LOCAL VOICES: Frankfort Square School Sponsors a Mitten Tree

During the week of December 10, the Student Ambassadors at Frankfort Square School sponsored a Mitten Tree to help those in need of warm clothing.

D161 Principals Switch Schools

With the closing of Mary Drew Elementary School and the upcoming retirement of Hilda Walker's principal, officials move some district principals to new schools.

Some Summit Hill School District 161 principals will be in new schools next year thanks to some reshuffling announced in a district e-mail Wednesday. Sent by Supt. Barb Rains, the e-mail, which went to district parents, laid out the following changes (the parentheses denote the principals' previous schools): The moves come as district officials continue to adjust to the closing of Mary Drew. At the time, board members and Rains said Klein, Mary Drew's principal, would stay in the district. Another reason for the changes are because of the retirement of Hilda Walker Principal Jan Zevkovich at the end of this school year. The following is the complete text of the e-mail: Dear Parents, As we begin to plan for the next school year, I would …

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Joe Vince

10:19 am on Thursday, April 12, 2012

@Donny and @Spring 2013: Unfortunately, this story broke late yesterday (http://patch.com/A-sxhT), which meant I was covering it instead of being at the meeting. The agenda was light, however. Largely, I'm sure, because the district is on spring break (which probably explains the absence of some of the board members). I'll be following up today. Joe Vince Local Editor, Frankfort   more ›

New Cost-Cutting Model Could Close Mary Drew School: Analysis

D161 Superintendent Barb Rains unveiled a new proposal Monday that could eliminate the district's 2012-13 deficit and lay the foundation for a three-year money-saving plan. We break it down for you.

In the quest to make up for a 2012-13 budget deficit of about $2.5 million, Superintendent Barb Rains introduced a new money-saving option to Summit Hill School District 161 board members and the public for the first time at a packed meeting Monday. And like previous suggested proposals, this one--if selected--would close a school, in this case Mary Drew Elementary School. The new model, which Rains developed, would take advantage of enrollment projections that put Mary Drew at 359 students below capacity in 2012-13. Students in grades 1-4 would be redistributed to the other district schools without dramatically increasing class sizes, according to the plan. Closing Mary Drew would create an immediate savings of about $350,000 from the …

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taxpayer

5:50 pm on Wednesday, January 25, 2012

@Concerned Parent. Your comment was just plain out RUDE. First of all, you insuating where I am from just proves your ignorance toward taxpayers in 161. If you must know, I have lived in the square for over 15 years, quite frankly, I live by the fire station. In no way what so ever did I attack you, Mary Drew school, Aubury Hills school or Frankfort Square school. I do have my facts straight. I …   more ›

D161 Budget-Tightening Could Include Closing a School

Arbury Hills School or Frankfort Square School could be shut down under a proposal to restructure the district. But that's just one idea officials are considering in order to cut costs.

As a way to cover about a $2 million budget shortfall, Summit Hill School District 161 officials are considering a variety of cost-cutting measures, including entertaining the idea of closing either Arbury Hills School or Frankfort Square School. But interim Superintendent Barb Rains said Thursday no decisions have been made, and any move to eliminate financial and educational inefficiencies in the district are only at the discussion level at this point. More research needs to be done before detailed proposals are created, and January would be the soonest that would happen, she added. The full board also would need to discuss and vote on the matter before any action is taken, Rains said. READ: Proposed Tax Levy for D161 Sees Slight …

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1Mom

9:23 am on Friday, January 13, 2012

Well said.   more ›