of those bonds from your

broker and when bidding of those projects will happen. We want you to be aware every step of the way and at the end, we are confident that you will be happy with the results. This year has been especially difficult for many of Us but we have to try and look for the silver linings. Maybe we learned to use technology a little bit better, maybe being home with our families brought us closer together or maybe we realized that everyone has struggles in their life and we learned to be a little more patient and understanding, or maybe we realized that it’s not “material things” that matter, but people and relationships that matter. Whatever your silver lining is, we hope that it brings you happiness and joy throughout this Holiday Season and into the New Year. God bless all of you and thank you for your time.

DECEMBER 2020

P olice D epartment DECEMBER 2020

Protecting our greatest cargo We are proud to announce that we will be having We s t c h e s t e r ’s Community Service Officer David Kosir taking a training course on children’s car seat installation at the end of November. Starting December 1, he will be available, by appointment, to help residents who need assistance installing a child’s car seat. This includes showing the resident how to install the car seat themselves and how to properly secure their child into the seat. To make an appointment contact the Westchester Police Department at (708) 345-0060 ext 438 for CSO Kosir. Sincerely C h i e f Daniel Babich

POLICE BLOTTER

1) At 11:13pm on October 16, 2020 an Armed Robbery was reported at Papa Johns located at 10235 Roosevelt Road. A male black subject demanded money from the register and fled from the scene. 2) At 10:36am on October 22, 2020 a Retail Theft was reported at Walgreens located at 10345 Roosevelt Road. A subject left the store without paying for over $135 in liquor.

3) At 7:14pm on October 26, 2020 a Retail Theft was reported at the Jewel Foods located at 2128 Mannheim Road. A subject exited the store with a cart full of alcohol without paying. 4) At 5:18pm On October 27, 2020 a Retail Theft was reported at Mariano’s located at 3020 Wolf Road. Store security advised that 2 females left the store without paying for merchandise.

Officers apprehended 2 females. 5) At 6:32pm on October 29, 20202 a Burglary was reported on the 11100 block of Regency Drive. The resident reported that unknown person(s) entered their home and took jewelry. The resident reported that the doors may have been unlocked. 6) At 5:30am on November 1, 2020 a Theft was reported at the Four Points Sheraton located at 2222 Enterprise Drive. The clerk advised that after visiting the bathroom she noticed that personal items were taken from behind the front desk. 7) At 1:27am on November 15, 2020 a Theft was reported on the 1300 block of Balmoral. The resident reported that unknown person(s) entered their unlocked vehicle and removed a wallet and other personal items.

DECEMBER 2020

PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Holiday Garbage/Recycling Pickup Schedule There will be no Garbage /Recycling pickup on Friday, December 25, 2020. Friday’s pickup will be Saturday, December 26, 2020. There will be no Garbage/Recycling pickup on Friday, January 1, 2021. Friday’s pickup will be Saturday, January 2, 2021. All other days of each week will be regular pickup schedule VILLAGE SNOW RESTRICTIONS Public Works crews keep our streets free of snow and ice during the winter months.

Please assist us by observing the following: • Place garbage cans and bins behind the curb line- do not place them in the street • Do not throw or blow snow back in to the cleared streets • Please observe the “ NO PARKING SNOW ROUTE” signs The snow portion of the signs will be enforced only after 2 inches of snow have fallen and will be enforced between December 1st and March 31st. If you reside on a Primary designated SNOW ROUTE, after 2 inches of snowfall you must remove all of the vehicles from the snow route. The cars and trucks must stay off the street until the streets are cleaned thoroughly

by the plows by Public Works. If the snowfall is continuing the restriction is in place until Public Works completes the plowing for the day. Please check the signs at the corners of your block. AFTER 2 INCHES OF SNOW, on a secondary route, there is no parking Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday on the even numbered house side and no parking Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on the odd numbered house side. Please check the signs at the corners and center of your block for guidance. (This includes ALL side streets not designated a Primary snow route) **************************************** The Public Works Department continues to fill potholes throughout

the Village. Please call Public Works at 708-345-0041 to report potholes. Adopt a Fire Hydrant this Winter Season! Help keep the hydrant clear of snow so that the Fire Department can easily access the hydrant in case of an emergency and so that the snow plows can easily identify the hydrants while plowing snow. As always, Village residents are asked to call Public Works at 708-345-0041 or the Police non-emergency number (after hours) at 708-345-0060 if an unusual amount of water is visible in the street or parkway. This could be a main break or water leak that requires our immediate attention.

