Meeting Highlights - April 28, 2014
Glenbrooks study concludes student opportunities equitable at both schools
In March, the Glenbrook High School District 225 Board of Education received enrollment projections from two contracted demographers, both of whom confirmed that student populations at Glenbrook South will continue to increase in the next few years while the student populations at Glenbrook North will decrease. While the student enrollment at GBS is expected to stabilize and even decrease by 2020-2021, the Board discussed the importance of maintaining equity among students at both schools.
"We always knew that GBS would be the larger of the two schools, given that our district boundaries generally mirror those of the communities of Glenview and Northbrook," said Board President Skip Shein. "An important question, regardless of growing enrollment at one school, is "Are we providing an equitable opportunity for students at both schools?"
To examine that question, the administrative team collected data on student participation levels, financial support, and facilities in each of the three areas that comprise the Glenbrook high school experience: academics, activities, and athletics.
"The data demonstrates that while we allow our schools the financial flexibility to make site-based decisions to meet student interests and needs, overall, student opportunities at both schools are comparable and equitable," said Superintendent Dr. Mike Riggle. "They are not intended to match exactly since the schools serve different populations."
In the area of academics, the findings concluded that a consistent staffing formula efficiently maintains equitable class sizes and student-to-teacher ratios at both schools. Course offerings have been equitable at the both schools in the past, and are expected to be even more so as GBS transitions to the block schedule for the 2014-15 school year. Findings also show that GBS is able to provide a wider variety of courses, while GBN drops courses of low enrollment at a higher rate.
A capacity study concluded that GBS has ample general classrooms to support a student population of 3,100. However, one potential area of concern is in Glenbrook South's ability to accommodate specialty classroom needs such as science labs, and there may be a need for additional office space. The area of fine arts may need additional support at GBS to function effectively for a higher student population.
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Board approves new parking lots at GBS
The Board of Education approved bids to build three parking lots at GBS this summer. The project will provide an additional 259 spots for students, an increase of 58 percent. With growing student enrollment projected at GBS in the coming years, additional student and staff parking will be needed to enhance safety and alleviate congestion during drop-off and pick up times.
The total cost of the parking lots is $1,525,208 and will be offset by student parking fees.
MEMO Board to collect community input at special meeting - May 19
On Monday, May 19, the Board of Education will host a special meeting to listen to community input on the future enrollment initiative. Any community members who wish to speak will be granted five minutes to address the Board. For those who would rather provide input electronically, there is an online
input form available on the district website. The Board has reviewed all input received via the form since its launch in March, and will continue to do so for the duration of the initiative.
