Thomas Watrobka

Heartland Principal Thomas Watrobka and a host of other dignitaries dedicated the school Sunday.The dedication was delayed until this year because construction still was being wrapped up when the school opened last year.Watrobka took note of the Heartland teachers who were at the dedication ceremony."You look a little more refreshed and rested than you did last year," Watrobka said.
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"We would like to grow into the building at a nice slow rate," Watrobka said.

Heartland Principal Tom Watrobka, previously principal at Mill Creek Elementary School since its inception six years ago, added that the office has a front window to monitor those entering the parking lot and approaching the school.

"At Mill Creek, we wanted an open atmosphere," Watrobka said."After Columbine, that open atmosphere became a concern."

He said the bay windows in almost every room will add to visibility, and that obstructed views in the hallways will be minimized.

Barklei led the group to the adjoining kindergarten rooms, which were both equipped with bathrooms.As members stepped into the carpeted and tiled rooms on the second floor, they viewed the skylight dome across the middle of the courtyard-like center of the first floor.

Watrobka explained how lunches and physical education classes will work before the gym is completed around Thanksgiving.

Students will eat lunches prepared in Mill Creek classrooms, he said.For PE, students will go outside or in the classroom for inclement weather.

"We are well ahead of where we were for Mill Creek," Watrobka said, assuring the school board.

Watrobka said the district has hired 35 full-time faculty members.Teachers will learn of their assigned classrooms the evening of Aug. 19.

Right now there are 387 students enrolled, Watrobka said.He expects that number will go up to almost 400 by the time school starts.The school's capacity is 650.

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Students will be pulled from Mill Creek and Coultrap schools, Watrobka said, pulling Mill Creek's population from 627 to about 450 students.

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Principal Tom Watrobka, of Heartland Elementary School in Geneva, said dealing with food allergies "is a growing concern in the public school system."

In his school, teachers work with the parents, and even the allergic child's doctor.

"The question we always have to ask: How severe is the allergy," he said."There are varying degrees.My No. 1 recommendation to parents is to have your physician contact the school to talk about it."

Watrobka pointed out that parents can allow peanut butter in their home for their other non-allergic children, but may ask the school to ban it.

"We would never place a child in jeopardy, but we want to make sure the restrictions we're working with are reasonable restrictions," he said.

His school will place a peanut ban on a particular classroom, if necessary.

Heartland Principal Thomas Watrobka is proud of his students.

"This is something they chose to do as a student council to represent our school and help those who are less fortunate because of illness or whatever the case may be.With the holiday season there is no lack of reminders of people who are less fortunate or experiencing difficulties in their lives," he said.

Watrobka said that the Heartland students, staff and families do a number of other activities to help others, including orchestrating a Hurricane Katrina relief fund, participating in the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF in October and making holiday placemats for Delnor patients.

The school is providing gifts of clothing and toys for seven needy families through The Salvation Army's Adopt-a-Family program.

"Right now our foyer is filled with seven large boxes we're going to be giving away," Watrobka said.