Story posted Friday, June 26, 2009
Should District 26 Take On Grade Centers?
By RICHARD MAYER Assistant Managing Editor
River Trails Elementary School Dist. 26 board members recently approved a contract to conduct a grade level feasibility study in an amount not to exceed $20,000.
Grade levels, or grade centers, reorganize each grade by centralizing groups of students into one building. An example would be one school housing all district students in grades K-2, another building for grades 3-5; and another for 6-8. Currently, grade levels are spread out throughout the district.
"The board asked me several months ago to interview consultants who would be able to provide a study, and I found one in Jillicks, Ltd.," said Supt. Dr. Dane Delli. According to Delli, the study will include public meetings and a survey of the community as to whether or not residents feel if grade centers are needed or wanted in the district.
If it is determined the community wants the district to move forward with grade levels or centers, the study will also provide information on what the changes would mean for the district in the future.
"This is a major undertaking," said Delli. "We need to know if people are interested and if we have the buildings to support it and then create a timetable."
The study is expected to begin in September and take approximately four months to complete. Once the study is complete, a presentation will be made to the board in the middle of next school year for further action to be taken.
In other Dist. 26 news:
Next school year, Euclid School will participate in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program thanks to a grant the district recently received from the Illinois School Board of Education in the amount of $25,321.26.
According to Delli, the funding will provide a mid-day snack for all students at Euclid consisting of some type of fresh fruit or vegetable outside of their normal lunch period.
"This is a one-year grant and there are no guarantees we will be able to have this program in subsequent years," said Delli.
Unlike last summer, only a few renovations will be conducted this summer in the district.
At River Trails Middle School, a new HVAC unit will be installed in the Learning Center, in addition to a new floor at Euclid School.
According to Delli, there is almost an entire wing of the school where the floor is slanting downwards and needs to be raised.
There is no work besides annual summer cleaning expected at Indian Grove School. Projects are expected to begin shortly and be completed before the first day of school in late August.
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