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SUPPLEMENT TO McHENRY PLAINDEALER - PAGE 13 - FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 1977 New.. .different... .better. Those three words probably best describe the feelings of the residents of the Johnsburg school district, who traditionally have taken great {Hide in their school system. The "better" can be debated by others, but a Johnsburg education is certainly "dif­ ferent", and something "new" is about to be added. The "new", of course, is'the construction of Johnsburg high school, which is slated to open one year from now, fall of 1978. Duane Andreas is the superintendent of Johnsburg unit school district, which in­ cludes Ringwood school, J.C. Bush school, the middle school, and the junior high school, as well as the high school presently being constructed. Duane Andreas Picking out the highlights from the Johnsburg school system is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack--there are just so many outstanding programs that picking out one or two is an injustice to the other fine programs. One thing that can never be said about Johnsburg is that they aren't innovative. Johnsburg has something called a THREAD program. According to Andreas, the program emphasizes "vertical and horizontal articulation." What it involves is having a teacher at a grade level or subject be more aware of what (Continued from page 12) an extremely high percentage. Hie 520 total students is similar to last year's total, with an increase being shown at the first grade level. Last June, Montini graduated one of its largest eighth grade classes ever, with the deficit in the number of eighth grade students being offset by the increased enrollment in first grade. Svoboda is starting his fourth year as superintendent of the school system, and as the Middle school's principal. He was a principal at a catholic school in South Dakota before coming to McHenry. He noted that one of the least known things about Montini is that it is operated by a school board, consisting of the pastors at St. Mary's and St. Patrick's churches, and five parishoners from each church congregation. "This school board functions like a public school board," Svobodasaid. "Theboard is the real boss of the schools." Whoever it is that is running the schools, they have Montini moving ahead, while at the same time, maintaining the traditional structure for which Montini is known. other teachers are doing at the same level thorizontal) and in subjects and grades above or below the level he is teaching (vertical). "With the high school coming in, this becomes even more important because we want to articulate our present K-8 philosophy, teaching methods, and teaching strategys to the school curriculum," said. In discussing advancements in the district, Andreas said, "we will continue to design programs that will suit in­ dividual differences, not only of the students, but of the parents and teachers. In other words, we provide options. "For example," Andreas continued, "in the middle school, we've designed a multi- age group program in an open space situation (no classroom walls), that takes tne student around from an instruction and interest" level rather than a grade level in school. It's personalization of instruction. The curriculum is designed for the individual, not for a grade level." At every grade level, there are two distinct options in the Johnsburg system, with a third curriculum acting as an um­ brella encompassing portions of the other two. The first type of curriculum offered is a progressive- traditional system, where classrooms are utilized. The second type of systdhi involves more- individualized in­ struction, and utilizes "open" space to a greater degree. Then from both cyrriculums, the more gifted students are placed in an accelerated and enrichment program. Possibly, to best sum up the type of education given at Johnsburg schools is to con­ sider this statement by An­ dreas. "We need teachers with special abilities, and they have to buy the philosophy." The breakdown .of where students go in the district is as follows: - -Ringwood school has all first graders. -Bush school has all the second and third graders, and half of the fourth and fifth graders. -Middle school has all the kindergarten classes and the other half of the fourth and fifth graders. -Junior high school -has all sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. Also this year, Johnsburg is instituting TALAR, which is Take A Look At Reading. What this involves is the teachers, and administrators reviewing the reading program with the school board, studying the reading program to determine what can be done to make it better. Next year, it may be, Take A Look At Math, ac­ cording to Andreas, who ex­ plained that the programs are being looked at "from the viewpoint that the programs shouldn't be static, but should be dynamic. This is how you improve." An intramural program is being initiated this year in Johnsburg schools, whereby students in the upper grade levels will be able to participate in Softball, basketball, and volleyball. The district also has set up nature trails, and will be ex­ panding its Environmental Education program. In the program, junior high students become trained to be leaders, and work with the grade school children, in connection with overnight campouts, hikes, etc. The Johnsburg district also has closed circuit television, which is tied in with the ac­ celerated and enrichment program. Junior high students also write the scripts and deliver the taorning an- nouncments each day at school. • There is really just too much going on at Johnsburg to ex- Harrison Enrollment is down, but at Harrison school in Wonder Lake (grades K-8) this year, spirit is definitely 'up', with faculty and administrators looking forward to a successful year. Much of the excitement at Harrison revolves around the continuance and expansion of the reading program, where children study a phoenetic approach to reading, rather than learning to read by sight. Dr. Ray Jones This coming year, the phoenetic approach is being expanded to include third graders, as well as first and second graders. Previously, students were taught to read from sight, but Dr. Ray Jones. superintendent of Harrison school, is excited over the phoenetic approach to teaching reading. "This approach is one of the most exciting things I've ever been involved in," he said. "Actually, phoenetic reading came out several years ago. It's an old method that has been revitalized. It's the way I was taught to read," he added. Dr. Jones reported that comparisons have been made between students who learn to sight read and those who learn phoenetic reading. "The two types have been examined, and phoenetic reading compares very favorably," he said. "The results are much, much better. This type of reading gives students 'work attack' skills. They learn how to attack each word, and it has been a tremendously successful program." Placing even more emphasis on reading, Harrison, this year, is instituting a remedial reading program. This program is designed to assist those students who are behind where they should be in regard to how well the child should read. The remedial program is offered strictly on a volunteer basis for students in grades four through eight, and response thus far has been encouraging, to say the least. "The remedial reading (Continued on page 14) plain even a small portion of it here. But one perfect example of "new" and different" came when the students attempted to find a nickname for their new high school teams. Since the Johnsburg TIGERS were a popular baseball team in town, and the junior high team is called the WILDCATS, Andreas said, he believed the students involved would choose some sort of "cat". What happened? ' The students chose the nickname "Skyhawks". That's new...and it's cer­ tainly different...and like the rest of the Johnsburg school program, it just may be 'bet­ ter'. rml' -• Levis TS r»i* v , J New Levi's® Dura Plus™ Denim Bells With Improved Shrinkage Control . . . v r . . / Traditional Levi's Denim Features: • Genuine Levi's indigo blue color • Fades with every washing • Soft, natural feel and comfort Plus These Added Benefits: • Less shrinkage • Fewer wrinkles • Improved fabric strength spurgeons 4400 W. m. 120, McHENRY, 315-4100 DAILY M, SAT. M, SUN. 10-5 * j» "»«'•<