Annexation and site plan approval for a new Mormon church were delayed for three weeks by the Plainfield Village Board Monday so concerns about traffic disturbing a neighboring subdivision can be resolved.

Residents packed the village board room, half of whom were from the Tall Pines Homeowners Association in the Grande Park subdivision and more than 50 of whom were members of The Church of the Latter-Day Saints.

While concerned about the parking lot size and illumination from on-site light fixtures, residents were chiefly worried about traffic using their subdivision to enter and exit the church for the twice-Sunday services and other events at the five-acre, 21,000-square-foot building on Ridge Road near Grande Park Boulevard.

“I’m grateful it’s a church and not an apartment building or a liquor store,” resident Patty Keenan said, but, “I have a 9-year-old daughter, and I don’t want to be afraid for her to play outside on Sunday at noon.”

The issue may be easily resolved if the village agrees to abandon its requirement that northbound left-hand turns be prohibited because Ridge Road is one day to be the Wikaduke Trail, a cross-county route passing through Will, Kane, DuPage and Kendall counties.

Because traffic would go at a higher rate of speed on that road, the number of turn lanes and curb cuts would have to be limited, village officials said. That said, Wikaduke is still conceptual and it could be decades before any construction begins.

In light of that, Trustee Paul Fay said the easiest solution would be to allow a full-access entrance/exit on Ridge Road so there’d be no reason for church members to go into the subdivision. If Wikaduke moves forward, the village can deal then with road changes that will be needed to accommodate it, he said.

Village engineers were directed to look at the viability of Fay’s idea and to come back to the Nov. 2 meeting with a recommendation.

Architect Ed Kodet said he believed the extra time would allow them to work out solutions for other resident concerns, such as increasing the landscaping buffer between the parking lot and nearby homes, using downcast lighting, and having lights go off at a time that’s mutally agreeable to the church and the residents.

“I can think of no other client that takes such pride in its facilities,” Kodet said. “They feel a sensitivity of keeping their church maintained. Any element of the church is meant to be there for a long time.”

The church will have enough seating for 270 to 300 members at Sunday services, and will also have religious education groups meeting at night. Other than funerals, weddings and other traditional church uses, the church will be mostly unoccupied, he said.

“Most churches I’ve seen are good neighbors in most neighborhoods,” Trustee Bill Lamb said. “I think it can work out well. … We’ve got three weeks to study it and come up with options.”

The only variance requested by the church is a 70-foot steeple for the top of the building, which would exceed the village limit by 25 feet. No complaints were raised about making an exception to the rule.

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A 21,000-square-foot Mormon church is to be built on Ridge Road, if the Plainfield Village Board gives its blessing to an annexation agreement, special use permit and final plan.

The building will be located on a five-acre site south of 127th Street and north of 135th Street, Plainfield Village Planner Michael Garrigan said. It’s being funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, based in Salt Lake City.

The church is expected to serve about 200 to 250 Mormon families in the Plainfield/Oswego/Aurora communities, Garrigan said. The nearest Mormon church right now is on 95th Street in Naperville, he said.

The building will be a traditional church structure, Garrigan said.

“Basically, there will be some ancillary facilities for educational activities, a gym and a couple of gathering rooms,” he said. “There’s no school per se but they will have educational programs.” 

The property will be zoned R1. Under village ordinances, churches require special use permits.

Depending on when the church submits the final version of the annexation agreement, the project could go before the village board this Monday. The village plan commission has already recommended approval, Garrigan said.

If the final plan is OK’d this fall, it’s likely construction will begin in the spring and be finished by the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013, he said.

This is the second time the Mormon church is attempting to build a church in Plainfield. In 2007, church officials purchased five acres on 127th Street but had to abandon plans because they weren’t able to get utilities extended to the site, Garrigan said.

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The Board of Education approved Wilke’s appointment at its July 18, 2011 regular meeting. She replaces Eileen Nelson, who led Ridge since the school opened in 2002. Nelson resigned in June to take a principal position in another district.

Wilke started her education career in 1996, serving for three years as a 3^rd and 5^th grade teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada.

