District 200 Board adopts 2008-09 goals; continues work sessions on race and achievement
Aug. 28, 2008 - The Board of Education adopted 2008-09 District and Superintendent goals, with primary focus continuing on student achievement with a new emphasis on defining the objectives and the measures used to determine success in reaching objectives. In addition, 2008-09 goals highlight the importance of recruitment and retention of miniority administrative and certified (teaching) staff - increasing last year's successfully met goal of hiring 20% minority candidates to 35% in the 2008-09 hiring process. Finally, the Board highlighted the importance of developing a comprehensive "green school" initiative to ensure campus wide attention to best environmental practices. Click here for a PDF version of the 2008-09 Board and Superintendent goals.
The Board's continuing focus on student achievement builds upon two resolutions approved during the 2007-08 school year, affirming its long-term consideration of achievement proposals:
Resolution 1: Be it resolved, that this Board of Education considers the continuous narrowing of the academic achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in this District to be its top priority.
Resolution 2: Be it resolved, that this Board of Education considers the improvement of the reading skills of those students whose levels of academic achievement are lowest, to be a primary and one of the more intense focuses of those appoaches to be considered in raising student achievement.
Dr. Weninger and the Board of Education continue to seek feedback from all constituents impacted by and contributing to student achievement, including high school staff and faculty, parents/guardians, students and the community at large. Feedback from and discussion by these groups will help the Board and OPRFHS administration as they refine direction, priorities and the budget for programs and initiatives. In addition, the discussion will help inform progress and adherence to District and Superintendent goals.
- 539th on Newsweek’s 2009 “Top 1,000 American high schools” list – in the Top 10 of the Illinois schools selected in 2009;
- Nationally and state placed scholars: 18 National Merit Scholarship finalists, three semifinalist, and 37 commended; four National Achievement Scholarship finalists, two semifinalist and two commended; two National Hispanic Recognition Program scholars, and 197 Illinois State Scholars;
- 10th consecutive year for SchoolSearch’s Bright A + Award, placing us in the top 5% of schools in Illinois (within top 60 out of 871 Illinois districts);
- 17th consecutive year to earn SchoolMatch’s “What Parents Want” award, placing us in the top 16% nationally;
- With 99.2% of our juniors taking the PSAE-ACT test in the 2007-08 year, our students achieved a 23.5 composite score, compared to 21.1 nationally, and 20.7 at the state level;
- Our students’ SAT scores of 620 in critical reading, 622 in math, and 601 in writing out-pace national (502/515/494) and state (583/601/578) scores;
- Our Advanced Placement participation remains strong, with 743 students taking 1,509 exams in May 2008. Even as the number of students exposed to college-level material grows, students continue to enjoy success, with 84 % receiving scores of 3, 4 or 5, potentially qualifying them for college credit;
- Nearly 91 percent of our 2008 graduates enrolled in more than 241 colleges, universities, community colleges and trade or technical schools.
In co-curricular areas, our students continue to excel:
- OPRF student one of 100 Illinois Golden Apple Scholars;
- 1st and 3rd place wins in the American Chemical Society Scholarship Exam, with one student honored as top scoring female;
- Student one of 20 nationwide invited to attend American Chemical Society Chemistry Olympiad Student Camp;
- Student received NASA research awards for scientific observations in the Killer Asteroid Project;
- The Math Team took 13th place in the IHSA state competition, with the Freshman Math Team taking 4th place, with 4th place, 3rd place and 7th place individual wins;
- Two students selected for 15-member Area Regional Math League team to compete nationally;
- Two student artists’ works selected as finalists in 2nd annual Fine Art Finals Illinois High School Scholarship Competition;
- 14 students successfully auditioned to perform in the IMEA All-State Music Conference, with the OPRF Jazz Ensemble chosen to perform as the top group at the 2009-2010 State Convention for Illinois Music Educators Association;
- Three students selected for All-State Production of Hair Spray, and OPRF Speech Team sponsor selected as 2009 Executive Director of the 24th Illinois High School Theatre Festival;
- Our Spoken Word Club team placed 2nd in Chicago’s annual Louder than a Bomb teen poetry slam contest – the largest in the world; with one student selected for all-star team performing at nationals, and coach receiving “best teacher/coach” award
- For the fifth year in a row, the National Forensic League chapter received Forensic society’s top honor, ranking OPRF 47 out of 2,700 NFL chapters nationwide;
- Our Debate Team regularly takes honors at regional and national tournaments – including, for 2nd year in a row, 1st place in JV competition at Glenbrooks, the nation’s largest and prestigious debate tournament;
- Speech Team competitor earns 1st place in radio speaking at IHSA State Speech Competition;
- Two gold medalists qualify for national NAACP ACT-SO competition, Summer 2009.
