202 Board Discusses Ideas for Community Engagement Initiative

By Jennie Berkson

The District 202 School Board began discussions last Wednesday night to define what its members have termed a "community engagement initiative," although no clear format or subject of discussion was determined.

"We want to make the Board more accessible to the community and to open more avenues of communication," said President Ross Friedman, explaining why the Board had decided to undertake the initiative at this time. The initiative will be set as a fourth Board goal; The others are student achievement, student support and budget and finance.

Board members Rachel Hayman and Martha Burns are heading the effort to define the process. "Based on my research on this topic, it's very important that it be a deliberate, thoughtful process, centered around an issue," said Ms. Hayman. She suggested that the topic might be "school climate, after the incidences of violence that occurred at the end of the school year." Ms. Hayman cautioned her fellow Board members that "this will be a ton of work. It's not just a one-shot deal and will bring in many strands."

Ms. Hayman and Ms. Burns suggested that the community outreach initiative take a two-pronged approach. First, Board accessibility and visibility could be increased by hosting monthly coffees attended by a rotating group of Board members. Second, a structured inquiry would be initiated, using one of a variety of models such as study circles, café conversations, focus groups, and key communicator and public engagement meetings. They also recommended refining the chosen topic by seeking feedback from the community via a Board letter and meeting with civic leaders. They suggested that the community engagement dialogue process begin this fall.

Ms. Hayman reported on e-mail feedback from Board members on the initial proposal. She said that Board member Mary Wilkerson liked the idea of "focus groups and key communicators' meetings." Ms. Hayman reported that Board member Missy Fleming commented that "it's a process" and Vice-President Jane Colleton said it "sounds like a lot of work."

There did not seem to be a strong consensus for what the format should be. "I tend to shy away from structured models.... I envision a more fluid, flexible approach," said President Ross Friedman, but later acknowledged: "We want to have some control."

Other Board members seemed concerned about managing expectations. "We want it really organized and really tight," said Ms. Wilkerson. "Follow-up is critical," said Ms. Fleming. "You stir up expectations."

Some Board members recalled that the community conversations about the establishment of the K-12 standards had been a particularly successful and inclusive experience. "We had over 200 meetings and recruited other groups," said Laura Cooper, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. "We got useful feedback. The conversation started with standards and other issues came up."

"I remember those meetings," said Ms. Burns. "The PTA was involved. We stayed on topic. The community can embrace this kind of thing from one end of town to another. We want the buzz to be about ETHS."

A variety of issues and points of discussion were suggested as possible topics for the outreach initiative in addition to the subject of school climate. Ms. Hayman reminded her fellow Board members that continued acceptance of Title I funds that requires compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act was a topic that had been proposed for consideration in the coming year.

"I stand in a different place with regard to NCLB than some of you do," said Ms. Wilkerson, who has supported acceptance of Title I funds in the past, "but I would be interested in getting feedback from the community on this."

Ms. Burns disagreed, saying that she did not think that a discussion of NCLB was appropriate for this initial community outreach because it "primarily impacts students of color, and we want to talk about something that's universal, something the entire community can embrace."

Ms. Wilkerson countered that she believed that NCLB did impact the whole community, because school resources had to be directed towards complying with it.

"Before we go out and discuss it with the community," said Vice-President Jane Colleton, "we need to decide how wedded we are to it. There may be some other requirements that preclude us from bowing out."

Several Board members mentioned the upcoming 2007 School Board elections. The 2005 election did not have enough candidates to fill all of the spots; Ms. Hayman was elected by write-in. "We might want to use this outreach to urge the community to think about the election," said Ms. Fleming.

Another suggested topic was Board goals. "Our goals apply to many people in the community," said Ms. Burns. "We could have one evening when we discuss all of them."

"I would like to know from the community where our resources should be developed," said Ms. Wilkerson. "What should our five-year strategic action plan be? I'd like to get feedback from a larger group of people."

Board members agreed that more discussion was needed on both the process and the topic of discussion.

President Friedman pointed out that Superintendent Eric Witherspoon has had experience with these types of community engagement initiatives. The Board requested that his input be provided by September.

