Seniors at ETHS Take Advantage of Rare Opportunity

By Joe Linstroth

Because these presentations are extentions of classroom activities and not open to the public, anyone who wishes to attend should visit the Evanston Township High School website http://www.eths.k12.il.us or contact the school, 847-424-7000.

For 12 years, with the exception of a home economics class here and a foreign language class there, students go from kindergarten to high school learning what their teachers and administrators have decided is important to know.

The Senior Studies Program at Evanston Township High School (ETHS), however, gives seniors the rare opportunity to decide for themselves what they want to learn.

Alec Beaird, for example, discovered that the style of French New Wave films from the late 1950s and early 1960s was the most helpful when making a film without a budget.

Peter Staub, exploring a possible career as a chef, witnessed the organized chaos of a professional kitchen. Annie Daskovsky saw firsthand the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and led a group of volunteers to assist in the rebuilding effort.

First offered as an elective in 1998, the Senior Studies Program has a multi-disciplinary curriculum which incorporates English, history and community service. The program is divided into two distinct halves. The first semester is composed of a series of thematic units, each three weeks in length. They include topics such as education, local history, race and the arts. The students read Shakespeare and discuss books on educational theory; they write essays and compose resumes.

The program fulfills the students' English and history requirements for graduation, as well as half of the 50-hour community service requirement for the first semester, but it fulfills them in a non-traditional way. Instead of the usual 43-minute class with exams and lectures, the Senior Studies program occupies the last three class periods of each day. The extra time provides teachers Steve Newman, David Allen and Matt Walsh with more flexibility to take the students on field trips and to invite speakers to share their expertise.

The extra time also gives the seniors a chance to immerse themselves in the Evanston community. One day a week, they split into smaller groups of five to seven students. Each group identifies a particular need in the community and develops a service project to help with that need.

While the students are reading, writing and volunteering, they are also deciding what they want to accomplish with their second-semester projects. They select reading materials specific to their areas of interest. They consult with their teachers and, at the end of the first semester, each student presents a project plan to a group of community members unaffiliated with the program, who ask questions and offer feedback.

The second semester is devoted entirely to their Senior Studies projects. Mr. Walsh, Mr. Newman and Mr. Allen split up the 64 students and meet with them individually once a week to ensure they are meeting the goals outlined in their proposals. The projects cover a wide range of interests from photography and dance to firefighting and auto maintenance.

Ms. Daskovsky spent her time watching news footage and listening to NPR podcasts on Hurricane Katrina. She located a non-profit that was looking for help, rented vans and recruited volunteers and chaperones who were willing to spend their spring break rebuilding houses in St. Bernard Parrish, La.

She learned that volunteering was more than just showing up and working; she had to consult with an attorney to set up a liability waver and raise money for the trip through a letter-writing campaign.

"I needed to feel like I was doing something that mattered," she said. Now that she has seen the devastation, she plans to go again on her own: "You can't go down there and see it and not go back."

The entire month of May is devoted to the students' presentations of their projects. As the students impart what they have learned, and in some cases display what they have made, to their teachers, parents, and fellow classmates, they find themselves in an unfamiliar role as the teacher.

Asked if the students felt empowered, Mr. Newman answered yes. "The students develop independence, responsibility and life skills," he said. "The program takes what they love and have a passion for and combines it with education."

Before his last semester in high school, Mr. Beaird had never made a narrative film. "I was scared out of my mind," he said. Not anymore. For Mr. Beaird and the 63 other students in the Senior Studies Program, their futures are uncertain, but they will leave ETHS with a little more courage to follow their passions.

Oakton Parents Air Concerns About School Climate, Building Use, Teacher Retention

By Mary Helt Gavin

A group of Oakton School parents who have been frustrated by the school's low scores, poor image and, some believe, unresponsive leadership invited District 65 administrators to a PTA meeting on May 7 to address their concerns. The parents had provided Dr. Hardy Murphy, the District superintendent, with seven questions that detailed the history and source of their concerns about the school.

Their concerns focused on school climate, teacher retention, parent involvement, relations with the principal, use of the space, and what they perceived as a maldistribution of resources within the District.