- German students receive seven 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies out of 21 awarded to competitors from 17 schools at spring 2009 German Day competition at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
We continue our strong showing in athletics. Here are 2008-09 highlights:
- Field Hockey: 2nd Place in State
- Girls’ X-Country & Volleyball and Boys’ Soccer - IHSA Regional Champions
- Wrestling: 1st place - State Champions – Class 3A Team Finals, with 1st, 2nd , 3rd and 4th place wins in individual events;
- Baseball, Softball, Boys’ Volleyball - IHSA Regional Champions;
- Girls’ Track: IHSA Sectional Champions, 7th place at State Meet, with 1st , 2nd and 3rd place individual wins in discus, shot put and long jump;
- Boys’ Tennis: IHSA Sectional Champions, 5th Place at State
- Girls’ Lacrosse: 5th place in State
- Boys’ Track: IHSA Sectional Champions, with 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th place wins in individual events, including pole vault, relays and 100 m dash;
- Special Olympic Basketball – Varsity 2nd place ; JV – 2nd place; four individual Spirit of the Game Awards;
- Girls’ Hockey (non-school sponsored) – Founders’ Cup Champions
- Two student-athletes selected by Wendy’s High School Heisman Awards for recognition, with one being named one of 10 male finalists statewide
U.S. News & World Report ranks OPRFHS in top 3% of nation's public high schools - 2007 rankings
Oak Park and River Forest High School has been ranked in the top 3 percent of the nation’s public high schools, according to an analysis released by U.S. News & World Report. This “Best High Schools” methodology and national ranking places OPRFHS among the nation’s top 505 public high schools receiving gold or silver “college readiness” rankings and among only 30 Illinois high schools to receive this distinction.
“Acknowledgements such as this confirm that our school and community have much to be proud of and that we have a great foundation on which to build further excellence,” said OPRFHS/District 200 Superintendent Dr. Attila J. Weninger.
OPRFHS is one of 24 Illinois high schools receiving silver rankings, including suburban Auburn in Rockford; Brooks College Prep, Lane Tech, and Von Steuben Metro Science in Chicago; and suburban high schools - Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South, Hinsdale, Conant, Hersey, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Lyons Township, Maine South, Naperville Central, Naperville North, New Trier, Niles North, Prospect, Vernon Hills, Wheaton North, and Fremd.
With the exception of Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois gold medalists were all Chicago charter or magnet schools with selective admissions: Jones College Prep, Lincoln Park High School, Northside College Prep, Payton College Prep, and Whitney Young Magnet. (Please click here to see a comparative chart of Illinois gold and silver medal schools.)
Developed by School Evaluation Services, a K-12 education data research business run by Standard & Poor's, the U.S. News & World Report rankings are "based on the key principles that a great high school must serve all its students well, not just those who are bound for college, and that it must be able to produce measurable academic outcomes that show the school is successfully educating its student body across a range of performance indicators.”
The analysis examined data from the 2005-06 school year for 18,790 public high schools in 40 states – subjecting each to a three-step comparative analysis. The first step determined whether each school's students were performing better than statistically expected for the average student in their state. The second step determined whether the school's least-advantaged students were performing better than average for similar students in the state. The third step assessed college-readiness performance, using Advanced Placement data as the benchmark for success.
The top 100 high schools nationwide with the highest college readiness index scores were ranked numerically and awarded gold medals. The next 405 top-performing high schools nationwide based on their college readiness index earned silver medals. An additional 1,086 high schools in 40 states that passed the first two steps were awarded bronze medals.
More information about the methodology, rankings, and their implications is available at the following link: http://www.usnews.com/sections/education/high-schools.