She taught 7^th and 8^th grade mathematics and science in Schaumburg, Illinois from 2000-2005, then came to District 202 in 2005 as a 6^th grade math and science teacher at Ira Jones Middle School from 2005-2008.

Wilke has served in her current position since 2008. She is pursuing her doctorate through Aurora University.

“Mrs. Wilke’s wide range of classroom teaching and administrative experience both in District 202 and outside of our district makes her a very strong candidate for this position,” said Mark Heiss, director of elementary administration and personnel.

“We are confident she will serve the Ridge community very well,” Heiss said.

Wilke said she is honored to be the principal at Ridge Elementary School. 

“The commitment to students’ successes and traditions at Ridge reinforce my dedication to teaching and learning,” she said. “I am privileged to become a part of your community and look forward to collaborating with parents, faculty, and students as the new principal of Ridge.” 

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A Montgomery man was killed early Sunday morning after the motorcycle he was driving struck a concrete median on Ridge Road, Plainfield police said.

Brian Orick, 39, of Briarcliff Road, Montgomery, was transported to Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora, where he was pronounced dead.

Plainfield police received the call about a crash on Ridge Road, south of 127th Street, at 1:16 a.m., according to a media release issued by the department. Based on a preliminary investigation, it’s believed Orick was driving north on Ridge Road, collided with the median and was thrown from his 2007 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the release said.

Ridge Road was closed for four hours while the department’s crash reconstruction unit investigated the accident.

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Timber Ridge Middle School 8th grader Elise Cortez will get to see three foreign cultures up close and personal.

Cortez will visit Italy, Greece and France over 20 days starting June 19, 2011 as a Student Ambassador for the People to People program.

People to People, formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower allows students in5th through 12th grades to travel internationally to experience foreign cultures and do community service.

Eisenhower believed that “encounters between people of different backgrounds would form the foundation for lasting world peace,” according to Eisenhower’s granddaughter, Mary Jean Eisenhower, President and CEO of People to People International.

Cortez, who will attend Plainfield High School – Central Campus next fall is also an accomplished pianist and figure skater. She is studying Arabic, French and Italian through Northwestern University.

Students are nominated to or can apply for the program, and then must be interviewed by a panel of People to People representatives. They are chosen based on their maturity and leadership skills.

In addition to seeing significant cultural landmarks, Student Ambassadors also spend time with a host family and do local community service projects both at home and abroad.

Cortez said she is likes history and cultural studies, but simply reading about them in a book cannot possibly compare to experiencing them in person.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and going places I’ve always wanted to go,” she said. “The best part will be getting out of the classroom and actually seeing and experiencing the culture first hand,” Cortez said.

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Timber Ridge Middle School 8th grade science teacher Matthew Haubert is that teacher, according to one of his students, Sante Deserio.

Haubert was named the 2011 Illinois DeMolay Teacher of the Year based on Deserio’s essay highlighting Haubert’s inspirational teaching and support.

Illinois DeMolay is a Masonic youth leadership and character development program for young men ages 12 to 21.

“If you are looking for a science teacher that just doesn’t teach science, then look no further,” Deserio wrote in his nomination.

“Mr. Haubert doesn’t just teach science, he teaches middle school eighth graders how to prepare themselves not only for his class but for high school and college too,” Deserio wrote. “He teaches them how to prepare for life and the real world.”

Deserio praised Haubert, a 10-year teaching veteran, for his simple and concise teaching style, motivational methods, sense of humor and organizational skills.

Haubert starts each day with a quote from a famous person like Einstein, Twain “and some from people that I have never heard of,” Deserio wrote.

His favorite, Deserio said, is “Every once in a while think to yourself, are people better off for knowing you?”

Haubert’s insistence on personal organization and accountability has already made a strong impression on Deserio. “You will need to know that mommy or daddy won’t be there in high school and college to hold your hand and wake you up and remind you what the date is,” Deserio wrote.

“I think that if I incorporate these skills in my studies it will help me in not only high school but also college and the rest of my life. Mr. Haubert has helped me to finally realize that school can be fun,” Deserio wrote.

