Bartlett, U-46 officials try to build dialogue
Looking past legislative inaction and legal constraints, officials from the village of Bartlett and Elgin Area School District U-46 sat down Thursday to work from a point of contention.
Nearly four years ago, village residents voted in favor of disconnecting from U-46 - an idea district officials vowed to fight.
At Thursday's meeting, village officials reiterated their desire to break from the state's second largest school district.
Bartlett Administrator Valerie Salmons pointed to the village's 2008-09 strategic plan, which listed "formation of a new school district to ensure high-quality education" as a major priority.
For more than a decade, "the residents have wanted us to pursue it," she said.
District officials remain opposed to a split by the wealthier portion of students from U-46.
"I hope you understand why we're hesitant to say, 'OK, go,'" school board President Ken Kaczynski said. "We're elected as a board to serve the needs of (a district). ... It seems counterproductive for us to evolve ourselves into something that's going to break that up and change that in some way."
Numerous roadblocks stand in the village's way.
State laws support consolidation of school districts.
A House bill that would make it easier to split from the district missed an April 2007 deadline for floor action. It has not seen movement since.
The class-action racial bias lawsuit pending against the district likely would require a court review before any disconnection.
Approval also would be needed from all 11 communities within the district's boundaries.
Whether efforts to disconnect progress or languish, officials from both sides said they believe dialogue is a necessary step forward.
After the urging of legislators, the sides had hoped to meet as early as two summers ago, Kaczynski said. But former Superintendent Connie Neale went on indefinite medical leave and efforts stalled.
Concerns about large class sizes, more rigorous early childhood education and budgeting decisions were discussed at Thursday's meeting, in addition to the district's failure on 2008 state report cards.
"All of us need to roll up our sleeves, to take down the walls between the schools and the community," U-46 board member Amy Kerber said.
Village President Catherine Melchert expressed hope that the meeting would be the first of many.
Kaczynski, a Bartlett resident, called the meeting "just a conversation and ultimately a positive thing. ... I guess what I'm looking for is let's take this topic and look at it more deeply. . . . Maybe there are things we ought to be doing differently."