Recurring problems at Oakton
For several years Oakton parents have been concerned about low scores on standardized tests, dwindling attendance by neighborhood students and a high percentage of low-income students, either 66 percent or 71 percent, depending on the measures used.

By contrast, Willard School, which was named one of the 25 top-performing schools in the state on the ISAT last year, has only 19 percent low-income students.

District officials have said they allocate substantial resources to Oakton. However, results have not necessarily been concomitant. On the 2005 ISAT, 57 percent of Oakton students met or exceeded state standards, as compared to 74 percent for the District overall. In 2006, when scores increased statewide and Districtwide, 76 percent of Oakton students met or exceeded state standards, as compared with 84 percent Districtwide.

The May 7 meeting
The parents at the occasionally impassioned May 7 meeting said they were discouraged by the poor image and low scores at the school. They said they felt they were in the dark about how many teachers were retained at Oakton and were frustrated in their attempts to meet with the principal, Q.T. Carter, about some of the issues. They said they were "tapped out" from volunteering at the school and trying to engage other parents. One parent, saying she was speaking for others who were afraid to speak out, said there was a fear that the principal and the administration retaliate against teachers and parents who speak out about their concerns. But nearly all of them said they love Oakton School and they want it to "work."

At least three of the 20-some parents who attended the meeting said they were satisfied with the way the school was run and the way their children were being educated.

The school
The school, located at 436 Ridge Ave., is diverse. The school houses three separate programs - the general education (GenEd) curriculum, the two-way immersion (TWI) Spanish-English program, and the pilot African-Centered Curriculum (ACC). Classes are small - few if any have as many as 20 students, according to the administration.

"We are a multicultural, diverse school," said parent Geri Smith. "We have to sit down and figure out where we're going. If there's division, the kids pick up on it. We have to stop bickering and pull together."

Although for a few years in the past, students' scores on standardized tests did not meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, this year, he said, "Oakton probably had one of the largest increases in test scores."

Three programs in one school
The District's African-Centered Curriculum (ACC) pilot began this year at Oakton. It is a K-2 program but is housed in the school's kindergarten wing. During discussions before the ACC was approved by the School Board, some residents objected to having a race-based curriculum in a School District that prided itself on desegregation and diversity. Others questioned whether having three separate programs - the ACC, TWI and GenEd - under one roof would divide the school.

Parents said at the May 7 meeting that they had not been notified that the District planned to take the kindergarten wing for the ACC. Some parents at that meeting asked that the kindergarten wing be restored for use by all kindergartners, both as a way of sheltering the youngest children and as a way of uniting the school.

"I feel a little insulted because we were told that the ACC would be an integral part of the school, but [having it in the kindergarten wing] impaired our ability to communicate with each other," one TWI parent said.

When asked why the District had taken the kindergarten wing for the ACC, Dr. Murphy said, "The models we had showed that the program would be most effective if it were separated."

In a separate interview Dr. Murphy clarified that statement by saying that the administration believed that separating the ACC from the other programs "would be the best way to create the milieu in which such sorts of programs can succeed."

Dr. Murphy said he would not revisit the decision to use the kindergarten wing for the ACC. He added, however, "I heard someone suggest at the meeting that all kindergarten students use the same door. I hope we can see other things that can be resolved through a discussion of building use."

Teacher retention
The question of how many teachers stay at Oakton and how many are given tenure arose, in part because some parents were concerned about the departure of a teacher in the TWI program. "Many persons here are concerned about a TWI kindergarten teacher who will be leaving," said Andrea Kuebbeler. "She teaches very vulnerable children. The parents are very clear that because of the process she went through with the District and with the principal she will be leaving."

Ms. Kuebbeler said she and several other parents had attempted to meet with Mr. Carter to discuss this teacher, but he had refused to meet with them.

Mr. Carter said he had refused to meet with the parents, because, "I will not sit down with a group of parents who want to influence me." He said there were "a lot of components that go into tenure decisions: classroom performance, professionalism and personal responsibility and instructional techniques. A lot of my information is observation," he said. He added that the staff at Oakton was "happy, because they know I listen to them and support them."

