• 1717 Emerald Pointe Cir. closed at $112,500 (F)
• 1607 Lake Pointe Ct. closed at $114,010 (F)
• 1903 Arbor Fields Dr. closed at $115,001 (F)
• 5815 Emerald Pointe Cir. closed at $122,000 (F)
• 1712 Whispering Oakds Dr. closed at $130,000 (F)
• 2055 Winding Lakes Dr. closed at $132,000 (S)
• 5813 Emerald Pointe Dr. closed at $132,000
• 2222 Candlewood Dr. closed at $136,000 (F)
• 2202 Wesmere Lakes Dr. closed at $140,600 (F)
• 5508 Hickory Grove Ct. closed at $145,900 (F)
• 5612 Cider Grove Ct. closed at $146,900 (F)
• 1718 Emerald Pointe Cir. closed at $147,000 (F)
• 1905 Westmore Grove Dr. closed at $147,500 (F)
• 1915 Long Ridge Ct. closed at $149,000 (F)
• 1824 Arbor Falls Dr. closed at $150,000 (S)
• 5319 White Oaks Ct. closed at $150,000
• 1901 Westmore Grove closed at $151,900 (F)
• 1905 Long Ridge Ct. closed at $159,000
• 1707 Lake Pointe closed at $160,000 (S)
• 2313 Willow Lakes Dr. closed at $167,500
• 5830 Lake Pointe closed at $177,500
• 1806 Whispering Oaks Ct. closed at $182,000
• 5507 Hickory Grove Ct. closed at $183,000 (S)
• 2205 Wesmere Lakes Dr. closed at $190,000
• 1914 Chestnut Grove Dr. closed at $195,000
• 1713 Tall Oaks Dr. closed at $214,900
• 1702 Grand Highlands closed at $219,000
• 5718 Arbor Gate closed at $227,000

Properties with an (F) after them indicate a foreclosure and those with an (S) indicate a short sale.

57% of the home sales that have closed in the Wesmere subdivision in the last 6 months were distressed home sales.  42% of the market share in Wesmere were sales based on foreclosed homes, while only 14% of the distressed homes that sold were short sales.

Short sales offer home sellers that are behind in their payments a better opportunity to sell their home and begin rebuilding their financial opportunities for credit much sooner than a foreclosure will allow.

If you or someone you know is facing foreclosure, please contact me at 630-673-6233.  I list and sell property in both Will and DuPage county and I specialize in short sales for both buyers and sellers.

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Short Sale Specialist
630-673-6233

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But you will find her artwork — about Google — there.

Schmidt was one of 400 national finalists in the techno-giant’s annual “Doodle for Google” art contest.

More than 107,000 entries were received this past winter and early spring from students in four age groups. Each used or decorated the word “Google” to artistically represent the contest theme of, “What I’d like to do someday…”

Wesmere differentiation specialist Diane Barrett has encouraged her students to enter each of the last three years. The first two years, Wesmere limited the contest to 3rd-5th graders, but opened it to anyone this year. Schmidt is the first Wesmere student to be named a national finalist.

Schmidt learned of her success in early May. A panel of Google employees and guest judges whittles the 400 state finalists to a group of 40 regional finalists.

The public voted on the 40 to choose four national winners per age group. Finally, Google executives picked the national winner, who was announced on May 19, 2011.

Schmidt’s doodle is one of two chosen to represent the K-3 age group for Illinois. She received a T-shirt and certificate.

More important than the prize though, was the chance to practice her art, the 8-year-old said.

“I love to do art. That’s why my favorite (class) at school is art,” she said.

Schmidt’s doodle represents her dream to be a teacher. Each letter in “Google” is a classroom-related item – for example, one of the “G’s” looks like a backpack; a globe stands in for one of the “O’s”; a pencil is the letter “L”; and a tape dispenser represents the letter “E.”

“I was trying to make stuff that is in a classroom because I want to be a teacher when I grow up,” Schmidt said.

