Hinsdale High School Teachers Association

Round Table Meetings occurs quarterly with Dr. Wahl, two board members, both Association presidents and two additional members from each school. The goal of these meetings is to discuss mutual areas of concern between the Association and district administration and try to create effective solutions to any potential problems through an interest based conflict resolution model. We are also trying to build a better working relationship with the board that involves a more intimate and frank atmosphere where honest discussion can occur. Below is a link to the minutes of our November 2007 meeting.

Round Table Minutes, 11-7-07

If you look at the masthead for the HHSTA website, you’ll see the tag line “Leadership in Education.” This is no mere slogan, but an active representation of the leadership undertaken by the professional educators who make up the membership of HHSTA both within and beyond their classrooms. To illustrate this point, I’d like to point to a small portion of our member’s accomplishments highlighted in the November 2007 District Communicator distributed by Dr. Wahl, Superintendent of District 86.

From the Communicator:

Chris Freiler, Hinsdale Central social studies teacher, serves on the Educational Advisory Board for the Illinois Holocaust Museum Education Center. This will be the second largest Holocaust Museum in the country, only surpassed by the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

Hinsdale South choral director R. Brett Goad was elected to the office of President-Elect for the Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors’ Association. Additionally, Brett was selected as the guest director for the Illinois Music Educator Association (IMEA) District I Junior High Festival Chorus set to perform Saturday, November 17, on the campus of Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

Brent Johnston, Hinsdale Central driver education teacher, presented “The Impact of the New GDL Requirements to High School Driver Education Programs,” at the Illinois High School/College Driver Education Association (IHSCDEA) Fall Workshop in Arlington Heights. Brent is the co-chair of the Legislative Action Committee and works directly with the Illinois State Board of Education and the Secretary of State Jesse White’s office with regard to the impact of current and future legislation that might affect the delivery of Driver Education in public high schools across the state.

This is just a portion of the HHSTA members recognized for their leadership in education beyond their classrooms. Past issues of the Communicator can be found in the menu of Dr. Wahl’s page at the District 86 website.

Hinsdale Central Drama and ComedySportz Chicago are presenting four nights of improv comedy in the auditorium, November 14-17. The Doings did a nice write-up which showcases the hard-work and talents of the kids, but also of Chris Hicks, HC Drama’s coach, sponsor and mentor.

Mr. Donald P. O’Neill, in his Editorial in The Doings on November 7, said he thinks your high schools are sad. He thinks the education your children receive is substandard, that teachers want to avoid working with kids, that the parents don’t have a clue, and that they are woefully inadequate for not being hopping mad about the sorry state of the schools.

While he makes some patently false claims, including something about the teachers eliminating four contact days during a negotiation (He must be referring to late start days, which the administration requested and the teachers did not negotiate), his accusation about the teachers complaining about the moment of silence as “an irreparable loss of educational opportunity for our students” is simply ridiculous. Certainly, the HHSTA does not hold the position that the Moment of Silence mandated by law creates a loss of educational opportunity.

Education in District 86 is not sad. In a recent ranking of schools by test score, Hinsdale Central placed as the highest ranked school in DuPage County and the 5^th highest in the state.

But District 86 is much more than its test scores. It is a vibrant, hearty and vigorous place that allows kids to grow and transform themselves into what they are trying to become. It is a place filled with teachers committed to the task of not only educating kids, but caring about them, challenging them, supporting them and praising their numerous achievements. The parents of District 86 are not a bunch of woefully inadequate, head in the sand, know-nothings, but a group of involved, encouraging people who send the District extremely good kids.

Mr. O’Neill can think what he wants about the district. Just make sure you don’t believe him.

On Homecoming weekend, the HHSTA put on its annual Pancake Breakfast which is our biggest fundraiser of the year. We use these funds to sponsor scholarships for students and this year we raised over $3,500.

The faculty members who participated and the parents and community members who joined us know that this is a special time to come together and focus on what’s really important in school: the students.

Special thanks to Kristen Bronke and all of the faculty who volunteered their time to come out and throw a great breakfast.

In the spring of 2006 HHSTA informed the Superintendent and the School Board that the State Board of Education recommended Science class sizes not to exceed 24 students for safety concerns. During negotiations, the current administration of District 86 said that science classes would not exceed 24 students. This same pledge was made by the administration in the local paper. At the start of the 2007-2008 school year, I was surprised to discover several Science sections above 24. When I asked why this had occurred, the administration told me that it was a mistake. We later discovered that the same mistake must have been made at Hinsdale South because they also have Science sections above 24.

As a teacher and a parent I know that larger class size is never a good thing. It makes it increasingly difficult to have meaningful connections with each individual student. Larger classes limit the amount of participation that can occur during class. Assessment of student progress becomes much more challenging especially in cases where activities are presented on a regular basis. The larger numbers make it more difficult for a teacher to manage the classroom in a way to ensure that everyone is engaged and on task. The State Board of Education is so concerned that they advise teachers who teach science classes that exceeded the recommended number to get a waiver signed by the school lawyer.

The administration continually asks the teachers and the Association to move forward, but this is extremely difficult when your word is not honored. As a teacher, if I say something to my students and I don’t follow up on it I will instantly lose credibility with my students, which will affect my working relationship with them. This situation has affected HHSTA’s working relationship with the Administration and it makes it hard to move forward because to move forward you need to trust the other party. As President of the Association, I am always looking forward and looking for ways to improve education in District 86, but this broken promise makes it very hard to do.

Join us for an informative and fun HHSTA meeting.

Meeting to start promptly at 3:10pm.