Monday, April 8, 2013
Two dancers from The Dillon-Gavin School of Irish Dance placed at the competition held last month.
The Dillon-Gavin School of Irish Dance in Des Plaines recently sent five qualified dancers to compete at the World Irish Dance Championships held March 24-31, 2013 in Boston, Mass. This annual, week-long competition featured 6,000 top Irish dancers from all over the world. Kristjan Gudmundson (U12), Niles, placed fourth overall and Ronan Donahue (U13), Park Ridge, tied for 11th, in their respective age groups at World’s. Both dancers are now World Medal Holders and are therefore qualified for next year’s World’s competition in London, England. Kristjan earned the distinction of being the highest placing North American dancer in his age group and has proven that you don’t need to be of Irish descent to excel at the sport.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
A roundup of the most-read stories from March 31 to April 6.
Woman Screams After Waking to Intruder in Cowboy Hat published April 1. Grazie! Banquets Building up for Auction published April 3. Des Plaines Panera Gets Makeover published April 2. Cops Arrest Man Accused of Maine Township Burglaries published April 2. D-207 Cuts Deal with Maine West Coach Fired in Hazing Case published April 2. Find Patch on Facebook and click the like button.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Law enforcement, experts on hazing and victims of abuse speak at the Des Plaines Park District Leisure Center on May 22, Journal and Topics Newspapers reported.
Plans for a public forum about bullying and hazing are underway. The forum, which will include law enforcement officials, experts on bullying and hazing and victims of abuse, was organized in the wake of reports and investigations into incidents of sexual assault and abuse at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Journal and Topics Newspapers reported. The hazing forum will be held at the Des Plaines Park District Leisure Center, 2222 Birch St. on May 22, Journal and Topics Newspapers reported. The local news outlet is sponsoring the event. Maine Township High School District 207 and Maine West have been entangled in a hazing scandal that came to light last fall, when students on the varsity soccer team reported incidents of abuse. Since …
Maine Township High School District 207 stated a statement made by a lawyer representing current and former Maine West High School students in a hazing lawsuit was “inaccurate and self-serving.”
Maine Township High School District 207 criticized a statement made by a lawyer in a hazing lawsuit regarding its agreement with a former employee. Michael Divincenzo, a former Maine West High School teacher and soccer coach fired over hazing allegations, dropped his appeal of the termination and agreed to cooperate with Maine Township High School District 207 in its defense of a lawsuit, D-207 stated on Monday. Antonio Romanucci the lawyer representing current and former Maine West High School students in a hazing lawsuit filed against district employees including Divincenzo, another former teacher and soccer coach and the principal at Maine West. “What once was an adversarial proceeding between Maine West and Coach Divo has now evolved …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Michael Divincenzo, a former Maine West High School varsity boys’ soccer coach, denied any wrongdoing in a statement regarding his dismissal of an appeal to his termination from Maine Township High School District 207.
A former Maine West High School soccer coach fired over hazing allegations has dropped his appeal of the termination and agreed to cooperate with Maine Township High School District 207 in its defense of a lawsuit. Michael Divincenzo said his decision to drop the challenge to his firing should not be construed as an admission of guilt. “I know that I have done nothing wrong and intend to vigorously contest the allegations in the pending civil case,” Divincenzo stated. “This has been a difficult decision that was made in the best interests of my family.” Current and former students sued District 207 and school officials alleging that bullying and hazing was allowed to go on for years. One of the four Maine West students suing school …
Monday, April 1, 2013
Lake Park, Mountain View and the Golf Center will all be open for area golfers on April 5. Fore!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
In light of Rob Komosa's recent death, the Gridiron Alliance is pushing that the district obtain more student-athlete insurance.
The Gridiron Alliance is urging the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 to provide catastrophic accident insurance for student athletes in light of Rob Komosa’s death, the Daily Herald reports. Komosa was a former Rolling Meadows High School football player who was paralyzed from his injuries sustained during practice in 1999. He passed away last week at the age of 30. After his injury, the school district settled a lawsuit regarding the incident for $12.5 million, the newspaper reports. According to the Illinois General Assembly website, legislation for schools to provide catastrophic accident insurance for athletes injured in Illinois High School Association events passed through a senate panel last week. It now heads to the …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The Maine Township High School Board of Education will receive a status update on reports of hazing at Maine West High School in Des Plaines on Wednesday, according to a D-207 spokesperson.
Maine Township High School District 207 announced it will convene a special board meeting to discuss the report of hazing at Maine West High School on Wednesday. During the closed session portion of the meeting, board members are scheduled to discuss employment of employees and pending and probable or imminent litigation, according to the agenda. The public meeting, which is scheduled to take place in the principal’s conference room at Maine West at 4:30 p.m., according to the agenda, will include a period of time for public comments. David Beery, spokesperson for D-207, stated in an email to Patch that the board would not take any action at the meeting on Wednesday. “The board is getting a status update on matters relating to the hazing …
The athletic camps include baseball, basketball, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field, volleyball camps.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Christopher Addante will leave the position at the end of the school year, the Chicago Tribune reports.
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Wednesday, March 13
The Maine West High School Athletic Director will leave his post the end of the school year, the Chicago Tribune reports. Christopher Addante is leaving his position as athletic director, but will continue as a business education teacher. His decision to step-down was made to spend more time with family, and has nothing to do with the hazing scandal at the high school, the newspaper reports.
