Sunday, March 17, 2013
Patch recaps the top news stories from the week of March 10-16, including a three-car crash on Roosevelt Road, District 41 approval of Think Tank recommendations and plans to build a new school and a Glen Ellyn man's charges in a heroin bust.
Here are some of the top headlines from last week: Police: Glen Ellyn Man Left Elderly Mother to Die on Floor District 41 Wants to Buy Wheaton College Property, Build New Hadley Junior High Don't want to miss this stuff during the week? Sign up for our free daily email newsletter. Then, like us on Facebook for a slightly different take. Glen Ellyn Man Found Pinching Heroin From 17-Gram Delivery After Newtown, District 41 Speeds Up Plans to Bolster Security, Installs Upgrades D41 Board Approves Think Tank Recommendations Two Injured in 3-Car Crash Western Michigan Offer Makes Seven for Glenbard West’s Shute President Obama Visits Argonne: Live Updates from Patch Police Blotter: Air Rifles, Felony Possession, Busted Scam Tickets Selling …
Monday, March 11, 2013
District 41 board of education approves recommendations to change structure of elementary classrooms starting in 2013-14 school year.
The Glen Ellyn School District 41 board of education on Monday unanimously approved its Think Tank plans that will change classroom structures and implement teacher specialization in elementary schools to work toward the common core standards. Board members said Monday they look forward to seeing consistency across schools with the changes. District 41 board member Sam Black said while he still has some concerns about specialization in the second- and third-grade classrooms, teacher survey results showed the changes would be right for students. He said he also remains concerned about the three-year implementation plan, but trusts staff and administrators have students' best interests in mind. Parents have voiced concern for the plan since …
The District Board is set to vote on the structure at Monday night’s meeting.
As the Glen Ellyn District 41 Board prepares to vote to approve the district’s new “Think Tank” structural realignment that would blend grade levels (like fourth- and fifth-grades) and create middle- and high school-style teacher specialization, parents expressed concerns at a Saturday morning meeting, the Daily Herald reports. According to the paper, the meeting mostly drew Lincoln Elementary School parents—the only school that would see both of those reforms instituted—some of whom were enthusiastic about parts of the idea, but many of whom expressed concerns about such a major change to their kids’ educations. "I definitely feel like my daughter is going to be an experiment at Lincoln, and that worries me," the paper quoted Bruce Currie…
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Glen Ellyn School District 41 will host a community forum on the Think Tank proposals on school curriculum Saturday, March 9.
Glen Ellyn School District 41 will host a community forum on its Think Tank proposals to change the structure of district classrooms starting next year. The District 41 board on Monday, March 11 will vote on the Think Tank group's recommendations that included combining grade levels, protocols for student placement and a professional development plan. The recommendations would be implemented in phases over the next three school years, with most of the changes taking place in the 2013-14 school year, including a new STEM curriculum, implementation of the common core math standards, professional development for implementation of the STEM curriculum and common professional learning community (PLC) time. Specific recommendations include the …
Monday, February 25, 2013
The board will hear the final recommendation on the Think Tank initiative Monday night. A public forum is planned for March 9, prior to the board voting on the measure.
After months of presentations, meetings and discussion surrounding the District 41 Think Tank proposal, the district’s board of education will hear the administration’s recommendation for the 21st Century Learning plan during its board meeting Monday night. The district is recommending that the Think Tank proposal be implemented and piloted in schools across the district to varying degrees depending on readiness. Meanwhile some parents in the district remain concerned about the pace at which the district plans to implement the changes. Think Tank Goals The district’s Think Tank group convened in the fall of 2011 with the goal of researching ways the district might better address 21stCentury Learning and Science, Technology, Engineering …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The Glen Ellyn District 41 Board of Education will hear the Think Tank initiative proposal at its Feb. 25 business meeting. Watch the video about divergent thinking related to the Think Tank that was presented at Monday's board meeting.
The Glen Ellyn District 41 Board of Education will be presented Feb. 25 with the findings and proposal from the Think Tank, a group charged with creating a plan for the district to implement 21st Century education, including science, technology, engineering, arts and math. What the board chooses to do with the Think Tank proposals will be up to it to decide at that time. According to District Superintendent Ann Riebock, it could choose to approve it on the spot, discuss it or take action at later date. Many parents in the district still hold out hope that the district and board will push back taking any action until a later date. While the Think Tank was not on the board’s agenda Monday night, parents attended the meeting to share …
Monday, December 10, 2012
Parents have started a petition asking Glen Ellyn District 41 to hold off on implementing Think Tank initiative changes in the 2013-14 school year.
During a recent public meeting, one parent called Glen Ellyn District 41’s plans to implement a "Think Tank" initiative a communication nightmare since many parents knew little about the process and were opposed to the district’s plans to move quickly to implement plans. While a growing number of parents have come out in favor of educational changes, the opposition against plans to implement changes in the 2013-14 school year does not appear to be subsiding, and now parents have started an online petition seeking to stop the D41 Think Tank initiative. As of Dec. 9, the group appeared to have gathered 50 online signatures to its petition. (The number of signatures has increased since this story's publication) The online petition …
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Officials from District 41 have said additional public meetings will be held to discuss and gather feedback regarding the Think Tank proposals for educational reforms.
Parents gathered Tuesday night to learn more about Glen Ellyn District 41’s plans to implement changes in the 2013-14 school year. The meeting is one of several the district is planning to help educate parents and gather feedback. The district said it will hold more meetings in January. The meeting, originally scheduled as one session to be held at the district’s office, was instead moved to Forest Glen Elementary School and split into two groups; one group for parents who had already attended a meeting held Nov. 26 and one for parents who had not attended any public meetings on the matter. More than 100 parents attended the last school board meeting where the Think Tank presentation was made public for the first time. A large group of …
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
District 41 officials made a presentation Monday night sharing proposed classroom changes that would be implemented in the 2013-14 school year.
The Forest Glen Elementary School gymnasium was packed full Monday night as parents with students in District 41 crowded the standing-room-only Board of Education meeting. Parents in attendance were concerned that the district is planning changes to how students are educated and how their days are scheduled, going from a classroom experience to split blocks, moving kids from classroom to classroom through the day and for some courses, implementing multi-age classrooms. Knowing parents were planning to attend the board meeting in large numbers, the meeting was moved to the school from the district’s headquarters. The district made its presentation before moving on to its regular business meeting. Think Tank The district convened a group it …
David
12:00 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
I too have concerns. The most sigificant advocate, the superintendant, is transitioning out, the proccess is not transparent, and my children's future is at risk. more ›