OPRFHS celebrates 25th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. oration contest
Oak Park and River Forest High School marked the 30th anniversary of the school’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Assembly – and the 25th anniversary of the student oratorical contest -- with original Spoken Word tributes by OPRFHS students and presentations by the combined Gospel and A Cappella choirs. The assembly this year coincided with the actual date – Jan. 15 – of what would have been Dr. King’s 80th birthday.
The highlight of the annual assembly, which asks students and staff to reflect on Dr. King’s life, teachings and legacy, is the presentation of the oration selected as the first place winner of the Martin Luther King Oratorical Contest held in December. Students are judged not only for the quality of their writing and ideas, but also for the power and skill of their presentation.
Junior Jingyi Liu’s winning essay, “A Treatise Against Apathy,” noted that real change is not brought about by a single person – such as our newly elected president – but rather requires our continuing individual and collective commitment.
“Fifty years ago, the world was a completely different place.
It evolved into the world which we know today not because of one man, but because of millions standing together to bring change even amidst police brutality, hate crimes and assassinations,” she noted.
The second-place oration winner was sophomore Elisa Epstein, and junior Tequilla Thomas received 3rd place for her essay, “I Have a Dream.”
Christian Harris, Bria Graham, Darrin Harris, Janee’ Timms, Kelly Reuter, and Kofi Ohemeng also participated in this year’s oration contest.
Spoken Word artists Sherry Reuter and Jamael Clark performed a tribute to Dr. King’s legacy and aspirations. Dance Club members Marcus Coleman, Teylur Day, Valerie Henry, Symone Jackson, Jasmine Moore, Andranay Redditt, Antoine Rufus, Janee Simmons, Annalise Walksler, Marcellis Watkins, Brian Williams, and Kenny Williams.
Additionally, the OPRFHS A Cappella and Gospel Choirs, under the direction of Latonia Brown and Elaine Hlavach, performed a selection of songs. The assembly was emceed by Principal Nathaniel Rouse and Spoken Word Club, Gospel Choir member and MAC Scholar Keenan Smith.
The convocation committee, led by Special Education teacher Michael Byars, included English teacher Lauren Lee, Math teacher Sheila Hardin, Assistant Principal for Student Activities Cindy Milojevic, Physical Education teacher Lucy Riner, Spanish teacher Christine Daggett, Special Education teacher J.P. Coughlin, History/Psychology teacher Yeni Hart and Science teacher Aviva Theen. Peter Kahn and Paul Noble assisted Ms. Liu with preparation for the public oration.
26th Annual Tradition of Excellence honors celebrated alumni
Nov. 6. 2008 - Oak Park and River Forest High School celebrates its 26th annual Tradition of Excellence Awards by welcoming back two almuni -- Paul Broucek '70 and Joe Cantafio '73 - who have made their marks on the national and international music and film scenes. They are honored at a celebration dinner on Thursday, Nov. 6, and at student assemblies Friday morning, Nov. 7. Established by the Class of 1982, the award is presented annually to alumni or former students who have distinguished themselves professionally and who, through these accomplishments, have brought great credit to their alma mater by exemplifying "those things that are best." We welcome our 2008 award nominees back to the Home of the Huskies, OPRFHS! Tag' arista!
PAUL BROUCEK - OPRFHS CLASS of 1970
Film Music Producer/Consultant
Paul Broucek launched his career on the landmark film Apocalypse Now as an assistant engineer to Academy Award winning Sound Designer, Walter Murch. Broucek went on to join the recording staff at the Record Plant in Los Angeles and the start-up of the scoring division at Paramount Studios’s famed Stage M.
In 1986, Broucek was asked to lead the U.S. operations for Fairlight Instruments of Australia, working with the crème de la crème of the music community, including Peter Gabriel, Steve Winwood, and Herbie Hancock. In 1988, Broucek moved full-time into music supervision and a long-term creative partnership with Evyen Klean, doing a mix of television and feature films.
Today, Paul Broucek remains active in the evolving technologies available to the music production community. For the past 12 years, Broucek headed the creative music team at New Line Cinema, overseeing the music on numerous films including: Austin Powers, American History X, the Rush Hour film series, Wag The Dog, Blow, I Am Sam, Wedding Crashers, Hairspray, The Golden Compass, and Sex and the City. He was also the Executive Music Producer for the Academy Award winning trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, which won 3 out of 4 Oscar nominations for music. From 2004-2008, Broucek served as President of Music at New Line.
