5th Ward school in Evanston is backed

The Evanston elementary school district’s board this week approved the concept of opening a school that would primarily serve black pupils, but members stopped short of committing the $4 million required to build it.

The board of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 voted 5-2 Monday to accept a recommendation from Supt. Hardy Murphy to approve “the 5th Ward school concept” that would serve pupils who live in the west central neighborhood.

The proposed school, which requires another board vote for funding, would violate the district’s historic race guidelines. Those guidelines state that no one ethnic group can make up more than 60 percent of a school’s student body.

Parents in the 5th Ward have pressed for construction of the K-5th grade school, saying that racially integrated schools have failed to boost achievement levels of African-American pupils.

“Please think about the fact we’re losing so many black boys,” city Ald. Joseph Kent (5th) said before the vote. “We need to begin a process to stop that.”

Those opposed questioned the wisdom of approving the concept without knowing where the financially stressed district would get the money to build it.

“At this point we have to make a decision if this is going to happen or if this is not going to happen,” said board member Hecky Powell, who voted against it. “If it’s a budget problem and we can’t do it, let’s say that.”

One plan calls for converting a recreation center at 2010 Dewey Ave. into the new school.

Tax hike proposed: New Trier High School District 203 board members agreed unanimously this week to ask voters to approve a $13.25 million tax rate increase on April 1.

The cost to a resident paying a $10,000 annual property tax bill would be about $550 a year, said Don Goers, assistant superintendent for business.Supt. Henry “Hank” Bangser said the tax hike is needed to maintain the current student/teacher ratio and educational and co-curricular activities. There are about 3,800 students and 355 teachers at New Trier’s schools in Winnetka and Northfield. The tax increase also would quell a growing budget deficit caused by rising enrollment and the opening one year ago of the freshman campus in Northfield.

“Without the referendum [measure approval], we’re facing an $11 million deficit next year on a $66 million budget to keep the same program and staffing levels,” Bangser said.

But several people complained that elderly residents may not be able to keep their homes if a tax increase proposal passes.

Carol Davis of Winnetka asked the board to cut expenses instead.

Wee oui: Parents who want to raise their children to speak French may start enrolling them in a new Winnetka program, the L’Academie des Enfants (The Children’s Academy), to be offered in fall 2003.

The half-day French immersion program is for children 3 to 6 and is based on France’s Ecole Maternelle, said Maria Kurt, L’Academie des Enfants director. Tuition is $6,500.

Native French-speaking teachers will teach all subjects in French. The students will learn introductory reading, writing, math, science, geography, literature, art, theater and music.

The school is an extension of the existing French Institute of the North Shore, which enrolls adults, at 562 Green Bay Rd.

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