The Examiner U-46 News Feed
U-46 ponders change to high school curriculum
By Seth Hancock
The Board of Education in School District U-46 will vote on three English Language Arts high school curriculum proposals encompassing nine total courses, for implementation in the 2017-18 school year at its upcoming meeting on Monday, Nov. 21.
The proposals were presented on Nov. 7 and included curriculum for communications, publications and theater.
The communications courses include speech communication, argumentation and leadership in action and are open to all students who can enroll more than once. Speech communication and argumentation are both one semester and leadership in action is year-long, and the total estimated cost for resources is $38,157.
Anthony Zoubek, a Bartlett High School teacher, said the speech communication course, which proposes 40 copies of “The Art of Public Speaking” per school ($19,742), “will offer a supportive setting to practice presenting to a variety of live audiences.”
Zoubek said it’s not just speaking in front of a classroom, but also “fun skill building activities” such as radio broadcasting and interpretations.
Debate class is now being rebranded to argumentation as Zoubek said it’s not just “two people standing at a podium fighting with each other” but rather “you’re learning how to argue in a respectful way” and “developing argumentation skills, rhetorical discourse, in small groups, whole class and one on one.”
The argumentation course proposes 40 copies of “They Say, I Say” per classroom ($6,950).
The leadership in action course proposes one set per school of “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth,” “25 Ways to Win People” and “Leadership for Students” costing $8,464.75.
Nicole Fernstrom, teacher at Streamwood High School, said the leadership in action class “will give them the opportunity to lead not only in the school, but also outreaching out in the community” allowing students to “leave a legacy behind in their school and community.”
Board member Sue Kerr asked if U-46’s radio station will be used for the speech communication course which Zoubek said it would. Jeanette Ward asked about accessibility of textbooks for the courses which Jackie Johnson, coordinator of secondary literacy, said “they’re accessible in the room, but more than likely would not be checked to a student unless a student wants to check them out.”
The courses for publications include creative writing and publications I and II, which are year-long, as well as 21st century media, which is semester-long. The courses are available to all students who can enroll more than once and the total estimated cost to implement will be $333,365 which includes purchasing laptops and cameras along with other equipment for digital projects.
The publications I and II courses will combine yearbook and journalism work.
Johnson said students who are able to produce content such as newspaper stories or digital product that is seen by the student body put more time and effort than on normal homework assignments.
Kerr asked if the laptops to be purchased aligned with the current technology plan from the district which Johnson said it does.
Board member Phil Costello asked about student newspapers, which the district has just one at South Elgin High School, and if there are plans on more throughout the district. Johnson said there were no plans for newspapers, but the courses open up opportunities for online publications.
Costello said: “Maybe I’m old fashioned, but there are journalism principles and they apply to video and audio and everything like that. You still have to gather sources and say who, what, why, where and how. It’s journalism 101.”
The theater curriculum includes the theatre experience, actor’s workshop and advanced theatre courses which its resources come with an initial estimated cost of $27,789.36 and $2,200 annually. The resources include classroom libraries, 40 copies at each building of “Theater in Your Life,” purchasing the rights to scripts, material costs and professional development.
The three courses are open to all students while theater experience and actor’s workshop are both one semester and advanced theater is year-long. Students can only enroll once for theater experience.
Hector Hernandez, a Streamwood High School teacher, said students will be able to learn everything that goes into producing a show from acting and directing to tech-work through the courses.
Hernandez said of advanced theater: “It’s basically your own little theater troupe. First semester we do some smaller stuff. By second semester, we’re putting on a full length show.”
Johnson said the annual costs are for a “minimum budget,” and the program hopes to raise much of its own funds.
Kerr asked if there will be plans to put on public plays, beyond those musicals and other shows already offered at each school, and Hernandez said there were. He also said they hope to bring shows to middle and elementary schools as long as they’re “content appropriate.”
A proposal was presented to convert Creekside Elementary School, of Elgin, from a targeted assistance Title I school to a school-wide Title I school. Trisha Shrode, director of curriculum and instruction, said over half of U-46’s schools are Title I (21 elementary, five middle, three high schools) and Creekside was the only one with a targeted assistance model.
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