'Difficult' Decision To End D-205 Elementary Spanish

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst School District 205 board members axed the elementary school Spanish program this week, but they said they did so reluctantly.

"This is a very difficult decision, and no one took it lightly," member Margaret Harrell said at Tuesday's board meeting.

Officials agreed to look into opportunities for a program during lunch or after school to explore world languages and cultures. They said they would present a plan by the end of the school year.

In the fall, the district suspended the program, which is for third through fifth graders. Officials said they did so because staffing issues required shifting Spanish teachers to other roles.

Earlier this month, Superintendent Dave Moyer proposed the district eliminate the program permanently. He said the elementary school program does not advance Spanish proficiency in any meaningful way.

Moyer also said the district should focus more on state requirements for health and "social emotional" learning standards in elementary school.

The district still offers a dual-language Spanish immersion program, which has no waiting list, officials said.

During a discussion, board member Jim Collins said he lacked the necessary information to do a proper analysis on whether elementary Spanish made a difference.

But he said he would vote to end the program based on his faith the district would offer an extracurricular alternative, which he said could be more effective than offering students 30 minutes a week of Spanish in only a few grade levels. He said his "gut" told him that the current program was ineffective.

"I wish I had the data to prove that," Collins said.

Board member Chris Kocinski said he decided to vote for elimination based on information that middle school students who took Spanish in elementary school were not in a better position with the language than those who did not.

Member Courtenae Trautmann said she was saddened by the loss of the program. But she expressed confidence the district could provide an extracurricular program that offered exposure to Spanish and other languages.

"We have to be open to the possibility that there can be something better," she said.

Assistant Superintendent Nikki Tammaru said the Elmhurst Park District was "really receptive" to the idea of teaming up with the schools in offering an extracurricular language and cultures program. Conversations on such a program during lunch or after school, she said, could begin as early as this week.