Parent Karen Johnson also asked for "concrete numbers" about how Oakton's teacher-retention rate compared to that of other schools in the District. "When I talk to people about Oakton they always talk about our low scores and say ‘You can't keep good teachers,'" she said.

Mr. Carter said, "Teachers leave Oakton for personal reasons - because they're moving or to get married." He said otherwise he believed Oakton had a good track record for teacher retention. "You can't say that no one has been given tenure here," he said.

Dr. Murphy told the RoundTable, "Oakton's teacher turnover is about the same as that of every other school in the District, about 9 percent." He said there were some variations over the past few years, ranging from zero to 15 percent of teachers leaving. However, he said, in some cases the turnover represented "program stability," that is, teachers' being replaced when the ACC and TWI programs were implemented.

School climate
While some of the more than 20 parents who attended the May 7 meeting appeared content with how the school is run, there were complaints about Mr. Carter's treatment of some parents, the fact that no parents sit on the Oakton School Improvement Team (SIT) and the retention of teachers at Oakton.

In response to a comment about the low parent turnout at the meeting, Ms. Johnson said, "Some people feel that they cannot express their opinions in this school because they will be treated differently or be called a name that we don't like. ... Parents feel that questioning puts a bull's-eye on them or their kids."

At the meeting Dr. Murphy said he supported Mr. Carter. "He has done a lot of good things. He has made mistakes but is a long way from being asked to leave. I have confidence in him that he can lead this school."

In a separate interview, Dr. Murphy discussed Mr. Carter's actions. "Mr. Carter ... should have met with the parents. He should have talked with them about the evaluation process, not about evaluating a specific teacher."

Dr. Murphy also said that although Mr. Carter did not have any parents on the SIT team, "He does have a ‘parent policy' committee and some parents are on that. In his opinion, the way he did that satisfied the requirement of having parents on the SIT team." Dr. Murphy said he would discuss that with Mr. Carter. He added, though, "Mr. Carter's had a difficult job. We will try to provide him the supports he needs. I hope we do not have to intervene [again] with anything."

A long-range plan for Oakton?
By the end of the meeting, many people seemed willing to continue to try to make a cohesive school. "Everyone is here for the diversity," said Peggy Zineddine.

"We have to embrace the diversity," she added.

Ann Covode said, "We should look at the positive aspects of this. We're addressing some important issues here that we as a society have to face. That we have three different programs under this roof is exciting. Instead of focusing on the petty, I would like to see a commitment on the parents' part to make it work."

Addressing Dr. Murphy, Jackie Muhammad said, "Do you have a long-range plan for Oakton? Can we get together to get a plan? We're doing a lot of things but not dealing with the underlying problems."

Ellen Fogelberg, the District's literacy director, said, "We had a long-range plan for Oakton, with 104 suggestions. It's time to do that again. I would like to meet with all of you."

Assistant Superintendent Susan Schultz said, "Our work has focused on working with teachers and getting results."

Dr. Murphy said, "But before we do something like that, it is important to understand we have instructional leadership at the school. ... So I'm a little reluctant to say the central office is going to drop in [and help with the plan]."

Later in the May 7 meeting, Dr. Murphy said he and Mr. Carter had considered such a plan that very day.

In a separate interview, Dr. Murphy said, "We have to have a way of evaluating parental concerns and a structure for incorporating such a process. We certainly want to hear what the parents have to say."

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Oakton and the Eighth Ward: The Alderman and the Superintendent

While this was the first time Dr. Murphy met with the PTA about problems at Oakton School, he did meet last fall with Alderman Ann Rainey, in whose Eighth Ward the school sits, and some of her constituents.

Ald. Rainey told the RoundTable, "I selected people to come to that meeting who would be representative of the ward. We talked about the problems at the school, and we've been waiting for a follow-up meeting since."

Asked about the meeting with Ald. Rainey, Dr. Murphy said, "There were only four people at the meeting beside the aldermen, and two of them did not even have children at the school."

