D-86 South-Central Gap: A Politically Palatable Fix?

DARIEN, IL – Some Hinsdale High School District 86 officials say they may have a way to address the big gap in class offerings at Central and South high schools.

Divisions exist on the school board over major issues. But neither the majority nor the minority apparently wants to change the boundary between South and Central. That's considered politically untouchable.

Central is twice as large as South and based in Hinsdale, one of the wealthiest towns in the United States. Central's class offerings are far greater.

Some suggest a boundary change to balance the school enrollments. It would also make more course offerings possible at South.

But many Central residents fear their property values would plunge if a boundary adjustment pushed them into the South zone.

In March, Cynthia Hanson, the only board member from the South zone, brought up the idea of a boundary change. But other members quickly shot down such talk.

At Thursday's board meeting, members Jeff Waters and Debbie Levinthal asked the board to form a committee to look for creative ways to address student scheduling options.

The board's minority faction has been seeking such a committee for much of the last year.

Waters said the district needed to seek ways to provide remote learning for courses that are only available at one school. A committee, he said, would allow the board to go into further detail about how to accommodate students in such cases.

Proponents suggested teachers in such situations could alternate between schools. That way, all their students could benefit from in-person lessons half the time.

But board member Erik Held said students are suffering from "Zoom fatigue." He said students feel they should be in the classroom with the teacher.

Still, he said he was for looking into a pilot program for remote learning for courses that are not at both schools.

"It's a conversation to have," he said.

Board members generally agreed that an existing committee looking into the bell schedule could examine creative ways for students to be able to access classes.