To Learn Twice

Last week in Suburban Life I weighed in on the ISBE Guidance on returning to school immediately after processing it and building this summary overview . Now one week later, after being interviewed by John Williams on AM 720 on these topics and having more time to think about it - I have put together what I believe regarding these guidelines as of today - July 2nd - with about 6 weeks left to develop a plan to return to school. The pandemic has impacted everyone in the world and we are all struggling to figure out how to navigate our new situation. Please know that I truly appreciate the work of the Illinois State Board of Education and the task force that developed the guidance . I always try to presume good intentions and I believe all of those working on the ISBE Guidance have the best of intentions for students and families. My biggest concern is that the ISBE Guidance should have been released as DRAFT guidance weeks ago and shared with others to provide feed...

In our District the majority for school funding comes from local property taxes . This fact creates a natural symbiotic relationship between property owners and schools. The top factor that influences home values in our state is the quality of local schools. On some level, this is one of the reasons why people support their local schools and want them to succeed - the result is higher property values. Schools have a responsibility in this symbiotic relationship to help raise the value of their community’s property. One way to do this (the way tied closest to our mission) is by doing a great job: helping students to be successful, creating opportunities for a positive learning experience, and connecting students to their community so they want to come back here to live (and hopefully buy a home). Another key method is by sharing the success of our students and promoting both our schools and communities in the process. A way we help facilitate this each year is by meeting with local re...