As more than 40,000 students in School District U-46 return to classes this week, they may notice a few changes to curriculum, facilities and policies. Here is a look at what’s new in the Elgin-based district this school year.
Elementary report cards: Students in kindergarten through sixth grade will receive reformatted report cards this year. Traditional letter grades will be replaced by numbers one through four to show how well the student understands the concepts being taught. Educators say the new format will help teachers adjust their methods to help students and give parents a better understanding of their child’s strengths and weaknesses. There also will be a separate section for behavior. Report cards will be handed out on a trimester cycle and students also will receive mid-term reports.
Math curriculum: New math curriculum for middle and high school students will make use of technology like SMART Boards and calculators with color screens and 3D technology. New software will make it easier to assess students’ strengths and weaknesses and video tutorials will be available to guide students who were absent or need extra help at home. There also will be a phone number students can call for help when they get stuck on a math problem.
Most high school students will catch their bus at a nearby elementary or middle school this year so the district can save money by cutting down on stops. (Melissa
Bus system: High school students will be picked up at a different bus stop than they’re used to this year, meaning a longer walk for many. Most will catch the bus at a nearby elementary or middle school as part of the district’s effort to reduce the number of stops a bus makes. Officials say the changes will save $750,000 to $1.25 million in the first year, but parents have expressed concern about their children walking farther than usual, especially when it’s dark or snowy. Students will walk up to 1.5 miles.
Tardy technology: High schools will crack down on student tardiness with the help of a new computerized attendance system. Students who don’t make it into their classroom on time will be sent to one of a handful of stations around the school where their student ID would be swiped through a scanner. Consequences like a detention or being unable to participate in an after-school activity would immediately go into effect based on how many tardies the student has racked up. The program was piloted in South Elgin High School last year and will be in all five high schools this fall.
Other technology: The district replaced 2,000, 6-year-old lab computers around the district. It also bought another 2,000 with grant money to assist students in special education program, as well as regular education students who are struggling. Most of that batch are laptops on carts, so they can be brought directly to students in their classrooms.
Dual language: Twenty-nine elementary schools will help students learn English through dual language programs this year, replacing the bilingual education model. Of those, seven schools will offer two-way dual language, which combines English- and Spanish-speaking students in an effort to make both groups bilingual. At all 29 schools, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students in the program will spend 80 percent of their day learning in Spanish and 20 percent in English. The percentage of time spent in English will increase grade by grade until it’s half of each day.
South Elgin High School can play football games on its new home field constructed through donations and sponsorships. (Melissa Jenco/Tribune)
SEHS stadium: The South Elgin High School football team no longer will share Streamwood High School’s stadium with that school and Bartlett High School. The school broke ground this summer on a stadium of its own funded by donations and sponsorships. The first phase of the project, which was estimated to cost $500,000, includes bleacher seating for 1,500, a scoreboard, paved areas and fencing. Future phases call for additional bleachers, a press box, lights, a brick paver plaza and a facility that holds a ticket booth, concessions and restrooms. In addition to football the stadium will be used for activities like Relay for Life, Special Olympics, summer camps and community events.
