Evanston/Skokie School District 65 continues to see a drop in student enrollment. The January 2022 Opening of Schools Report shows 6,393 K-8 students enrolled in the 2021-22 school year, down 536 students (i.e., 7.7%) from 6,929 in 2020-21.
Given the numbers above, how do you justify building a new school? There were not enough middle school students to make Skiles viable in the ’70s – it would have been closed if not for moving the K-8 King Lab into that building. Where will you get enough middle school students to make it viable as a middle school now?
Mary Anne Wexler
I am very surprised at Mary Ann Wexler’s lack of understanding of the issue of giving back to a community what was unfairly, insensitively and uncaringly ripped away from them 53 years ago. And surprised at a comment that shows lack of awareness of the suffering and deprivations that the community sustained as a result. It reminds me of so many Evanstonians who although claiming to move to Evanston for “its diversity” actually show very little understanding of and affinity to it.
My understanding is the proposed new school is planned as a K-8 (not just middle school). And Bessie Rhodes which is K-8 is proposed to be closed. So there will be no difference in the total number of schools. Just a new location in the 5th ward. The justification is to make up for decades of busing/inequity for 5th ward students., and provide a neighborhood school for the 5th ward. Makes sense to me.