2025 Year in Review: Steering Through Change, Staying Grounded in People

Dr. Michael Lubelfeld | December 2025

As we approach the end of another year, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the collective achievements and impressive spirit of our students, staff, families, and community. The period from January to December 2025 has been marked by significant progress, innovation, and recognition for North Shore School District 112. It is my pleasure to share some of the highlights that have defined our year and reinforced our shared commitment to excellence.

This was a year of doing many things at once—strengthening the fundamentals that families rely on every day, while also pushing the system to adapt faster to what’s coming next. Not because change is trendy, but because schools can’t afford to be late.

The headline of the year: “Who decides?”

Our most defining work with artificial intelligence wasn’t really about AI tools—it was about governance.

We reframed a common question (“How do we use AI?”) into a better one:

Who gets to decide how we use AI in school?

That shift changed everything. Instead of treating AI as just another ed-tech rollout, we approached it as a learning-and-leadership challenge grounded in people, ethics, equity, and genuine student agency.

Student voice moved from “input” to “co-authorship.”

A major focus in 2025 was making student voice authentic—not symbolic.

That meant creating structured opportunities for students to:

• test and learn within clear guardrails,

• build AI literacy through real tasks (not hype),

• shape norms and expectations around responsible use,

• and contribute meaningfully to how we think about AI in learning.

When we treat students like partners in the work, trust grows faster—and the quality of the work improves.

Adult readiness: momentum, mixed feelings, and honest concerns

We also observed an increasing use of AI by educators for planning, differentiation, productivity, and operational support. At the same time, staff and community concerns remained real and worth addressing—not to be dismissed.

In 2025, we had to hold two truths at once:

• AI can help teachers and students in practical ways.

• AI also raises legitimate questions about privacy, integrity, equity, and environmental impact.

My stance stayed consistent: cautious optimism with guardrails.

Culture and community: the work behind the work

Innovation gets attention. Culture determines whether innovation survives.

This year included steady, unglamorous work:

• tightening communication rhythms,

• reinforcing professional learning and expectations,

• listening through disagreement,

• and leading with clarity when consensus wasn’t available.

Public education is not a “make everyone happy” business. It’s a “be coherent, transparent, and student-centered” business.

The program reflection stayed on the table

2025 also included continued reflection on academic programming—asking hard questions about sustainability, access, and long-term direction. That includes dual language conversations and how we evaluate programs through the lenses of equity, design, and community needs.

Program evaluation is not a verdict. It’s a discipline.

Our district’s dedication to academic excellence was prominently recognized this year. On the 2025 Illinois School Report Card, all nine of our schools earned one of the top two state designations. We are incredibly proud that Braeside Elementary School achieved the highest possible ‘Exemplary’ rating, placing it among the top 10% of schools statewide, while our other eight schools earned strong ‘Commendable’ ratings. This is a powerful validation of our educators’ hard work and our students’ perseverance. It also reflects the impact of our focused instructional efforts.

Across the district, we have now seen over four years of continuous growth in literacy achievement, laying a strong foundation for student success. We remain sharply focused on our “Wildly Important Goal” (WIG) of improving English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency. This year our students performed in the 88th percentile statewide in ELA and 90th percentile in math

Modernization and sustainability remained part of our identity

This year marked a historic milestone in our long-range facilities plan. In August, we celebrated the grand reopening of Ravinia Elementary School, a project that transformed our oldest school into a state-of-the-art learning environment.

The multi-million-dollar “gut rehab,” made possible by our community’s overwhelming support of the 2022 referendum, has beautifully blended the school’s century-old architecture with cutting-edge features. A highlight of this modernization is the installation of a pioneering geothermal HVAC system – the first of its kind in a U.S. public school – which is expected to significantly increase the building’s energy efficiency.

Our commitment to providing modern facilities continues with the modernization of Sherwood Elementary School. Following a groundbreaking ceremony in February 2025, this project is now more than halfway complete. When finished, Sherwood will feature a new gymnasium, a redesigned main entrance for enhanced safety, a new library, and its own geothermal heating and cooling system.

Meanwhile, we also initiated a major renovation of Braeside Elementary School in August 2025, marking the start of the final phase of our facilities plan. 

A personal note: leadership beyond the district

Outside the district, I continued to learn publicly—through leadership networks, national conversations, fellowships connected to AI and education, and ongoing writing. I don’t separate “district leadership” from “field leadership.” If we’re learning something that matters, we should share it.

What 2025 taught me (again)

If I had to sum up the year’s lesson, it’s this:

Change is coming either way. The question is whether we lead it—or let it lead us.

I’m grateful for the students, staff, families, and community partners who stayed with us—especially when the work was complex. That’s what real progress looks like: not perfect agreement, but shared commitment to moving forward responsibly.

From my internal “End of Year Message to the Community”, sharing video messages from Symvol.io in both English and Spanish

3-minute Video Message in English from Letter (AI Created)

3 minutos Mensaje de video en espanol de una carta (creado por IA)

As we celebrate these many successes, I am also mindful of the challenges we have navigated along the way. Every achievement this year – whether a student’s academic breakthrough, a finished building project, or a community event – was the result of hard work, collaboration, and the resilient character of our District 112 family. It is truly an honor to serve a community that is so deeply invested in the success and well-being of its children.

The achievements of 2025 are a direct result of the powerful partnership among our dedicated educators, talented students, engaged families, and supportive community partners. Thank you for your support, your trust, and your shared commitment to our mission. Together, we have made this year one of incredible growth and pride for our district.

As we look ahead to 2026, I am filled with optimism and excitement for what the future holds for District 112. Wishing you a joyful and healthy new year!