Changes proposed for Bilingual and ESL programs
During the February 9th Board of Education meeting, Dr. Nielsen proposed changes in the district's Bilingual and ESL programs. With the exception of Stevenson School, each elementary school in District 87 has seen a steady decrease in students. Irving, Oakland, Sheridan and Washington Schools currently enroll between 400-450 students. Bent School currently enrolls about 320 students. Stevenson School is now at capacity with 565 students and enrollment figures are expected to increase in the coming years. Instead of adding on to Stevenson, providing portable classrooms, or redistricting, Nielsen's proposed solution recommends:

Relocating the Bilingual program
40 of our 71 Bilingual students reside in the Irving and Sheridan boundaries
• move all Kindergarten and 1st grade bilingual students to Sheridan (estimated 38 students)
• transition one grade level to Sheridan each year thereafter until the K-5 bilingual program is at Sheridan
• this will provide Stevenson with two additional classrooms for the 2005-2006 school year
• reconfiguration of classrooms at Sheridan or Stevenson will not be necessary

Expanding the ESL program
• Oakland and Washington Kindergarten and 1st grade ESL students will attend Oakland (approx. 15 students)
• transition one grade of students each year thereafter until Oakland serves all Washington and Oakland ESL students.
• ESL students (grades 2-5) new to Oakland or Washington starting in August 2005 will be served at Oakland.
• continue to serve all Bent, Irving, Sheridan and Stevenson ESL students at Stevenson

Long Term Effects
• In four years:
- all bilingual students will be at Sheridan (approximately 80 bilingual students)
- All Oakland and Washington ESL students will be at Oakland (approximately 20 students).
- All Bent, Irving, Sheridan and Stevenson ESL students will be served at Stevenson
- The result will be approximately 75 to 100 fewer students at Stevenson, 80 more at Sheridan and 30 more at Oakland

The entire presentation may be viewed HERE in either Powerpoint or html

Task Force will form to tackle Achievement Gap
The Board also heard a report proposing the formation of a Achievement Gap Task Force. Despite several measures taken by the district over the course of the last few years, an achievement gap still exists between minority and low income students and their counterparts. This achievement gap is not unique to District 87, as it is occurs at the state, national and international level. formation of an Achievement Gap Task Force
- the membership will include two Board members, teachers, parents, administrators and community members from each of our schools
- all schools and sub populations will be represented on this task force
- funding will be provided by the McKinsey Consulting Group, which has worked in the past with schools in Chicago, New York and LA. The group has expressed interest in a long term commitment.

Goals for 2005-2006:
• the task force will be responsible for achieving three goals during the 205-2006 school year:
- synthesize research related to the achievement gap issue
- take this information and create a document that identifies the essential knowledge, skills and resources needed by parents, our community and educators to close the achievement gap and improve learning by all our students. This document will become the curriculum that all stake holders will learn in years two, three and four of this project.
- develop an assessment instrument to evaluate the understanding of all stake holders related to the variables that impact the achievement of students

2006 and Beyond:
• in year two, 2006-07, members of the task force will become team leaders in their respective schools
• we will form learning teams in each school consisting of educators, parents and community members
• task force members will use the document created in year one, 2005-2006, as the core of the curriculum for years two, three and four
• task force members must be willing to commit at least two years to this project
• our plan is to educate all stakeholders about the needs of students experiencing the achievement gap and ways to meet their needs.

The entire presentation may be viewed HERE in either Powerpoint or html

Summer construction projects continue
During the February 9th Board of Education meeting, Colin Manahan outlined summer construction projects at each of our schools. The entire presentation may be viewed HERE in either Powerpoint or html.

Opportunity for families to host Russian Exchange Student
The Vladimir/Canterbury Sister City Association of Bloomington-Normal is seeking families to host a Russian high school student for one or two semesters beginning fall 2005.  This is an excellent opportunity for families to make an international friend and to broaden cultural perspectives and promote international understanding.

The association sponsors an annual exchange program for two 15 or 16 year old students to attend high schools in the Twin Cities for a period of one school year.  Families in outlying areas of school attendance districts are also eligible to host provided transportation to Bloomington-Normal is available.

Student applicants are carefully screened for English skills.  Students provide their own airfare and spending money. Host families provide food, lodging and transportation.  The association provides student health and accident insurance, pays school fees and offers host families an orientation and support during the student visit. Interested families may contact Orlyn Edge, 452-3021, to volunteer or for more information.  Host families must be selected by late February.

2006 Federal Budget proposes cutting Education funding by 9%
For 2006, the President is requesting $56 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Department of Education, a decrease of $529.6 million, or 9 percent, from the 2005 level.

The Bush Administration is requesting no funding for current Vocational Education programs and Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities State Grants.
The Administration requests $215 million for Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (down from $590 million last year).

The Budget proposes the establishment of new programs:
The Choice Incentive Fund will provide the parents of students who attend low-performing schools with expanded opportunities (vouchers) for transferring their children to a higher-performing public, charter, or private schools. The High School Intervention would hold high schools accountable for teaching all students and provide timely intervention for those students who are not learning at grade level. The Teacher Incentive Fund to encourage performance-based compensation systems that change the way school districts pay teachers. Programs seeing an increases in funding include: Advanced Placement, Striving Readers and Mathematics and Science Partnerships.

Source: U.S. Department of Education. Copies of the proposed Education budget is available on the Dept. of Education's website.

Four incumbents, one newcomer seek four open seats
Running for four open seat on the District 87 Board of Education are John Dirks, Cheryl Jackson, Millicent Roth, Janet Smith (all incumbents) and Willie Halbert. Election Day is Tuesday, April 5.

Congratulations to...
• BHS Speech team members Kinnatha Tolson, John Twork and Harry Watermeier for qualifying for State. At Sectionals, Tolson placed 1st in Verse Reading, Twork placed 2nd in Radio Speaking and Watermeier placed 2nd in Dramatic Interpretation.
• Sheridan School 4th grade students in Kristen Foley's class for collecting $530 from fellow students to aid the Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund.
• Poms coach, Crystal Taylor and her squad for their 1st place finish at the Jacksonville Regionals.
• BHS' Wrestling squad and coaches for advancing a school record - 7 wrestlers to State competition. Congratulations to: Brett Robbins, Justin Hale, Tyler Johnson, Gianni Ontiveros, Nick Alvis, Brian Temple and Troy Clark.

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