All 24 teachers who teach reading are going to a two-day workshop this summer on their own time. The University of Illinois and five business partners will provide ongoing support next year. Teachers have both individual and team planning of 40 minutes each. The school goes to extraordinary lengths to integrate these students quite seamlessly into the regular classroom. With the exception of math, there is no ability grouping within classes.
Adults are everywhere, in the form of teachers, community tutors and mentors, and parents.
Teachers submit their academic and behavioral expectations to the principal, who okays them prior to their being discussed with parents and students. The team tries to have common expectations for behavior as well as for academics. Team members say they spend approximately 50 percent of their common planning time on curriculum and 50 percent on individual students. The school is very attentive to parents. In anticipation of becoming a school of choice, it contracted with the University of Illinois to survey all fifth grade parents and analyze the data by race and gender, socio-economic status, and qualifications for Title 1, gifted and special education, to see what thematic emphases parents want in schools of choice.