Patch Chat with Dr. William Johnson

With the 2010-11 school year approaching, district officials are outlining new ways to cut costs, including taking steps to make the district more energy efficient. In addition, the district and its teachers agreed upon a new, four-year contract last month, highlighted by its teachers agreeing to forego salary increases for the upcoming school year, which also saved the district money.

 "We were able to negotiate one of the leanest teacher contracts in the past 30 years," said Dr. William Johnson, superintendent of schools. "Everyone understood that we're living in hard times."

Johnson said the new teacher's contract, along with the installation of energy efficient lighting in the district, helped save it money for the 2010-11 school year, though he couldn't quantify how much. He added that the transportation consortium the district participates in — a pact between neighboring districts to share bussing duties — saved it $30,000. The district will also switch to gas from oil to heat its schools, Johnson said, and that should save the district around $150,000 over the next three years. "Oil will rise at a faster pace than gas, so we have to be prepared for what's cheaper," he explained.           

 The district is also in the nascent stages of converting to electronic textbooks, Johnson noted, and is piloting the idea with the high school's International Baccalaureate program, as well as an its earth science courses. He explained that traditional textbooks are used for five to seven years, but the information sometimes becomes outdated by the end of that span.

With electronic textbooks, he added, updates can be made annually at no cost to the district. "It will become a more interactive and different experience for the reader," Johnson said. "This will expand the opportunities for our kids."

 Though South Side High School is one of the top-rated schools in the country, Johnson said he still concerned with keeping underachieving students interested in learning. "When kids get turned off to learning, it's hard to reverse it," he said. "It's an ongoing challenge for us. We don't know what turned them off."

 He noted that he's been working with district staff and principals, pulling files on students who show a pattern of failing, and analyzing the data. Johnson wants to give each student the skill set they need to continue with their education, he said. "I want to find the spark in every kid," Johnson said. "I really believe it starts with the willingness to work hard. If you do, you will succeed. It really disturbs me when kids quit on school."

School is back in session on September 7.