A new director, a new group of students, and increased skills-based ACT/test prep. Vanguard's 2011-2012 school year is filled with new opportunities and experiences that will get kids better prepared for the future.
Students are reacting in all sorts of ways about the longer school day. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just an hour!” says Alex Kresen.
Next year, the school day will end at 3:00 instead of 2:05 to "increase academic time for students," according to Mr. Kosirog. Staff are holding meetings after school to work out the schedule. Fear not, Harper, cosmetology school, nail school, PAC, and all service sites will not be affected by the new agenda.
The change from 2:00 to 2:05 earlier in the year was already a hard adaptation for Vanguard students. "I think it's going to be hard on the students, not teachers. Our school day ends at 3:30 regardless. We'll adjust. It'll be okay," said Ms. DeMeo.
Students aren’t taking the news as lightly. Almir Dekanovic says, “It’s going to be very depressing because this school always ended at 2:00. This is a drag.”
Wheeling and Buffalo Grove kids take longer to get home than others. Kayla Woodward sits on the bus for a total of almost an hour and a half some days. She fears with the later days she will get home very late. “Buses will be added to the routes so kids won’t get home as late,” according to O’Brien.
This news is starting up conflict for many working students. “It’s going to be a problem for some kids. Some have to get to work right after 2:00,” stated Dr. Koralik.
“I don’t think it’s fair. That’s the point of Vanguard, we’re supposed to be different than other schools. Now we’re going to be in school almost the same amount of time and we travel further,” said Danielle Pettibone.
One proposed schedule sets aside time a couple times a week to do extra PE and clubs for students who are on track, according to Ms. O’Neill.
Story by Annemarie Schaefer
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