Configuration Subcommittee

Configuration Subcommittee Topic: Elementary School configuration drivers 2/22/17

Configuration Subcommittee 2/22/17

Current Elementary School status in D112—9 Buildings Who is D112? ●

8 K-5 buildings ○

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1 Early Childhood Center ○

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With the exception of Oak Terrace Dual Language, D112 does not offer full day kinder (FDK)

Serves @ 200 children and shares building space with administrative offices

Tradition of educational excellence ○ ○ ○

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Award-winning Early Childhood Program Nationally recognized Dual Language Program Established and diverse multi-generational community ■ Families from the Ft. Sheridan US Army Reserve Training Center ■ 17% English language learners Special Education programming and services that meet each child’s unique learning needs


Current challenges for ES programming ●

Too many buildings for student body population ○ ○

Compared to other districts of similar size, D112 is an outlier in number of buildings and average school size Buildings with space for 3+ sections (core classrooms) per grade level may house only 2 sections, creating higher operating expenses per pupil in overhead ■ Each building requires administrators and support staff, nurse, social worker, resource teachers, librarian (IMC), janitorial services, etc., separate from cost of building maintenance

District

Number of buildings PK-8*

Number of students*

Average Class Size*

Average Elementary School Size**

Per Pupil Operating Expenses*

NSSD112

4,309

12

17

338

$16,190

Deerfield 109

2,973

6

20

502

$16,054

Glenview 34

4,869

8

24

531

$13,013

Hawthorn 73

4,202

8

24

528

$13,978

Wilmette 39

3,740

6

24

492

$14,804

Park Ridge 64

4,537

8

21

556

$15,613

*Source: ISBE Illinois Report Card 2015-2016 **NSSD112 FY16 Final Budget Report


Current challenges for ES programming ●

Student population is distributed unevenly across district ○

Downward trend in population and 20+ year-old boundaries have resulted in uneven distribution of students across the district, unusually small cohorts K-5, and diminished teacher collaboration opportunities.


Impact of small cohorts on educational experience ●

Superintendent’s Citizen Finance and Facilities Advisory Committee (SCFFAC) reported that four to five sections per grade level with a school size of 400-500 students would “enhance the delivery of instruction, enable the district to more consistently meet its class size targets, and allow for greater cost efficiency.” ○ Consolidated, larger buildings are in better position to absorb upward and downward population trends ■ Require less frequent boundary changes ■ More opportunities for teachers to collaborate and work as team ■ Flexibility to group and regroup students to optimize learning experience across ability levels ■ Children at the margins, socially or academically, have more inclusion opportunities ■ Student, educator and parental feedback sheds light on limitations of small cohorts

Teacher: We teach children to be collaborative and creative, but there are only so many ways I can group the 14 kids in my class.

Mom: My child has experienced isolating bully behavior, but the school is too small to ‘get away’ from it. I don’t see anything changing until Middle School.

Student: The social worker at my school is part-time; she wasn’t there at recess when I needed her.

Student: I wish there were more kids in my class that liked the same things I like. Am I always going to feel so alone?

Teacher: There’s only one other 3rd grade teacher. With a larger team, we could plan and implement more innovative lessons and activities.


Why is the Dual Language Program a key driver? ●

Dual Language Program (DL) is a two-way immersion bilingual and bicultural educational program currently offered at Oak Terrace, Red Oak and Sherwood. Indian Trail houses a one-way immersion bilingual program. ○ D112 DL program provides required language assistance to English Language Learners (ELL) who are native Spanish speakers. The optimum balance is 50/50 native Spanish speakers to native English speakers.

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Growth in the DL program is the most dramatic change from the release of the SCFFAC report in Feb. 2014. ■ Kindergarten registered 7 sections of DL with a waiting list of native English speaking families.

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Sectioning: Elementary school with 4 sections per grade level including 2 DL and 2 monolingual is a de facto 2-section school for both programs with all the challenges for teachers and students of a small cohort.

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Middle School Feeders: All DL sections feed into Northwood for continuation of DL programming three blocks of the day. At this time, consolidation of DL resources at one middle school is optimum for staffing and teaming. ○ As larger DL classes age into middle school, population balance shifts across buildings


Elementary School Enrollment—DL and monolingual


Full Day Kindergarten as a key driver ●

D112 is in the minority amongst neighbors in not offering FDK

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FDK will require additional room space at Elementary School buildings currently offering ½ day

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Flexible, experiential play spaces are recommended for FDK ○ FDK is not simply twice as much ½ day Kinder ○ Experiential Kindergarten model was successfully piloted at Ravinia School and is being rolled out district-wide


Other factors ●

Adequate play space/Tour of Mt. Prospect ELC ○ Several D112 buildings have courtyards that could be developed into outdoor classrooms/learning spaces ○ Mt. Prospect ELC was built as addition to Middle School, sharing wall but operating independently, separate entrances ■ ELC designed with maximum natural light and use of outdoor courtyard space, ie. Sensory Garden


Other factors ●

5th Grade Opportunities ○ Site space: Within context of Middle School Campus, 5th graders benefit from 9-block day, larger cohort, potential for additional specials, STEM and world language ■ MSC plan accommodates entire 5-8 population by building on largest D112 site ■ Economies of scale allows for opportunities not deliverable at 8 K-5 building sites ○

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Staffing: At MS level, teachers need specialty content area credentials different from ES ■ Given site limitations and staffing complexities, benefit doesn’t necessarily outweigh cost and school size concerns (two 5-8 MS would each be 900 students, planning 450/grade level) ● Tour of Deerpath runs 5-6 and 7-8 in same building because of space availability; 5th grade does not operate as MS, runs as one teacher, traditional Consolidation: More peers per grade level per ES building with larger cohort enables similar opportunities for clubs/activities