Food Pantry faces the pandemic and finds a new location The Westchester Food Pantry wishes everyone happy and safe holidays! A huge thank you goes out to all the dedicated volunteers that stepped up during this pandemic, and to all the generous donors who have allowed the Pantry to continue its mission during this very trying time. Prior to the pandemic, the Westchester Food Pantry operated a weekly “client choice” model in the Village Hall’s Community Room. Clients would register, show proof of residency in our service area of Westchester, Berkeley, Bellwood, Broadview, Hillside, Hines, La Grange Park and Western Springs, and then “shop” from an array of groceries items. Volunteers assisted the clients throughout the process. We were serving nearly 250 households every month. When the pandemic and a shelter-inplace order forced businesses to close throughout the State in March, pantries across Illinois were deemed essential by the governor. However, about 1/3rd of the food pantries in Cook County closed due to lack of volunteers and resources. The Westchester Food Pantry stayed strong and remained open. We went from bustling to bursting, as we saw an influx of new clients needing our help. Since the mid-March, our clientele has increased by 65%. To keep volunteers and clients safe, we quickly pivoted to a “drive-through” model. Clients pull alongside the Village Hall and receive pre-packed, well-balanced groceries worth over $250 that are loaded into their vehicles by volunteers. Pet food is also available. A number of our long-time volunteers had to step back from service for various reasons, and new volunteers stepped up to fill the gaps. While some of the yearly food drives we count on had to be cancelled, new and

existing partners made sure we had food to offer clients. When some of our donation drop-off locations had to temporarily close, private citizens volunteered their homes to be new drop-off locations. These volunteers and resources kept us afloat during a difficult time. This summer we found out that we needed to find a new home, as the Village Hall is moving to a new location early next year. After investigating places of worship and other not-for-profit locations with no success, we found a building that met most of our basic space requirements. It is located at 1938 S. Mannheim Road, here in Westchester. With the community’s support, the Plan and Zoning Commission, the Village President and Board of Trustees approved the necessary zoning code amendment and approved the Pantry to operate at this location as a special use in a business district. These necessary approvals were received at the November 10 Village Board Meeting and allowed us to complete the purchase of this building. Before we can serve clients from this location, there is a substantial amount of work that needs to be done to the building, such as repairing the roof, repairing and upgrading the electrical service, various plumbing issues, repair and paint walls, new installation, replace and install new doors, moving costs, etc. Additionally, we need to purchase more freezers and refrigerators, shelving, desks, chairs, tables and more. Of course, all of this has to be done while still serving clients at the Village Hall, during a quickly worsening pandemic. If all goes well, we hope to be serving clients from our new home by the end of February 2021. You can help us make this incredible move! By making a donation, you can

ensure that the Pantry has the equipment and facility necessary to continue serving our neighbors in need. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. A secured donation can be made online through our website (WestchesterFoodPantry.org) or mail a check to the Westchester Food Pantry, 10300 Roosevelt Road, Westchester IL 60154. We are confident that our transition from our location at Village Hall to 1938 S. Mannheim Road will be seamless. It is support from our community that will help make this happen. For over 25 years, we have been here for our neighbors in need. Now more than ever before, we need our neighbors to be here for us. Help us continue to serve our community. Together, we make a difference!

F ire D e partment DECEMBER 2020

DECEMBER 2020

Snow Removal Reminders • It is illegal to blow, plow, or shovel snow from private property onto the street. • Snow shall be removed from public walkways following a storm. • Here are a few suggestions for residents and property owners: • Please shovel as soon as possible after a snowfall or within 24 hours after a significant snowfall. DO NOT shovel or blow snow into streets as this is a violation of local ordinance and is a serious hazard. Whether you shovel, snow blow, or plow, all snow has to be directed back onto your property. Many of our residents use these sidewalks year-round, and children need to get to their bus stops. • United States Postal Service is asking residents to clear a path around and to mailboxes, including sidewalks, stairs, porches, and

mailboxes themselves. Residents and businesses with blue collection boxes near their property are asked to help clear the snow and ice around them. • Please adopt any fire hydrant on or near your property and keep it clear of snow. It is there for your protection and that of your neighbors. Keep Your Water Pipes From Freezing Inside water pipes could be more susceptible to freezing this time of year when the air temperature outside is below freezing for more than a few days. To avoid frozen pipes you should make sure your basement is heated where the water meter and water pipes are located. Also insulate water pipes which are against outside walls. Make sure all windows or cracks which allow cold outside air in are sealed.