Recently Oakton neighbors, parents and others have been posting concerns on Ald. Rainey's website. Two recurring topics are how the poor image of the school may discourage others from moving to the neighborhood and how the fear of retaliation keeps some parents from speaking out about the problems there.

"I know for a fact that the retaliation charge is very real," Ald. Rainey told the RoundTable in a separate interview.

Ald. Rainey added, "The problem is that Oakton is the lowest-performing school in the District. When we call [the administration] on it they always say, ‘But look how we're improving.' But the real problem is that they've accepted that Oakton is the lowest-performing school in the District."

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$1 Million and They All Will Breathe Easier

As a crowd of middle-school students and a bevy of elected officials looked on, State Senator Jeff Schoenberg presented District 65 a check for $1 million, to be used for capital improvements in the HVAC systems at the District's 16 schools.

"I knew I wanted to do something big for the schools," said Sen. Schoenberg, who is chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is also a District 65 parent.

"We have been increasingly aware of the serious need to improve the air quality and other environmental factors of our District's educational facilities, as asthma and respiratory ailments are found in growing numbers of Evanston's school-age population," he added, speaking in the Haven Middle School cafeteria.

"How many of you have asthma?" seventh-grader Itay Solomon asked his fellow students gathered in the cafeteria for the presentation. About half the nearly two dozen students raised their hands. Itay had helped bring the issue of poor indoor air quality to the attention of the school, the District and, ultimately, Sen. Schoenberg.

The grant, which will be used for HVAC improvement and asbestos abatement, will be administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"These funds will provide the opportunity for District 65 to address aged and inefficient ventilation systems with new air-handling units that will improve ventilation in our schools and reduce maintenance and energy costs," said Superintendent Hardy Murphy.

Dorothy Millard, president of the District 65 Educators Council (DEC) said, "DEC appreciates the Senator's working with the District and awarding this grant for enhancement of the learning environment for students and teachers."

Comprehensive School Funding Reform Possible This Session

By Larry Gavin

The School Boards for both Districts 65 and 202 have adopted a resolution asking State Senator Jeffrey Schoenberg and State Representatives Julie Hamos and Elizabeth Coulson to advocate for comprehensive school finance reform during the current legislative session. The resolution calls for:

· A substantial increase in State funding so that State and federal grants would provide 80 percent of the funds required to provide mandated services for special education students;

· A substantial increase in State poverty grant funding, on the basis that "the cost of educating low-income students is substantially higher than the cost of educating students from more affluent socioeconomic backgrounds";

· Changing the measure of the property tax cap from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to the Employment Cost Index (ECI) to account for the fact that higherlabor costs are the driving force in school budgets;

· Closing a loophole in State property tax laws under which school districts are unable to collect the full amount of their tax levies due to property tax appeals by commercial and industrial property owners.

The resolution was recommended by the District 65/202 Joint Legislative Task Force, chaired by Bob Heuer. School Board members Ross Friedman (D202) and Jonathan Baum (D65), the superintendents and other administrators of both school districts and members of the community serve on the Task Force.

Although the resolution calls for a "massive infusion of new State dollars into our schools, it does not address the thorny issue of how to raise new funds at the State level, and thus takes no position on whether to impose a gross receipts tax, to increase income taxes, to expand sales taxes or to swap an increase in income and sales taxes for a reduction in property taxes.

Mr. Heuer told the RoundTable that the Task Force originally considered supporting House Bill 750, which proposes to increase the overall level of State funding for education by increasing State income taxes and expanding sales taxes to cover certain services, and at the same time making some provision for property tax relief.

While H.B. 750 could potentially generate an additional $2 billion for educational funding, Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax & Budget Accountability told Task Force members in February that Districts 65 and 202 could lose about $5 to $7 million in net revenues on an annual basis under the bill as it then stood.

"Why commit to one proposal knowing it would result in a net hit to our District?" Mr. Heuer said. The Task Force's recommendation to distribute increased State funds for special education services and for poverty grants is an attempt "to minimize the hit Evanston would take, bearing in mind the State needs to increase its share of educational funding."
Mr. Heuer said that Districts 65 and 202 have a better chance of increasing their share of State funds if the funds are earmarked for special education services and for poverty grants. About 16 percent of the Districts' students receive special education services and about 38 percent are low-income.

