Schools
Students Kept After School, Away From Fallen Wires
EPCHS holds students after school to keep them from fallen electrical wires. That incident report and more from the D229 board meeting last night.
It's safe to say that many high school students are thrilled when the classroom lights suddenly go out.
But for administrators, faculty and staff at, a power outage was more than just a minor setback.
“It was crazy,” said EPCHS Supt. M. Elizabeth Hart. “Kids were using their cell phones for light, and we had trouble communicating with teachers [because the phones were out].”
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At the risk of getting a 15,000 volt shock from fallen wires at the west entrance, students were held after school in their classrooms until clean up crews gave the OK.
Patch will have that story and the names of next year's EPCHS student ambassadors.
Find out what's happening in Evergreen Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Until then, here's what happened at the District 231 board meeting last night:
Board Meeting Reports:
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EPCHS has a new head football coach. Dan Hartman, a defensive coordinator from Crown Point (Ind.) High School, will strive for a championship football team at the high school, while he teaches social studies full time. He'll take the reigns from Mike Barry, who recently accepted a head coach position at Hinsdale South High School.
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In an effort to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), said principal William Sanderson, District 231 has addressed 48 areas of implementation since Fall of this school year. Along with the help of EPCHS faculty, the district has received consultation from the Illinois State Board of Education.
Sanderson noted ineligibility this year in softball, track and baseball weren't too high. If any student playing sports is ineligible for three weeks, they'll be kicked off the team. “Our goal is academics, sports second,” he added.”
English teacher Deborah Schillo reported that English and reading scores are up on ACT tests this year. On the English section for example, 57 percent of students who scored five to seven points higher last year grew this year to 79 percent of students.
The high school will offer three extra classes next year for college and career readiness. For many lower-achieving EPCHS students soon to attend Moraine Valley Community College, the classes will help them advance in remedial work that the college requires they take.
The high school will soon release its new writing handbook. The goal is to teach freshman and sophomore students skills for research and argumentative writing, Schillo said, so they'll be prepared for college-oriented writing as juniors and seniors.
The summer reading program, an offshoot of the Read 180 class, is underway. Books that will help “students to love reading,” said media director Tina Ward, include The Talisman, by Stephen King, which the school will supplement with the graphic novel, and The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.
The music, arts and world language departments will is also on its way to meeting AYP. Using Smart Music software, students can check for pitch and tune their instruments through a personal computer. The world language department is also looking forward to more field trips to local restaurants and cultural establishments.
The board is still looking for bidders to paint the stadium bleachers.
The district will work on two new bathrooms over the summer, sidewalks, white boards and flooring, as part of life safety.
The school will take inventory of old school equipment over the summer, then clear it out to store band gear.
The board may hold a closed session residency hearing June 14, for the case of an illegal student the district went to court with and “won, hands down” against, said residency director John McGuire. The guilty student, who was charged with a Class 'C' misdemeanor, owes the district a year's tuition.
The district will hold two back-to-school nights in the Fall, instead of one. The goal is to increase parent involvement and communication with the school.
