Following a yearlong process to gather community input, Evanston/Skokie School District 65 will host a series of online forums zeroing in on selective topics of importance to parents and students.

The presentations will be held remotely on Zoom, and each session will have a focus topic such as neighborhood schools, selective enrollment programs or magnet schools.

Neighborhood Schools – This session will focus on how to create walkable and rideable schools for D65 students, what a neighborhood school means to our community, and the potential for opening a 5th ward school.

Selective Enrollment Programs – This session will focus on Two-Way Immersion (TWI) and African Centered Curriculum placement needs and support.

Magnet Schools – This session will review the development of our current magnet school model, reviewing magnet schools and magnet programs for diversifying schools, and thoughts on what makes magnet schools attractive.

Sessions are scheduled for:

Last spring, the district launched a multi-year Student Assignment Project to modernize the district structure and address historic inequities that continue to impact students of color. Student assignment is a part of the district’s multi-faceted approach to long-term planning for the future of our public schools. District 65 organized a SAP Committee charged with making recommendations on student assignment to the school board this spring. The committee established several guiding principles for sub-committee exploration:

  • Walkable schools/ Revised boundaries 
  • Decreased transportation
  • A school in the Fifth Ward 
  • Broadening magnet programs

Broad community voice is critical to the SAP process

Last fall, a community survey was released to gather input and perspective. The district received 197 surveys from staff and 1,804 completed community and family surveys. All members of the District 65 community are invited to join us for a virtual interactive presentation to take a deeper dive into the survey data and gather additional feedback based on the results. 

“The D65 community’s voice matters in decisions about student assignment, and we are offering several sessions to review the data compiled so far in the process,” said Sarita Smith, District 65 Director of Student Assignments. “In the sessions, we will share SAP survey outcomes from last fall and take a deeper dive into themes from that data to allow additional community input through these interactive sessions. We must look carefully at our building footprint, operational efficiencies, transportation costs, and the needs of our aging buildings. We must do all of this while maintaining the strength and quality of our instructional and social-emotional programming.”

All sessions in English will have Spanish translation.

Zoom dial-in information: One tap mobile : US: +13126266799, or Telephone: US: +1 312 626 6799 

All English with Spanish Translation Webinars ID: 87689036661

Spanish Language only (Jan. 22) Webinar ID: 85968482070  

Additional data and presentation resources can be viewed on the SAP Resource page.

The SAP committee’s meeting agendas and minutes are available on the SAP Committee page. For more details, contact Sarita Smith, Director of Student Assignments, smiths3@district65.net.