At the State level, on May 10 the House of Representatives rejected Governor Blagojevich's plan to impose a gross receipts tax to raise $7 billion to be used in part to fund increases for education. The Governor said he would veto any income or sales taxes.

While everything is still in a state of flux, H.B. 750 and a companion Senate bill sponsored by Senator Meeks are still on the table. Senator Schoenberg told the RoundTable that he urged Senator Meeks to include provisions in his bill that tackle unfunded pensions, and spoke to him about funding for special education and poverty grants.

Sen. Schoenberg said he supports Districts 65 and 202's resolution but foresees "some big fights ahead."

Representative Julie Hamos told the RoundTable she supports an educational reform package. She said, "We can't even begin thinking about a bill without a real increase in special education funding." She agrees with the concept of increasing funds for the poverty grant, but said poverty funding came into play late in the game and something would have to be decreased in order to get the money "because the pie is already divided." H.B. 750 includes a provision changing the tax cap from the CPI to ECI, which she said she could support as part of a package containing property tax relief.

Rep. Hamos would like to see a suburban caucus demanding certain things in education reform: 1) It must benefit schools; 2) It cannot hurt Evanston schools; 3) It must have some property tax relief; 4) It must provide a way to distribute money to the schools (e.g., foundation levels, poverty grants, special education funding); and 5) It must provide accoutability for schools.

Rep. Beth Coulson told the RoundTable she has worked to improve special education funding for 10 years. She thinks increasing the poverty grant would benefit some but not all Evanston schools, because grants only go to schools that have 30 percent or more low-income students. She said she would prefer to have the funds follow students rather than schools.

ED-RED, a lobbying organization for 110 school districts in suburban Lake and Cook Counties, decided on May 14 to join the effort to increase State funding for poverty grants, Mr Heuer told the RoundTable.

Activities Fee Discussed Again: Board to Vote June 4

By Jennie Berkson

The long-debated ETHS activities fee received additional discussion by the newly elected District 202 Board in anticipation of a vote on June 4.

The fee was first proposed in May 2006 as a way to restore some extracurricular and athletic activities which had been eliminated by budget cuts. It was tabled after Board members and administrators decided that more planning and study of the subject was necessary.

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

The proposal received more discussion in December, 2006 and February, 2007. Each time, enough controversy and questions arose to make the Board postpone the vote to further assess public opinion and elements of the fee. Two of these elements are stipends and how much to charge different groups of students based on income or family size.

Administrators have consistently maintained that other comparable schools in the Chicago area charge activities fees.

Information presented on Monday showed that area high schools charge fees, mostly on a participation basis which range from $27 to $140 per sport. Board members have generally opposed the "pay to play" approach, preferring an overall fee borne by the entire ETHS community.

On Monday, administrators proposed that the fee be $85 which would raise approximately $190,000. These funds would be used to reinstate 21 coaches for teams across to spectrum and a revised intramural program. Several Fine Arts activities would be either reinstated or have their staffing enhanced.

Although students who are eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch do not pay the $200 ETHS registration fee, some Board members had requested that the administration provide some funding options which would require at least a small amount of the activities fee to be paid by these groups of students as well.

Administrators responded with four options ranging from no fee for students receiving a free lunch to $35 for students receiving a reduced lunch.

Mr. Stafford, responding to a Board request, indicated that the administration would prefer the option where students on free or reduced-price lunch paid the minimum, or no fee, because of concerns about the administrative challenges associated with collecting the fee from lower income families.

In preparation for their vote on June 4, Board members asked administrators to provide them with clarification about how stipends are set and awarded, as well as documentation of public feedback received on the subject of the fee over the past year.

In addition, the Board discussed the possibility of having a sunset clause for the fee, in order to evaluate its appropriateness and definition in the face of changing financial circumstances.

The Board will consider the proposal as an action item on June 4. The vote will be preceded by additional opportunity for public comment.

