Monroe School completed its “Stuff the Squad” initiative for HCS Family Services, as announced on April 22. The event brought together students, families, and local police to collect goods and cash donations in support of community needs.
The campaign aimed to increase student involvement this year. All students were invited to shop at the Monroe Market, where their purchases contributed directly to filling squad cars with supplies. Families also sent cash donations that were used to buy additional items for HCS Family Services.
On Tuesday morning, collected goods and donations were delivered to Monroe School. The Hinsdale Police Department arrived with four squad cars, which were filled with the donated items. Organizers said this was a record-setting outcome for the drive.
The success of “Stuff the Squad” reflected significant volunteer effort from both parents and students. PTO president Emily Grzelakowski and PTO VP of Communications Susie Thorpe led parent volunteers, while student groups like Kids Care Club and Student Council also played key roles.
Monroe Elementary is part of Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181, which serves DuPage and Cook counties through several schools including Clarendon Hills Middle School, Elm Elementary School, Hinsdale Middle School, Madison Elementary School, Oak Elementary School, Prospect Elementary School, The Lane Elementary School, Walker School as well as Monroe itself according to the Illinois Report Card. District data shows there are 282 teachers earning an average salary of $94,227 before pension contributions; about 90 percent are women according to state records.
Hinsdale Community Consolidated District 181 has a diverse enrollment: nearly seventy percent White students; fifteen percent Asian; almost seven percent Hispanic; just over one percent Black according to state data. In 2020 it spent $31,308 per student—totaling over $117 million districtwide as reported by ISBE. Chronic truancy remains low at only four students in that year—a rate much lower than the statewide average according to ISBE figures.
District 181 enrolled more than three thousand seven hundred students in grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade during the most recent school year tracked by state education officials according to official statistics.
