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Parent urges Fairview SD 72 to restore world‑language instruction to strengthen high‑school options
Summary
A parent told the board that the district’s foreign language staffing has fallen to zero and urged restoration so students can meet college prerequisites and preserve elective choices in high school.
At the March 18 meeting of the Fairview District 72 Board of Education, parent Stephanie Lorenus urged the board to restore foreign language instruction in elementary and middle grades, saying the district’s language staffing has declined "from 1.33 staff members to zero" over five years.
Lorenus described how her eighth‑grade daughter had to choose between language and a fine‑arts elective for high school and said counselors told the family that many four‑year colleges expect three years of language study. She warned that without early language instruction students may be forced to use multiple elective slots in high school to meet language requirements, limiting opportunities in arts or other areas.
"Please bring languages back to Fairview so that my current third grader has the opportunity to expand his creative thinking… and get the chance to take more electives in high school," Lorenus said.
Lorenus cited examples of neighboring districts that provide regular Spanish instruction in K–8 and referenced online options used elsewhere to accelerate language learning in upper grades. The board did not take action on the request during the meeting; the comment was made during the public‑comment portion of the agenda.
What happens next: Lorenus’s remarks were recorded in public comment; the district did not provide an immediate response at the meeting. Board members may take the remark under advisement, and district staff could be asked to report back with options and cost estimates if the board places the topic on a future agenda.