“Mom helped me with some ideas,” Schmidt said, praising her mother’s artistic skills.

Schmidt’s dad, Jeff Schmidt, shared his daughter’s praise for his wife’s artistic skills, but emphasized that Melissa did all the drawing herself.

“It’s not a surprise at all” that Melissa did well in the contest, Jeff Schmidt said.

“She takes after my wife. Ever since “Melissa” was old enough to hold a crayon, she has been beyond her years in her artistic abilities,” he said.

For more information about the “Doodle for Google” contest, and to see the 400 state finalists, please visit: www.google.com/doodle4google/winners_state.html

View full post on Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202

Kindergarten through fifth grade students will be working out to a Wii video game during their regularly scheduled P.E. classes the week of January 24 through January 28, 2011.

The students have also invited their parents or grandparents to join them as they workout to one of the “Just Dance” video games projected on the wall of the gymnasium for their 35-minute P.E. period.

Fourth and fifth grade students will work out to “Just Dance 2,” third grade students will work out to “Just Dance,” and second grade and younger students will work out to “Just Dance Kids.” Classes meet Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wesmere is located at 2001 Wesmere Parkway, Plainfield.

“It’s really about always moving and just exercising,” Wesmere P.E. and health teacher Tracy Bruinsma said.

During each period the classes are divided into two sides so the students can follow the dance moves of the character on their side. The students and parents who attend are encouraged to do their best and just keep moving while the P.E. teachers hold onto the Wii controllers.

“Don’t just focus on your feet,” Bruinsma instructed a fourth grade class. “Try to move your hands too, and if you can’t keep up, just focus on one or the other.”

As the music and dancing started, the students laughed and tried their best to emulate the person on the screen.

“This is about participation, exercise, heart rate, and fun,” Bruinsma said.
View full post on Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202

Vershay, a 27-year veteran educator, will replace Wesmere Principal Dr. Gene Carlson, who is retiring at the end of the school year. Carlson opened Wesmere as principal in 1995. The District 202 Board of Education approved Vershay’s appointment at its regular meeting on January 24, 2011.

Vershay started her teaching career in 1984 as a teaching assistant at Braidwood Elementary School in Reed Custer School District.

She then taught as a primary teacher from 1986-1990 at Walsh School in Will County District 92; and as a primary teacher from 1990-2001 in Troy School District 30C.

In 2001, Vershay became the Assistant Principal at Braidwood Elementary School, the same school she began her career at as a teaching assistant.

The next year Vershay came to District 202. She has served in her current position as Wesmere’s assistant principal since 2002.

“The best part of my new role is that I have already established a rapport with the families,” Vershay said.

In her nine years as assistant principal at Wesmere Vershay has further developed the school’s character education program, instituted a recognition program for positive lunch behaviors, and began staff recognition programs.

She has also served on several district level committees as well as Wesmere’s five year strategic planning team and Wesmere’s School Improvement Team.

“It’s a no brainer,” Carlson said when asked how he feels about leaving the school he has helped to build over the past 15 years to Vershay.

“I am thankful she has stayed here as long as she has,” Carlson said. “She was ready to be a principal five years ago, this is just a formality,” he added.

“I have trained under one of the best,” Vershay said. “I look forward to continuing the excellence he has established.”
View full post on Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202

The Friends of Rachel Club is a school-wide program at PHSCC created in memory of Rachel Joy Scott, the first person killed in the Columbine school shooting. The goal of the Club is to spread the message Rachel lived throughout her life, to begin a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.

PHSCC juniors and Friends of Rachel Club members Nick Tyrell and Rachel Perine visited fifth grade students in Robin Sohovich’s class. They asked the students to help organize a school-wide — and eventually a district-wide — pop tab collection.

The high school students showed a short video explaining the meaning behind the pop tab collection.

The collection was started in New York by Victor Armstead, who was touched after hearing Scott’s story. But just three days after Armstead organized the first pop tab collection for a local hospital, he died in a car accident.

