District 69 partnership offers kids pizzas, parties as learning incentives

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Updated: March 17, 2012 8:05AM

With the help of a couple of businesses, School District 69 has started a reading-and-mathematics incentive program.

The district serves portions of Morton Grove and Skokie.

The monthly program at Edison School started out as a way to create a partnership between the district and local businesses, Superintendent Quintin Shepherd explained.

“I know there are ways our businesses can support our schools and in turn, we have a responsibility to support our businesses,” Shepherd said. “I’ve always believed this is what makes for a strong community relationship — a feeling of mutual responsibility to each other and for each other.

The program, Shepherd said, sprang from nothing more than a lunchtime conversation with Randy Miles, of Village Inn, and Andrea Horyn, of Bughouse.

“In the space of one conversation we were all brainstorming ideas and coming up with a plan,” Shepherd said. “Within a few weeks, and some email conversation, this program came together.”

Edison School serves the district’s third-, fourth- and fifth-graders.

“The Reading or Math Stretch goals for students can be measured on a monthly basis,” said Edison Principal Joey Hailpern. “Those who meet their goal can earn the incentive being offered by the community partners.”

Village Inn is offering a free personal pan pizza, and at Bughouse, a party.

Brooke Halpin, third-grade teacher, said her students have individual goals for growth on their unit tests for reading.

“Throughout the unit, students meet with me to set goals every Monday,” she explained. “These goals are in specific skill areas based on weekly test performance.

“Meeting the overall unit-test growth goal will demonstrate that they have mastered the targeted skills and were proficient in applying them to grade-level text.”

Kristy Morrow, fourth-grade teacher, said her students are working on mastering math facts.

“Students need to get 90-percent scores or higher on two tests in a row to move onto the next fact-practice area, starting with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division,” she said. “I am using the incentive to motivate students to move onto the next fact-practice area.”