Post by gatormom on Mar 3, 2009 7:14:40 GMT -5
Hundreds turn out to oppose West High cuts
West Aurora residents balk at school cuts
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1457125,2_1_AU03_WEST_S1.article
March 3, 2009
ERIKA WURST ewurst@scn1.com
It has become a fact, and one that looms over West Aurora School District employees daily: Next school year, quite a few of them will not be around.
In response to the current economic drain on the district, and unpaid state funds (more than $5 million), Superintendent Jim Rydland said he's been forced to ask, and answer, some tough questions about West Aurora's future.
A lot of those questions, he anticipated on Friday, would come on Monday night during a planned town hall meeting.
He was spot on.
Hundreds of residents, teachers, parents and public officials, including Mayor Tom Weisner, Alderman Rick Lawrence and state Sen. Chris Lauzen, spent their evening away from kitchen tables and in the West High cafeteria, where they stepped up to the mic to express concerns about district cuts, the elimination of early education programs -- and the community as a whole.
"It's frustrating as an alderman to watch this," Lawrence said. "I view our school system as a major component of this community. We can build all of the condos and restaurants we want, but it means nothing if we have unhealthy school system. People will not move to our community, and without that school system we can stop all economic development."
The future of the children, he noted, is crucial to moving forward.
More than 1,200 3- and 4-year-old children are recognized as "at risk" on the West side, and should be receiving early childhood education, Director or Early Learning Michelle Shabaker said. The beneifts of the program, she said, are obvious.
Parents agreed, standing up to discuss the program's benefits and the amazing achievements made by their children since enrolling. The social, emotional and behavioral components of the program, along with academic instruction, have worked wonders, they said.
"Give my brother an opportunity to learn," sign-toting residents had written in bold marker.
"I love Todd School," tiny hands had scrawled on pink paper. "Obama said we need an education."
"What happens to these kids if we close Todd School?" a father asked. "They will get lost in the cracks."
And while Rydland recognized their sentiment, and applauded their concerns, he said that without grant money, the future of the school is likely out of district hands. Hope, he said, can still be on the horizon.
"I know that in this room together we can make decisions to effect economic stability of our community, state and nation," Rydland said. "I can't think of any better place but here to provide solutions and ideas that will enable all of us to be able to provide better economic future for our students, most certainly, but for all of us."
He called for a collaborative effort among the city and local districts to make changes, some of which he said, would not be made lightly.
"We have some challenging opportunities facing us," he said. "These reductions mean people, and I hate to say that."
Audience members said cutting teachers is the last snip that should be made.
Reductions in paper costs, food at meetings, insurance premiums and other avenues should be discussed before the board decides to nip in the bud things that directly impact student learning, people said.
"I would like to be given the answer of how we lose our staff, but still provide for our students," speakers said.
"We can't forget why we walk into our classroom. ... How do you expect to address the failure of these students?"
But without the funding, Rydland, said the cutbacks are crucial and to "do any less is to ignore the economic reality that we face as a district."
"I could put my head in the sand and ignore the issues. I could cross my fingers, or get the Magic 8 Ball out. That will really build confidence," he had said on Friday from his office on River Street.
"Instead, we're trying to find solutions, and people deserve confident, elaborate decision-making."
Those decisions, Rydland said, involve resident input, and on Monday, each audience member was given a sheet of paper and encouraged to offer feedback.
"Your voice can enable us to make better decisions," Rydland said.
The district has planned two additional town hall meetings during March to solicit feedback from those who will be affected by the reduction plan. He has also urged residents to voice their concerns to local and state legislators, and asked for an overall call to action by the higher-ups in Springfield.
"More now than ever we should be in a room together talking," he said. "We have a responsibility to act and communicate and get involved."
West Aurora residents balk at school cuts
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1457125,2_1_AU03_WEST_S1.article
March 3, 2009
ERIKA WURST ewurst@scn1.com
It has become a fact, and one that looms over West Aurora School District employees daily: Next school year, quite a few of them will not be around.
In response to the current economic drain on the district, and unpaid state funds (more than $5 million), Superintendent Jim Rydland said he's been forced to ask, and answer, some tough questions about West Aurora's future.
A lot of those questions, he anticipated on Friday, would come on Monday night during a planned town hall meeting.
He was spot on.
Hundreds of residents, teachers, parents and public officials, including Mayor Tom Weisner, Alderman Rick Lawrence and state Sen. Chris Lauzen, spent their evening away from kitchen tables and in the West High cafeteria, where they stepped up to the mic to express concerns about district cuts, the elimination of early education programs -- and the community as a whole.
"It's frustrating as an alderman to watch this," Lawrence said. "I view our school system as a major component of this community. We can build all of the condos and restaurants we want, but it means nothing if we have unhealthy school system. People will not move to our community, and without that school system we can stop all economic development."
The future of the children, he noted, is crucial to moving forward.
More than 1,200 3- and 4-year-old children are recognized as "at risk" on the West side, and should be receiving early childhood education, Director or Early Learning Michelle Shabaker said. The beneifts of the program, she said, are obvious.
Parents agreed, standing up to discuss the program's benefits and the amazing achievements made by their children since enrolling. The social, emotional and behavioral components of the program, along with academic instruction, have worked wonders, they said.
"Give my brother an opportunity to learn," sign-toting residents had written in bold marker.
"I love Todd School," tiny hands had scrawled on pink paper. "Obama said we need an education."
"What happens to these kids if we close Todd School?" a father asked. "They will get lost in the cracks."
And while Rydland recognized their sentiment, and applauded their concerns, he said that without grant money, the future of the school is likely out of district hands. Hope, he said, can still be on the horizon.
"I know that in this room together we can make decisions to effect economic stability of our community, state and nation," Rydland said. "I can't think of any better place but here to provide solutions and ideas that will enable all of us to be able to provide better economic future for our students, most certainly, but for all of us."
He called for a collaborative effort among the city and local districts to make changes, some of which he said, would not be made lightly.
"We have some challenging opportunities facing us," he said. "These reductions mean people, and I hate to say that."
Audience members said cutting teachers is the last snip that should be made.
Reductions in paper costs, food at meetings, insurance premiums and other avenues should be discussed before the board decides to nip in the bud things that directly impact student learning, people said.
"I would like to be given the answer of how we lose our staff, but still provide for our students," speakers said.
"We can't forget why we walk into our classroom. ... How do you expect to address the failure of these students?"
But without the funding, Rydland, said the cutbacks are crucial and to "do any less is to ignore the economic reality that we face as a district."
"I could put my head in the sand and ignore the issues. I could cross my fingers, or get the Magic 8 Ball out. That will really build confidence," he had said on Friday from his office on River Street.
"Instead, we're trying to find solutions, and people deserve confident, elaborate decision-making."
Those decisions, Rydland said, involve resident input, and on Monday, each audience member was given a sheet of paper and encouraged to offer feedback.
"Your voice can enable us to make better decisions," Rydland said.
The district has planned two additional town hall meetings during March to solicit feedback from those who will be affected by the reduction plan. He has also urged residents to voice their concerns to local and state legislators, and asked for an overall call to action by the higher-ups in Springfield.
"More now than ever we should be in a room together talking," he said. "We have a responsibility to act and communicate and get involved."