Haubert said the honor is both personally and professionally validating. As well, it shows that young people can and will participate in the world in a positive way, if they’re properly supported.

“It says a lot for kids from Timber Ridge and from our community,” he said. “It takes a lot for an 8th grader to write a letter like this. It means a lot to me. It’s a reminder why you really do what you do,” Haubert said.
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The students participated in a month long math-a-thon that ended in February. They completed a series of math problems in a math workbook in exchange for pledges from family members and friends.

The students could arrange to earn money for each problem they complete correctly, for completing the entire workbook, or for completing sections of problems.

In addition to the math-a-thon itself, Timber Ridge math teachers sold special pencils in class to help raise money. Students also sold and delivered carnations for Valentine’s Day, and the Timber Ridge Student Council donated $2,000.

“Our students enjoy these community services projects, and the best part is knowing that they made a significant difference in the battle against cancer and other deadly diseases at St. Jude’s,” Timber Ridge Math Teacher Heather French said.

All of the money raised will go directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Eighty-five percent of the money funds research and treatment for the kids.

This is Timber Ridge’s third year participating in the math-a-thon. Over three years the school has raised $31,503.86.

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Zychal wrote her essay in November for Storyworks Magazine’s “Everglades” essay contest, after learning about the contest through the TR Wolf Writers Club.

She read and researched a selection in the magazine and then entered the contest, which required her to write a paragraph explaining the cause of the Burmese python invasion.

In her congratulatory letter, Storyworks Magazine Assistant Editor Robbin Friedman told Zychal, “You wrote a clear, well-structured paragraph and did a great job using details from the story.”

“I thought my essay was pretty good,” Zychal said. “I put a lot of detail into it.”

As the winner, Zychal received a copy of “Scat,” by Carl Hiaasen as well as the congratulatory letter.

“I was really excited when I found out and happy I had been picked from all the other entries,” Zychal said.

“My mom was really excited when I told her I won because she has helped and supported me,” Zychal added. “My friend was really excited too.”

Members of the Timber Ridge Wolf Writers Club meet weekly to complete writing exercises and to share pieces the members have written or are writing.

“The students are given information about contests and are encouraged to enter those that interest them,” Wolf Writers Sponsor Cathy Askeland said. “Natalie really likes entering the writing contests.”

Zychal has already submitted a short story for another contest and is awaiting the results.

“I just really like to write,” she said with a smile.
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The fourth and fifth grade students will perform for the residents while they enjoy their breakfast, around 9:15 a.m. The Timbers of Shorewood assisted living and short-term stay retirement community is located at 1100 North River Road, Shorewood.

The Ridge Singing Club includes more than 60 fourth and fifth grade students. During their visit to the Timbers, the students will perform in groups simultaneously in various areas of the assisted living community.

Fourth grade students will sing one song together and then will separate into two groups to sing two additional songs. The fifth grade students will perform an additional two songs. All of the performances will fit a winter theme.

Ridge Music Teacher Matthew Milam formed the school’s Singing Club this year to provide students with a musical outlet after choir and band were cut at the elementary level for budgetary purposes last year.

The students voluntarily meet with Milam once a week during their lunch and recess time to learn more about music and practice.

The Singing Club’s first performance was during the school’s fundraiser at Barnes and Noble in Joliet. This will be the first time most of the students have performed for an unfamiliar audience.

“This is their first opportunity to get out in the public and have a new audience,” Milam said. “From what I have heard, the audience is really receptive to groups and we will be able to talk to them afterwards, so I am anticipating a really good event.”

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The Ridge PTO is hosting its second annual Barnes & Noble shopping night from 4-8 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble near the Louis Joliet Mall in Joliet. During that time, customers can choose to donate a portion of their purchase to the Ridge PTO to support the school, students, and staff members.

Throughout the night, District 202 staff members and Ridge students will read books aloud in the children’s section of the store. The Ridge Elementary Singing Club, comprising fourth and fifth grade students, will also perform, and artwork created by Ridge students will be on display.

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