quote:

Originally posted by AMH21:


Bob, if Lincoln had gone with 4 sessions of Kindergarten this year, class sizes would have been roughly 20 kids per class. I know you want to wait for the Space Study to confirm your feelings on square footage, but Lincoln has had many classes in Kindergarten with 25 kids per class in the past (including 2 of my kids). How can you say that the classrooms are possibly not large enough to handle more kids than 15-16? .

Note that I didn't say the rooms aren't large enough for 25. I was just noting that they are smaller than the other schools.

Anyway, I did inquire about Lincoln Kindergarten. Staffing of Kindergarten in general is one of the more difficult staffing tasks for the District as it requires trying to predict the next year's grade size at the end of the previous school year. In Lincoln's case, the District based predictions on last years class and on an expected influx of refugees that has not (yet) materialized. So it's possible that those numbers may go up over the course of the school year.

In the case of Churchill, you might remember that last years Kindergarten class was much lower than expected. This year, the size increased and they also had a number of late summer move-ins - thus the higher per class numbers.

I understand the argument of Kindergarten being difficult to gauge. (In the Lincoln attendance area some of the lower K size might be due to St. Pet's having openings in Kindergarten for the first time in a very long time.) But, I do not understand why the district cannot stick to their board approved guidelines for class sizes. Then, if enrollment should increase in a specific grade, hire an aide for that particular class that has gone over the board approved limit.

I am skeptical to say the least. My own kid was part of a Kindergarten class that had over 25 in every class from the get go. Parents asked if another section could be opened and were told "no." That was the school year that saw passage of the 2001 referendum. Nothing like striking fear in parents of Kindergarteners. Fast forward to the same child with 27 in Kindergarten, a few years later the same school saw 16 in 5th grade (when the board-approved guidelines were up to 25). Look at the current numbers of 4th grade at Churchill. Five sections of 20 each. Aren't the Board guidelines up to 25 in 4th grade? If so, then the sectioning would have been 4 classes of 25.

I wish the district would just be straight with the community. Instead we get pat answers "it's the programs" -- which really doesn't explain anything.

Gee, did the seniors stay home from the polls that year? Manipulation of enrollment figures and circumstances is the hallmark of any request for funding. Straight forward information is so rare that, when the District actually tries to be direct, they become the boy who cried wolf. Evidence the skepticism with which Mr. Solak is now being greeted.

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Solak:
Anyway, I did inquire about Lincoln Kindergarten. Staffing of Kindergarten in general is one of the more difficult staffing tasks for the District as it requires trying to predict the next year's grade size at the end of the previous school year. In Lincoln's case, the District based predictions on last years class and on an expected influx of refugees that has not (yet) materialized. So it's possible that those numbers may go up over the course of the school year.

Attention D41, here is your advanced notice:

My child will be entering kindergarten in the fall at Lincoln.

Thank you.

DTM

I had to return to this topic today because those lovely writers at SchoolNews made reference to us slanderous and libel-making posters.

So many of the topics brought up on this topic are way too close to my interest and heart. I am not at all pleased with the classroom sizes that 89 has decided for us. We are down a net of 3 classroom teachers in my school, but class sizes which averaged around 17-18 last year now average around 23, with as many as 29 students in a classroom.

Although there is one bright spot, I don't have to listen to the teachers and administration complain about not having AC anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by South of Teddy:
I had to return to this topic today because those lovely writers at SchoolNews made reference to us slanderous and libel-making posters.

Well, Vu2, you big bad troublemaker. What do you have to say for yourself? You can't even get your moniker in the schoolpropagandaweekly. You are just so.... anonymous to them.

Now, I know Vu2 can be stinging in his criticism, and crafty in his cross examination of hypocrisy, but waving the bloody shirt of martyrdom does not become a reporter. Especially one who was co-opted so blatantly in reporting the travesty of 622 children in portables while the population of the schools is decreasing.

I applaud someone who starts a business. It's really admirable. But a free newspaper that clutters driveways and promotes the District propaganda is nothing but litter in my world. No matter how good the sports section.

Let's stop wasting paper to be given away and recycled. Perhaps we can collect all the unused copies and have the homeless sell it at the train station like Street Wise. Clam and Bitterboy are good for a buck apiece on that one.

quote:

Clam and Bitterboy are good for a buck apiece on that one.

and a poke and a prod too.

