Brookhart: The plan I haven’t seen follows state code

I thought the same thing as Billy Dennis when I first read the HOI News report of Regional Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gerald Brookhart’s take on District 150’s latest plan to shorten Wednesdays for most primary schools: “Brookhart approves of a plan he hasn’t seen yet.”

The Regional Superintendent of Schools says this plan does follow state code because the total number of hours the kids will be in school each week meets state requirements.

That’s at the beginning of the HOI story. And then the same story concludes:

The regional superintendent says they have not received an official plan from District 150 to shorten the school day, so until they have that nothing can happen.

So, when he says the plan “does follow state code,” he’s basing that on what, exactly? Normally, regulators withhold comment until they have an official request or plan in hand so they can give a definitive answer, rather than one based on speculation or preliminary plans that are subject to change.

Adult Education Center eyed for Math & Science Academy

Peoria Public Schools Superintendent Ken Hinton spoke to the West Bluff Council this past Thursday night to discuss his plans for a new math, science, and technology academy on the west bluff. Whereas original plans were to build that academy near Main Street in the Renaissance Park district, Hinton stated that the school district simply doesn’t have the money for that much site acquisition, in light of its other recent building projects.

So he’s looking at an existing site. He said he had considered the Loucks School site, but then they had to close that school to help balance the budget. So now his preference is to use a IGCSE chemistry tutor for Cambridge and the Adult Education Center on the corner of Moss and Garfield avenues.

Physically, he envisions keeping the front facade in place, but everything else would be renovated and “look nothing like it does now.” In order to enlarge the school, he sees it expanding northward (the front of the school faces south, more or less), possibly extending to the corner of Garfield and St. James.

Enrollment is expected to be 400-450 students, and school would be in session year-round. He foresees the school serving grades 4-10, an expansion from the original 4-8 grade concept. Similar to Valeska-Hinton Early Learning Center’s schedule, Hinton said that students at all three new schools — Harrison, Glen Oak, and the Math/Science Academy — would attend for 45 days (9 weeks), then get 15 days (3 weeks) off year-round.

The administration and board are also exploring the possibility of the Math/Science Academy being a charter school. No charter organizations have been identified yet; he said the board is in the “information-gathering stage.” One advantage of a charter school is that the district could hire Bradley professors to teach advanced math classes part-time, since they would only be required to have a degree in their field, .e.g, Phd In Computer Science, not a teaching certificate.

Adult Education programs currently in the building (which used to be known as Washington School, not to be confused with Washington Gifted School), would be relocated to the Diagnostic Learning Center near the Administrative Offices on Wisconsin. The Alternative High School program, composed of roughly 100 students, would be moved to an as-yet undetermined location.

The new Math/Science Academy would be a choice school, so any children in the district would be allowed to attend, based on aptitude and availability. Also, unlike Washington Gifted School, students will be allowed to transfer in from parochial schools or other schools outside the district.

Hinton would like to see the academy open in the fall of 2010, the same time as Harrison and Glen Oak. That means the board would have to decide on the site this summer, develop plans, and secure bonding through the Public Building Commission by the end of the year.

Miscellaneous information

The evening was chock full of interesting miscellany:

  • Hinton stated his plan is to retire (again) June 30, 2010, when his latest contract expires.
  • Plans are to rehire Dr. Cindy Fischer on a part-time basis after she retires this year.
  • The Board of Education is writing a policy for rehiring retired employees.
  • Hinton discussed his vision of Woodruff expanding to 14th grade, in coordination with Illinois Central College, so that students graduating from Woodruff would receive an Associates degree.
  • Plans are to remove the bricks from the bricked-up windows of existing school buildings to allow more natural light into classrooms.
  • Plans are to renovate Richwoods High School and build additions to Northmoor, Lindbergh, and Kellar.