District 203 candidates talk about curriculum

Naperville Unit District 203 school board candidates are suggesting additional foreign language classes, improved use of technology and differentiated instruction as possible ways to improve curriculum.

Others say the curriculum needs little tweaking or that it isn't really the purview of the board to make such decisions.

Ten candidates are running in the April 7 election for four open 4-year seats on the District 203 board. They are incumbents Susan Crotty and Jackie Romberg and challengers Michael DelCiello, Jim Dennison, Steve Deutsch, Nancy Drapalik, Lynn Hodak, Patti Mathewson, Merle Siefken and Dave Weeks.

Drapalik, Deutsch and Dennison would like to see the district add more foreign language programs. Last fall the district started a dual-language Spanish program for a small group of kindergartners and first-graders but recently announced it may have to put additional programs on hold due to budget constraints.

Drapalik said foreign language instruction is especially important at the elementary level.

"Bilingual learners are great graduates, employers are looking for that," she said. "I think it's tolerance in our community, our culture and our world knowing a different culture, a different language. I think as we're moving toward 21st-century learners that's our goal."

Deutsch would like to see foreign language offered at all grade levels and suggested federal grants as a funding source. He also would like enhanced financial literacy offerings "so all students when they get out of school will be able to take the appropriate amount of credit, (know) how to afford a house and not be forced out of it, take job skills that will apply for the long term and know what's important about their credit scores," he said.

Dennison agreed students need foreign language to compete in the global economy along with information technology skills. To fund technology initiatives he suggested partnerships with companies such as Microsoft and reallocating dollars in the district to ensure it is funding needs versus wants.

Technology is also on the minds of Romberg, Crotty and Hodak.

"Understand where technology can truly work. Not throwing white boards in a room," Romberg said. "How it can really be a tool and what the outcomes of that tool are going to be."

Crotty would like the district to make better use of existing technology by adding podcasting and online learning. Ideally, she would also like class sizes for kindergarten and first grade to be lowered to 15 but doesn't believe that is feasible at this time.

Hodak also suggested offering online courses and said if the district offered some such as graphic arts and keyboarding to the community for a small fee, it could provide its own funding source. She'd also like the district to "get back to the basics" when it comes to English, math and grammar skills.

Siefken would like to see more differentiated instruction in the district.

"We have to reach that child where they are at and that means accommodating their learning preference," he said. "So I would like to see development not only with the standards of the curriculum but providing teachers with the tools on how to differentiate to meet the needs of each kid."

Mathewson likes the district's kindergarten through high school integrated curriculum and suggested in her candidate questionnaire that the district study the preparedness of its students for college and the work force to see if there are gaps. But she believes other factors play into this preparedness besides curriculum that must be looked at, as well such as work ethic, attitudes and the expectations of colleges and employers.

DelCiello called the curriculum "robust and well-tested" in his candidate questionnaire. He said drastic changes aren't necessary but suggested the board could review curriculum development quarterly and consult with employers and universities.

"District 203 is in a position of strength which we need to leverage in our relationships with future employers and top local universities such as Northwestern, University of Chicago, and others," he said.

Weeks said many of the suggestions from his fellow candidates are good ideas though he is concerned some specialized programs are geared toward students at the high and low ends of the spectrum and may leave out those who are average. But he also doesn't believe curriculum matters are part of the board's purview.

"We hire people to do that," he said. "We approve the mission statement and hire people to tell us what we need to do in curriculum to (produce) critical thinkers, collaborative workers."