News from West 40
Last year, West 40 sponsored its first annual "Citizen of the Year" Awards recognizing exemplary student citizens from schools within its service area. The event, which brought a full house to the Riverside | Brookfield High School auditorium last March, is now underway for the second year. "Citizen of the Year" enables schools to spotlight the positive accomplishments of today's students.
Selection parameters are very broad. Nominated students will be good school citizens and models for others to emulate. All students from every school in the West 40 Region in grades two through twelve are eligible. West 40 has sent applications to all schools which must be returned by February 3, 1997, along with a $45 fee per student.
The Citizen of the Year Ceremony will take place on March 19, 1997, at Riverside | Brookfield High School. Each student will be recognized for his/her achievements. School citizens will receive a certificate, a medal and a copy of the "School Citizen of the Year" Honor Roll. Parents, teachers and administrators are also invited to attend. Entertainment and refreshments are planned.
For further "Citizen of the Year" information, please call West 40 at 708/447-6070.
News from Sprinefield
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The State of Illinois has enacted legislation to provide for alternative programs for disruptive youth in grades six through twelve. PA 89383 (105 ILCS 5/13.A), known as the Safe Schools Law, states that "...Beginning with the 1996-97 school year, the State shall create a system of alternative school programs. The Regional Safe Schools Program is an alternative program for disruptive youth who have been removed from school because they have disrupted the education program of the regular |
school. The purpose of the Regional Safe Schools Program is to meet the particular needs of these students more appropriately and individually in educational environments where they may benefit from the opportunity for a fresh start in a new educational environment." Funding has been made available to plan and help in implementing such programs this school year. West 40 is responsible for overseeing the program in |
its West Cook service area, which addresses the needs of sixth through twelfth grade youngsters targeted by the legislation. Grant submissions, spending and implementation for the region will be guided by West 40's director Gretchen Alexander, who served as a member of the work group in Springfield that developed the guidelines. According to Alexander, "The Regional Safe Schools Program comes out of the movement to provide a safe |
environment for all students by removing disruptive kids from the classroom and into programs especially planned to provide positive outcomes for disruptive youth." She also explained that it does not provide money to fully fund programs, but can be used for consulting services, professional development, equipment, and other related expenses. Questions about the Safe Schools Program can be addressed to West 40 at 708/447-6070. |
