D65 Committee Recommends New Reading Textbooks

By Larry Gavin

The District 65 School Board's Program/Policy Committee decided to recommend to the full Board that the District adopt new textbooks to teach reading in grade levels K-5, starting this fall. The textbooks, called "Treasures," is an entirely new series published by McMillan/McGraw-Hill. The cost is estimated at $630,000.

Ellen Fogelberg, literacy director for District 65, told the Committee that the new texts reflect the research of the National Reading Panel (NRP) that was commissioned by Congress in 2000 to determine what should be included in reading instruction. The series also provides opportunities for differentiated and small group instruction; it reflects the research on effective instructional practices; and it provides for ongoing monitoring of student progress.

The series also includes teaching practices found to be effective in teaching low-income and special education students. Texts are available in Spanish and will be used in the Two-Way-Immersion program.

The texts incorporate strategies to teach students comprehension skills, "to help kids read, understand, interpret and remember what they're reading," said. Ms. Fogelberg. "Some research shows that the particular strategies incorporated in the texts can have a statistically significant difference in terms of student achievement."

"Another major change is that 60 percent of the selections in these materials are non-fiction," Ms. Fogelberg said. "We know from our ISATs that our kids struggle with non-fiction, and we know we need to do a better job of helping them so when they hit those intermediate grades and middle school they understand text structure, how texts are organized and how to read and understand them."

"The literature represents a broad range of classic, contemporary, and multicultural literature," says a memo to the Board.

The series also includes "leveled" books, which Ms. Fogelberg said teachers across the board wanted to assist them in providing students instruction at their developmental level. Ms. Fogelberg said, "There will be different texts for different levels of learning, but they will contain the same content, the same skills, the same strategies, the same vocabulary. If kids are above grade level, there's a text for them. If kids are below grade level, there's a text for them."

The series also includes teacher guides that help teachers differentiate instruction. Ms. Fogelberg said, "Right within the guide, almost at the point of instruction, there is a plan for helping teachers to differentiate and to go back if they need to go back and provide instruction for a particular group kids."

Superintendent Hardy Murphy said, "This reading adoption incorporates what has been learned over the last several years about reading instruction in elementary schools across the country."

Ms. Fogelberg said that the District's Language Arts Adoption Committee reviewed texts published by five companies, reviewed current research, and listened to presentations of several publishers before settling on McMillan Treasures. Fifty teachers participated in the process.

Board member Jonathan Baum said, "I want to compliment Dr. Murphy and his staff for what I think is a very impressive report. It's a model to me of what I'd like to see come to the Board. It evidences a high degree of collaboration; it's well researched; it's got compelling rationale; it's really a super job."

Program/Policy Committee: School Choice Discussion Off the Table at District 65

By Larry Gavin

After an hour-long discussion on May 22, the District 65 School Board Program/Policy Committee voted 2-1 to pull off the table any discussion of restructuring the schools in a way that would offer "choice" or theme schools for students in the District. The actual vote took the form of striking "Community Input/Defining District Vision" from the Board's planning calendar for next year.

Program/PolicyCommittee Chair Marianne Kountoures opened the discussion saying, "At the last meeting [May 15], the Board gave the community the impression that it will embark on a major planning process to investigate whether we should restructure the entire District and offer schools of choice for various interest group. There wasn't agreement that this ‘choice for students' would be investigated, but we certainly gave the impression that there was. ...I don't think it's practical to go down that road given our limited budget, full agenda and the NCLB requirements."

The issue of restructuring the schools arose as a result of the expansion of the Two-Way-Immersion (TWI) program and the impact the placement of TWI at some schools has had on the general education programs. Next year the TWI program will expand to eight kindergarten classes and a total of 29 classrooms. Dr. Murphy said if the program holds at eight classrooms per grade level, the program will need 48 classrooms in five years. If TWI remains the District's sole bilingual program, the administration has projected the District may need 80 classrooms in 10 years to accommodate a projected increase of students in TWI.

