New Champaign school board must deal with same situations

Many faces in the Champaign school district are new. Four of the seven school board members. Principals at nearly half the district's buildings.

But the issues they'll be dealing with are the same ones that faced their predecessors: complying with its federal consent decree; ensuring students are meeting state learning standards; figuring out how to keep aging schools in good shape; and deciding what programs get a share of the money in a tight budget.

One top concern for the new school board members is regaining public trust.

"Each new board member ran on a platform that they are concerned about the perception of the school district," board President Dave Tomlinson said. "All of us have been part of the community for many, many years. We're each concerned about our community, as board members, and a big part of our community is the schools. We want to make sure we're leading the way to bring what the community wants into the district."

It will need residents' trust to pass a tax increase. The district needs to make improvements to its school buildings, and the consent decree requires it to make a good-faith effort to add 200 more classroom seats in north Champaign.

The aim of the consent decree is to improve the academic performance of the district's black students, and it mandates the district to eliminate unwarranted disparities between black and white students in participation in gifted classes, assignment to special education, discipline and attendance, among other things.

A building bond proposal to provide money for two new schools, for rebuilding Dr. Howard Elementary and for major improvements to the other primary schools was soundly defeated in March 2006.

The board planned to begin long-range planning this summer, including meeting with local leaders and holding town hall meetings for residents, with an eye on putting another proposal before voters eventually.

"In addition to the consent decree, we want to make sure that those (additional seats) are done in an educationally sound manner, not just adding space," Tomlinson said. "Maybe we need to add space at the middle school level. Maybe we need to do something for early childhood."

The district plans to do another demographic study this fall "to make sure we're putting schools where the kids are," Tomlinson said.

Although the specifics of a bond proposal are still undecided, the district has a short timeline to add more classroom seats to the north. The consent decree is scheduled to expire in 2009, and this new school board will oversee the district's efforts to meet its obligations by then. The district filed a plan in March with the federal court, outlining how it plans to do so.

Also on the agenda: establishing an alternative high school academy for students not doing well in a traditional high school setting; conducting a second survey on perceptions of school environment; and updating the goals for Superintendent Arthur Culver's contract.

SCHOOL NUMBERS

Here's how to contact Champaign Unit 4 schools (the Web site is www.champaignschools.org):

Barkstall Elementary, 2201 Hallbeck Drive; 373-5580; Principal Trudy Walters

Bottenfield Elementary, 1801 S. Prospect Ave.; 351-3807; Principal Jeanne Davis

Carrie Busey Elementary, 1605 W. Kirby Ave.; 351-3811; Principal Zanita Willis

Champaign Early Childhood, 809 N. Neil St.; 351-3881; Principal Amy Hayden

Dr. Howard Elementary, 1117 W. Park St.; 351-3866; interim Principal Jennifer Heinhorst-Busby

Garden Hills Elementary, 2001 Garden Hills Drive; 351-3872; Principal Cheryl O'Leary

Kenwood Elementary, 1001 S. Stratford Drive; 351-3815; Principal Murial Bondurant

Robeson Elementary, 2501 Southmoor Drive; 351-3884; Principal Heather Livengood

South Side Elementary, 712 S. Pine St.; 351-3890; Principal Rhonda Kruse

Stratton Elementary, 902 N. Randolph St.; 373-7330; interim Principal Orlando Thomas

Washington Elementary, 606 E. Grove; 351-3901; Principal Sherry Alimi

Westview Elementary, 703 S. Russell St.; 351-3905; Principal Trevor Nadrozny

Edison Middle School, 306 W. Green; 351-3771; Principal Joe Williams

Franklin Middle School, 817 N. Harris; 351-3819; Principal Angela Smith

Jefferson Middle School, 1115 S. Crescent; 351-3790; Principal Susan Zola

Centennial High School, 913 S. Crescent Drive; 351-3951; Principal Ronald Bode

Central High School, 610 W. University Ave.; 351-3911; Principal Bill Freyman

Columbia Center Alternative Program, 1103 N. Neil St.; 351-3700; Prinicipal Charles Hogue