Students, parents ask District 211 for Japanese classes

Students in Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54's Japanese-English dual-language program are asking to be able to continue studying Japanese in high school.

A group of students, alumni and parents told the Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 school board this week that the first dual-language students are in college now, and by not getting Japanese education in high school they lost much of what they learned.

"This is way overdue," parent Robi Vollkommer said. "The students who started the program are sophomores in college now."

The dual-language program, in which classes are taught in both English and Japanese, started at Dooley School in Schaumburg. The dual-language program continued at Jane Addams Junior High when the first students reached that level. But it all stops with eighth-grade graduation.

Some parents have been talking for a year and half with District 211 administrators, Vollkommer said.

"I felt pretty good; however, I feel (district officials) think there's not enough interest at the high school level," Vollkommer said.

Lisa Small, District 211's associate superintendent for instruction, said Friday that administrators are considering the request seriously.

She said the logistical challenges include the number of students who would take four years of Japanese, that students from District 54 filter into three different high schools, and the need to cater to both graduates of the feeder program and those taking Japanese for the first time.

Sean Honesty, a senior at Schaumburg High School and an Eagle Scout, related how he got lost in Tokyo on a Boy Scout trip and had to ask strangers for help. It worked, but he admitted it was harder to communicate than he expected, after missing out on Japanese instruction for a few years.

Craig Jovanovich said he moved his family to the area specifically for District 54's Japanese program and wants students to be able to improve their skills to an adult level.

He said he thinks the program can work even if it's limited to one high school.

Small said teaching Japanese at just one school would probably create travel time problems and require some students to use up two class periods for one class.

Schaumburg resident Shingo Satsutani is a Japanese immigrant who said he moved into District 54 so his children could enroll in the dual-language program.

Vollkommer said proficiency in Japanese would be a valuable career asset for District 211 graduates, with more than 500 Japanese companies in the Chicago area and about 50 in Schaumburg alone. She presented the district with a petition of 300 signatures.