"One of my concerns is the practical," Jonathan Baum said."I don't think you can practically discuss bilingual education by itself."He added, "What I'm suggesting is we look at what we want our schools to look like - not with any particular possibilities in mind, choices or whatever. But I think if you have a discussion on bilingual education and you make a decision on bilingual programs, that has significant ripple effects on everyone else in the District; and since a minority of students in the District are in the bilingual program, you have the tail wagging the dog."

Mr. Baum described the two options: "you pick a bilingual program and figure out what its impact is on the rest of the school district," or "you choose a school system you want to have and choose a bilingual program that fits best into that system." Mr. Baum said, "I just want to have us figure out the best way to arrange our schools to serve the children in our District."

Board President Mary Erickson said, "I have a somewhat different view of this than Mr. Baum, because I feel that the discussion of what we do about our bilingual education program - where we have it - is the most pressing issue. I'm afraid if we have this wider discussion and we're making a lot of decisions at once and we're trying to tie them altogether, we're never going to get to a point where we can make a decision about our bilingual education site in a timely manner."

Ms. Kountoures and Ms. Erickson voted to take restructuring the entire District and "choice for all" students off the table for discussion next year. Mr. Baum cast a dissenting vote. While six Board members attended the Committee meeting, only the three Committee members were allowed to vote.

Discussion on TWI and Ripple Effects
The Board will still be faced with making decisions on the District's bilingual program during the next six months and then dealing with the ripple effects of their decisions. Superintendent Hardy Murphy told members of the Board, "When you boil this all down, the single most important decision that we have to make next year is what bilingual education is going to look like in the future. That is the one thing we have to decide."

While there was no consensus on how that discussion will be shaped, the range of possibilities mentioned by the administration or members of the Board include whether to retain TWI as the sole bilingual education model or to add a second bilingual model such as one-way immersion that would not require as much classroom space for the program; whether to cap TWI, and if so at what level; whether to place TWI at a language academy or academies, and if so whether to place it at one of the magnet schools or one or more attendance-area schools, which may in turn require addressing other ripple effects.

D65 Proposes $2.3 Million in Program Initiatives

School District 65 administrators outlined significant program adjustments for the Board's Program/Policy Committee on May 22 that would, on a cumulative basis, increase expenses by about $2.3 million for the 2006-07 budget.

"Based upon some very tough, but astute decisions that were made in the past, we find ourselves in a fairly desirable budget position," Superintendent Hardy Murphy told the Committee.

"Even with these additions, we feel confident we will not be running any negative balances as we go out through the original projections in the long range financial management plan [2010-11], and in fact we may be running strong surpluses."

Some of the major adjustments that are intended to enhance the educational program are as follows:
• African-centered curriculum, pilot project: $119,500
• Additional Bilingual expense (Middle Schools): $280,150
• Reading Adoption, McMillan Treasures (part): $233,000
• Professional Development: $98,000
• Technology, including 2 technical staff: $200,000
• One Spanish teacher: $55,000
• Five classroom teachers: $240,000
• Science coordinator, Latino liaison/specialist, African study specialist, consultants, math cadre: $238,000.

Dr. Murphy said the budget also incorporated funds to implement the middle-school initiatives approved by the Board earlier this year, and told Committee members, "If there's something that's not here that you want, let us know."

Mary Rita Luecke suggested the District take a look at the extended day program and consider allocating additional funds to that program. Dr. Murphy said "We can take a look at extended day, but we [the administration] believe it is sufficiently funded at this point." He said the District was able to fund all requests made by principals this year for the pre-school and after-school program.

Jerome Summers asked about budgeting an amount to support a volunteer initiative to tutor students or assist teachers in the classroom. Dr. Murphy said, "If we're going to have a volunteer initiative, we really need to evaluate how badly we need that, because I'm not sure we've had an analysis of the impact Invest makes on this District or what kind of impact working with Northwestern and their students makes on this District."

