A District 205 parent address the board during public comment
Ellis Arts Academy students address the boardBy Michael Peppers
ROCKFORD (WREX)
Some parents and their students in Rockford Public Schools say they want the district to keep it's creative arts program (CAPA) the way it is.
The district's modified its previous plan to shut down CAPA. Administrators want to keep the program at Auburn High School where it is. The new suggestion is to move the program for younger students at Ellis Academy to West Middle School. Yet, several parents and students spoke up at Tuesday's school board meeting to say they want it to stay at Ellis.
"I'm here also supporting Ellis because both (my) children have gone through Ellis and it's a wonderful program," said one parent addressing the RPS school board during public comment. "I urge you to really take a really good look at how those children have done after they've left."
Some Ellis Arts Academy students also spoke up. One young girl questioned whether or not the quality of teaching in Ellis' program would carry over to West Middle School.
"If I need help on my tone in theatre, I get help, but going to West, will I still get the attention I need? The same opportunity?"
The board is still going through suggestions on how changes to CAPA would be implemented before taking a vote. RPS Assistant Superintendent of Learning Martha Hayes says the main issue in the decision is making the program and Ellis Arts Academy run more efficiently.
"It has been difficult to run a program where we have a neighborhood elementary school and a middle school fine arts program in the same building, because they are very divergent needs in terms of what we're asking students to do in support for the program," she said.
The plans would be to keep the Ellis Arts Academy building as a regular k-5 school. The issue will be brought up in an education committee meeting on Thursday, February 16th at 5 p.m. in the District 205 board room.