L ibrary DECEMBER 2020

L ib r ary 8

DECEMBER 2020

Calendar for December 2020 Monday, December 7th: Winter Reading Club begins. Registration required. Contact Youth Dept for more information at (708) 562-3573. Thursday, December 10: Virtual Shedd Program: Conserving Our Aquatic Neighbors.

Registration required. Contact Adult Dept for more information at askus@ westchesterpl.org. Thursday, December 17: Holiday Classics With Celeste Martino. Registration required. Contact Adult Dept for more information at askus@westchesterpl.org.

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DECEMBER 2020

S chool D i strict DECEMBER 2020

A Letter from the Superintendent Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members, Since March of last year, we have all had to adjust to a different way of living. The one question I am asked often is when can we get back to normal. On October 26th, District 92½ took its first steps to “getting back to normal” when we welcomed a group of students back for in-person instruction. It was quite emotional to have groups of our students back. We look forward to bringing more groups of students back over the next several weeks. We realize that the number of cases in Illinois and Westchester has been on the rise over the last two weeks. There is also a concern for a community spread with the upcoming holidays. As I have said all along, this is a very fluid situation. The need to be flexible is crucial. We will continue to communicate if plans need to be adjusted. Our commitment to providing a safe and productive environment for both inperson and remote learning is our priority. We are working collaboratively with the Cook County Department of Health and are following the measures they have recommended in slowing the spread of the virus, protecting vulnerable students and staff, and ensuring that students have safe and healthy learning environments. As a reminder, we follow: 1. Consistent use of masks for everyone 2. Social distancing 3. Hand hygiene 4. Cleaning and disinfecting of all classrooms, buses, and frequently used areas 5. Contact tracing in collaboration with the health department 6. Require sick students and staff to stay home 7. Allowing only a cohort of students (AM/PM) in at a time There are some important dates in November you should mark on your calendars. There will be no school on November 3rd for Election Day or November 4th for Staff Institute Day. Also, our annual Parent-Teacher Conferences occur in November. Conferences will occur on November 23rd (12:00 p.m-7:00 p.m.) and November 24th (10:00 a.m-5:00 p.m.). However, this year all conferences will be held virtually. You should have received an email from Ms. DelFiacco Thursday regarding conferences. Please make sure to sign up. Conferences are an excellent opportunity to have a conversation with your child’s teacher to discuss their progress so far

and to set goals for the remainder of the year. This is a time of the year when we pause to consider all that we are thankful for. Every day I reflect on how fortunate I am to have such a caring group of staff, students, and parents around me. If you are around family and friends over the holidays, please remember to practice the 3W’s (wash your hands, wear a mask, and watch your distance). As always, if you need to speak with me, you can reach me at 708-670-1927 or email at psalemi@ sd925.org. Sincerely, Philip Salemi Superintendent Westchester Primary School Onsite Learning On November 9th, onsite Kindergarteners returned to learn with social distance guidelines and protocols at WPS in the Phase-In-Hybrid Model, joining our preschoolers and students with special needs. Veteran’s Day On November 11th, WPS students celebrated and honored our veterans by participating in classroom activities and contributing to a video presentation that was sent to our families. Food Drive The District hosted a food drive to support the Westchester Food Pantry and our families in need. Items were dropped off at school office during office hours. Parent-Teacher Conferences Parent-Teacher Conferences were held virtually on November 23rd and 24th. Research continues to demonstrate that the home-school partnership is vital to student growth. WPS values our partnerships and is thankful to all of the families that took time out of their busy schedules to meet with our staff. Westchester Intermediate School

During the last month we were able to celebrate Veteran’s Day. We would usually do this at a school assembly but couldn’t this year. So we have been celebrating and honoring the Veteran’s in our student’s families weekly through our newsletter highlighting one family a week. Our First Trimester also came to a close and while we continue to work remotely our students and teachers have done an amazing job this three months. We held parent teacher conferences, virtually of course, but while that was different our conversations were not. Teachers and parents take this opportunity to discuss how things are going with each individual student highlighting the strengths and areas for