Dr. Murphy added he told Invest's leadership "there was an emerging desire on our Board to increase the level of volunteers, and asked them to come to the table and to do some planning about it."

Dr. Murphy said, "We think this is where we need to go as far as the instructional programs are concerned. These are the recommendations we're making to move the District forward next year."

With one proviso, the Program/Policy Committee voted to send the proposed adjustments to the Board's Finance Committee for inclusion in the budget for 2006-07.

(continued)

ETHS Retirees Look Back and Move Ahead

Denise Martin - 33 years at ETHS
"I'm proud to say that I was educated entirely in this city," said Ms. Martin. She graduated from ETHS in 1969 and went to Northwestern University on a full scholarship.

In 1973, at age 21, she began teaching history at ETHS and three years later became dean. "Opportunities came and I took them," explained Ms. Martin as she described her rapid move from the classroom to administration. "I found myself thinking ‘this is cool, I can handle tough kids, I can hold my own with the other administrators.'"

Ms. Martin emphasized that growing up in Evanston has been an advantage for her in her position. "I can say to a difficult kid, ‘I know your father. He was in my classroom,' or ‘I grew up with him.' That kind of approach eliminates a lot of initial gameplaying."

She has enjoyed being part of an institution so integral to the community and has looked forward to coming to work almost every day. "I could probably count on one hand the number of times I haven't wanted to be here," she said. "I get up in the morning and say, ‘What's going to happen today?'"

So why is she retiring? "My husband and I always said that we'd retire at 55 if at all possible. We started planning a long time ago, and now it's that time." Ms. Martin said that she has three goals for retirement: rest, travel and volunteer work. She hopes to volunteer doing literacy work with teens and at The Cradle in Evanston. "I can't imagine anything better than rocking babies and then being able to leave," she said. "Also, having been a teen mom, I think I have a lot to offer at the Literature for All of Us program."

Since Ms. Martin and her husband Joe have already done a lot of traveling - to Kenya, Egypt, five Asian countries, Eastern and Western Europe, India, Canada and the Caribbean - what is left?
"I want to see Antarctica," she says. "I want to see a place where there's nothing as far as the eye can see."

William Branch - 26 years at ETHS
William Branch was named Illinois Teacher of the Year in 1990. So why did such an accomplished teacher become an administrator? "I did it in a moment of temporary insanity," Mr. Branch recalled. "My colleagues wanted someone to take the job who they felt would look out for both the teachers and the kids."

Mr. Branch moved on from history department chair to assistant principal and is proud of the fact that he has been involved with strengthening ETHS' curriculum. "We've eliminated many courses that were not rigorous and have increased our students' ability to get into college or to be otherwise successful in life," he said. He also points to the many teachers he has hired, some of whom were former students of his.

He is disappointed about the continuing achievement gap for minorities that exists at ETHS. "There are too many factors to know the cause," he said. "Sometimes tears are the only response."
But he added that the good thing about school is that "each year we have a chance to start over and do it better."

One improvement Mr. Branch would like to see is suitable alternatives to suspension, so that the time that students are out of the classroom for disciplinary reasons could be used more constructively.

Mr. Branch is looking forward to returning to teaching in some innovative ways in his retirement. He has a large collection of art, artifacts and historical documents that are representative of the black experience in Africa and America. "It's a moveable museum that I plan to take around to churches, schools and libraries," he said.

He also wants to teach people who are planning to become teachers as a second career. In summing up his own career, Mr. Branch quoted one of his heroes, former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall: "I did the best I could where I was with what I had."

William Logan - 19 years at ETHS
Like Denise Martin, William Logan spent his entire career in Evanston, but he has managed to have two of them. Also a product of the Evanston school system, Mr. Logan first served the community in the police department, where he was the first black sergeant, and retired as the Chief of Police after 30 years.