Broucek is currently setting up his new company in Los Angeles to produce and consult on music productions for film, television, records, online, commercials, games and new media. He has just announced a creative alliance with famed record producer Salaam Remi (i.e. Amy Winehouse, Jennifer Hudson, Fergie) for a lineup of future film projects and has just completed Executive Producing the score for the martial arts western, Laundry Warrior, set for release in 2009.
JOE CANTAFIO - OPRFHS CLASS of 1973
Music
Joe Cantafio was the leader and lead singer of JADE 50’s, the band that debuted at OPRF’s “ Fifty’s Day” on May 11, 1973, and began touring America the following year. At the age of 22, Joe became the youngest Music Director of Dick Clark’s live Good Ol’ Rock & Roll Show, performing with the likes of Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Rick Springfield, Three Dog Night, The Beach Boys and Wolfman Jack. Since Joe began working in the “voice over” business in 1980, his voice has been a staple on American TV and radio commercials singing the praises of Shasta, McDonalds, Betty Crocker, Huffy Bikes, Chilli's and New Balance Shoes, to name a few.
Music has always been his way of helping others. The original JADE 50’s members perform at an annual benefit concert for the Gary Olson Scholarship awarded an OPRF graduating senior that Joe co-founded in honor of his friend, teacher and coach, the late Gary Olson. After the September 11th attacks, Joe wrote and performed a one man show titled “Let Freedom Sing” and adopted a New York Firehouse, bringing members on a one-year U.S. fundraising tour for 9-11 victims that stopped at OPRF in April 2002.
Joe’s band, The 101st Rock Division, has entertained American and Coalition troops serving throughout the Mideast. His Forgotten Heroes Foundation produces entertainment for U.S. veterans in VA Hospitals and on U.S. military bases on the frontline, around the world, and across America. And most recently, he has been named Director of the National American Veterans Museum, expected to open in San Marcos, Texas, in 2010. Whereever he has gone, Joe has never forgotten and remains very proud of his Oak Park roots.
District 200 and Faculty Senate vote on 5-year contract
Supervisory duties for teachers and 8-period day approved
Oak Park and River Forest High School teachers will take on supervisory duties aimed at increasing faculty contact with students while improving school climate and providing more effective use of faculty and facilities. The high school’s schedule will change to a “true” 8-period day under terms of a five-year contract approved Tuesday by the District 200 Board of Education. OPRFHS Faculty Senate members ratified the agreement Tuesday afternoon.
“This contract is consistent with the Board’s commitment made during the 2001 referendum by keeping salaries within the midpoint of the top half of our peer group while continuing to reduce retirement benefits and insurance contributions by the District,” said Board of Education President Barry Greenwald.
Highlights of the contract for the 2007-08 through 2011-12 school years include:
· A 5-year term;
· A competitive overall compensation and benefits package focusing on comparability of peer districts;
· Continued reduction of retirement benefits;
· Increased teacher share of health insurance costs;
· Increasing teachers’ contact with students throughout the school day by eliminating one of two teacher planning periods and providing a supervisory assignment instead -- such as study hall oversight; tutoring and test make-up center staffing, and hallway monitoring;
· Modification of the schedule from a 10-period day with half-hour split lunch periods to eight periods, with a new school day from 8 a.m. to 3:04 p.m.;
· Adherence to District financial goals and planning through 2012.
Key components of the agreement are highlighted below.
SCHEDULE & SUPERVISORY CHANGES
Starting next school year, the school day will consist of eight 48-minute periods, replacing the current 10-period day with its 4/5, 6/7, and 7/8 split periods and half hour lunches. The day will start at 8 a.m. and end at 3:04 p.m., with eight periods for a maximum of seven courses, including physical education, and lunch. (Freshmen will continue to be limited to five courses in addition to physical education and the option of a performance music course). The 5-minute daily announcement period and 5-minute passing periods will remain the same.
