District 65 to See Close to $1M in Cost Savings

The cost of medical insurance for Evanston-Skokie School District 65 employees is going down by three percent next year.

  Evanston-Skokie School District 65 is expected to see “almost a million dollars” in cost savings because the cost of medical insurance for district employees is going down by three percent next year, according to Chief Financial Officer Mary Brown, Evanston Now reported.  The district also expects to end the year close to its budgeted operating surplus of $400,000. The school board is expected to review a draft budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year in August, with final approval slated for September, Evanston Now reported. Related Coverage

• Photos (1)

District 65 Students Not Taking Full Advantage of Cheap Internet Access

Only 6 percent of eligible students at Evanston-Skokie School District 65 participate in a Comcast program that offers cheap Internet access to low-income families.

  Cook County has more families taking part in a Comcast program that offers cheap Internet access to low-income families than any other county in the country, but the program is underutilized at by eligible students at Evanston-Skokie School District 65, the Daily Northwestern reported.  At District 65 about 41 percent of students qualify for the program, but only about 6 percent of eligible students participate, according District 65 Communications Director Pat Markham, the Daily Northwestern reported.  Comcast’s Internet Essentials program provides low-income families with Internet access at a reduced rate, according to the company’s website. 

• Photos (1)

NU Teams Up With District 65 for Beautification Project

The SCAPE program introduces new Northwestern University students to the Evanston community through volunteer improvement projects at District 65 schools.

On Sunday, Sept. 23, Northwestern University students will be out in force helping to beautify schools in Evanston/Skokie School District 65, through the Serving Communities and Promoting Engagement (SCAPE) project. The college students plan to paint, spruce up flower beds, mulch and rake areas in addition to other tasks in and around District 65 schools as a way to encourage community service and engagement with the Evanston community.  The project is an outgrowth of community services already provided to the school district by NU.  "District 65 students and families already benefit from the volunteer work of Northwestern students who provide invaluable service in supporting literacy, math, science and other cirriculum supports throughout…

• Photos (2)

About Town

D. 65 Teachers Are Running On Empty

School district considers increasing workloads and more. Funny, but did I just imagine recent comments that we had a balanced school budget?

Across the U.S. at this time of year, school districts make tough choices about next year’s staffing. My town is no different, as demonstrated in the following email message from the PTA co-presidents of my neighborhood elementary school: As you may know, District 65 is contemplating changes to the way the fine arts and PE classes are structured throughout the district.  Very simply, if these proposed changes are implemented, fine arts (art, music, perhaps library) and PE teachers are going to be required to increase the number of class periods they teach each school day, and most…are going to have to travel to other schools to fulfill their required number of classes, and therefore won't be at their "home school" full time.  Many parents …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

About Town

Hot Money For Evanston's Schools

Thinking outside the box just might be what it takes…

I’m not moving anytime soon. Still, I find it interesting to learn what others’ impressions are of Evanston.  For instance, someone considering our town as a potential home might click on a site like www.HomeSurfer.com. It describes us in a variety of ways, but the one detail we might all consider – whether or not our children attend/attended Evanston/Skokie District 65 -- is how our school district fares in student performance AND in its financial statements.  I’ll be honest: I don’t know anything about HomeSurfer.com.  I'll also leave the number crunching to the experts.  I do recognize, however, that our school system is hurting.  It has tremendous merits, but it has a long way to go, and we're not rolling in extra funds.   Potential …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

Richard Schulte

7:39 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011

The comment "To disparage the Administration and staff . . . " was Anne Sills' comment, not mine. There's more than enough of taxpayer funds to provide air conditioning. The problem is the "waste, fraud and abuse" in the school district. Let's reduce the number of Administration employeees and funnel the money saved into providing air conditioning. Once, the schools are air conditioned, then the …   more ›

Still In Its Infancy, District 65’s Inclusion Program Sees Positive Results Amid Growing Pains

A year after Evanston/Skokie's consolidated district started bringing more special-needs students into regular classrooms, elementary schools are seeing higher achievement among kids and higher stress among teachers.

When special-education teacher Shannon Gibert strikes the wind chime, the kindergarteners stop chattering and join their hands to make little rooftops above their heads. Most are sitting cross-legged on a bright blue mat at the front of the classroom, each little rump in an individual square while Ms. Gibert teaches the class about money. "A penny is brown, a nickel is smooth," she sings, and the students chime in. She calls on individuals to identify different coins and their corresponding values. When a student answers correctly, "Ms. G." touches her fingertips to her lips, then to her head, telling the child to "Kiss your brain." Among the 5- and 6-year-olds in this Dawes Elementary School kindergarten class, two readily stick out – …

• Photos (3)