Three VVSD Schools Earn Exemplary Designation From Illinois State Board of Education

BOLINGBROOK, IL — Three Valley View Community Unit School District 365U schools earned the “Exemplary” designation from the Illinois State Board of Education based on the 2024-25 data posted to the Illinois Report Card, according to a news release from VVSD.

B.J. Ward Elementary, Hermansen Elementary, and Jane Addams Middle School earned the top "Exemplary" designation in acknowledgment of their performance in the top 10 percent of schools statewide, the District said.

All other VVSD schools were rated “Commendable," the second-highest rating for the 2024-25 school year.

This is the third year in a row Jane Addams Middle School has earned the Exemplary designation, the District said. B.J. Ward Elementary and Hermansen Elementary combined to make history as the first VVSD elementary schools to earn Exemplary status.

The Exemplary Designation is the highest of five possible "Summative Designations" for public schools in Illinois, the District said. It signifies that a school performs in the top 10 percent of all schools in the state and has no underperforming student groups. This designation reflects strong performance across multiple indicators, including academic growth, achievement and attendance.

“This is certainly exciting news for the Jane Addams, B.J. Ward, and Hermansen school communities, and is a reflection of the dedication of the staff members at each school, the hard work of students, and the support of families,” said VVSD Superintendent Dr. Keith Wood.

“The designations at these three schools are also confirmation that the effort all across the District by our staff, and the commitment of the community, is laying the foundation for positive results," VVSD Board of Education President Steve Quigley said in a release.

ISBE’s Annual Summative Designation is based on each school’s performance on the Illinois Report Card. Schools are assigned points for each indicator (like chronic absenteeism, academic growth, etc.), and these points are weighted to calculate a total score. The threshold score for the Exemplary designation changes each year, based on the statewide data. There are five possible designations: Exemplary, Commendable, Targeted Support, Comprehensive Support and Intensive Support.