Lester: Youth inmates in St. Charles left out of special ed plan
A plan to improve special education for inmates at the Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles has fallen through, leaving the teens without the help an estimated 52 percent of them need.
The Mid-Valley Special Education Cooperative is pulling out of an agreement with the State Board of Education to assess students, develop individualized education plans for them and train the staff at the detention center, the cooperative's executive director, Carla Cumblad, tells me.
Cumblad said the state threw in a clause allowing it to cancel the contract on 30 days' notice, which would cut off funding totaling $180,000 a year while leaving the cooperative on the hook to pay the staff.
State officials called the clause boilerplate but didn't offer to remove it.
"We've been telling the state board from the get-go we can't use local funding for this," Cumblad said.
'Ultimate path'
Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak is one of many mourning the death last week of his good friend Dr. Mike Schroeder, a former Wheeling Township supervisor and Arlington Heights village president.
Patlak said he was struck by the address Schroeder gave during Arlington Heights' prayer breakfast in February, just weeks before Schroeder was diagnosed with cancer. In that address, Schroeder talked about "slowly weaning himself off" a dizzying public schedule and trying to focus more on his family.
"Mike had finally really found the ultimate path that he wanted to be on, to be closer to his family, and closer to God, and here God takes him," Patlak says.
The funeral service is at 10 a.m. today at Harvest Bible Chapel, 800 Rohlwing Road, Rolling Meadows.
Hometown stop
Hillary Clinton plans a campaign stop at one of her old high school haunts - the Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge. Tickets to the noon Thursday "Conversation" with the Democratic presidential bidder range from $45 to $2,700 (which includes a photo session with Hillary).
Be on the lookout for longtime Hillary friend Betsy Ebeling of Arlington Heights and the pack of Maine South High School pals who have accompanied Clinton as she's campaigned across the country.
Goal assist
You've read in this column about Blackhawks super fan Tom Erickson, a Prospect High School senior with special needs.
Tom's three sisters felt their brother, who suffered a brain hemorrhage as a baby that resulted in cognitive impairment, should go to his high school prom as a rite of passage. So they made a sign, bought Blackhawks cookies and accompanied him to ask sophomore Colleen Doyle, an all-conference water polo player, to the dance.
She said yes. Prom is June 3, and, at least for now, Tom plans a tux in Blackhawks red and black.
Talking points
Without guidelines from the Illinois High School Association aimed at preventing sexual abuse by coaches, schools have markedly different individual practices, Yorkville resident and Daily Herald reader Pat McNamara writes.
McNamara, a former head basketball coach at Marmion Academy in Aurora and at Aurora Christian Schools, recalls Marmion's classes for coaches laying out what's acceptable behavior with students. But other public and private schools have "no standards of behavior," he said.
Happy birthday, Dorothy
Mount Prospect Realtor Bill Farrell tells me former Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood recorded a special birthday video for his mother, Cubs mega-fan Dorothy Farrell, who turned 90 last week. You can watch it on Windy City Live's Facebook page.
Baby news
Congratulations to Illinois Federation of Teachers spokeswoman Aviva Bowen and her husband, Democratic strategist Tom Bowen, on the birth of their first daughter, Charlotte Adele.
Drive on your doorstep
This Saturday is the National Association of Letter Carriers' "Stamp out Hunger" food drive. To donate, just set out your nonperishable food well before your letter carrier's normal pickup time.
• Got a comment or tip? Email Kerry at klester@dailyherald.com or reach her at (847) 427-4603.