Life Skills

For almost 20 years, the Human Service Division has offered ‘Life Skills’ instruction within 15 primary and middle schools, public and private, in Downers Grove Township. The 4,000 students served by this program focuses primarily on preventative education.

The program topics, which vary according to the student’s grade level as well as the school’s administrators’ preferences, include:

• Decision Making
• Problem Solving
• Media Literacy
• Violence Prevention/Conflict Resolution
• Goal Setting
• Drug Awareness
• Character Development

The Township employs on part-time teacher, Rebecca Adelman, and on full-time teacher, Jason Shiliga. These teachers update the Life Skills curriculum on a yearly basis, designing a curriculum that most appropriately meets the needs of the students they are serving. They use a variety of techniques to teach their material, including multimedia tools and experiential activities, which allow for individual and group participation.

 Life Skills  2011 Teaching Schedule

AUGUST

Week of the 29th:

• Fairmount School: Character Education

SEPTEMBER 

Week of the 5th:

• Lester School: Character Education

Week of the 12th:

• Lester School and Kingsley (5th grade): Character Education

Week of the 19th:

• Kingsley (4th grade) and St. Mary’s: Character Education

Week of the 26th:

• Lakeview: Character Education / Drug & Alcohol Prevention / Goal Setting & Stress Management
• Kingsley (5th grade): Character Education

OCTOBER  

Week of the 3rd:

• Our Lady of Peace: Character Education
• Clarendon Hills Middle School: Drug & Alcohol Prevention

Week of the 10th:

• Kingsley (6th grade): Character Education

Week of the 17th:

• Highlands: Character Education (5th grade) / Drug & Alcohol Prevention (6th grade)

Week of the 24th:

• Gower: Character Education (6th grade) / Goal Setting (8th grade)
• El Sierra: Character Education

Week of the 31st:

• Gower: Character Education

NOVEMBER 

Week of the 7th:

• St. Joseph’s: Character Education
• Westmont Jr High: Character Education

Week of the 14th:

• Puffer School: Character Education

Week of the 28th:

• Westmont Jr High: Goal Setting & Stress Management
• Belle Aire: Character Education

DECEMBER

Week of the 5th:

• Westmont Jr High: Drug & Alcohol Prevention

Week of the 12th:

• Clarendon Hills Middle School: Drug & Alcohol Prevention

For more information about Life Skills Eduction, please contact:

Jason Shiliga
Life Skills Education Coordinator
Division of Human Services
Phone: (630) 719-6670
Fax: (630) 719-6608