Smaller Classes At Hinsdale South? Official Pushes Idea

HINSDALE, IL – A Hinsdale High School District 86 official said Thursday he was more willing to run smaller classes at South than at Central.

Historically, South, with half Central's enrollment, has offered fewer course opportunities. And students experience far more scheduling conflicts because more courses only have one section.

The rule of thumb is that a course is run if at least 15 students request it. But exceptions are made at both campuses.

At Thursday's board meeting, the administration asked members about whether to offer four courses at South with student requests ranging from nine to 12.

The courses were Business Law 2/Business Law 2 Honors, Interior Design and Housing, Integrated Algebra and Geometry Honors, and Psychology 2.

Waters said it was unfair to apply the threshold of 15 to South, saying it should be half that number because of the school's smaller size.

"When I see these numbers close to 15 but not exactly 15, I'm happy to run them," said Waters, who lives in the Central zone. "South should have an adjustment downward for that low enrollment number."

Running those courses would add an estimated $76,000 to the line item for teacher pay.

Members Heather Kartsounes and Abed Rahman also wanted the courses to run.

But the board's majority – President Catherine Greenspon, Terri Walker, Asma Akhras and Peggy James – disagreed.

Greenspon said she was all for offering low-enrollment core courses, but not electives, which the board was considering.

"If we want to change the low enrollment number, let's do it months before," she said.

Waters said he wasn't trying to change it, but was simply answering the administration's inquiry about how to handle the four courses.

The majority agreed to let South students travel to Central to take three of the courses. (Psychology 2 won't be offered at Central next year, officials said.)

Going to the other campus for a class presents its own challenges, depending on the time of day and other factors.

According to the administration's staffing proposal, 23 low-request courses would be run at South, nearly double Central's 12.

The district's plan drew criticism from Burr Ridge resident Alan Hruby, who advocates for wiping out the disparity between South and Central.

The latest proposal, he said, continues the annual practice of "hiding the true extent of the curriculum disparity."

"Board members have routinely approved Administrative staffing proposals after making minor changes, possibly without realizing the adverse impact upon South students they have created by their actions," Hruby said in an email to the board Thursday.

Hruby said the district fails to report on the number of zero-request courses at Central and South. South traditionally has far more.

A few months ago, Hruby again reported on the disparity in a YouTube video.

District officials did not return Patch's message for comment Thursday.

In 2021, Hruby contested the board's presentation on staffing and courses, saying it hid the extent of the gap.

The district later acknowledged he was right and presented a fuller picture. An official called it "a little oversight."