I like that there is a paper focusing on education and I certainly have some thoughts about several of the articles. I plan to e-mail them directly and field some of my thoughts and questions. Nonetheless, I like it for it's potential and as they have more writers and contributors, I assume that the viewpoints will become more diverse. They certainly are doing a more in-depth job of covering Glen Ellyn education than the News or Sun! So, I wish them well and hope they will be receptive to people's comments, as they suggested in the article to which Ronkas refers.

While there were some coverage shortcomings in that D41 space/crowding issue, the 9/12/07 issue on what colleges are admitting our local graduates is very interesting. If you have older students, this is exactly the kind of information you'd like to have, but don't have the time or resources to compile for yourself. So, thanks, School Week. As for Board member Dan Brown's comments - if you haven't read the article you should and draw your own conclusions.

There are other reasons kids choose schools - not the least is availability of tuition breaks/scholarships/grants offered. Not everyone is Ivy League material, and none the worse off for it.

The various sports coverage is nice to see, too. These kids spend a lot of time practicing and preparing. In fact, we recently were at West after school for a JV Football game and saw the girls cross country team at practice. West's Rachel Folan looked like she could run (fast) all day and into the night. Ah, youth.

Send in a suggestion to the paper! I think there is a forensics parents meeting tonight, BTW. My junior had the forensics advisor Mr. Crowley last year. My husband always starts singing some song I've never heard about "Mr. Crowley" when his name comes up.

GE Mom, the ivy league article is exactly the one I want to offer my opinion on...if they are taking letters to the editor, I will try to have one in the next paper. I'd LOVE to do a regular column about college admission/scholarships, etc....I have many opinions (and expertise) on the matter. I usually share them freely here, as you all know!

By the way, forensics and theater coverage would be great - those are almost never given press but are really great parts of the school community...band and orchestra too! Mr. Crowley, by the way, worked with me at York and he's a wonderful teacher as well as play director. I hope my children get him as a teacher sometime.

And the girls cross country does put in some serious time and works hard. My daughter has joined the team and let me just say - what a GREAT group of girls for her to get to know! I'm really pleased with this opportunity for her and her running is really improving!!

I attended the West Forensics parents meeting tonight. I agree they (as well as the other worthwhile groups mentioned previously) deserve coverage.

my wife and i were at the parents' night tonight. kinda sad. after six years (two kids) this is our last one. just as last week's curriculum night was the last. . .

lotsa "lasts" this year.

btw, concerned citizen. i was the guy who asked mr. crowley to give us his gut feeling for the coming year. he was being very modest. this year's team is strong. i'm excited for them.

No nerd jokes towards speech team kids from me. I competed for 4 years at Wheaton Central, and received a full scholarship to compete in college. I am a volunteer coach, and former stipend coach for the Wheaton South team. I met my dear wife through speech, all my best friends, and it's helped me in every job I've had.

GW, Wheaton South and Wheaton North could very well all be in the top 5 finishing schools in the IHSA again this year. Wheaton South has 10 kids who were State qualifiers their Soph & Junior years returning, as well as 2 State Champions. I don't know as much about the Wheaton North team, but they were the top team in the area last year.

2007 State Final Teams

1. Downers Grove (South)
2. Glenview (Glenbrook South)
3. Wheaton North
4. Wheaton Warrenville South
5. Glenbard West


Mr. Crowley is a great coach, and the Hiltopper Speech team will have a great year this year. The kids deserve much more credit for their hard work. Some celebrity forensics alumni have tried to raise the awareness of the activity (Oprah, David Letterman, Ted Turner), but it can't compete with the popular sporting events.

I've been bringing my kids to tournaments since they were little, and they really enjoy the comedy events. I think the GBW tournament is in December or January. My wife and I will probably judge. Anybody is welcome to come see how bright and talented these kids are.

KS:

GW tourney is 12/15. everyone/anyone welcome. as you now, some of these kids get pretty amped with fans watching; others are distracted/nervous.

great to hear about your full scholarship -- as a parent it's nice to know they're available. my son took 4th in state in OC last year. bradley is his #1 school choice (pretty strong team team, as you know i'm sure). he was offered a small scholarship at their camp this summer, and they implied they were quite interested in him. fingers crossed.

i'd love to get your advice on colleges and scholarships available (not sure how to do that).

btw, some my son's best friends are WS competitors. extremely talented kids as well as fine young adults. a parent couldn't wish for better friends for their children.

You might find This Link helpful. Probably not a comprehensive list considering that your son was apparently already offerred something from Bradley and they aren't on the list. Nonetheless, it's a start!