Each year since the accident schools and organizations have been working toward Armstead’s goal of collecting 4 million pop tabs. He intended to cash them in and donate the proceeds to a local Shriners hospital in New York.

This year PHSCC will likewise hold a pop tab collection drive. The Friends of Rachel Club members visited the Wesmere fifth grade students to ask for their help in motivating the students and staff members at Wesmere to do the same.

All pop tabs collected will be sent to New York to help meet Armstead’s goal, while simultaneously creating a “chain reaction” of kindness in the spirit of Rachel Joy Scott.

“Victor made a difference and he showed people how to make a difference as well,” Tyrell said. “With the help of others all over the country, we are going to try to fill three pickup truck beds full of pop tabs.”

The fifth grade students are going to design a flier and attach plastic bags to each flier to pass out to Wesmere teachers to collect pop tabs from their classes.

The goal is to collect as many pop tabs as possible by March, so additional fundraisers can be held to support shipping the tabs to New York by May.

Last year, 3.3 million pop tabs were collected in Armstead’s memory and the District 202 students are confident they can make a difference to help reach the 4 million tab mark this spring.

“We are just trying to start a chain reaction of kindness,” Tyrell said. “Hopefully it will catch on.”
View full post on Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202

The famous explorers — actually fifth grade students in Tracy Hood’s class — will explain how their explorations were important.

The “Explorer Museum” will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 22, 2010, at the school, 2001 Wesmere Parkway, Plainfield.

The fifth grade students will dress up as their explorer for the museum. They will also “become” their explorer by presenting their projects to visitors and answering questions.

Students chose between creating a poster board or a PowerPoint presentation to share their research. The students who made PowerPoint presentations will show their presentations on laptops and throughout the day on the Smartboard as well.

In addition, the students conducted research and wrote a paper on an early explorer. In their papers, the students had to explain the early life of the explorer, the exploration that made him or her famous, and the important contributions they made as a result of the exploration.

“All of my students came to the first Explorer’s Museum last year as fourth graders, and were actually looking forward to the project,” Wesmere fifth grade teacher Tracy Hood said. “They asked me when they were going to have a museum.”
View full post on Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202

Located on a premium lakefront lot, the home at 2124 Wesmere Lakes Dr. features a 1st floor study, private master bathroom, gorgeous views from every window, deck, and hardwood floors on the entire first floor.

Wesmere is part of a clubhouse community.   All homeowners have access to the private clubhouse, tennis courts, exercise room, volleyball court, and party room for a low monthly association fee.

 2124 Wesmere Lakes Dr.
Located in the Wesmere Subdivision

Fireplace, wood floors, premium lakefront lot.

1st floor study with french doors.

This is actually one of my favorite rooms in this home.
Not only is the mural an adorable addition to the room…
the view of the lake from here is beautiful!  

The deck completes the benefit of having a lake in your back yard!
Perfect for entertaining, or just enjoying a quiet evening listening to the crickets and bullfrogs.

This is not a short sale and the seller can close quickly.
If you, or someone you know is looking for a beautiful home in Plainfield IL, this could be it!
Call me at 630-673-6233 to set up a private showing of this A+ home.

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Homes for Sale
630-673-6233

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Second grade students in Mueller’s class will welcome their grandparents or special friends from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. on Friday, September 10, 2010, in their classroom for Lisa Mueller’s ninth annual Grandparent’s Day Luncheon. Wesmere is located at 2001 Wesmere Parkway, Plainfield.

The students have several activities planned including making as many words as possible out of the word “grandparents,” completing a Venn diagram comparing their grandparents’ school lives to their own, singing songs and eating lunch.

“This special day gives the kids and grandparents an opportunity to compare their school lives, and for the students to show them what they have done so far in class, what their classroom looks like, and have a social lunch in the mere enjoyment of one another’s company,” Mueller said.
View full post on Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202

• 1711 Heritage Pointe Dr. closed for $176,000.
• 2312 Willow Lakes Dr. closed for $189,000.
• 2212 Candlewood Dr. closed for $192,000.
• 1914 Chestnut Grove closed for $195,000.

