The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board will decide tonight on a compromise proposal for bilingual education that would keep Washington Elementary School open to neighborhood students.
The plan would continue expansion of the district’s Two-Way Immersion program by splitting it between two schools — Washington, 914 Ashland Ave., and another school. Currently, Washington and Orrington Elementary School, 2636 Orrington Ave., house the TWI program’s classes in kindergarten through second grade.
“As a result of the last meeting, it was pretty clear that the board wouldn’t support putting the whole program in one school,” board member Greg Klaiber said.
At the Feb. 3 board meeting, more than 100 parents and community members protested the Bilingual Education Committee’s recommendation to make Washington the only site for the TWI program. In response to the groundswell of protest, board members asked Superintendent Hardy Ray Murphy for additional options.
The bilingual committee had originally recommended the four kindergarten classes at Washington become TWI classes, expanding to the next grade each year and gradually phasing out general education classes. Students in the Washington attendance area would have had to choose between entering the TWI program or attending the nearest neighborhood school.
Students in TWI classes — one half native Spanish-speakers and the other half native English-speakers — learn core subjects in their native languages and receive instruction in the other one. Eventually, instruction for both is half in English, half in Spanish.
The new proposal would only cover the next school year.
“We’ve adopted TWI as a philosophy and we know it’s a good program,” said board member Mary Erickson. “We need to increase our capacity to all children who are qualified.”
The two-school option will give the administration time to find a permanent solution while expanding the program for bilingual students.
“I think it’s the only option at the moment,” said Dick Peach, a Washington parent and president of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. “It plugs the hole in the dike and gives them some time to look at the situation.”
One board member expressed concern about the proposal’s potential administrative problems.
“I am inclined to support the recommendation but I just want to make sure that (District 65) can manage the two-school model,” Klaiber said. “It’s going to take more resources and more administrative skills.”
At tonight’s meeting, the board also will discuss a draft agreement between District 65 and Family Focus about using the Weissbourd-Holmes center, 2010 Dewey Ave., as a Fifth Ward school.
According to Family Focus director John Henry Turner, the district would be responsible for an initial $1.3 million investment in building renovations. The district would then use 15 classrooms as well as the gymnasium, library and offices.
“Coincidentally, our programs are after school and theirs are day-time. The space is available and we can share the space. It would be a good marriage,” Turner said.
The meeting begins at 8 p.m. at the Joseph E. Hill Education Center, 1500 McDaniel Ave.
