By Cathy Bayer

April 20. 2012 12:01AM

Rockford School District parents, students asked for academy input

PHOTO/ MAX GERSH | RRSTAR.COM

Assistant Superintendent Ehren Jarrett

makes a presentation on the Rockford

School District's academy plan Tuesday,

April 17, 2012, at Auburn High School.

ROCKFORD Dozens of Rockford business, community and school leaders came forward this week to publicly support a high school redesign in the Rockford

School District, but input from parents and students has been lacking, and their buy-in is a critical component in the overhaul, Assistant Superintendent Ehren

Jarrett says.

ROCKFORD Dozens of Rockford business, community and school leaders came forward this week to publicly

support a high school redesign in the Rockford School District, but input from parents and students has been lacking,

and their buy-in is a critical component in the overhaul, Assistant Superintendent Ehren Jarrett says.

We certainly want to do everything we can to find a way to get more parents and students involved in this decision,

he said. Its a community conversation, and its great that the business community has been so supportive. But wed

love to get more parents involved.

Alignment Rockford officials contacted dozens of community agencies to spread the word about the two informational

meetings this week to learn more about a plan to better engage students in learning their everyday math, science,

English and social studies.

Mailers were sent home to parents, and automated calls were also made. District leaders also held the meetings in two

geographically spread-out areas Auburn and Jefferson high schools with hopes of targeting a diverse crowd.

Jarrett said hes excited about the overall turnout about 300 people attended the two meetings, combined. But the work to earn support is only beginning.

The hope at these public meetings is to catch the ear of parents with struggling students who might not be career- or college-ready upon graduation, said

Laurie Preece, executive director for Alignment Rockford. But spreading the word becomes even more critical if the plan receives approval from the full

Rockford School Board.

If the board says yes, were going to have academies, this (presentation) will get shown more after the board vote than it does before the board vote, Preece

said.

How it works

The main goal of the redesign is to engage students and ensure theyre prepared when they graduate for either college without remedial courses or the

workforce.

Students would select a college and career prep academy to enter during their sophomore year, which could fall under one of four general areas at each high

school: engineering, manufacturing and industrial technology; health sciences; business, marketing and informational technology; and human and public

services. Students still would learn their regular coursework, but it would be taught in the context of their academy with a health sciences or engineering

focus, for example.

If approved, the program would be piloted at Jefferson High School for sophomores in the 2013-14 school year. But Jefferson freshmen in 2012-13 would take

a foundation class, and it would be offered as an elective at the districts other high schools to help lay the groundwork for such a program.

Jarrett said district leaders would ensure that all four schools and their academies would be equitable, so students wouldnt need to transfer to another

school outside their attendance zone to attend a perceived higher-quality academy. Each school also would have the same general industry cluster offerings

like health sciences or engineering to ensure equity.

Community support

The model draws heavily on business and community support, and several local leaders offered support this week in videos or on a panel of community

members.

The businesses in this community have a real self-interest in seeing this through, because, and Im going to be brutally honest, you cant recruit people to

come to Rockford, said local attorney Steve Balogh, who sat on a panel at both meetings. You cant recruit businesses to come to Rockford. This community

is suffering economically and educationally, and weve already seen a demonstrated involvement in business, and I really, really believe that if we do this, it

will grow and become self-sustaining.

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Business leaders will start to see the fruits of their labor, he added, because the program lends itself to a grow-your-own talent pool.

Itll be up to the business community and local leaders to keep the program running, said Jan Jones, a former district teacher and administrator who now

works through the Boone-Winnebago Regional Office of Education. The hope is that future candidates for both the superintendent position and School Board

will be interviewed with support for this academy concept in mind.

We believe thats an important part of the communitys role, to maintain that, she said.

Reach staff writer Cathy Bayer at cbayer@rrstar.com or 815-987-1395.

More keys to the academy-model high school

* At Auburn High School, the Creative and Performing Arts program, gifted academy and ROTC programs would remain intact.

* Sports and extracurricular activities would not be affected by a switch to the academy model.

* Students would still be able to choose from physical education, fine arts and language electives.

* The redesign would not apply to students at Roosevelt Alternative High School.

* Students still would have opportunities for dual credit, honors and Advanced Placement courses. The idea is to better engage students by providing

real-world context for their lessons.

* Funding for the plan is largely covered by the School Boards approval to extend the school day to include a seventh class period.

http://www.rrstar.com/article/20120420/NEWS/304209897

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