Sophia Bozzelli and Aubrey Tartt of Westchester Primary School on Veteran’s Day growth. We are very proud of all the good work being done. We also welcomed our first group of students back into the building for half days. We have taken a gradual approach to having students come back to school. So far it has gone very well. Our students have been awesome about following the necessary protocols to keep their mask on, maintaining social distancing, and taking care to wash hands frequently. As long as things continue to go well, we will continue bringing students into the building one grade level at a time. We are looking forward to having everyone back for in person instruction. Go Huskies! Westchester Middle School We would like to congratulate our October Warriors of the Month! 6th Grade: Jase Heavens and Olivia Laurie, 7th Grade: Jaclyn Scavella and Nathaniel Garvida, 8th Grade: Anthwon Brown and Dylan Rivera. Warriors of the Month are selected by their teachers for setting a strong example and exceeding the expectations of the Warrior Way: Ambitious, Respectful, Responsible, Inclusive, Optimistic, Ready to Learn, Safe and Successful. We presented them with a certificate, Warrior of the Month t-shirt and a gift card. Over the past month we have completed our 1st semester SEL focus on developing our understanding of personal and social identities. We also spent some time self reflecting on remote learning and how to better cope with some of the challenges we are facing as a result. With the Identity unit completed we now move on to our second focus on bias. In this first part of the unit, students will learn about what bias is, where bias can be seen, and how bias plays a role in stereotyping and bullying. By the end of this first part we hope that students will have a better

understanding of stereotypes, bias, and how to prevent and handle bullying (cyber and in-person). WMS is proud to recognize Danielle Ruiz, Mikkia McThune, Kennedy Strongs, Monika Micuta, and Aramis Karounos for their positive contributions to WMS. Aramis has been recognized for demonstrating a great work ethic and creativity with his music project. Ms. Lewis stated, “Thank you for your truly excellent and musically impressive work… you really went above and beyond the expectations for this project.” Danielle has been recognized for her work ethic in music class. Ms. Lewis stated, “I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed being your teacher this quarter… Thank you for your hard work… You have shown great thoughtfulness and maturity… Keep up the great work.” Kennedy has been recognized for her “excellent work and participation” in music. Ms. Lewis states, “Thank you for always doing your best work… I appreciated the enthusiasm with which you participated in music class.” Mikkia has been recognized for her positive energy and participation in music. Ms. Lewis stated, “I am so glad you joined the WMS family, Mikkia… You are a fabulous addition to our school... you consistently brightened the class with your positive energy and great participation… Keep up the great work!” Monika has been recognized for her excellent work ethic and kindness towards her peers. Ms. Lewis stated, “Thank you for your excellent work and acts of kindness to your classmates… also for always participating with enthusiasm and for taking the time to help other classmates get started on Google and Soundrap. Acts of kindness like these are exactly what being a Warrior is all about!”

DECEMBER 2020

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C o m m e rc e

DECEMBER 2020

oday, the Westchester Chamber of Commerce presented “Service Awards” to Westchester First Responders. The intention of the Chamber was to recognize Westchester Police & Fire Department members for their service to the community especially those who have helped our community get through this pandemic. The chamber intended to appoint “First Responders” as the GRAND MARSHALLS for the 2020 Fourth of July Parade. The parade was later re-scheduled for Labor Day due to the pandemic, however, the COVID problems continued causing the parade to be cancelled for 2020. The Chamber wanted to make sure all Police & Fire Staff were recognized for their efforts to the community and delivered Service Awards today for each member of the Police Department. See your shift commander to receive your medal. Be sure to thank the members of the Westchester Chamber of Commerce you may have contact with for their ongoing appreciation and generosity.

Chamber Members:Parliamentarian Pastor Joe Mills (Westchester Community Church), Mr. Joe Russo (Russo Hillside Chapels), Lifetime Member/Past President Mr. Bill Ernst, President Elect Laura Catrambone-Gerace (Coldwell Banker Stratford Place), and Vice President Twy Callaway (Coldwell Banker Oak Brook).

