Just Let Them Attend Hinsdale Central, Board Urged

HINSDALE, IL – Another disparity is likely to be created between Hinsdale South and Central high schools.

The administration is proposing to do away with South's orchestra courses next year.

As an alternative, South students can go to orchestra classes at Central, which has a larger and wealthier student body.

But that's not as simple as it may seem. The drive between schools means students miss parts of other courses.

And Hinsdale High School District 86 itself provides no transportation.

For the second month, Burr Ridge resident Adolph Galinski proposed a solution for this problem: Allow South-residing students who want to take orchestra courses to attend Central full time.

He dismissed the administration's suggested alternative.

"Maybe you expect a parent or guardian to leave employment mid-day to pick up and transport their child to the other school, 5 days a week, potentially for 4 years in order to access orchestra," Galinski told the school board Thursday. "Or maybe when the child turns 16 and has obtained their driver's license, you expect parents will purchase a vehicle, insurance, and parking. Or maybe you expect parents and guardians to hire a taxi service."

The board has given no response to Galinski's idea.

Under the current policy, the superintendent has the power to approve a student's request to attend the other school.

In response to Patch's public records request, the district revealed that a dozen students in the Central zone now attend South, but only two go the other way.

The board is looking at a policy to allow students from the higher-population school, which is Central, to go to the lower-population one, South.

Patch left a message Friday morning with Superintendent Michael Lach, who retires in June, to see whether he would let South orchestra students attend Central full time.

South has a smaller course selection because of its far lower enrollment.

For years, South residents have suggested an attendance boundary change. But that idea is considered politically toxic because Central residents fear their home values would plunge if the line shifted.

Until a few years ago, the district contained a buffer zone, where families could choose between Central and South. About 90 percent selected Central.