Mr. Logan founded the Fellowship of African-American Men (FAAM), which sponsors community basketball, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and has been a member of the Chessman Club, a local philanthropic organization.
"One of my greatest satisfactions in my job at ETHS has been that I have regularly mentored a student who comes from a difficult family situation," he said. "I take that child on for the four years of high school." Sometimes he has had the opportunity to follow the student through college, as well. Mr. Logan is also proud that his job has been to make the school safe "so that students can learn."

Mr. Logan believes that one of his strengths as director of safety was that he had so much experience in the police department dealing with crisis and crime situations and that he also has many relationships throughout the community.

Mr. Logan plans to be involved in development activities in the Church- Dodge area. Mr. Logan grew up in the neighborhood and would like to see it restored to its former vibrancy. "I worked for the only black pharmacist in town," he said. "His store was there." He stressed the importance of sharing and community. "We were poor; all my friends and their parents were poor. It's not about poor, but about the character of people."

Mr. Logan does not plan to travel after retirement, although "in June, I'm going to Texas to see my sister," he said. Look for him and his adored German Shepherd, walking the town three or four times a day, keeping an eye on things.

Allan Alson - 16 years at ETHS
When Allan Alson arrived at ETHS in 1990, he had never held a job for more than four and a half years and did not plan to be in Evanston for more than five.

But then he fell in love. "Not only had I not ever seen a place like ETHS, I never dreamed that a place like ETHS existed."

Dr. Alson worked in Philadelphia and Boston's city and suburban schools before he came to Evanston, "but I had never seen a school with the quality of instruction, the depth of resources and the opportunities for extracurricular activity." He was also impressed by the physical beauty and the finishing touches on the school. "It meant so much that the community had cared enough about this institution to build such a place," he said. In addition, he felt "congruence between my values and the stated community values."

During his tenure, Dr. Alson has implemented many innovations at ETHS. He is proud that the school has focused on improving the academic gap between students of color and whites, while remaining "noteworthy for highest achievement." Other accomplishments include the increase in students going to college, more students in higher level mathematics classes and the school- based health clinic. "That program has made a huge different in a quiet way for many kids," he said.

In addition, he is proud of the student- support program AVID and student mentoring programs such as QUEST and Latino QUEST. The physical structure of the high school was improved during his administration with the new Upstairs Theatre, the new track and the Nature Center. "We also raised eligibility standards, and although no one likes it, we have an attendance policy that works," he said.

Dr. Alson may be retiring from ETHS, but not from the world of education. He has been appointed Senior Fellow for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Executive Director of the High School Transformation Project based within the Chicago Public Schools.

The project, which will be partly funded by a $21 million investment by the Gates Foundation, "will strengthen its school improvement plan with a new, rigorous college preparatory curriculum in English, math, and science; more instructional support for teachers; and recruitment of and professional support for high-quality principals," according to the Foundation website.

Although the Chicago Public Schools may now benefit from Dr. Alson's expertise and energy, he will probably still bleed orange and blue. Hope to see you at the next Evanston-New Trier game, Dr. Alson.

Martin Retirement Party
There wil be a retirement party for Denise Martin from 2 to 6 p.m. on June 11 at the senior court at Evanston Townshp High School, 1600 Dodge Ave., with a ceremony at 3:30 p.m. The admission price is $25; RSVP to Angie Harding, 847-424-7200.

Open House for Alson
Evanston residents are invited to attend an open house honoring Allan Alson from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 8, at the Woman's Club of Evanston, 1702 Chicago Ave.

Chute School Recycling Club Is Honored in Springfield

By Mary Helt Gavin

Members of Chute Middle School's Recycling Club went to Springfield May 11 to be honored with a luncheon at the Governer's Mansion.

In a way there was a poetic irony to it: The route and the bus for Chute Middle School Recycling Club's trip to Springfield were recycled when the scheduled bus had mechanical troubles. State Senator Jeff Schoenberg and Chute Principal Jim McHolland were able to find another bus - and a school bus to take the 18 students and 7 teachers to that bus - so the group could make their luncheon date at the Governor's mansion.