This might help too.

Good luck!

thanks a lot, amy!

good luck to your daughter this fall on the x-country team.

I am a Bradley grad, and loved it there. I am friends with the coaches. There used to be a lot more scholarship money, but it is more limited now. If Dan and August were interested in your son for the Summer Forensics Institute, then I'm sure they'll be interested in him for the team scholarship, which is paid out to kids who travel with the team, each semester.

I agree, your son's friends at WS are who any parent would want their kids to be around, as I'm sure the GW kids are. Two of my WS kids are babysitters for us. Ten of them just came to help me move and assemble our wooden playset. I coach Ethan in OC, Danny in HI, Gillian in SOS, and a few of the humorous duet teams. I'm not their full-time coach, I just see the kids sometimes for another set of eyes. My elementary-aged children love to watch the performances,and look up to the big high-schoolers.

I have a friend and Wheaton Central teammate who started a speech team in her middle school. There are middle school tournaments, and a league of some kind to govern kids of that age. I've been thinking about doing the same at Hadley, if I could talk administrators into supporting the idea. My oldest starts at Hadley next year, so we'll see.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin Spengel:

I have a friend and Wheaton Central teammate who started a speech team in her middle school. There are middle school tournaments, and a league of some kind to govern kids of that age. I've been thinking about doing the same at Hadley, if I could talk administrators into supporting the idea. My oldest starts at Hadley next year, so we'll see.

I know we sparred in the past, but I would love to assist you in something at Hadley. I coached chess at Lincoln, and some of those kids are brilliant. Also, I was on the speech team in Long Beach, CA. Those USC guys were juggernauts. Contact me at ronaldkas.com

My dear wife Sherry's impulsive reaction to seeing the GEBB on my computer screen again, was to punch me in the back of the head. When I regained consciousness, I explained that I was writing about speech team stuff, and I was attempting to be positive on the Board. Skeptical, but intrigued, she read my posts, apologized for cudgeling me, and suggested I tell the parents about some of the cool jobs my speech team friends have...

Probably the coolest job was deputy White House communications director for the HW Bush White House. Andy Foster ran the Bush campaign while a student at Marquette, and turned Wisconsin for Bush 41 (the one really qualified to be POTUS). I have some really cool pictures of Andy on Air Force One. Andy is now the EVP for American Ethanol.

Mostly, speech team kids go on to be laywer-types. Litigators, Judge clerks, and corporate law. Nancy Temple was a Wheaton Central speech team member, and got dragged under water in the Enron mess. I assure you, Nancy is the most ethical, trustworthy person on Earth. She's doing great now, with her own private practice.

Eric Berg was a three-time State Champion at Wheaton Central, went to Yale, Northwestern Law School and is a trial lawyer for Piper Rudnick.

Glenbard West's own Brad Johansen was a national champion at Bradley, and is now the most popular 10 o'clock sports host on the NBC affiliate in Cincinnati. He also does NFL play-by-play with former Bengals coach, Same Wiese.

A friend, and client, John Hong, GBW speech alumnus, is the personal corporate counsel for billionaire founder of Ty, Inc., Ty Warner (Beanie Babies).

Of course, everybody in town knows Sean Hayes from Will & Grace was very involved with Theater. He was also on the GBW speech team.

Wheaton and Bradley alumnus, State and National champion, Andy Heaton is Associate General Counsel for Ernst and Young Worldwide, living in Washington D.C.

Bradley alumnus Brent Christiansen earned 41% of the vote running against Henry Hyde for US Congress.

Bradley alumnus Spike Manton (formerly of the Steve Dahl Show, Spike & Harry ESPN Radio) and Tim Clue co-wrote the popular, long-running Chicago play "Leaving Iowa".

Bradley alumnus Marco Benassi was recently named "Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year" at the College of DuPage. An honor nominated and awarded by his peers and students.

One of my best friends from high school speech, Eric Filkin, was an attorney, and now is the Head Pastor at The Broadway Covenant Church in Rockford.

Both John and Jim Belushi were talented members of the Wheaton Central speech team. I don't think we had a team when Bob Woodward went there. Maybe debate or something.

Kinda cool, C. Stanley Austin, DuPage Circuit Judge, gives of his time to be the Director of Forensics at Wheaton North. Stan is the judge for our foster baby girl, and in very good hands.

Not sure if this is interesting to people or not. I sound like a big old name-dropper, but bottom line...you want your kids to be on the Speech Team.