Under the new contract, the District also will convert one of teachers’ two planning periods into a “supervisory” assignment. During their supervisory period, teachers may be assigned to study halls, test makeup centers, tutoring centers, and hallway supervision.
For at least the past year, the faculty, administration and Board have been actively discussing the need to revamp the daily schedule and increase faculty presence in areas outside their individual classrooms throughout the day as another way of engaging students and enhancing student achievement – the District’s #1 goal.
“This consistent, pervasive and positive adult presence will help reinforce behavioral expectations for our students and provide additional opportunities for students to interact with and learn from faculty throughout the day,” said Superintendent/Principal Dr. Susan Bridge. The new schedule will also allow for more efficient scheduling of classes and use of the facility and its resources, such as computer labs, as well as provide for more effective scheduling of faculty.
“The faculty is eager to embrace the new responsibilities and opportunities afforded by this contract,” said James Paul Hunter, chair of the OPRFHS Faculty Senate. “This contract provides us with a new sense of freedom to work with all students – not just those we teach in our classrooms – in creative and focused ways to help them achieve in all areas of school and academic life.”
SALARY
These salary increases place OPRFHS teachers at 11th of 18 of their peer districts. The contract provides for an average annual increase of 4% over the 5-year term of the agreement. Consistent with comparable districts, the new salary schedule also increases the number of salary lanes that recognize teachers’ commitment to continuing education. This change helps OPRFHS remain competitive with peer districts for teachers in the middle of the salary schedule, helping to retain qualified mid-career faculty members.
RETIREMENT
The new contract continues to reduce the District’s retirement benefits. This contract substitutes 6% increases in the last five years of a teacher’s career for the three years of 20% increases previously provided. The 6 % increases will be in place of – not on top of – regular salary increases provided under the salary schedule.
This contract also ends the practice of allowing new and some existing retirees to continue on the District’s health insurance plan, a change that is expected to result in significant annual savings over time. Retirees will instead have the option of enrolling in the state’s teacher retirement plan (TRIP) or other insurance options.
In addition, in an effort to encourage teachers to be proactive in increasing non-pension retirement benefits, the District will match up to 2.25% of teacher’s base salary into a 403(b) plan. This benefit is very similar to a 401(k) match provided in the private sector.
HEALTH INSURANCE
The new contract requires employees to bear a greater share of health insurance premium costs, in addition to higher co-pays and deductibles. The employee share of single coverage will increase from the current 5 % or 7 % (for PPO coverage) up to 8 % of the premium cost. The employee cost for family coverage will be 14%, up from 10%. Deductibles have doubled – up to $500 for individual and $1,000 for family coverage.
In an effort to encourage more employees to move to the less expensive/high deductible VEBA health insurance coverage, the contract provides for a nominal reduction in individual cost – 6% down from 7%. The employee cost for family coverage will increase to 12% from 10%.
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Board resolution affirms District commitment to holding line on spending
Concerned about the economy and its long-term impact on Oak Park and River Forest property owners, the OPRFHS Board of Education on Jan. 22 adopted a “Resolution Concerning OPRFHS Financial Planning,” affirming its commitment to holding the line on rising costs. This step was taken with the purpose of lessening the long-term tax burden on community residents by avoiding a future referendum to raise the tax rate for the high school. The resolution states:
WHEREAS, the current Illinois school funding structure, including the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), along with significant unfunded federal and state mandates, place an undue burden on the residential property taxpayers of Oak Park and River Forest, and
WHEREAS, it is the primary duty of the Board of Education of Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 (the “District”) to sustain, protect, and improve the quality of public secondary education in this district, and
WHEREAS, the current long-range financial plan of this district, through the year 2018, involves taxing at the current rate (plus increments not to exceed the lesser of the Urban Consumer Price Index or 5%), and spending at a rate that is likely to exhaust general fund balances and cash reserves, and if so, would require the Board to request another tax increase in order to continue that established rate of spending, and
WHEREAS, we believe that a future referendum for a higher taxing level would not be supported by our taxpayers,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Oak Park and River Forest District 200 Board of Education will embark of a course of action which will result in
1. the development of a long range financial model which is based on the premise that, for the foreseeable future, this district will manage its income and its expenditures such that there will be no need to ask for further tax rate increases that extend beyond the limits of the Urban Consumer Price Index;
2. a method for setting educational priorities in such a way that necessary changes in educational strategies can be managed by changing spending priorities, rather than by seeking higher tax revenues;
3. the District taking an active role in seeking to change the public school funding mechanism in the State of Illinois, along with forming the ability to adapt quickly to any such changes, and
4. a practical showing of its determination to take every available opportunity over the next ten years to contain costs in ways that balance both the District’s ability to sustain its financial health and deliver the highest quality of educational services.