Service times for December at Faith Lutheran Church 12/02 Wednesday Advent I Midweek Service 3 pm, 4pm, 5 pm, 6 pm, and 7 pm. Special Day of Supplication and Prayer at Faith Lutheran Church, 1124 Westchester Blvd. 12/6 Worship Service 9 a.m. and Bible Study at 10:30 Faith Lutheran Church, 1124 Westchester Blvd. 12/9 Advent 2 Midweek S e r v i c e 5pm, 6 pm, and 7 pm. at Faith Lutheran Church, 1124 Westchester Blvd. 12/13 Worship Service at 9 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 1124 Westchester Blvd.

12/16 Advent 3 Midweek 5pm, 6 pm, and 7 pm. at Faith Lutheran Church, 1124 Westchester Blvd. 12/20 Worship Service at 9 am at Faith Lutheran Church, Bible study at 10:30 1124 Westchester Blvd. 12/24 Christmas Eve Service “Carols and Scriptures” 6 p.m. (Come at 5:00 for some goodies to start the night.) 12/25 Christmas Day Service at 9 am. at Faith Lutheran Church, Bible study at 10:30 1124 Westchester Blvd. 12/27 Worship Service at 9 am at Faith Lutheran Church, Bible study at 10:30 1124 Westchester Blvd.

DECEMBER 2020 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

DECEMBER 2020

S couts

Record-breaking food drive The Westchester Boy Scout Troop #73 and Cub Scout Pack #73 held their annual Scouting for Food Drive on Saturday, October 24th. Scouts and their families passed out flyers to each residence in Westchester the week before. On October 24th, scouts collected 1304 bags or boxes of food and household supplies from homes in Westchester. That is over double the amount from last year! All donations were passed on to the Westchester Food Pantry, Divine Infant Parish Pantry, and the food cupboards of the Westchester Community Church for families in crisis. The Troop collected over 400 pairs of eye glasses for the Lions Club, and countless bags of flags to retire in a flag retirement ceremony in the spring. Troop #73 and Pack #73 are grateful for our partnerships with these local organizations, working together to help our neighbors in need. Thanks to all Pack #73 and Troop #73 parents, families, leaders and scouts. Thanks to Girl Scouts from 45148 and 45149 who assisted in sorting flags and glasses, and passing out flyers. Many thanks to the continued support from Pastor Joe Mills and staff at the Westchester Community Church, our Pack and Troop #73 charter organization. A huge thank you to Paul at Minuteman Press here in Westchester, who helped with the printing of the flyers. Please see him for all your printing needs. And last but not least.... a huge thanks to the residents of Westchester who donated to the food drive. Thanks for your patience as we managed a much larger than predicted number of bags to pick up. We are Westchester Proud.

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Milas makes Eagle Scout Troop #73 has been keeping quite busy these past several weeks. Jimmy Milas, a junior at St. Joseph High School had his Eagle Board of Review and is now the 55th Eagle Scout from Troop #73. A formal ceremony and reception will be held at the Westchester Community Church, in the spring. November was also a time for giving back to the community. The Troop participated and helped organize the Scouting for Food Drive. The food drive was a huge success, collecting 1304 bags and boxes of food and cleaning supplies to help local food pantries and families in need. The boys also raked leaves for many Westchester residents, as part of their 7th annual Rake-a-thon. Thank you to everyone that supported the Troop with their Rake-athon and the food drive. We look forward to doing both again next year. The Troop continues to hold socially distant, outdoor meetings. During these meetings, they have been working on knife safety and fire-starting skills for rank advancement and other basic Boy Scout skills.

Girl Scouts Troop 45148 Junior Girl Scout Troop 45148 has continued to utilize this wonderful weather to be able to conduct meetings outside. The girls have continued to work on their government badges, by creating campaign posters and having a mock election, where the winner was President Elect Joe Biden and VP Elect Kamala Harris! In October girls from our troop also assisted in the yearly village wide food drive hosted by the Local Boy Scout Troop 73 and Cub Scout Pack 73. They were able to distribute flyers and then pick up the bags of donated items. They also started work on their Social Butterfly badge where they are learning about good manners and practicing

their social skills. They worked on topics for conversation starters and then used them to have various conversations with their friends and learn some new things about each other. The girls visited the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie in November to view the NOTORIOUS RBG: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF RUTH BADER GINSBURG exhibit. With the weather getting colder, we will begin to have our meetings virtually. Some of the activities planned in the next couple of months are: Presidential trivia game, virtual escape room and will be making the ornaments for our holiday tree at the community center.

DECEMBER 2020

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DECEMBER 2020