A couple of side notes from last night’s Growing41 "love-in" at the Civic Center.

The evening got off to a rocky start outside the building when one of the faithful walking in took time to admonish a representative from Preserve41 with, “No, I don’t want one of your fliers . . . and I am getting really tired of seeing you people outside every one of these referendum meetings! You should stop.” That exchange, of course, after an election judge emerged at 7:01 p.m. . . . after the polls had closed . . . to tell the P41 folks that they were electioneering, and should move across the street. (Perhaps someone forgot to tell the judge that there was also electioneering going on IN the building!)

Approximately 40-50 folks showed up . . . the majority consisting of the Superintendent and members of her staff, two former and four current District 41 Board members, the two pro-referendum Board candidates, a healthy supply of League of Women Voters and a host of supporters sporting Growing41 buttons.

There was a full cast at the speakers’ table . . . PD Menzel, Facilities Committee; Nancy Ardell, Boundary Committee; Dee Manire, League of Women Voters; a principal from Deer Path Middle School in Lake Forest; a teacher from Lake Forest; a parent/former APT president from Lake Forest; Heather Farrar, assistant principal of Lincoln; August Battaglia and Ron Richardson from FGM; and Elizabeth Hennessy from William Blair.

The presentation from each speaker made for a lengthy show . . . and was essentially a rehash of info that we have heard before from Growing41.

The preferred party line has most definitely shifted to “Keep children younger longer” . . . which seems to fly in the face of a solution that advocates plucking younger children out of their neighborhood school environment. (Details!)

The phrase must be popular in Lake Forest, because the North Shore Trio used it repeatedly as well.

What did we learn last night?

“The 5-8 grade center is a nice idea.”

“It is developmentally appropriate.”

“It keeps children younger longer.”

“It will create a terrific transition . . . a softer transition . . . for 5th and 6th graders.”

“There is a refugee problem at Lincoln that is adding students and the need for specialists.”

“Lincoln and Churchill are busting at the seams.”

“We don’t live in an ideal world where money is no object.”

“We have to do something for 6th graders to keep them younger longer.”

“We (the LWV) were skeptical of the short period of time. Six months is a better period in which to sell a referendum.”

(Note: Apparently Ms. Manire has changed her mind or forgotten that in 1997, she was part of a District 41 board that voted on December 16, 1996 to seek a $28.1 million bond referendum on February 25, 1997 . . . allowing the District to piggy-back on a Wheaton primary for city council, hold the election at an off-time for most Glen Ellyn voters, by-pass the regular April election date, and keep discussion, and public awareness, of the referendum to a minimum!)

“We (the LWV) were caught off guard by the number of children coming into the system. Expectations are that the number will continue to grow anywhere from 150 on the low end to 450 on the high.”

“It’s not an ideal solution . . . but it is developmentally better for 6th graders and it makes a lot of sense.”

“It keeps children younger longer.”

“The transition was never a problem for our kids (Lake Forest) . . . I wouldn’t lie to you. The few problems that existed were minor.”

“It was more about parents’ fears than students.” (Lake Forest)

“We never give 5th graders enough credit for being mature.”

“Fourth graders are ready to be leaders of the school.”

“This solution is kinda like Goldilocks . . . this one is just right!”

“It keeps children younger longer.”

“There were limits to the additions that were added in 1997.”

“Why are kids being educated in closets today?”

“All of this is a concept . . . which will allow parents and the community to weigh in.”

“There is never enough green space . . . you have to work with the cards that are dealt to you.”

“I am not here promising to fix the water problems in Glen Ellyn . . . but I will promise to make the Hadley issues better.”


You get the picture . . .

By the time the formal presentations were finished, and the Q&A started, it was nearing 9:45 p.m. Questions were submitted on 3x5 cards. In an effort to dismiss the Lake Forest folks and let them start the long trek home, questions were addressed to them first.

The slightly humorous occurred when someone asked how much green space existed at their site. There was an awkward moment, as the principal of Deer Path answered sheepishly, “You don’t want to ask that!” He never gave specifics, other than to say that in the realm of life in Lake Forest . . . “green space is not an issue.”

The meeting took a break at that point . . . and so did I.

quote:

Originally posted by Melbourne:

“We (the LWV) were caught off guard by the number of children coming into the system. Expectations are that the number will continue to grow anywhere from 150 on the low end to 450 on the high.”

This may catch them even more off guard, according to the Kasarda Study, expectations are that on the low end, we may grow by -169 students by the 2016-7 school year. And yes, that's a negative sign.

But I'm sure you're not telling us the whole story, Melbourne. Certainly, someone from the District or the Board jumped in to correct their erroneous number.

Right?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bob Solak:
This may catch them even more off guard, according to the Kasarda Study, expectations are that on the low end, we may grow by -169 students by the 2016-7 school year. And yes, that's a negative sign.[QUOTE]

The one and only factor Dr. Kasarda lists for the difference in numbers from A to B is interest rates on homes. Boy, thats not a volatile indicator is it? 1/2% increase in interest rates and we lose 169 students? versus gain 100+?

Can we base 40 million in bricks and mortar on the national economy during wartime?

District 89 sees steady decrease in enrollment

"Glen Ellyn School District 89 officials report the district’s enrollment has been dropping consistently.

Superintendent John Perdue said within the past 10 years, enrollment dropped from 2,557 students to 2,136, an average of about 40 students each year.

The largest drop is in the elementary level, and officials expect enrollment to stabilize in coming years to about 2,000.

Perdue said there are a number of factors that play into the changing population, including a change in mortgage and interest rates, little new construction, a decline in birthrates, a depressed preschool population, no teardown turnovers and fewer student move-ins in general.

“A lot of these factors, we don’t have direct control over,” Perdue said.

A building capacity enrollment study showed the district’s students are utilizing about 85 percent of its structures. The extra space has been used for special education programming, art and music classes and specialized curriculum for English Language Learners students."

Perhaps they could house a few self contained special ed programs like ECE and the At Risk pre school programs that would free up 4 classrooms...then perhaps kindergarten in the south part of d41 could go there as they are closest to D89...that would open up lets say another 4 classrooms- so far a total of 8 classrooms and all of the office space needed for the specialists that work with those programs would be available for other programs... The classes would still be in neighborhood schools that are up to code and not a terribly long bus ride. Seems like it could be a viable possibility.