Educational objectives for configuration/guidelines for Facilities ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Elimination of two-section programming (DL and ML) to achieve larger cohort with social and academic benefits Planning of space/funding for FDK in any recommended configuration Fewer than three middle schools to achieve larger cohort with social and academic benefits Enhanced opportunities for 5th graders (extra-curricular, social, and academic) IAQ as recommended by the EPA to improve ability to focus, teach and learn (temperature/humidity control, proper ventilation/filtration of allergens/particulates) A net gain for every student (i.e., improvements that touch every student’s educational experience) Learning environments that support collaboration and opportunities to attract the best staff Flexible learning spaces for teachers to implement a variety of lesson plans and activities for how they teach today (large rooms, breakout rooms, flexible furniture and/or walls) Equitable facilities and program opportunities (kitchens, auditoriums, gyms, Arts) Educationally and developmentally appropriate spaces (experiential K, specials, music, STEM) Usable and appropriate outdoor space for learning and recreation


Demands of a changing educational model on aging buildings Research-based objectives D112 ● 4 C’s: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity ● College and career readiness, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) ● Technology and changing educational model require more flexible and updated spaces With the exception of Oak Terrace (20 years old), the average age of the District’s buildings is 74 years old ● D112 has substantial deferred maintenance and is not on par with neighboring districts in building upgrades including AC and ADA compliance Old Educational Model

New Educational Model

Lecture style teaching/learning

Collaboration style teaching/learning

Desks in rows facing blackboards

Furniture arranged for working in groups

Paper/pencil

Chromebooks

Structured spaces

Flexible spaces

Temperature control and electrical support for technology in single "cold" room

Temperature control and electrical support for technology in every room


Putting it all together—Configuration approaches for ES ●

No two districts are exactly alike in available sites, student body learning needs or educational model implementation


Traditional K-5/6-8 model, DL with ML in common facility ●

Reduce # of buildings, keep DL and ML in common facility ○ 5-6 K-5 Elementary School buildings with a range of 3-4 sections per grade level ■ One ECC stand alone or within shared facility, Admin offices to be determined ○ Most closely aligns with current configuration with small change in cohort size due to consolidation and boundary changes ○ Allows for growth/contraction in DL program ■ SCFFAC report: Maintain multi-section DL program at multiple sites to reap known benefits of Dual Language education for all students (not just those in program) ■ DL at multiple locations may present staffing challenges ○ Results in actual or de facto 2-section programming for both DL and ML at multiple sites ■ Replicates existing challenges of small cohorts, singleton teachers, limitations socially/academically ○ May require frequent boundary changes to meet recommended class size guidelines with 2-section programming


Traditional K-5/6-8 model, DL academies ●

Reduce # of buildings, establish DL academies, increase cohort size for both programs ○ 5-6 K-5 Elementary School buildings with a range of 3-4 sections per grade level ■ One ECC stand alone or within shared facility, Admin offices to be determined ○ Most closely aligns with BDR3 elementary programming recommendation ■ OT currently operates primarily as DL academy ■ Other location may require shift from current MS feeder pattern ○ Consolidation of resources and programming allows for teacher teaming and collaboration ■ All students would benefit from larger cohorts per program ○ Does not allow for growth/contraction in DL program ■ Assumes consistent space needs and consistent enrollment by both native Spanish-speakers and native English-speakers over time. ■ Factors that may influence DL participation include FDK across district and/or shift in population ○ Placing DL and monolingual programs at separate locations limits social opportunities between the two student groups (recess, lunch, after school enrichment). ■ Monolingual students would not have benefit of proximity to bilingual and bicultural programming as recommended in SCFFAC report


Primary and Intermediate Regional Pairs K-2/3-5 ●

Reduce # of buildings, keep DL and ML in common facilities, increase cohort size ○ 6 Elementary buildings organized into 3 regional pairs, each with a K-2 Primary School and a Grades 3-5 Intermediate School ○ Linear K-5 cohort attends two buildings with 3-4 sections per program, 5-8 sections per grade level ■ Regional pairings increase cohort size per grade level: SW/RO, BR/RA, OT/IT ■ One ECC stand alone or within shared facility, Admin offices to be determined ○ SCFFAC report: Grade based programming “may distribute students, staff and resources more efficiently, as well as more consistently maintain ideal class sizes.” ■ Age-appropriate spaces and furnishings throughout building allow flexible use of classrooms and community spaces (gym, IMC, playground, art/music). ■ More sections per grade level give teachers opportunity for collaboration and teaming ● More flexibility for student groupings within the grade. ○ Allows for growth/contraction in DL program and social benefits of programs in common facility ■ DL at multiple locations may present staffing challenges ○ Additional transition K-8 may mean siblings more frequently attend different buildings ○ Bigger change for community than traditional K-5 models


Our community, our district ●

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How do school locations inform our sense of community? ○ D112 is fewer than 2.5 miles across East-West and fewer than 5.8 miles across North-South. ○ Some students walk to school but many do not for a variety of reasons, from convenience of bussing to scheduling of activities before and after school, safety concerns, convenience, hazardous road crossings/train tracks, etc. ■ Many of the schools have traffic issues at pickup and dropoff that result in complaints from neighbors/ticketing because of the volume of vehicles parked on the street during those windows. ○ There are existing programs where students don’t attend their boundary schools (Special Ed, DL, Military). How can we cultivate a sense of community for every student in D112?

Input from Facilities and Finance Subcommittees regarding Elementary School drivers, operating efficiencies and financial implications ○ Open discussion to include all present, Cabinet, and BOE members