D65 Outlines Action Plan For Enrichment

By Larry Gavin

On June 23 District 65 administrators presented to the School Board an action plan for implementing recommendations made in the Differentiation and Enrichment Study Committee Report to improve enrichment. Suzanne Farrand, math and gifted coordinator for the District, summarized key aspects of the plan.

Ms. Farrand said the District will provide three distinct types of enrichment activities. First, the District will provide enrichment in the classroom on a regular basis through differentiated instruction. Ms. Farrand said teachers will follow the Tomlinson model of differentiated instruction so all students are challenged. She said, "you start with the basic curriculum and then you intentionally change the way you deliver it to meet the needs of individual students in the classroom," Ms. Farrand said.

Second, the District will provide enrichment activities outside the classroom, Ms. Farrand said. The District will "create a repertoire of enrichment opportunities in curricular areas so interested children can extend their learning." She said, the activities will be teacher-led, they will be before or after school, and each school will have flexibility to implement programs that are best suited for their schools. She said, "The idea behind this is every school will deliver enrichment in math and literacy and some other areas based on student interest."

Third, the District will provide opportunities outside the classroom for children to gain exposure to topics and activities that are not part of the curriculum. She said these activities will be driven by student interest, they will be school or PTA funded, and they will be managed by volunteers.

Ms. Farrand said a second prong of the action plan is that a subcommittee has been formed to study whether the Renzulli Schoolwide Enrichment Model is appropriate and feasible to implement in District 65. She said the model has been in use for more than 30 years and that an advantage of the model is "it allows you to provide enrichment activities without having to identify kids as gifted."

After the subcommittee has completed its evaluation of the Renzulli model, the District may implement the model, evaluate the District's enrichment programs in light of that model, or explore other enrichment programs in light of that model.

The District is also proceeding with professional development to improve its enrichment program, said Ms. Farrand.

Parents May Withhold Fees to Protest Change of Start Times At Three Schools

By Larry Gavin

Pam Daniels, co-president of the Lincoln School PTA, told School Board members on June 23 that "parents are planning to withhold fees for the coming school year to protest our lack of voice" in the District's decision to change start times at Lincoln, Lincolnwood and Oakton Schools from 8:20 to 9 a.m. "We regret it has come to this. As our representatives, I ask you once again to intercede on our behalf and pass a motion postponing the change in school hours. Let's begin a new era of parent-district collaboration and mutual respect," she said.

Parents spoke against the decision at the Board's June 9 meeting, saying it would be difficult and expensive for many families to coordinate work schedules and child care arrangements. Ms. Daniels said 88 parents from Lincoln signed a petition opposing the change and 194 parents from all three schools signed an on-line petition opposing the change.

A flyer distributed to parents at the three schools suggests, "When you register your children this summer, turn in a note saying you are requesting a fee waiver." The flyer suggests that parents can cite as a reason that the change in start times "with three weeks notice before the summer presents a challenge to all families and a financial hardship to many."

School Board member Bonnie Lockhart said, "I am saddened to hear that the response to a decision we made for the good of the District is going to result in an action that is going to affect the funding of the schools."

Katie Bailey said, "I am disheartened that you feel you need to withhold student fees. But I know you are doing what you think is best. Up here, Board members and the administration are working very hard to serve all the students; and some decisions are very hard and not pleasing to all."

D202 Board Begins Review of Progress Toward Goals

By Jennie Berkson

Evanston Township Hgh School seniors met the District 202 School Board goal of reducing the percentage of below average semester grades by 10 percent for the 2007-2008 school year, according to a preliminary review of progress against goals presented on June 12.

"Overall there's very good progress," said Dr. Judith Levinson, director of research, evaluation and assessment. "This is good information to use as we develop new goals this year and as the board deliberates and refines those goals and . . . to share with departments as they begin their work for next year."

Last year, the District set four over-arching goals concerning literacy, numeracy, well-being and budget/finance. Each goal had at least two objectives, some of which are still awaiting additional data in order to be evaluated. Some measures were quantitative; some were qualitative.

Reduction in Below-Average Grades
Literacy and numeracy objectives specified improvement in scores from standardized tests required by the No Child Left Behind Act and a reduction of below average grades (D/F/NC) earned by ETHS students. Results from the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) will not be available until August or September, but the administration was able to provide the Board with other measures of how the District had progressed against goals in the last school year.

"We like to bring you updates as information evolves so that you can have an ongoing look at what we're doing," Superintendent Eric Witherspoon told the Board.

Grade levels other than seniors had less of a consistent reduction in the percentage of below average grades, but there were some areas of improvement. All freshmen - black, white and Hispanic - had at least a 16 percent reduction in below-average grades in history classes. Black and white sophomores reduced the percentage of below average- grades in English (down by 24.7 and 42 percent) and history (down by 15.9 and 46.7 percent). Black freshmen and juniors reduced below-average grades in math by 20 percent and by 12 percent respectively. Hispanic juniors reduced their below average grades in history by 17.5 percent; Hispanic freshman and sophomores reduced their below-average grades in science by 16.6 percent and 30.1 percent respectively.