ETHS Seeks Feedback on‘System of Support' Program

Evanston Township High School's faculty and administration are in the process of developing a new way to increase academic supports for students who are struggling, to better personalize adult connections with students, and to support much higher achievement and learning for all students.

The proposal is definitely a work-in-progress. At this stage in the planning, the "System of Support" (or S.O.S.) program would build time into the school day for concentrated study and tutoring by ETHS teachers for students who need the help. Periodic review of every student's grades would determine individual study needs. The Homebase program of grade-level advisories would be retained but held for fewer periods per week throughout each semester.

These are just some of the highlights of the proposal. To explain S.O.S. to parents- and, more importantly, to get feedback ETHS will hold several public meetings at which the plan will be presented in its most up-to-date form. The school would appreciate feedback from all parents and interested parties.

Meetings are scheduled on the following dates (all meetings are from 6:30-8pm):
Tuesday, May 22, Bessie Rhodes School, 3701 W. Davis St., Skokie
Thursday, May 24, Fleetwood Jourdain Center, 1655 Foster St.
Tuesday, May 29, Chute Middle School, 1400 Oakton St..
Thursday, May 31, Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Ave.

Supt. Witherspoon Promises Continuity of ACE As ETHS Joins Oakton Alliance

By Jennie Berkson

The Evanston Township High School Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) program will now be administered by the Oakton Community College Alliance for Lifelong Learning, under a proposal unanimously approved by the District 202 School Board on May 7.

District 202 will join the Alliance, a partnership formed in 1978 between Maine Township, Niles Township, Northfield District high schools and Oakton Community College.

District 202 administrators first proposed the plan at the April 16 School Board meeting. Chief Financial Office William Stafford said, "A financial analysis of the District's current program revealed that an annual cost savings of $56,000 could be realized by having Oakton manage adult education."

Administrators cited other advantages to having Oakton provide courses at ETHS. For example, through Oakton's dual-credit program, ETHS students would be able to earn an associate's degree at the same time they are earning their high school diploma.

At the April 16 meeting, the Board and administrators were confronted by about 50 ACE students, teachers and administrators, many expressing concern that popular classes would no longer be available, that the program would be moved to another location and that favorite teachers would no longer be employed by the program.

In a letter to the Evanston community and ACE students after that meeting, Superintendent Eric Witherspoon reassured recipients that adult education classes would be held at ETHS and various satellites "already established throughout the community, as well as at new community locations." In addition, he stated that "everything currently offered (will) remain in place: all of the adult basic education, literacy classes, English as a Second Language and GED programs, both daytime and evening."

Most of the wide array of continuing education classes, such as welding, upholstery, computer training and photography, would continue, said Dr. Witherspoon, "assuming the instructors are qualified and available and there is sufficient enrollment for each class."

Oakton will survey the community to find out what additional classes residents want to take.

Mr. Stafford told the RoundTable three of ACE's five administrative employees "are being retained in other positions throughout the District, and two will do limited consulting and be phased out during the year. Oakton will administer the program and have an administrator on site most of the time."

During public comment before the Board took its vote, Sue Whiting, an ACE student, expressed concern that there had not been more time for public discussion.

"I don't want to say it's not a transparent process, but it certainly is not a process that has been open to the public," she said.

Ms. Whiting charged the proposal was being "placed before a lame duck board" and that "we will lose a community-based, community-driven organization."

Valerie Swords, another ACE student, also chastised the administration and the Board for bringing the issue to a vote without more public discussion.

"More people would be here if they thought there was going to be a vote on it. Last meeting you said it was the first step and you were exploring the Alliance . . . it's very disappointing to me."

"Letters and e-mails went to the community on this issue," Mr. Stafford told the RoundTable. "This decision did not lack public discussion, nor was there any rush to judgment. This is primarily an administrative change, not a program change."

"From the consumer's point of view, this will be the same ACE that we have had," Dr. Witherspoon told the Board. "English as a Second Language will remain in place and be as easily accessible as it has always been. This change will allow us to offer more value to the community."