Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Curriculum And Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District presents Black History course survey, summer school and several academic program purchases
Summary
Superintendent and staff presented student survey results on the Black History course, proposed AP Calculus textbook purchase, curriculum writing, Flashlight 360 assessment for EL students, academic tutoring/ACT boot camps and the summer school plan; several items were placed on and approved in consent agenda.
District staff presented multiple curriculum and student‑support items during the superintendent's report on Feb. 11, including survey results for a new Black History course, plans for summer school and night school, expanded credit and driver's education offerings, and several proposed purchases for instructional materials and supports.
Black History course survey: Staff reported results from a December 2024 survey of students across Proviso East, Proviso West and Proviso Math & Science Academy. The presentation said 51 students responded (the district cited 43 from MSA, 60 from East, and 48 from West — those campus totals appear inconsistent with the overall count shown). Staff told the board that before the course, roughly 12% of students reported a good understanding of African American history; the presentation reported a later figure showing a 45 percentage‑point increase, with 57% saying they had good knowledge after taking the course. Staff also reported that 77% said the course changed their understanding of African American history and that most students thought the course should be offered to freshmen or sophomores and be one semester in length. The district said it had audited curriculum materials and found teachers were generally using the adopted Harrington curriculum and district e‑book resources; staff said community partners and a PLC process helped verify that the curriculum is being taught.
Summer school, tutoring and ACT boot camp: The board heard a summary of the summer school plan—two sessions (June 9–30 and July 7–24), Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., with breakfast and hot lunch provided; some busing will be provided for ESY students and for specific program placements. The district plans enrichment and original‑credit classes (including Black History 365, civics, driver's education classroom and behind‑the‑wheel), credit recovery via Ingenuity with academic integrity measures, and supports including counselors, social workers and security. Staff also presented an academic tutoring/ACT boot camp intended to serve approximately 100 juniors per campus, targeting "bubble" students to raise scores.
Instructional materials and assessments: The board reviewed a recommendation to purchase 300 copies (and six teacher editions) of an updated AP Calculus textbook (sixth edition) at an estimated cost of about $52,000. Staff also discussed contracting curriculum writing over the summer ($4,820 for a full‑year course; $2,410 for a half‑semester course) to update courses missing modern curriculum since 2015, and a proposed benchmark assessment system (Flashlight 360) designed to support speaking and writing for EL students.
Technology and monitoring: The superintendent reviewed an e‑rate Ethernet switch renewal (90% reimbursable) and a recommendation to procure Gaggle, a student‑device monitoring and content‑analysis service with 24/7 operator review. Staff described Gaggle as a tool that flags bullying, suicidal ideation and other risks and that provides rapid human review and school notification.
Board action: Several of these instructional and program items were included on the consent agenda and were approved as part of that package at the Feb. 11 meeting. The board did not pull these items for separate votes during the meeting.
Quotations: "When students are engaging in Black History ... they realize that they ... are learning more about the culture," the superintendent said. On Gaggle, the superintendent said the system provided "rapid response" and described prior instances where operators would call districts in the night to escalate student safety concerns.
Notes and clarifications: Staff reported some internal inconsistencies in survey counts during the Black History presentation; several board members asked about whether purchased textbooks and resources were actually used in classrooms and requested continued teacher involvement in adoption decisions. The AP Calculus purchase was described as teacher‑driven and unanimous among AP teachers, according to staff.
Next steps: Staff said professional development and teacher collaboration would accompany curriculum writing and any platform changes (e.g., replacing Naviance with SchoolLinks). The board approved the related consent agenda items and directed staff to continue implementation and follow‑up reporting.
