Enrollment Dip, Efficiencies Explain Cuts to D. 31 Teachers, Staff

District anticipates lower kindergarten enrollment next fall.

While West Northfield School District 31 has announced some cuts to teachers next year, the reductions are based on enrollment figures, not budget necessities.  In an e-mail sent to parents on Friday, Superintendent Alexandra Nicholson and Board of Education President David Handler announced several reductions to the district’s payroll, including one full-time first grade teacher and one half-time kindergarten teacher.  Board President David Handler explained that the district has about 50 kids registered for kindergarten next fall, which is below normal levels at this time of year.  “Because we’re lower than where we typically are, it looks like we wouldn’t need as many kindergarten teachers,” he said.    Based on those enrollment levels…

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District 31 To Cut Some Teachers, Staff

District announces budget cuts for 2012-13 school year, including cuts to one and a half teaching positions and several staff members.

Despite passing a $1.8 million property tax referendum on Tuesday, West Northfield School District 31 will go ahead with some cuts to teachers and staff next year.  In a message distributed to parents via e-mail late Friday afternoon, Superintendent Alexandra Nicholson and Board of Education President David Handler announced several reductions to the district’s payroll, including one full-time first grade teacher and one half-time kindergarten teacher.  In January, Nicholson announced that the district might make up to $1 million in cuts over the next two years if the referendum didn’t pass. She also stated that the district might go forward with some of those cuts even if the referendum did pass.  “With the winning of the referendum, the …

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Field School Pilots Kindles in the Classroom

Thanks to a parent's generous donation, sixth graders are testing the Kindle Fire's uses in class.

Just as books are going online and onto tablets, reading buddies in District 31 are going digital, too. On a recent day in Field School teacher Kelly Tess’ classroom, a group of sixth-graders bowed their heads over Kindle Fires, searching for online lesson plans to use with their second-grade reading buddies at Winkelman School. The students will then conduct the lesson over Skype, using the plans they created on the Kindles.  A family in the district donated the devices earlier this year, in an effort to help District 31 provide students with the latest, one-to-one technology. The tablets allow students to browse the web, use apps and read books, among other functions.   Earlier: D. 31 Celebrates Referendum's Passage “It’s been a fun …

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Supporters, Opponents of D. 31 Referendum Face Off at Polls

Campaigners from both sides stood outside polling sites outside Field Middle School and Mission Hills Country Club on Tuesday afternoon.

Supporters and opponents of West Northfield School District 31’s property tax referendum spent hours outside in 85 degree sun Tuesday afternoon, trying to try sway voters last-minute. Outside Field Middle School, referendum supporters Debbie Oberman and Marisa Boffa held signs and flagged down anyone walking into the school’s auditorium, which serves as a polling site. “This school district needs for this to pass,” said Oberman, who has one child in the district and graduated from Field Middle School herself. “I want my child to have what I had growing up.”  The $1.8 million property tax referendum on this year’s ballot will be the district’s second attempt to raise property taxes. After last year’s referendum failed 2-1, District 31 made…

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D31 Teacher: Save Our Nationally-Recognized Schools

A Northbrook resident and D31 teacher shares her 'deep concern' regarding the March 20th referendum vote.

Dear Editor,   I am writing today out of deep concern. As you know, District 31 greatly needs to pass a referendum and election day is just a week away! I have been teaching for 15 years and am in my 8th year working at Field School, where I see great things happening every day. When I arrive every morning, I am greeted by the sound of our incredible school band practice. I also see students in the library before school starts studying and using the valuable resources it provides including computer access. Currently, our students enjoy a nice selection of fine and applied arts courses. However, those were scaled back a few years ago as part of a budget reduction in order to pay back millions of dollars in refunded property taxes to …

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Letters to the Editor

D31 Parent: 'We Owe it to the Children' to Pass Referendum

A District 31 parent shares her reasons why voting 'yes' on the $1.8 million referendum is a must

Dear editor, I've lived in District 31 for 12 years and I support the referendum to raise our taxes. We moved here because of this district's unique qualities -- it not only offered an incredible education for our children, but it also offered a diverse community for them. My oldest child is now in high school and my youngest is in middle school. We are, in fact, almost "out of the district." So, why am I so concerned with ensuring that the referendum passes? It is not due to loss of my property value. Of course, I do not want my property value to plummet, which it will most certainly do if the referendum fails. Property value, to me, is a side issue. What I'm most worried about is the quality of education for the children in our community…

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Letters to the Editor

D31 Teacher: Ensure Your Child's Success, Support Tax Referendum

A 6th grade teacher at Field Middle School encourages community members to vote 'yes' on March 20th's $1.8 million tax referendum.

Dear Editor, I consider myself lucky, and my parents smart.  I grew up on the North Shore of Chicago and was a student in an outstanding school district, where I received a stellar education. Following college, graduate school, marriage, and moving around the country a bit, my husband and I moved back to the Northern suburbs of Chicago knowing that this area is the only place we wanted to raise our own family, giving our children the same opportunity to learn in a great school district like I did.  I attribute a great deal of my personal and professional success to my earliest educational successes in elementary, middle, and high school. I couldn’t have known it then, but my parents had given me a tremendous gift by making the choice to …

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Opinion: Citizens for D31 Create Pro-Referendum Video

Community group films video in support of a $1.8 million property tax increase in West Northfield School District 31.

After last year’s property tax referendum failed by a 2-1 margin, the district made more than $1 million in cuts. Administrators say another $1 million in cuts could be necessary over the next two years if the property tax referendum does not pass in March.  District 31’s situation is complicated by the fact that it has had to pay millions of dollars in property tax refunds to major district taxpayer Allstate Insurance over the past several years. Further property tax appeals are pending in court. Here, watch the pro-referrendum video created by Citizens for D31 member and district parent Susan Harrison. The video was released on the heels of a 300-person Valentine’s Day march aimed at encouraging community members to vote yes on the March…

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Letters to the Editor

D. 31 Parent: My First-Grader Has Turned Into a Grassroots Organizer

Parent of D. 31 student hopes community will pass tax referendum in March.

Dear Editor, It is election season. And my 6-year-old son has become a passionate precinct captain. Well, sort of, in the campaign headquarters that is our dining room table and in our “precinct” that is our assigned walking blocks. He doesn’t know who Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich are, but he knows what it means to go to an amazing school and he is fighting for its survival. Let me explain. Our little school district, District 31, which includes both Glenview and Northbrook, is in trouble. Serious trouble. Tax appeals totaling over $3 million by corporate residents of our district have left the district’s cash reserve drained. A failed referendum last year resulted in an additional $1 million in cuts to the schools’ budgets after …

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Supporters Raise Red Balloons to "Save District 31"

Citizens group organizes march in support of $1.8 million property tax increase in West Northfield School District 31.

Supporters of a property tax increase for school district 31 lined Landwehr Road on Valentine’s Day, carrying red balloons and chanting, “Save District 31.” Organized by pro-referendum group Citizens for District 31, the march was designed to encourage community members to vote yes on a $1.8 million property tax increase on the March 20 ballot.  “This district is not running on any fat,” Superintendent Alexandra Nicholson told parents, teachers and community members who attended a recent board meeting at Field Middle School. “We are running on skin, bones and muscle.”  After last year’s property tax referendum failed by a 2-1 margin, the district made more than $1 million in cuts. Administrators say another $1 million in cuts could be …

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