The Chute Recycling Club was one of five clubs statewide to be honored at the May 11 lunch.

Although this is the first year for the club, recycling is not new at Chute. In fact, according to the Club's report, "Recycling at Chute Middle School began in our garden." From the garden arose knowledge of composting; with a grant from the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County the students purchased compost bins, supplies and worms for vermi-composting. That led to the students' collecting leftovers for the worms in the compost.

"Right now members of the Recycling Club put in our vermin-composting bins any leftovers from their lunches that are good for the worms," the students wrote. "Two times a year we dump our worm bins, spread the vermi-compost around our garden and in our flower and vegetable pots and make new bins for the worms - and they start making compost all over again."

The report details other recycling activities, such as cell-phone recycling and the Nike "Reuse a Shoe" collection.

Kitty Okano and Felicia Przekota, who have spearheaded the green movement at Chute, accompanied the students to Springfield. "We're very excited about the Excellence in Sustainability award the kids will receive today," Ms. Okano told the RoundTable.

Ms. Przekota said initial membership in the Recycling Club was somewhat selective. "Students had to write an essay explaining why they wanted to be in the club. Now they bring their friends and it's expanded."

Sen. Schoenberg said when he got a call that the students were being honored but had no way to get to Springfield, he decided to make a personal donation and called State Representative Julie Hamos, who also chipped in. "Then we approached a family foundation in Evanston," said Sen. Schoenberg. "That, plus our donations and money from the school and Keep Evanston Beautiful, was enough to cover the transportation."

In seeing the party off to Springfield in the cold May rain, Sen. Schoenberg congratulated the students. "I want to tell you how excited I am for you and to congratulate you for the work you have done to protect the environment and make others aware of the need. What is more important than today is the work you did before and the work you'll do after today."

Police Chief to Head to ETHS

Police Chief Frank Kaminski will become head of security at Evanston Township High School, beginning in July. The District 202 School Board confirmed the appointment at its May 22 meeting.
Chief Kaminski will succeed William Logan, another retired Evanston police chief, who will retire next month as ETHS's head of security.

Chief Kaminski, who has been a police officer for the City for more than 25 years, told the RoundTable he has "mixed emotions" about the change - excitement about the new job and regrets about leaving the police department.

Pulling together, pulling weeds.

Clockwise from lower right are Madeleine Peckus, Katie Biggs, Claire Greising, Cate Rudy, Ms. Taira, Angelina Schenck, Gabriell Kelly, Alexandra "Lexi" Deamant, Anneliese Smith, Samantha "Sammy" Rudy, Alexandra Estrada, and Edith "Edie" Block. Troop leaders are Lara Biggs, Laura Moorehead and Betty Brucato.

Junior Girl Scout Troop 1546 from King Lab School spent May 20 - perhaps the finest day of the spring thus far - pulling garlic mustard weeds from along the banks of the North Shore Channel in Ladd Arboretum. Karen Taira of the Ecology Center said garlic mustard is a non-native and "very aggressive weed that chokes the woodland wildflowers by overshadowing them and blocking the sun."

St. Athanasius fourth-graders present green roof proposal to Evanston Environmental Board.

On May 11, the St. Athanasius fourth grade "Bulls" group presented a Green Roof proposal to the Evanston Environmental Board at the Evanston Ecology Center as the culmination of their science unit on green roofs. The group proposed that developers be required to commit to making at least a portion of their buildings' rooftops green.

A green roof is a plant-filled garden that is an attractive and energy-saving alternative to a conventional rooftop. It can cool buildings, save energy and extend the useful life of the roof, while adding beauty and useable space, the kids explained.

A green roof can save millions of dollars in energy consumption, reduce the urban heat-island effect, minimize heat-absorbing surfaces, improve air quality, and enhance storm-water retention and filtration so sewage-treatment plants are less burdened during heavy storms.
Ms. Cindy Bobbitt¹s fourth-grade group has been working together at least once a week for the past several weeks with parent Lori Keenan to learn what green roofs are and how they help the environment.

