D210 Equalizes Summer School, Zero Hour Fees

In hope of increasing zero hour enrollment, the Lincoln-Way High School board reduced the fee to take these classes by $150.

During its Feb. 9 meeting, the District 210 board voted to equalize the fees for zero hour and summer school at $350 each. That's a decrease for zero hour but a $20 increase per summer school credit.

The board wanted to approve this now because students are starting to register for next year's classes. Summer school and zero hour are both ways for students to take extra electives.

Meanwhile, the board heard public comments directed toward a separate plan that teachers said would adversely affect students' elective options. The board held a first read on a policy that would group all elective requirements into one pool instead of requiring classes from separate areas such as fine arts and technical education.

"In our mission statement it talks about maximizing the opportunities, and to me that speaks to broadening (the curriculum)," fine arts teacher Julie Johnson said. "A lot of my stuents probably wouldn't choose to take the arts. I'm here to speak for the kids who don't know they have an artist inside them."

This proposal would still keep the district's graduation requirement at 22 credits, but students would be able to pick electives from any area. Although this wouldn't have a financial impact on the district, teachers feared that it could reduce enrollment in some classes and eventually lead to diminished departments.

Lincoln-Way teacher Denise Budney gave examples of her children, whose eyes were opened to new careers because of electives classes they took. She said many students would opt to take only foreign languages and ignore other fine arts or technical courses.

"I'm not so sure those choices are going to be made," she said. "They're so focused on the core classes and getting into the university they want. I'm so afraid our departments are going to shrink."

The board could vote on that proposal at its next meeting, which is at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at .