Bremen CHSD 228 reports gains from math tutoring, launches JROTC and expands career partnerships

District staff described several academic-support and career-pathway initiatives during the Bremen CHSD 228 Board of Education meeting on May 21, including an 8-week math tutoring pilot, an inaugural junior ROTC enrollment meeting, workplace-capstone presentations with MiJAC partners, and a skilled-trades expo.

The Grow program: A cabinet presenter said the district enrolled 38 struggling ninth- and tenth-grade students in an eight-week, high-impact tutoring program delivered by partner Paper. Students worked three times a week for 30 minutes with the same tutor and were assessed with pre-, mid- and post-tests. The presenter reported that several geometry and data skills showed “30% gains” from pre- to post-assessments and that the share of students scoring above 70% rose from 8.8% on the pretest to 51.7% on the posttest. According to the presentation, 16 students raised their math course grade (the largest reported gain was 19 percentage points), 13 students entered the program with failing grades and 6 of those were “no longer failing” at the program’s end. Fourteen students met an attendance challenge; no students had perfect attendance but several missed three or fewer sessions.

JROTC and career partnerships: The district hosted a parent-and-student meeting on May 12 for the inaugural junior ROTC class; Colonel Michael Prescott, senior military instructor, reviewed curriculum expectations and ranks. The district also reported that seven students in a manufacturing workplace experience at MiJAC delivered capstone presentations to MiJAC staff; students earned industry credentials including CPR and forklift training and some reported job or training placements after the program. The district hosted an annual skilled-trades expo on April 24 featuring welding, woodworking, forging and engineering challenges and partner employers; Agrati Inc., a Park Forest-headquartered fastener manufacturer, reportedly hired two recent Hillcrest seniors after a plant tour.

Operations and technology, finance and wellness: The operations update reported 1,274 graduates across four ceremonies with roughly 7,000 YouTube views of the ceremonies. The finance department said the district has been live on Skyward financial software for about six weeks and that Friday would be the fourth payroll processed through the system; an audit engagement letter will be provided at the next board meeting. The district’s wellness program was reported to have 68 active employees using the wellness app, and staff said they will roll out summer wellness activities.

Ending: Board members acknowledged the reports; no formal board action was required on these program updates during the meeting.