Parents Support Activities Fee; 202 Board Postpones Final Vote

By Jennie Berkson

Despite apparent parental support for an increased fee which would fund reinstatement of many extracurricular and athletic activities, the District 202 school board decided to table any decision about such a fee until the next school year.

The Board was responding to administration concerns that the subject was more complicated than it appeared initially when the topic was first brought up at the board meeting on May 8.

"From a financial planning point of view, we need a change in fees," said William Stafford, chief financial officer, "but we need to do it in a logical, progressive manner."

Mr. Stafford saida five-year financial plan for all fees should be prepared in conjunction with the annual analysis conducted in the summer by consultants PMA Financial Associates. Other considerations included potential corporate sponsorships, the equity of "pay to play" arrangements for athletic activities as well as the impact of a fee on potential Booster Club fundraising.

Finally, the amount and allocation of faculty stipends, which might be funded by activities fees, is an area that needs to be revisited, as does the question of what to do about families with multiple children at ETHS, Mr. Stafford said.

Board members expressed their pleasure that the potential fee was overwhelmingly supported by significant input received from parents and staff.

Board members acknowledged the members of the Pomkits team, whose fall season was cancelled as a result of cuts to coach stipends, as being responsible for bringing the issue to the Board's attention.Superintendent Allan Alson informed the Board that, despite the lack of a stipend, the Pomkits would have a fall season after all, due to the involvement of a volunteer who meets District standards for coaching.

Some Violence at ETHS May Be Related to Gang Activity

Two incidents of in-school violence shook Evanston Township High School earlier this month. In a letter to parents about the two incidents, Superintendent Allan Alson said, "According to school and Evanston Police Department sources, this latest incident stems from ongoing tensions among rival gangs in the community."

Dr. Alson's letter said the May 11 incident took place "when an upset sophomore boy hit two freshmen boys in separate and random acts in the hallway during passing periods." One of the victims was treated at the school-based health center and released, the letter said, and the second was taken to Evanston Hospital and "is now recovering at home." The sophomore boy was removed from class, arrested and charge by the police. Dr. Alson said there was no evidence that this was gang-related activity.

The multi-student fight involving gang activity, took place during a passing period on May 15, according to Dr, Alson's letter, which added, "Five students were ultimately arrested and charged by the police department. A few more have been identified and are in the process of being disciplined by ETHS and, if appropriate, by the police."

Dr. Alson's letter stressed that ETHS staff and Evanston police have taken several actions, such as meeting with the students involved and their parents about the consequences of gang involvement and working with the City of Chicago's Center for Restorative Justice Program to bring together gang-involved families to discuss gang-related issues. The letter also said that ETHS deans and Safety staff are networking with local churches to intercede with these families.

"The ETHS administration and staff do not tolerate violence in any form, by students or by adults," Dr. Alson's letter concluded.

ETHS has a toll-free safety hotline, 888-214-4445 for anyone anonymously to pass along information related to student safety. Parents with concerns may contact William Logan, Safety Director, at 847-424-7500 or Denise Martin, Assistant Superintendent/Principal, at 847-424-7200.

Appreciation Ceremony for D65 Administrators

Local elected officials and civic leaders held an appreciation ceremony for School District 65 Superintendent Hardy Murphy and the principals and administrators of District 65 last week.

Mayor Lorraine Morton – whom Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin called "the middle school principal for all of Evanston" – emceed the event, which was attended by many former District 65 Board members, local officials and community members.

Dr. Murphy praised the administrators and staff for their fine job performance and highlighted achievements of the District over the past five years. Commissioner Suffredin presented Dr. Murphy a proclamation passed by the Cook County Board, honoring District 65 administrators and principals. Pictured left to right are Mayor Morton, Dr. Murphy, Commissioner Suffredin and District 65 School Board President Mary Erickson.