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Policing policies are unchanged
ONE-TO-ONE PROGRAM
Recent shootings have local agencies on alert By RHONDA GILLESPIE rgillespie@shawmedia.com
Photos by Monica Synett – msynett@shawmedia.com
Seth Wickens-Walther and Alana Young work on their Chromebooks in their eighth-grade math class Wednesday at Clinton-Rosette Middle School.
D-428 tech plan taking off Teachers say technology integration changing learning By BRITTANY KEEPERMAN bkeeperman@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Teachers say technology is changing things in DeKalb classrooms. Jenn Harrison, a sixthgrade language arts teacher at Huntley Middle School, said she was reluctant to jump on board with the district’s oneto-one tech rollout. Now that it’s in place, she’s embraced it. “I am used to the paper and pencil, but it’s been great,” she said. “The kids love it, even if you’re just pulling it out for five minutes. It’s a nice way to use a different method to get the same results. … Nobody likes things to be stale.” In March, DeKalb School District 428 board members approved spending $8.5 million on a three-year initiative to provide all district students with personal electronic devices. This year, the $1.1 million first phase of the plan was implemented. The district has distributed about 3,300 Chromebooks to its third- to ninth-grade students. Over the summer, 180 teachers completed a combined 3,200 hours of training related to technology in the classroom. However, the District 428 board could choose to halt the program if funding dries up, Superintendent Douglas Moeller said. The three-year plan calls for laptop distribution by grade level. District 428 operates 12 schools – eight elementary schools, two middle schools, an early learning center and DeKalb High School. The one-to-one initiative would reach sophomores, juniors and seniors in the 201617 school year. Kindergarten, first- and second-grade students would follow in 2017-18. The devices students receive are Chromebooks, a type of laptop that is more limited in scope than traditional laptops. Parents signed letters of understanding regarding liability for the devices, Moeller said. If a break is some-
DeKALB – Law enforcement officials in DeKalb County said that officers will be safe, but on alert as they respond to 911 calls after a spate of officer shootings nationwide, including the killing of an officer in Fox Lake. Local police have joined the Fox Lake department in mourning the loss of Lt. Charles Gliniewicz who gunned down Tuesday. The manhunt continued Thursday for the three men believed to Roger Scott be involved in the shooting. News of the officer’s death “is disturbing,” said John Petragallo, deputy chief of the DeKalb Police Department. “We understand that it’s a dangerous job,” Petragallo said. “But we have to keep in mind that we have to be as safe as we can be and watch each other’s backs.” For the most part, police
agencies here aren’t making any sweeping policy or strategy changes, but they are being “mindful,” officials said. “We are all taking it seriously and are on the alert to suspicious issues,” DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said. “It’s something that’s on the mind of every officer who wears the uniform or serves in any capacity.” Police chiefs, including Sycamore’s Glenn Theriault, said their departments already implement protocols that focus on officer safety, and that help promote positive interactions with the public. Gliniewicz’s shooting was the fourth in the past 10 days, and followed what officials in the Houston suburb called the “cold-blooded” shooting of Harris County (Texas) Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth. So far this year, there have been 83 officers killed in the line of duty – 24 of them were shot to death. Gov. Bruce Rauner recently signed legislation that prohibits police from using measures such as chokeholds and other
See POLICE, page A9
DeKalb School District 428 students each use Chromebooks for schoolwork Wednesday as the district rolls out its new technology initiative.
Jalon Redmond (from left), Jadyn Thompson and Makala Rae crowd around Jalon’s Chromebook on Wednesday during an eighth-grade math class at Clinton-Rosette Middle School. thing common, like a cracked screen, it can usually be repaired by school technicians. Families are ultimately responsible for lost or stolen devices. “Last year when we were piloting the program, there wasn’t one device stolen or lost,” Moeller said. “The kids for the most part really take great care of the devices.” District officials will collect data this year that looks at factors such as attendance
and academic performance on standardized tests, using the previous school year as a baseline. “If everything goes the way we believe it should, we should have much less off-task behavior, which would result in less disciplinary action,” Moeller said. “Of course it is important for kids to do well academically, but additionally our goal is for them to be more engaged in learning and become intrinsically motivated.”
School officials have said the goal is to engage students in inquiry-based learning. This new method is designed help them learn skills to land jobs later in life, while still learning the lesson-plan essentials. Harrison said in her classroom, she hasn’t adjusted her language arts curriculum so much as added to it. She has started using a message board type setup to engage the entire class in discussion. This is especially helpful for students who may be shy. “Unlike a regular discussion, everyone participates,” she said. “You don’t have some students dominating the conversation. … There is comfort behind a screen sometimes. For good and bad, but in this case, it’s a good thing.” Demarcus Kimloens, a fourth-grader at Tyler Elementary, said he has been having fun with his new Chromebook. “They only let you play math games. They don’t let you play good stuff,” he said.
See TECHNOLOGY, page A9
Sarah Nader – snadar@shawmedia.com
Lake County Major Crimes Task Force Cmdr. George Filenko briefs the media Friday in Fox Lake. Filenko said more than 100 leads were being tracked as of Friday, and the FBI has opened a dedicated tip line and website to help collect more.
Police ‘getting closer’ to ID’ing person of interest By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com FOX LAKE – After “significant evidence” was uncovered Friday, authorities believe they may be getting closer to identifying a person of interest in the investigation into the shooting death of Fox Lake Police Lt. Joe Gliniewicz. Lake County Sheriff’s Detective Chris Covelli confirmed Friday night new evidence was found Friday after-
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noon, but would not disclose any other details about what was found, only that it was found “at the scene” by evidence technicians who have been returning to the scene every day. However, Covelli said authorities have been getting reports from the FBI and other investigators that video being compiled as part of the investigation has shown “some individuals consistent with
See FOX LAKE, page A9
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