Elmhurst Parents Speak Out Against Proposed Middle School Changes

ELMHURST, IL — At the Nov. 14 District 205 School Board meeting, several Elmhurst parents spoke out against proposed middle school schedule changes.

According to board documents, several priorities have been established for the proposed schedule changes. These include: flexibility within the schedule, increased minutes for math and increased student choice. The recommendations for the proposed schedule include incorporating band, orchestra and chorus into the school day; world language as an option for students; Project Lead The Way as a semester or full-year elective option.

The goal of the proposed changes is to shorten the middle school day for students in band, orchestra and/or choir while expanding choices/options for all students, according to board documents.

Elmhurst parent and music teacher Sarah Galarza spoke out against the changes during the public comment portion of the meeting. Galarza has three children in the district.

"It seems the changes being proposed are essentially cutting valued instructional minutes and aim to cut learning opportunities that I feel are essential to the middle school philosophy of developing well-rounded children," Galarza said. She suggested gathering more data on what students would choose for their school day.

Another parent, Michelle Reedy, said the board isn't effectively communicating with the stakeholders in the community. She questioned the wording used by the focus groups that studied schedule changes, why board meeting documents aren't more precise, and why the superintendent of the district won't meet with parents on this schedule issue.

"The lack of open communication and transparency on the part of the board, whether intentional or not, is creating a sense of distrust among a growing number of community members and will reflect poorly on our community and hurt our students," she said.

According to the board presentation, the composition of a current middle school day includes: math, English/language arts, science/social studies, Acceleration, PE, a Unified Arts wheel, and World Language or Guided Study or Reading Strategies.

The new schedule for each student could vary. According to board documents, students in each grade would choose their own electives, and would choose between Unified Arts, PE, World Language and Project Lead The Way. For example, a student in seventh grade with a PE waiver could have a schedule of: ELA, math, social studies/science, acceleration, band or choir, enriched world language and the Unified Arts.

No decision was made on the changes, but the school board will hold a meeting on Dec. 12 to either approve or deny the proposal.

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