Dist. 204 launches community sessions to plan future
Class sizes five students larger than the state average. Enrollment projected to decline by 1,400 students in five years. Teachers paid an average of $13,500 a year less than a neighboring district.
These were among surprising facts residents learned Tuesday as they participated in Indian Prairie Unit District 204's first Engage 204 meeting about the state of the district.
Superintendent Karen Sullivan shared these points about the state's fourth-largest school district to a crowd of about 170 at Still Middle School in Aurora.
She said this is a critical period of reflection and planning for the district of nearly 28,000 students from parts of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield, which is why the district is launching a series of meetings with constituents to ponder the future.
"We're wrestling with how the world is changing," Sullivan said, away from the traditional focus on reading, writing and math and toward and emphasis on problem-solving, collaboration and critical thinking. "We have to figure out how to prepare our kids for that very unknown future."
The district also has to address challenges of declining enrollment, crowding at north-side schools while some on the south side are underutilized, as well as classes that have crept up to nearly 27 students on average, as budget cuts have totaled $40 million during the past eight years.
Tuesday night marked a starting point for addressing these challenges, officials said.
The meeting was the first session in Engage 204, which is designed to be a series of five or six sessions featuring topical presentations from staff members and time for residents to discuss the topic in small groups.
Facilitating team leaders, including Jessica Johnson, Mario Lambert, Mark Lobos, Crystal Porter and Archana Sharma, said group comments will be compiled into a summary and eventually into points of consensus. The team plans to share the points of consensus as recommendations to the school board by July 2018.
"This is a really important process for us as we set the stage for the future of the district," Johnson said. "How do we as District 204 continue to get better, to be a leader and make sure our students have relevant skills for the 21st century?"
Topics reported as most surprising, concerning and important Tuesday will be used to shape the topics for future discussions, which are scheduled for Dec. 7, Jan. 29, Feb. 26 and March 20.
But the topic for the December gathering already is set: changing enrollment.
Sullivan said an enrollment report the district commissioned projected a loss of roughly 1,400 students, bringing the total student population to 26,500 by 2021-22. The report was completed by consultant RSP & Associates, the same firm that completed a 2012 enrollment projection with 97 percent accuracy.
Several residents who spoke Tuesday said boundaries, class sizes and fair distribution of students among schools are interconnected concerns they'd like to see addressed.
"How will the boundaries be adjusted to maximize learning for all students?" resident Scott Harvey said.
Residents also questioned the disparity in teacher salaries between District 204 and neighboring Naperville Unit District 203. While teachers in 204 make an average of $66,425, District 203 teachers make $80,000 on average.
Away from the topics of pay, class sizes and boundaries, one other comment drew a round of applause: a plea to decrease student pressure.
"Our kids seem to be stressed out," resident Scott Luckinbill said. "What can we do to make learning fun and reduce the level of anxiety?"
Lambert, one of the facilitating team leaders, said all input helps as educators strive toward the district mission: to inspire all students to achieve their greatest potential.
"That's a big responsibility," Lambert said, "and one that none of us here take lightly."