NORMAL – Concerned about its finances and wanting to give parents and members of the public a say concerning the next steps Normal-based Unit 5 takes concerning them, the district will hold three meetings, one of them virtually, to gain feedback on what the public believes should be the district’s next moves.

The first in-person session was slated for Wednesday, May 18 at Parkside Junior High School. The second in-person session is slated for Monday, May 23 at Normal Community High School from 6p.m.-7:30p.m. The virtual session will be held Tuesday, May 24 from 6p.m.-7:30p.m. To be able to participate in the virtual session, residents must register in advance. A link to register can be found at www.unit5.org.

Sullivan explained the initial surveys his group distributed and received back from parents and other constituents indicated over 80 percent of respondents were open to supplying more funding to Unit 5.

Sullivan said his group will begin a second phase in an attempt to give residents different options building on the feedback received thus far.

New Principals Introduced: There will be two new principals in charge at two schools in the district, District Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle announced. Mariana Nicasio will be the new principal at Chiddix Junior High School succeeding Jim Allen, who served as principal there since 2016 and associate principal there since 2015. A 16 year education veteran, Nicasio has served as principal at a middle school in Berwyn. Also introduced as moving to be a new principal starting next school year is Cari Roop, who will be moving from that same position at Glenn Elementary to Sugar Creek Elementary. Roop has been with Unit 5 since 2018.

Grove Elementary School’s “Good News”: Board members were introduced to members of Grove Elementary School’s chess team, comprised of 4th and 5th grade students, together, as a team, took 1st Place at the recent State Chess Tournament. The team’s sponsor is Tiffany Borne. In her memo about the team to Board members, Borne said team members prepped, in part, by playing other chess enthusiasts worldwide online throughout the year. The students on the team are: Arjun Vyas, Kavin Sivignanam, Zachary Borne, Vanshika Bandaru, and Jasiah Nelson.

Normal Community West High School’s “Good News”: Members of Normal Community West High School’s Esports team were honored in a “Good News” report for having come away with two Illinois High School Association State Championships and a 3rd place finish. Team Coaches Jarrod Rachauskas, Cody Hatzer, Travis Lindsey, and Andy Mendez were pleased to their team’s winners forward before Board members. First Place winners in State competition in the Rocket League video game were: Cody Dunn, Nathan Conrad, Dante Phipps, Keagan Wurth, and Jacob Jones.

Jono Edmonson was introduced as IHSA NBA2K game State champion. Luke Sherman and Kwesi Blankson were introduced as IHSA third place finishers in the game called Super Smash Duo.

“Good News” About “Young Authors Program” District Winners: A total of 21 students representing five grade levels at 11 of the district’s grade schools were honored for having participated in the district’s “Young Author’s Program,” in a report presented to Board members by Maureen Backe, Director of Elementary Education for the district. These winners were among 171 entries submitted.

Backe added in a letter to Board members, “The Young Authors Program,” from the classroom to the State Conference, provides a plethora of opportunities to encourage and support authorship, a love of books, and skills that will benefit our students for a lifetime.” A variety of genres are available for students to write in, and a panel of judges read all of the material submitted by students who participate. Materials submitted are judged on originality, creativity, grammar, illustrations, and overall composition.

Student teachers select school winners in February. That is followed by a team of 8th grade students choosing district winners. District winners, their grade level, (and their school) are: Emily Arndt, Zoe Porter, 3rd, and Addie Fritts, 2nd (Hudson Elementary); Kaylee Batesole, 5th, Vincent DeKnecht 4th (Pepper Ridge Elementary); Lily Beal 5th (Colene Hoose Elementary); Evelyn Beehner 5th (Towanda Elementary); Leah Bowman 1st, Roman Felix 2nd (Oakdale Elementary); Surabhi Chincholkar 2nd, Piper Long 5th (Grove Elementary); Austin Crothers 5th (Glenn Elementary); Camille King, Audrey Kirchner both 5th (Benjamin Elementary); Jianna George 2nd (Prairieland Elementary); and Rose Miles 2nd (Cedar Ridge Elementary).

“Good News” About District Receiving Award From Music Merchants Association: District Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle told those attending the meeting Unit 5 has been awarded the designation of “Best Community For Music Education” by National Association of Music Merchants Foundation (NAMM). Dr. Weikle said NAMM gave the district the honor for “its outstanding commitment to music education.” Dr. Weikle said communities which receive the honor “outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music education, access and education to students.” District officials completed a NAMM survey detailing answers concerning funding, graduation requirements, and class participation among a list of criteria.

Public Comment Concerning Sex Education: Resident Toni Gorrell addressed Board members saying she objected to sex education being taught in schools to grade levels lower than are already done at. Unit 5 teaches junior high students sex ed in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.

According to ACLU Illinois website, State Senate Bill 818, titled Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act “creates personal health and safety standards for grades K-5 and updates and expands comprehensive sexual health education standards in grades 6-12 to give young people the information and tools they need to be safe and support responsible and informed decision making about their health and well-being throughout their lives.” According to an outline of the bill, topics addressed include but are not limited to: Anatomy and physiology; healthy relationships; identity; personal safety; pregnancy and reproduction; puberty, growth and adolescent development; and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Three people spoke during public comments, two concerning a new State Bill concerning sex education. Toni Gorrell led off addressing Board members concerning the new curriculum suggested under SB 818 was “unlike what I was taught when I was in school.” She said the new curriculum “fails to teach children about all of the emotional, psychological and physical health risks of promiscuous sexual activity.”

Resident Mary Carlisle followed telling Board members, “My concern is that Unit 5 intentionally chose to opt in to the comprehensive sexual education standards when you could have just as easily opted out.” She said the main goal of the subject matter is “infused in most subject matter with the main goal being “to destroy childhood innocence and destabilize children.” She went on to say diversity equity inclusion “further divides children using diversity to divide children against one another rather than dividing them with principles of unity.”

Resident Karl Sila added his belief the Board’s collective priority has not been the students but rather, politics. He encouraged Board members to stop using the sexual ed program in the State bill “because it’s harmful to kids.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 12th, 2022 at 10:42 pm and is filed under The Normalite, Unit 5. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.