Borrowing a page from successful Head Start programs that target preschool children, officials of High School District 88 in Villa Park and Addison are planning a similar effort to help 8th graders get a jump on high school.
A four-week session described by Don Farrimond, director of special services, as ”a kind of high school Head Start,” will begin June 29, he announced last week.
Farrimond said the effort would involve officials of Willowbrook and Addison Trail High Schools, each being host to ”30 to 50 students” and their parents, for a variety of seminars led by administrators, deans, counselors and teachers.
”We think the aspects of the program that involve the parents are particularly important,” said Farrimond. The students will attend morning classes four days a week and they will bring their parents along for evening seminars every Tuesday.
”We wanted the kids to have three-day weekends, so that this all doesn`t feel too punitive,” Farrimond said. ”I know other districts have tried to reach out to the types of students we`re targeting, but I don`t know of any others who are being this aggressive.”
The program, unique to Du Page, if not the metropolitan area, has not been totally endorsed by school board officials. At a recent meeting, board president Judy Chang questioned whether the students being targeted would be enthusiastic about spending the extra time in a classroom.
Farrimond responded that though teachers and administrators didn`t expect that, they were hoping to win over the parents and let them boost the program to their sons and daughters.
The district expects to spend about $25,000 on the project, according to Farrimond.
”We are really working to keep costs down in this time of frugality,”
he said.
Exactly what will be taught during the four-week session after regular school classes are recessed for the summer is still being worked out.
”Our goals include trying to develop a little self-esteem, trying to allay the fears of students and parents about the new world of high school,” Farrimond said.
”You have a lot more freedom in high school than you do in junior high-it`s a lot easier to skip classes for one-and we want both students and parents to be prepared for that.”
