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Serving Bureau County Since 1847
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Considering its options BV Board looks at option to reduce physical education By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
MANLIUS — A public hearing has been set by the Bureau Valley School Board as part of protocol to apply for a waiver that, if approved by the state, would allow a reduction in the number of required days physical education is taught at elementary schools in the district. The state requires physical education to be taught five days a week in elementary schools, but a waiver gives the option for districts to decrease that number to three days a week. Reducing the number of required days would benefit Bureau Valley in the sense that it would give more flexibility in how professional staff is used. Superintendent Dennis Thompson urged he wasn’t a fan of the option, but said if in the future the district comes to a point where it doesn’t have the financial resources to provide all the necessary programs, the waiver would allow a change that would help cut costs. “There may be a day when you have to, and if you have to, you’ve got to have permission to do so, and it requires you to through a process that takes a bit of time,” he said, referring to the reasoning behind why the district is seeking out a waiver right now when it has no intention of make any changes to the physical education program. Thompson’s examples of how the waiver would allow the district to cut costs were the ability to reduce staff or assign qualified professional staff to perform more than one duty around the district. Superintendent James Whitmore said if the application is approved, it won’t be
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‘Pounding square pegs in round holes’ Changing curriculum at Hall By Barb Kromphardt bkromphardt@bcrnews.com
SPRING VALLEY – Work has begun on Hall High School’s $32 million replacement facility, but for Superintendent Mike Struna, an update on the project wasn’t the most important topic at Wednesday’s school board meeting.
Struna said the curriculum and programs that will be offered to students in that new building should have the highest priority. During the referendum process this spring, Struna said he was often asked what the district is doing about curriculum. “We’re doing a good job with college preparation, but not such a good job with career preparation,” he said.
Struna said 10 percent of graduates go to a four-year college, 75 percent go to IVCC, and 15 percent enter the military or job market. “Our curriculum should match this, and I don’t think it does,” he said. Struna said emerging technical careers are health science, manufacturing, alternative energy, finance, transportation and
See Hall Page 2
BCR photo/Donna Barker
An artist’s concentration Hannah Erickson weaves her way to a completed design during Wednesday morning’s art class at Princeton High School. Erickson is one of several students participating in this year’s summer art program at PHS being taught by Cynthia Smucker. Among the other summer programs funded through the school’s 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant are an industrial technology club, cook club and games club, as well as a summer school program. Coordinating the summer program, as well as the school-year program for PHS, is Julie Swedman.
LaMoille administrators focus on the positive By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
LAMOILLE —There are plenty of positives when it comes to education in the smaller school districts, according to Ricardo Espinoza, the new superintendent for LaMoille Community Unit School District 303. Espinoza and LaMoille Elementary Principal Jim Brandau talked about the strengths of a small school, its challenges, and the shared objective for LaMoille Community Unit School District 303.
According to Espinoza, there is a lot you can do with a smaller school that you can’t with a larger school, like getting to know the staff and students, the parents and community better. In smaller schools, students are known personally and aren’t just a number, he said. Through working with the school board, staff and the community in smaller districts, it’s also easier to get initiatives and programs started, added. And, it’s easier to stop those initiatives and programs if you decide to do something different.
In his comments, Brandau agreed with Espinoza’s description of the smaller school districts, especially in the ability to get to know students and their parents, the staff and community. He believes there is more of a family-sense with the small school. Also, Brandau said it’s easier to monitor student progress in smaller schools, and it’s easier to work with each and every student, The district’s Resource To Intervention (RTI) program hits everyone,
See LaMoille Page 4
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Let’s go to WORK! 6.2013
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