The house at 1711 Heritage Pointe Dr. is BEAUTIFUL!  The new buyers are LUCKY! I had shown it many times when it was a foreclosure, but the investor that bought it made it shine like a model home!  It was top notch when this rehab investor got done with it.

AND… actually, the listing at 2212 Candlewood Dr. was my listing, and it is beautiful too! The new owners are going to love their new home as much as my clients did.  It sold really quickly because these sellers were really smart about pricing their home correctly.  They listened to my professional advice, and their home sold in just over 3 months!

If you are not in a short sale situation and you do not price your home correctly, you will be holding on to it forever.  The market is still declining.  Your home is worth more today that it will be tomorrow, so don’t be greedy when it comes to an asking price… or you will have your house all to yourself, for a very long time to come.

If you are thinking about selling your home in this market and you are ready to get real about price, call me.  I can sell your home in this market.  All homes will sell at the right price, given the right motivation.

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Homes for Sale
630-673-6233

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The Greater Joliet Area YMCA – Kidz Zone Before & After School Program

The YMCA partners with 7 school districts in the Will and Grundy County area to provide the Kidz Zone Before and After School Recreational program to busy working parents in 34 schools. YMCA Before and After School Programs ensure children develop friendships and are given a unique mix of activities that focus on developmental assets, the building blocks that teach children how to make positive decisions.

While in a YMCA Before and After School program, children participate in a balanced program of open play and structured activities while being supervised by well-trained and caring staff who teach, model, and reinforce the Christian character values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.  Additionally, nutritious snacks are provided and children can also receive care on school holidays and other days off of school.  YMCA Youth Programs ensure every child deepens positive values, their commitment to service, and their motivation to learn. In each program, children develop to their fullest potential in partnership with their families. Best of all, YMCA Before and After School Programs are AFFORDABLE.

This program serves Kindergarten-5th graders in the Plainfield, Troy, Joliet and Minooka School Districts. Children do arts & crafts, play games, develop friendships, and learn lessons that will last a lifetime. Morning program runs 7-start of school; afternoon is end of school-6pm.

A $45 non refundable registration fee*, fist of 10 installment payments, and YMCA membership fee is due at registration time. The remaining 9 payments are paid via automatic withdrawal from a checking account. All participants must have Full or Program Membership with the YMCA. Program participants may start attending 4 business days after the day the registration is completed. For more information contact our Welcome Center at (815) 267-8600. (*PLEASE NOTE: Due to high registration volumes prior to the start of school, the registration fee for those who register between 8/10/2009 and 9/5/2009 will be $70 per child instead of the usual fee.)

2009/2010 School Year Rates
Before & After:  $290/$310 mo. installment
Before Only:       $195/$215 mo. installment
After Only:          $240/$260 mo. installment

Plainfield On-Site* Schools
For more information contact Erin Williams at (815) 267-8900 x211 or visit the Avery branch.

• Central
• Charles Reed
• Creekside
• Crystal Lawns***
• Eagle Pointe
• Elizabeth Eichelberger
• Freedom
• Grand Prairie
• Lakewood Falls
• Liberty
• Lincoln
• Meadowview
• Ridge
• River View
• Thomas Jefferson
• Walkers Grove
• Wesmere

***bussed to and from Grand Prairie
* On-Site Kidz Zone: Children participate in activities at their school. A minimum of 15 participants is required by August 1st of the upcoming school year for programs to be held on-site. Sites that do not meet the minimum number of participants will be bussed to the closest feasible site.

The YMCA also offers the Kidz Zone Program for all Troy 30C schools, all Minooka schools and select Joliet District 86 schools. Contact Galowich Welcome Center at (815) 729-9622 for more information.

For more information visit the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, aka the Plainfield YMCA.

What do you do for your kids? Do you have experience with the YMCA program? Please share your experiences and comment below!