Students at all schools have improved in almost every area of the Illinois Standards Assessment Tests, and those in Jefferson and Northwest have improved "significantly," according to Superintendent Robert Kidd. This means that Jefferson and Northwest are no longer in danger of being placed on the Academic Early Warning List.

Test scores are divided into four categories: exceeds expectations, meets expectations, below standards and academic warning. If 50 percent or more of the students in a school are on the below-expectations and warning lists for two years running, a school is placed on the State Board of Education’s Academic Early Warning List.

In 2000, more than 50 percent of Jefferson and Northwest students were on the below-expectations warning list. However, the Illinois State Board of Education had recently changed from the Illinois Goal Assessment Program to the new ISAT test, and it takes some time for both teachers and students to learn what is required for success on the new test, Kidd said.

Also, for state assessment purposes, special education students’ scores are averaged into the scores of all students. A small school with a number of special education students may thus have test results skewed toward the lower end of the scale. Both Jefferson, a small school, and Northwest have special education students, Kidd said.

For the 2001 school year, averaging in all special education students, Jefferson had 54.7 percent of its students that met or exceeded standards, and Northwest had 57.3 percent. Central had 60.5 percent; Washington-Monroe had 75.6 percent; and Lincoln Junior High had 58.1 percent. The district total for meeting or exceeding expectations, counting special education students, was 61.7 percent.

Tabulating scores without adding in scores of special education students brings totals significantly higher. With this scoring, at Jefferson, 68.3 percent met or exceeded expectations, and at Northwest 66.9 percent met or exceeded expectations. At Central, 71.4 percent met or exceeded, at Washington-Monroe 77.7 percent, and at Lincoln Junior High 65.1 percent. District totals for all non-special education students meeting or exceeding expectations was 69.4 percent.

Each year third-grade students take tests in reading, math and writing. Fourth-graders are tested in science and social science. Fifth-graders are again tested in reading, math and writing, and seventh-graders are tested again in science and social science. In eighth grade, students are tested once more in reading, math and writing.

Kidd said that even though the state is raising the standards students have to meet, overall scores in District 27 show improvement. Comparing the 2001 scores to the 2000 scores, third-graders improved in all areas, most significantly in writing. The year 2000 was the first year for new scoring on the writing test.

In science, fourth-graders also improved significantly, Kidd said. It was the second year the science test was given, so teachers and students knew better how it was organized. The district had also changed the science curriculum by 2001.

Fifth-graders showed improvement in all three test areas. The highlight was that 84 percent of students not in special education met or exceeded goals for reading.

An area of disappointment this year was seventh grade, where scores for science and social science both dropped, he said.

Eighth-graders not in special education increased math scores significantly, from 49 percent in 2000 to 62 percent meeting or exceeding expectations in 2001, while 72 percent met or exceeded reading standards and 77 percent met or exceeded writing standards.

"I am happy with the improvements in the scores. We should be proud of what was accomplished," Kidd said. "Although the board and the administration can be cheerleaders, it was the teachers and the students who did all the work."

Kidd also reported that the district will receive a Closing the Gap technology grant of a little less than $56,000 from the Illinois State Board of Education. The district must match that with a little less than $21,000, but the district had already planned to spend that amount on technology, he said.

The grant will help get Adams and Jefferson schools connected to the Internet, giving all district schools Internet access, according to Kidd. However, he added, it will then be time to consider upgrading computers in schools already online.

Kidd also reported a drop in enrollment this year, from 1,241 students in 2000 to 1,188 this year. The biggest drop is in kindergarten enrollment, which dropped from 141 in 2000-2001 to 114 for 2001-2002. However, there is an increase in the number of special education students, from 90 last year to 111 this year.

The board passed the fiscal year 2002 budget of $10,442,826. The district will end the year in the black by $245,178, Kidd said. The bad news, however, is the low rates of interest on CDs and other district investments, generally under 4 percent.

Architect Dave Leonatti and Bill Ahal of the construction management firm of S.M. Wilson gave the board a brief update on plans for the new Central School. Leonatti said a computer virus had kept him from printing off detailed copies of documents for the meeting. He said he is "a little behind," but he still intends to have bid documents ready by the October board meeting.

Both Leonatti and Ahal said the slowdown in the economy caused by the World Trade Center disaster and other factors will not hurt the Central building project. In fact, they believe contractors will be eager to have work, and costs of supplies might also be down.

Ahal said he was getting about six calls a week from contractors interested in bidding on the project, and Leonatti said he also has a portfolio of interested contractors. Leonatti, whose firm is also the architect for the Lincoln College building project, said bids will be let for the Central School construction before they are ready for the college’s new Lincoln Center, which will include athletic facilities, new quarters for the Lincoln College museum and administration offices.

She’s one of 70 foster grandmas who go to area schools to help other people’s children, especially those who have special needs, such as problems learning. She’s been in the program since 1989 and she loves it.

"I just enjoy being with the children. For a while I worked with the Lincoln Developmental Center. I often took children for walks.