Through careful, zero-based budgeting and continuing cost containment measures, the District already has projected that it can meet its expenses without requiring a tax rate increase through at least the year 2018. Those projections, however, currently project the need for a referendum tax hike about a decade from now if spending continues as currently projected. The volatility of the economy and its potential impact on the revenue side of projections concerns the current Board. For instance, the Urban Consumer Price Index just announced for 2008 was 0.1%, the lowest in well over 15 years, and represents about a $1.5 million annual shortfall in projected revenues from the year 2010-11 on.
Board members said the resolutions, initially proposed by Ralph Lee and approved unanimously, will motivate the Board to methodically assess the costs and efficacy of every program and expenditure going forward to determine what can be cut or revised without harming the quality of the high school's programs and opportunities for students. Before adopting the resolutions, Board members said they had great concerns about and sympathy for the impact of mounting taxes on lower and middle income residents. The resolutions will ensure that both the Board and Administration keep responsible cost containment a way of doing business.
Auditors give District 200 positive report on financial controls and financial stability
Auditors Virchow Krause gave positive reports about District 200’s financial management and stability in its presentation to the Board of Education’s Jan. 13 Finance Committee meeting. The auditors had completed the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and the 2008 Audit Report.
“You have done a great job of managing your expenditures and controlling your operations,” said Timothy Cole of Virchow Krause, outlining how expenditures have remained virtually flat from $59,126,487 in 2007 to $59,566,849 in 2008. This conservative spending approach allows the District to build back its fund balances to ensure operating costs through the future. While the auditors suggested improvements in some technology and internal controls, it noted that District 200 had the fewest comments on internal controls than any of the firm’s other school district clients, even during this first year of the state requiring signficantly greater testing, documentation and mandatory reporting.
On both the cost containment and internal controls fronts, District 200 “has done a very, very good job. You should be very proud of the District. Keep up the good work,” Mr. Cole said.
[The 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and Audit reports are available online by clicking on the titles. Both documents also are available from the OPRF Business Office by calling 708-434-3278.]
Buildings and Grounds contract approved
April 23, 2009 - The Board of Education approved a 2008-2012 collective bargaining agreement with the Building and Grounds SEIU Local 73 staff, which had approved the tentative agreement by a 31-4 vote Wednesday, April 22.
On April 8, the OPRF Buildings and Grounds staff voted against ratifying the initial tentative agreement reached by the Union and District bargaining teams on March 25. At that time, the Board directed Administration to continue negotiations, while tabling consideration of selection of 3rd party vendor to provide custorial services; direction to staff to negotiate an agreement with selected vendor and resolution of reduction in force of custodial employees.
The contract that was finally approved April 23 included almost all of the provisions in the initial agreement, including:
• four-year contract – 2008-2009 (current year) to 2011-2012
• the contract would cover all 40.7 employees in the bargaining unit, including 28 custodians;
• there would be a one-time bridge payment -- equivalent to two-week’s pay calculated on current 2008-09 base salary -- to transition from current pay system to Kronos timekeeping system. It’s the equivalent of 3.85%, but would not become a part of base salary.
• there would be 1.5 % annual increases in years two, three and four of the contract;
• over-time would be counted at time and a half only after 40 hours a week have been worked, and sick leave would no longer be counted toward that 40 hours;
• all new employees as of March 26, 2009, would be hired on a 2nd tier salary schedule that would be 77.5 % of the current starting hourly wages for each B & G classification – e.g., the current hourly starting wage is $23.24, and under the new tier for new employees, it would be $18/hour;
• the 2nd tier package also provides for fewer sick and vacation days for new employees;
• Health benefits would remain the same and reflect significant changes put in place over the past several years as reflected in the faculty contracts negotiated over the past 5 years;
• the working day would increase by 15 minutes from 7.45 hours to 8 hours for 24 custodians who currently work that shorter schedule;
• a new performance evaluation and compensation system would be put in place; and
• there would be a jointly developed professional development program, including training in such areas as dealing with blood- and air-borne pathogens, as well as job skills, etc.