"I will come back to the Board with a proposed goal, a strategic approach to community engagement," said Dr. Witherspoon. "We can put it into a format that you can chew on."

District 65 Board Members

Grades K-8
Mary Erickson, president
(Term expires 2009)
1214 Greenleaf St.
Evanston, IL 60202
847- 864-3149
E-mail: erickin49@aol.com
E-mail: mrljd@aol.com

Julie S. Chernoff, vice-president (Term expires 2007)
1837 Asbury Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201
847- 864-5536
E-mail: juliechernoff@mindspring.com

Jonathan K. Baum (Term expires 2007)
2754 Broadway Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201
847- 328-4896
E-mail: jbbaum90@yahoo.com

Mary Rita Luecke, (Term expires 2009)
3330 Lake St.
Evanston, IL 60203
847- 679-6776

Sharon Sheehan (Term expires 2009)
724 Asbury Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
847- 869-2161

Jerome Summers (Term expires 2009)
1941 Hartrey Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
847- 733-8680
E-mail: summersj@district65.net

Board meets at Joseph E. Hill Education Center. 1500 McDaniel Ave., Evanston, IL 6020; 847- 859-8040

District 202 Board Members

Grades 9-12
Ross Friedman, President (Term expires April 2007)
1927 Warren St.
Evanston, IL 60202
847- 866-8589

Martha Burns (Term expires April 2009)
2527 Jackson Ave., 2W
Evanston, IL 60201
847- 570-0967

Jane Colleton (Term expires April 2007)
1724 Wesley Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201
847- 866-8445

Missy Fleming (Term expires April 2009)
1027 Greenwood St.
Evanston, IL 60201
847- 864-2523

Margaret Lurie (Term expires April 2009)
641 Sheridan Square
Evanston, IL 60202
847- 492-9821

Rachel Hayman (Term expires April 2009)
2400 Harrison St.
Evanston, IL 60201
847- 475-9554

Mary Wilkerson, (Term expires April 2007)
1712 Dobson St.
Evanston, IL 60202
847- 864-6965

Board meets at Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60204; 847-424-7000

Dean's List

Local resident Amelia Townsend, a student in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University, was named to the Dean's List for the winter quarter of the 2005-06 academic year. Students on the Dean's List have attained a grade point average of at least 3.70/4.00.

District 65 Foundation Announces Grants For 2006-07

The District 65 Foundation will make grants of almost $30,000 to help fund programs at eight schools and a summer reading program at four schools. Robert Best, a member of the Foundation's Board, announced the grants at a recent School Board meeting.

The grant awards to fund programs at the District's schools are:

• Prairie School Garden Laboratory - $2,200 at Chute Middle School. This project targets seventh-grade students by creating a laboratory that allows for hands-on learning activities in accordance with the seventh-grade science curriculum.

• Newberry Book Club - $750 at Nichols Middle School. The funds will be used to purchase books for a lunch-hour book club which will utilize the 25 Newberry Award contenders for 2006. Students will be trained to lead book discussions.

• Leadership Club - $2,000 at Walker Elementary School. This project is designed to serve targeted students in grades 2-5 to help build positive relationships with other students and to encourage cooperative learning.

• Haven Saturday School - $2,500 at Haven Middle School. The Foundation renewed its support to this program, which offers an alternative to school suspension.

• Kindergarten Literacy Baskets - $1,935 at Willard Elementary School. This project will provide literature, extension activities and guided-discussion support to targeted low-income students and their families. The goal is to boost student achievement by focusing on increasing the emergent literacy knowledge base.

• Promoting Conflict Resolution - $1,700 at Bessie Rhodes Magnet School. This project is aimed at promoting healthy conflict resolution for students in the primary grades by utilizing trained middle school students as conflict mediators.

• Morning Mentor Group - $970 at Orrington School. This project is designed to serve targeted students who need to increase their skills and reduce ODR and negative behaviors. The group meets before school in the mornings and is led by the social worker.

• One Book/One School - $1,800 at Washington School. The entire school will read the same book for literacy activities involving students and their families.

