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THURSDAY, Jan. 21, 2016
District 205 Board agrees to phase in move of special needs students Apology given for communicating news via backpacks
“It is still with confidence that we feel we can support the students academically and socially, although I understand that parents don’t agree with that,” said Dr. Kathleen By Dan McLeister Kosteck, assistant superintenFor The Elmhurst Independent dent for student services. “As ELMHURST — The Dis- Dr. Moyer said, we are certrict 205 School Board plans to phase in a plan to transfer special needs students from Field Elementary to Emerson Elementary School. Superintendent Dave Moyer and his team had developed a plan to transfer all the students in two classrooms at the same time at the beginning of the next school. After a January 12th meeting, Melea Smith, director of communications and public relaVisitors to Wagner tions, said that based on parCommunity Center last Thursday were ent and community input, the able to satisfy a sweet Board did make the decision tooth and help a good to adopt a phased-in approach cause. Girl Scout Troop to the transition of the instruc#50302 sold baked tional classrooms from Field to goods in the lobby with Emerson. proceeds going to the “We don’t yet fully know Playground for Everywhat that will look like, but one at Butterfield Park, that announcement was greeted a universally acceswith enthusiastic cheers from sible playground being built by the Elmhurst the audience,” Smith told The Park District in fall Independent in a later interview. 2016. Working toward Much of the discussion in the their bronze service four-and-one-half hour meetaward, the troop wanting was spent on the special ed to help the communeeds students but other topics nity build a park where included setting guidelines for everyone can play announcements by all students together. The troop at York High School including raised $415 to benefit ones from AS.IS, a club for the playground’s construction. LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender) students. (See story elsewhere in this edition of The Elmhurst Independent).
Inside:
Police Reports...........6 Sports ��������������� 26-29 Viewpoint ����������������8 Classifieds..........34-35
tainly happy to look at and do something different. All of the things we have considered in the months prior to bringing this recommendation to parents do have financial and space implications.” Board member Emily Bastedo apologized for the way the
news was delivered (by a letter in students’ backpacks). “The people who sent it are very caring and are not calloused, but I know that’s the way it came across,” she said. Board member Margaret Harrell also commented. “We are trying to balance all
of the community concerns to come up with options to make that work,” she said. “We are trying to minimize the impact for everyone. How do we make that work for everyone, given the reality of our limited
See BOARD, Page 3
Girl Scout bake sale benefits Playground for Everyone
photo provided
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