Well-Being and Personalization
The well-being goal was comprised of a number of objectives: academic, wellness, behavior, outreach and post-secondary planning. The academic part of the well-being goal required that the total number of "reclassified students" be reduced by 10 percent. "Reclassified" students are those who have not completed the required number of credits to move to the next grade level. According to the report, the number of reclassified students was reduced by more than 60 percent for black, Hispanic and white students in the 2007-2008 school year.

Another part of the well-being goal required promotion of "student wellness and personalization, including good nutrition and physical activity, and social/emotional health in ETHS educational programs." Some of the accomplishments in that category included adding physical educaitonn a part of the GPA for the 2008-2009 freshman class, implementing a more comprehensive common curriculum for fitness and wellness, emphasizing nutrition education and adding a curriculum on pregnancy and STD prevention.

Data on two other objectives, increased participation in athletic and extracurricular programs and increased utilization of the school-based health center, will be available later in the year. A reduction in the percentage of out-o- school suspensions was the goal of the behavior objective. Although the total number of suspensions was reduced by 12 percent, the number of students receiving at least one suspension increased both numerically (382, compared to 376) and as a percentage of the total enrollment (13 percent, compared to 12 percent).

"I don't see that much on social and emotional well-being, particularly those affecting the behavior of students [and that] that get in the way of their being successful," commented Board member Mary Wilkerson. "As we go forward for the coming year, [we should be] more definitive about social and emotional kinds of issues."

"Whose responsibility is it to build a relationship with each individual student?" asked vice-president Rachel Hayman. She said the elimination of Homebase, which "at least theoretically provided the opportunity for a sustained relationship with an adult in the building" caused her concern. "We haven't really talked very much about that model of reaching out to students." Homebase was eliminated this past year to accommodate the new System of Supports schedule. "You would be happy to know that a major theme [of new teacher orientation] that ran throughout the day was personalization," responded Laura Cooper, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. "It's a central focus of our staff development for next year."

Budget and Finance
The budget and finance goal, which included objectives such as developing a values-based budged (completed in summer 2007) and use of a financial planning model (completed in February 2008) were achieved and are also ongoing. The District's responsible management of finances was recognized recently by Moody's Investors Service which issued an Aaa credit rating to ETHS the highest, most prestigious rating available. This is an upgrade for ETHS, which for years has carried an Aa1 rating, just one step below the Aaa rating. Dr. Witherspoon reported that "ETHS is now among only seven Illinois school districts and one of 24 in the nation to be awarded this rating."

D65 Board Accepts Ad Hoc Green Committee Report

On June 23 the District 65 School Board accepted the report and recommendations of the District's Ad Hoc Greening/Sustainability Committee (reported in the June 11 issue of the RoundTable) and extended the Committee's term through the 2008-09 school year in order to sustain the momentum generated during the past year and to ensure that the Committee's recommendations are carried forward.

It is anticipated that some of the Committee's recommendations will be able to be implemented immediately. Many of the recommendations, however, will need to be reviewed by the Board's policy and finance committees before going to the Board for approval.

D202 Earns Top Credit Rating From Moody's

Moody's Investors Service issued a Aaa credit rating to Evanston Township High School District 202, the highest, most prestigious rating available. This is an upgrade for ETHS, which for years has carried an Aa1 rating. ETHS is now among only seven Illinois school districts and one of 24 total in the nation to be awarded this rating.

A Moody's spokesman said, "The highest-quality Aaa rating reflects the district's affluent suburban base located north of Chicago; historically solid financial operations evidenced by sound reserves and prudent management policies; and an above-average debt burden expected to remain manageable over the near term."

The Aaa rating will result in lower interest rates, providing considerable savings for taxpayers, as well as enhancing the credibility of the School District with the local and greater investment community.

SOS Forums at ETHS

Evanston Township High School will host three public forums for parents and community to hear about proposed changes to the school's System of Supports program, which was launched this year, and to provide the school with feedback. The next session will be held from 1:15 to 3 p.m. on June 30 in Room N112 at ETHS, 1600 Dodge Ave.
The final SOS forum will be held at the same time and place on Aug. 11.

North End Mothers' Club ETHS Scholarship Recipients Recognized.

Guests of honor at the June 3rd North End Mothers' Club Scholarship Tea were the 2008 recipients of the three scholarships sponsored by the Club.

Linnea Carlson, is the 58th recipient of the annual Senior Girls Honor Award. She will attend Carlton College.

Margaret Kelly, received the Nursing Scholarship. Margaret plans to attend the University of Washington. The Joanne Murphy Trautwein Music Award was awarded to Yael Kurganoff, who will attend Butler University.