D65 Program/Policy Committee Settles On Four Goals for 2007-08

By Larry Gavin

On April 9 the School Board's Program/Policy Committee decided to recommend that the Board adopt four goals for the 2007-08 school year; all of the goals focus on different aspects of student achievement. The goals address compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), continued implementation of the Unified System of Delivery of instruction, studying differentiated instruction and enrichment, and technology.

While the Committee is composed of only four members of the District 65 School Board, all seven members of the Board attended the meeting and concurred in the recommended goals. The full Board is expected to vote on the goals later this month.

The Committee decided not to adopt a goal addressing the 60 percent guideline, which is used to racially balance the schools. The United States Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on whether school districts can consider the race of a student for the purpose of racially balancing schools.

NCLB goal
The first goal is to "ensure that all No Child Left Behind (NCLB)-identified student subgroups in all schools and District-wide meet the NCLB adequate yearly progress (AYP) requirements."

On the 2006 ISATs, which were taken in March 2006, all of District 65's schools met AYP for all student subgroups, except for Chute Middle School, where students with an IEP failed to meet AYP in reading. The District as a whole met AYP for all student subgroups in reading and math.

On the 2006 ISATs, 47.5 percent of the students in a subgroup needed to meet or exceed standards to meet the AYP target for that year. The AYP target increases to 55% for the 2007 ISATs (which were taken in March 2007) and to 62.5% for the 2008 ISATs (which will be taken in March, 2008).

Unified System of Delivery goal
The second goal is patterned after a goal for the 2006-07 school year regarding the implementation of a Unified System of Delivery (USD) of instruction. The USD is designed to instruct students receiving special education services to the maximum extent possible in the general education classroom.

The District began implementing USD this year. The goal for next year is to "continue implementation of the Unified System of Delivery that ensures shared responsibility of all staff for all students so that (1) all students have access to the general education curriculum; and (2) more effective intervention and supports are implemented in regular-education classrooms."

Superintendent Hardy Murphy said USD represents "a cultural transformation of the District," and it will take five to seven years to fully implement.

According to the District's Opening School Report, there are 930 students in the District's elementary and middle schools receiving special education services.

Differentiation/enrichment goal
Over the last few months, members of the Board have discussed enrichment activities and the role that differentiation of instruction plays in providing enrichment. The District's goal is to provide enrichment in the classroom through differentiated instruction, as well in some separate enrichment programs.

Many parents, however, have expressed concerns about the level of enrichment provided by the District. At an earlier meeting, Mindy Wallace said, "We all recognize the importance of making sure low-achieving kids have sufficient instruction, [but] high-achieving students who are eager to learn are not give the intellectual resources that will spur them to greater success." She said this is particularly important for students from "families who have academically strong children who have to rely [solely] on the schools for educational enrichment."

Holly Seguine said, "Based on my own personal experience, [gifted] students are not being challenged at all. I have asked for enrichment materials and been told they ‘do not exist at District 65.' Teachers don't have materials and don't have the time to administer them."

Jane Berkley said, "If differentiated instruction was working very effectively, you wouldn't have as many calls for enrichment."

Marianne Kountoures, chair of the Program/Policy Committee said, "We've heard that upper-end students aren't being challenged."

In response to these concerns, the Committee is recommending a goal to "conduct a comprehensive study, using the Middle School Study as a model, of the District's differentiation/enrichment activities, and produce recommendations, which can begin to be implemented with the 2008-09 school year, to ensure that all the District's students are challenged to the full extent of their academic potential."

Assistant Superintendent Susan Shultz said, "A study will allow us to determine where are our strengths, where are our weaknesses, what we're doing for professional development for differentiated instruction, what we need to do in terms of professional development."

Ellen Fogelberg, literacy director, said, "There's tension always in the classroom with teaching the standards, the curriculum and meeting the needs of all children and establishing a community of learners. … a study would allow us to keep going forward and at the same time give us a framework and a structure for looking at what is it that we are currently doing that is done well and then where do we need to move." Differentiated instruction requires "a skilled, very skilled, teacher," she added. "That is why we keep coming back to professional development."

Dr. Murphy added a slightly different concept. "For some students enrichment does occur and it does enable them to exceed standards," he said. "The question is whether it's characteristic of the kind of instruction that is occurring and whether or not we are in fact enriching and challenging all of the students who need to be enriched and challenged. That is, I think, the purpose of the study."

The accompanying tables show percentages of students exceeding state standards on the ISATs.

Ms. Kountoures asked if anything, including readiness grouping, would be taken off the table for purposes of the study. Dr. Murphy said no, adding, "We all think this can be a fascinating, meaningful and invigorating exercise for all of us in the District."

