Elmhurst School Morale 'Remarkable.' Hinsdale's Not So Much

Elmhurst IL

19 November, 2021

10:02 AM

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ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst School District 205 board members sounded satisfied this week with how students are feeling. That's apparently not the case in all western suburbs. At a board meeting, Elmhurst board members weighed in on the status of students. "They're happy. The morale in our buildings is just remarkable," board member Courtenae Trautmann said. "As a parent, it makes me so happy for the kids in our buildings." Member Athena Arvanitis agreed. "The enthusiasm in our buildings, the turnout at our athletic events, the school dance, the fall fest at the elementary schools, that's what the community is about," she said. "That's what we missed so much for so many months. That's what we have regained. That is all significantly positive." In Hinsdale High School District 86, officials are feeling the opposite about students at Hinsdale Central and South. The district took the unusual step this week of giving students and staff Monday and Tuesday off on Thanksgiving week. In a message to families Tuesday, district officials said they were giving the days off for the "physical, mental and emotional health" of students and staff. They said they expected the school board to approve the days off at its meeting Thursday. The board did just that, although some members questioned the move. In the message, Superintendent Tammy Prentiss and board President Terri Walker said the two days will be paid days off for employees and would not affect their vacation and personal time balances. The officials said they listened intently to the Central and South communities. "(A)n increasing number of you have approached us about the struggles you have experienced since the start of the school year," the officials said. "It is why we have sought to learn more about the pressure and anxiety that you have felt as you have tried to assimilate back to life you have not known for nearly two years." They said they joined some other school districts in finding ways to alleviate stress. At Tuesday's board meeting, Prentiss said she spoke with board members individually about giving the days off and received feedback they were fine with the idea. Member Debbie Levinthal said she heard mixed reactions to the idea. "The late notice has caused some undue stress," she said. She also said giving the notice about the days off during a school day may have been disruptive. Prentiss said word needed to get out quickly once some people were told. Board member Peggy James said she appreciated the "urgent need for a day off in consideration of students and staff." But she added, "Sometimes fast decisions aren't always good decisions." She said she was concerned the district was applying a Band-Aid for the "very real cause of this stress." She, Levinthal and member Jeff Waters have maintained for much of the fall that students are stressed over a number of classes where 90 to 100 percent of grades are dependent on tests. District administrators replied they were taking a number of steps to alleviate stress. For example, they are implementing no-harm finals, meaning the tests can improve grades but not bring them down. Board member Cynthia Hanson said the days off are a student-driven idea and that she supported it. When Waters tried to dig deeply into the causes of the stress, Walker asked for an end to the discussion. She used her gavel, prompting some in the audience to hiss. The board voted unanimously for the days off.