Two significant changes between the versions dealt with performance evaluations and vacation days. The approved agreement provides for a more positive incentive program for high performing employees rather than a more punitive approach for employees receiving poor evaluations. The approved contract did not implement proposed changes in vacation benefits for existing employees.
The contract represents an average increase of $270,000 per year over the 4 year term of the contract and is within the District’s 5-year plan.
2008 Illinois Youth Survey results
Dec. 15, 2008 - Students think their parents are less aware of their use of and access to alcohol than they were two years ago, according to statistics from the 2008 Illinois Youth Survey. The biannual Illinois Department of Human Services survey on teen alcohol and drug use and student and family attitudes was given to OPRFHS sophomores and seniors this past April 2008. Findings reported this fall were shared with OPRHFS faculty at a staff development session Mon. Dec. 8. The session, presented by OPRFHS substance abuse counselor Margo Bristow, also addressed concerns about the impact of alcohol and drug use impact on student health and safety, particularly the effect on adolescent brain development; resources and referral services within the school, and attitudes about prevention and intervention. (The 2008 Illinois Youth Survey Individual School Report for Oak Park and River Forest High School is available by clicking here.)
The good news is that compared with the 2006 survey results, fewer sophomores and seniors last year reported using marijuana; getting drunk or high at school; riding with adults or fellow students under the influence, or continuing to alcohol and drugs after they knew it got them in fights or other legal trouble. Although more sophomores reported using alcohol within the 30 days prior to the survey than in 2006, fewer seniors than in 2006 reported such use.
Students who were sophomore respondents in 2006 were the same cohort as the 2008 seniors: 34% of this group reported using marijuana as sophomores compared to 33% as seniors. However, this cohort’s alcohol use increased from 41% who reported using alcohol in the last 30 days as sophomores to 57% as seniors.
When it comes to family relationship questions, both sophomores and seniors reported their parents knowing less about what they may be up to than students two years ago did.
- When asked, “If you drank alcohol without your parents’ permission, would you be caught by them?” 79% of sophomores and 88% of seniors said their parents would only sometimes or never know compared to 67% and 80% in 2006. (contrasted with the response of knowing “most of the time or always”).
- When asked whether their parents would know if they had been to a party where alcohol is served, 82% of the sophomores and 89% of seniors said their parents would only sometimes or never find out, compared to 68% and 85% in 2006.
- While most students said their parents would know whether they came home on time, more students in 2008 than in 2006 said their parents would only sometimes or never know: 22% of sophomores in 2006 compared to 31% in 2008; 39 % of seniors versus 45% in 2008.
The answers suggest the need for families to continue to address an apparent disconnect between what teens are doing and what their parents know they’re up to.
Other highlights from the 2008 report involve levels of reported use:
Not used alcohol within the past year; within the past month:
10th – 36%; 54%
12th – 31%; 43%
Not used marijuana in last year; last month –
10th – 74%; 67%
12th – 65%; 52%
Responses that the following substances were “sort of or very easy” to get:
10th : alcohol – 69%; marijuana – 72%; cigarettes – 69%
12th : alcohol – 84%; marijuana – 84%; cigarettes – 87%
A copy of the 2008 survey will be posted online at www.oprfhs.org and help inform continuing parent, community and school efforts to reduce teen alcohol and drug use and the health and safety risks correlated with that use.
Results of a 2006 state survey on teen alcohol and drug use show that parental/adult and community attitudes are key in teens’ decisions to drink and use drugs. Tolerating underage drinking and student drug use as an acceptable “rite of passage” puts our children and their friends at risk.
Last April, Oak Park and River Forest High School, in collaboration with the Oak Park Department of Public Health, hosted a special presentation for all community parents/guardians about teen alcohol and drug use, featuring the founder of Illinois MADD and experts on new penalties pertaining to parent accountability/responsibility for teen alcohol use and the health impact of teen alcohol and drug use.