The Foundation is also contributing $15,800 to fund a second year of the Summer Reading Program, which benefits District 65 students at four District elementary schools. Linda Shusterman, reading specialist at Kingsley School, coordinates this program with assistance from ten reading specialists in the District.

The District 65 Educational Foundation was created to serve school-aged children of Evanston and Skokie through support of innovative initiatives that complement and support the District's short and long-range goals. For more information call 847-492-5971 or e-mail grants@district65.net.

Foundation 65 Holds Benefit for Summer Readers

Foundation 65 held "An Evening of Cabaret" on May 20 to benefit the Summer Reading Program. The event raised more than $7,000 for this program, which targets students entering second grade in the fall.

These emerging readers receive summer reading support through ongoing correspondence with a reading teacher.

Each participating student receives a total of 24 books periodically throughout the summer. More than 60 students will participate in this program, which is designed to maintain and improve the reading levels that students have attained during the school year. Pictured left to right are Don Tarkington, president of Foundation 65; Linda Shusterman, Summer Reading Program project director; and Hardy Murphy, Superintendent of District 65.

ETHS Holds Summer School Graduation

After completing graduation requirements in summer school, 26 ETHS seniors received their diplomas on July 20 in an evening ceremony held in the high school's Upstairs Theatre. William Logan, who retired in June as ETHS's director of safety, and himself an ETHS alumnus, was the graduation keynote speaker.

The newest members of the ETHS Class of 2006 are Olalekan Ahmed Alimi, Ziyad Fayez Al-Mutairi, Alexander Odell Barber, Janea Lorren Briscoe, Sofia Berger-Braunschweig, Michael Edward Campos, Alexander Noel-John Cordova, Kevin Adrian Palon Dy, Rosalie Anne Palon Dy, Davian Demeisha Foreman, Ronald Gause Jr., Apollo, James Hamilton, Rahul Jain, Sergey Sergeevich Kabanchenko, Brendon Elliot Kendrick, Durell Jhirmar King, Monica Mora Tello, Mark Jakimik Neves, Michelle Angella Powell, Charles Waymond Smith, Judson Ray Smith, Andre DeShon Taylor, Stephen, Lloyd Anthony Thomas, Sean Damiano Villa, Gregory Allan White and Terrence Paul Winslow Jr.

TIF Funds Shared by School Districts for Vocational Programs

The City is upping its annual contribution of $600,000 to the school districts. As construction begins on the apartment complex at 415 Howard St., one of the newer TIF, or tax-increment financing districts, the City will share an additional $200,000 annually with the two schools, increasing the contribution to $800,000 per year. Under state law, schools may share certain amounts of the tax increment (the difference between the tax amount on the property as unimproved and as improved) with local school districts. The school districts decide how the funds will be divided, but, according to state law, they must be spent on vocational education.

In an April, 2006, letter to City Manager Julia Carroll, Dr. Allan Alson, Superintendent of District 202 at the time, said Evanston Township High School had budgeted about $1.5 million for vocational education programs for the 2005-06 school year. ETHS allocates its share of the TIF funds to vocational programs that include cooperative work training programs, office information support services, secretarial services, accounting/bookkeeping, drafting/CAD technology, adult vocational education and the health sciences rotation. He also said ETHS expects the expenses for the vocational education programs to increase about 5 percent per year "during the life of the TIF. …Without the portion of the incremental tax fund paid by the City to the District, the District's programs could not be fully funded."

A similar letter, sent in May of this year from Dr. Hardy Murphy, District 65 superintendent stated that the U. S. Department of Labor "identified competencies in reading, writing, math, listening and speaking skills, decision-making, reasoning and problem-solving skills and the development of technology skills that translate readily into the work force environment as appropriate vocational preparation for elementary-aged students." He said District 65 has "infused a great deal of time, energy and funding into the area of instructional technology, including upgrades to our middle school computer labs, installing of Promethean Boards in some classrooms to create interactive learning environments, and purchase of additional site licensing for Microsoft office projects … to help prepare students for the technology age in which we live and work."