"Now I work in the library of West Lincoln-Broadwell School. I read to different classes and help them find books they will like. They really enjoy being read to. It gets them into the habit of reading by themselves."

Blanche Hoelscher of Lincoln also goes to West Lincoln-Broadwell, but she stays in a second-grade classroom.

"I work with children that need extra help. I grade their spelling and math, help them study, explain things. I do whatever needs to be done. The children are so precious. The more I can do, the better I like it."

Blanche has been a foster grandma since 1994 and has no plans to quit.

"The only way they are going to get rid of me is to fire me, or if I die," she says. "I love the children, and I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have this."

Glenva Dellinger of Lincoln will be going back to Northwest School for the fourth year. She, too, is in a classroom.

"I love children, and I need to stay busy. I try to get there early and have two pencils sharpened for every child. The teacher tells me which ones need help, so those are the particular ones I work most with.

"But I also walk around and see who else needs help with something. A lot of them couldn’t spell. Spelling and reading are usually bigger problems than math. I take the children out in the hall, just outside the door, and work with them individually. I grade papers, too, but I don’t let that take me away from the kids.

"I think there are some children who wouldn’t have passed last year if I hadn’t helped them," she adds modestly.

The Foster Grandparent Program started in the 1960s, part of former President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. The focus of the program has changed since then, with less emphasis on giving help to seniors and more toward the positive impact these foster grandparents can make in the lives of children.

The program started in Lincoln in 1967, when foster grandparents began going to the Lincoln Developmental Center. Eight of them still volunteer there. Then they began going to schools, Head Start programs and day-care programs. The Foster Grandparents Program is part of the service offered by the Central Illinois Economic Development Corporation.

Paula Poe has been director since 1987. She has foster grandparents at 26 sites in eight counties: Logan, Mason, Piatt, DeWitt, Fulton, Menard, Macon and some of Sangamon. Grandmas are in all District 27 elementary schools, along with Chester-East Lincoln and West Lincoln-Broadwell. They are also at Mount Pulaski and would be in other Logan County schools if volunteers were available, Paula says. She is always looking for more volunteers.

Foster grandmas, and foster grandpas as well, must be age 60 or over and meet an income guideline, which can be somewhat flexible. They get 40 hours of orientation, some of it on the job, and four hours a month of in-service training. CIEDC can provide transportation to the school sites, or the grandparents can drive their own cars, Paula says.

But as Blanche puts it, they don’t really do it for the money. "I’d do it for nothing. There are things more important than money, like the hugs of those kids."

The Logan County program is one of 10 in Illinois, one of the oldest and biggest. Funding comes from the National Corporation for Senior Services and some from the Illinois Department on Aging. Also, the program has to have 10 percent in local funding, which can be either cash or in kind, such as providing meals for the grandparents.

Most of those who become foster grandparents stay with it, and they are the ones most likely to bring new people into the program.

"Out of all the advertising I’ve done, foster grandparents telling other people is the best advertising I’ve ever had," Paula says.

One grandma has been with the program for 25 years, and another, from Atlanta, will hit the 25-year mark next year. Another was a grandma until she was 94.

"The only reason she’s no longer with us is because she died," Paula says.

At the beginning of the school year, the foster grandparents ask the teachers what they can do for the children. At the end of the school year, Paula asks the teachers what the program actually did accomplish.

"Most of the time, the teachers say the children have improved," she reports.

Since its inception, Paula has had about 450 foster grandparents. Right now she has three foster grandpas and would like to have more.

"Getting grandpas is a problem," says Jane Poertner, executive director of CIEDC. Men of that generation didn’t think taking care of children was men’s work."

Jane gives Paula high marks for her work in the program, and so do others. "I’ve just had reviews from one of our funding sources, and they gave Paula glowing compliments," she says.

Not only is the program good for the children, it quickly becomes an important part of the lives of the grandmas, too.

"My husband died in 1986. I came to Lincoln to be near my son, Jerry," Glenva Dellinger says.

"The children you’ve worked with don’t forget you. When I walk down the hall in the school, I hear, ‘Grandma! Grandma!’ Kids all over town love me, run up and hug me, saying ‘Grandma! Grandma!’ Even the brothers and sisters of the children I’ve helped call me ‘Grandma!’ I’ll stay as long as they’ll keep me."

Blanche lost her youngest daughter to cancer eight years ago. "Being a foster grandma has helped me so much," she says.

"It gives you something to get up in the morning for. It gives you a focus. It’s something to live your life for, a wonderful thing to do," Rita says.

While in the schools or day-care centers, the foster grandmas wear red T-shirts or smocks with the logo of the national organization on them. But they are also recognized without their trademark red tops, and often find themselves being hailed as "Grandma" in local stores and other public places.

Rita remembers just such an incident that happened not long ago in a local store. She was with one of her own granddaughters, age 14.

"A little one came up to me and said, ‘Grandma! Grandma!’ My granddaughter didn’t like it much. She said, ‘She’s not your grandma. She’s mine!’"

Those interested in volunteering can call Paula Poe at 732-9391. Requirements are simple, but the most important one is to love kids.

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