Monroe School hosts cosmic bowling event for students and families

Monroe School students celebrated the end of their Physical Education bowling unit with a Cosmic Bowling event, according to a Feb. 11 announcement. The activity was led by PE teachers Ms. Marcucci and Ms. Button, who transformed the gymnasium into a black-light bowling alley with music and disco lights.

The event marked the conclusion of a unit where students practiced bowling skills. Families were invited to participate alongside their children, creating an opportunity for community engagement as parents joined in the games and cheered on students. The equipment used for cosmic bowling was purchased by Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 through a grant from the D181 Foundation, allowing multiple schools to share these resources.

Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 includes Monroe Elementary School along with several other schools in DuPage and Cook counties, as reported by the Illinois State Board of Education. The district enrolled 3,743 students during the 2019-2020 school year and serves grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in Clarendon Hills and DuPage County, according to state data.

The district employs 282 teachers who earn an average salary of $94,227 before pension contributions; ninety percent are women and ten percent are men. No teacher had more than ten absences in a school year, according to state records. Demographically, the student body is composed of approximately 69.8 percent White, 1.1 percent Black, 6.8 percent Hispanic, and 15.4 percent Asian students as reported by ISBE.

In terms of spending, Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 spent $31,308 per student in 2020 for a total expenditure of $117 million according to official figures. Chronic truancy rates remain low within the district: only four students were classified as chronically truant during the 2020 school year—a rate of just 0.1 percent—compared to a statewide average of 9.6 percent as noted by ISBE.

The Cosmic Bowling event at Monroe School highlights efforts within District 181 to foster both skill development and community involvement among its students.