Technology goal
On March 26 the Board approved spending $3 million in bond proceeds to replace and upgrade outdated computers and other equipment. The administration proposed spending $7.5 million over seven years to replace outdated computers; to purchase Promethean Boards, digital cameras, and other equipment; and to broaden the District's broadband for quicker downloads and to implement wireless connections.

In a memorandum to the Board, the administration said, the District "has become increasingly reliant upon technology in its day-to-day operations. Technology is blended in classroom instruction and curriculum standards. It is important for the District to maintain standards for computers and technology work stations to facilitate the teaching and learning environment."

The recommended goal for technology is to "conduct a study and prepare recommendations for the Board regarding the funding, purposes, placement and use of technology in District 65's instructional programs and operations."

Mary Rita Luecke said there needs to be a very explicit plan to fund technology through operating funds. Dr. Murphy replied, "That's the piece we need to talk about." He added that the District was currently spending $600,000 a year on technology out of operating funds.

The 60% guideline goal
The Program/Policy Committee decided not to adopt a goal to consider revising the 60% guideline, which is used to racially balance the schools. Some Board members had proposed the goal in anticipation of a decision by the United States Supreme Court which will determine whether the race of a student can be considered in order to racially balance schools.

District 65 takes the race of students into account in deciding whether to grant students admission into the magnet schools, whether to grant students permission to attend a school other than the students' attendance area school, and whether to admit English-speaking students into the Two-Way Immersion program. The District takes race into account in an effort to racially balance the District's schools, or in the case of the TWI program, to balance the TWI classroom.

Ms. Kountoures said, "I can't support this [goal] at this time without the Supreme Court's decision. I think once you hear from the Supreme Court, then the Board and the administration are going to have to react relatively quickly to come up with a solution." She added that the Board had recently studied the 60% guideline.

Mary Rita Luecke said, "This is something the Board should pay attention to in the coming year, because the landscape is probably going to change…We need to be deliberate about addressing it."

Julie Chernoff said, "I think it's one of those things; if we have to deal with it we will." She said "if the Supreme Court were to say we can no longer take race into account in selecting students for the magnet schools, we would not do so."

Sharon Sheehan said the community established the 60-percent guideline as a value, and if it can no longer be used, "I think it will need to be revisited in some way, in the sense of just rediscussing community values."

She also said, "Educationally, I think the issue of whether we can educate students as well as we want in schools that are 70 percent low-income is something we will have to grapple with." She pointed out that the percent of low-income students at the District's schools ranges from a high of 70 percent at Oakton to a low of 19 percent at Willard.

During the last ten years, a number of school districts throughout the country have shifted from balancing their schools by race to balancing their schools by income level

Poor Communication, Misinformation Plague Adult Education Proposal

By Jennie Berkson

A standing room-only crowd expressed concerns about possible changes to the Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) program at District 202 at the Board meeting on April 16.

District 202 administrators are considering joining the Alliance for Lifelong Learning, a partnership among Maine Township, Niles Township and Northfield District High Schools and Oakton Community College. Oakton provides the administrative support for adult and continuing education in these communities.

William Stafford, District 202 chief financial officer, said, "A financial analysis of the District's current program revealed that an annual cost savings of $56,000 annually could be realized by having Oakton manage adult education." In addition, administrators cited other advantages to having Oakton provide courses at ETHS. For example, through Oakton's dual credit program ETHS students would have the possibility of earning an associate's degree at the same time they were earning their high school diploma.

The ETHS Adult and Continuing Education program offers not only a wide variety of special interest classes like welding, upholstery and test preparation, but also runs the GED preparation program, English as a Second Language (ESL) and adult literacy programs. Classes take place at ETHS and also at a number of sites around the community.

More than 50 people signed up to speak during the public comment time; many left before their opportunity to speak arrived. Much confusion was apparent, based on speakers' remarks. Some expressed concern that the courses offered would no longer be at ETHS or at the existing community sites. Others worried that particular teachers with specialized knowledge would be replaced. Still others cited the helpful and able administrators of the program.

There was also disagreement about the financial status of the program. Anna Nakashima, director of ACE said that "last year" the program "made $20,000" and that the previous year it had been "$93,000 to the good." Mr. Stafford disputed that claim, saying that "audited figures" showed that the program was losing money.

Mr. Stafford sought to clarify some of the confusion about how the program would change under Oakton management. He emphasized that classes would still be held at ETHS and at other sites currently in use in Evanston. He also said that many current teachers would likely be retained in most areas. He did say that the administrative staff of ACE would, however, be replaced by the Oakton staff.

