The dozen meetings that were scheduled through September and into October brought community members and District 205 administrators together to discuss ways to improve the school district.
Data that comes from these meetings will help guide the administration to make possible changes and redirect the district’s focus into the future.
205 Superintendent Dr. John Asplund says “The preliminary data that we have seen really talks about wanting more hands on opportunities for kids. To have more vocational or – even non-vocational in terms of physically doing things – and having more hands on instead of theoretical experiences.”
Asplund said that when he first came into education – the focus changed from vocational or technical skill trades and moved to college readiness, but recently was re-shifting back.
Another area that Dr. Asplund says was a huge focus was with English language learners – telling WGIL a success story from Nielson school. “One of our young… third graders came in last year and did not speak one word of English, and he is what you would almost consider fluent now after one year here. And that’s incredible… but the parents definitely need those opportunities too.”
Asplund says that in the district there are 14 different languages being spoken.
Additionally he said that the community also wanted to see the return of district outreach workers – which in years passed have been cut back.