Speakers were also angry that very little advance notice had been given about the proposal and that the decision process appeared to be accelerated. "The public deserves an apology," said Board President Ross Friedman. "Something went wrong as far as communication is concerned. It's important that we take time to clarify the issues."

"This is our first opportunity to discuss this publicly," said Superintendent Eric Witherspoon. "The only thing that is being asked this evening is to approve the petitioning to be part of the Alliance. That does not mean we will join the Alliance. There will be future public discussion about this." Board members voted to petition to join the Alliance.

**See the Guest Essay by ETHS Superintendent Eric Witherspoon regarding the partnership for adults and students
between Oakton Community College and ETHS

Community Service Scholarships Available

State Representative Julie Hamos has announced the availability of eight one-year full-tuition scholarships to Illinois state universities. The scholarships are valid for either graduate or undergraduate studies and will be awarded to residents of the 18th Legislative District who have demonstrated a commitment to community service and an interest in making positive contributions to the social, economic, cultural and political life of their community. A scholarship advisory committee will guide the competition.

Qualifications for the scholarship are:
· Residence in the 18th Legislative District
· Acceptance at the state university of one's choice
· Present and future commitment to community service

Applications for the scholarship are now available at local schools, community organizations, area high schools, the public libraries of Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, and Rogers Park, the district office of Rep. Hamos, 820 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60201, and online at www.juliehamos.org.

Completed applications must be received (not postmarked) no later than 5 p.m. on April 27 at the district office of Rep. Hamos. The scholarship does not include room and board.

Scholarships are available for one academic year of undergraduate or graduate studies at the following state universities: University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Chicago, or Springfield; Chicago State University, Chicago; Eastern Illinois University, Charleston; Governor's State University, Park Forest; Illinois State University, Normal; Northern Illinois University, DeKalb; Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago; Southern Illinois University, Carbondale or Edwardsville; Western Illinois University, Macomb.

CEDA Announced 2007 Scholarship Program

Applications are now being taken for the 2007 scholarship program of the Community and Economic Development Association, Inc. (CEDA). Scholarships are available to income-eligible residents of suburban Cook County who are already enrolled or planning to attend an accredited institution of higher learning or occupational training in Illinois for the coming academic year.

This year's scholarship program offers financial aid to low-income students who demonstrate academic achievement, career potential and educational motivation. The maximum award offered to each successful applicant is $1,000. High school seniors and graduates (or equivalent) aspiring to higher education are invited to apply.

Candidates must submit a CEDA scholarship application, references and proof of income eligibility. The deadline for application submissions is April 20. Applicants should contact Viru Joshi, Social Services Coordinator, CEDA/Neighbors at Work 847-328-5166. Applications are available at the CEDA/Neighbors at Work Office at 1229 Emerson Street, Evanston, IL 60201. Successful candidates will be notified of their award by May 31.

Since 1986, the CEDA Scholarship Program has assisted more than 300 high-potential students realize their education and career goals. This program is funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity through CEDA's Community Services Block Grant.

ETHS Kudos

ETHS juniors Ahad Waraich and Ellen LeBow tied for ninth place in the state debate championship tournament hosted by the University of Illinois-Springfield last month. Junior Chelsea Uselding also competed. All three were entered in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, which focused on whether the United Nations should favor the protection of human rights over respect for national sovereignty. The competition featured two days of preliminary rounds followed by a day of sudden-death elimination rounds. History teacher Richard Dempsey is the ETHS debate coach.

Seven teams of science students (23 students) won Honorable Mention Awards in the 2007 Toshiba Exploravision Contest, the greatest number of awards earned by any school in the country (Illinois had a total of 18). The contest involves teams of students researching a current technology then projecting it 20 years into the future. The students are from teacher Renee DeWald's Chemistry and Advanced Placement Chemistry classes and teacher Laura Ernst's Biology Honors class.

Three ETHS student teams (23 students) ranked in the top 5 in state for the Junior Engineering and Technical Society (JETS) academic competition. The Varsity A team (eight seniors) finished second in state, the Varsity B team (eight seniors) tied for third place, and the Junior-Varsity A team (seven juniors) finished fourth. The national JETS office will announce national rankings in April. ETHS JETS are coached by science teachers Mark Vondracek and Russell Kohnken.

In the prestigious Profiles in Courage essay contest, sponsored by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, two ETHS juniors have been named among the top 10 entrants, the first time a school has had two winning essays in the top 10. Jacob Cedarbaum was among five finalists and will receive $500 for his essay on Al Gore Sr.'s political courage, and Charlotte Cottier became a semi-finalist for her essay on the political courage of Paul Wellstone. Forty-nine ETHS students in teacher Liz Holding's English classes submitted entries to this writing competition.