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The Glenview Watch
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DISTRICT 34 LESSON – BETTER TO LIE
Parents and students in Glenview’s largest elementary and middle school district are buzzing over the dismissal of a student teacher who had the courage to level with kids about drugs. As part of Snowflake, a seventh grade program designed to discourage the use of alcohol, marijuana and other illegal drugs, a student asked the teacher if he had ever used illegal drugs. Students were encouraged to be open and honest during the discussions, and the teacher-in-training figured he should do likewise.
He reportedly told the kids that he had tried illegal drugs but regretted it. After the district received complaints from an unknown number of parents, Springman Principal Heather Hopkins called the student teacher in to discuss his “inappropriate behavior.”
“He and I agree that his decision to share this personal information with middle schoolers was not necessary or appropriate,” said Hopkins in a letter to parents. “While our conversations with students must always be grounded in truth, our professional responsibility requires us to use discretion regarding the personal information we share with students. In light of this, the best course of action at this time is for the student teacher to complete his student teaching at another site. This will allow both our students and him to move forward in a positive and productive manner,” Hopkins continued.
“While I know the students will miss their student teacher, I am confident that we have all learned from this experience,” she concluded.
The kids immediately began circulating a petition, calling for the student teacher to be reinstated. District spokesman Brett Clark says the principal’s office has not yet seen any petitions.
Clark told The Watch, “The District feels that when students ask teachers questions dealing with intimate portions of their personal life, such as in this case, those questions should be redirected. Staff do not engage in these kinds of conversations because the teacher’s personal life choices are not necessary as instructional tools. Children are naturally curious about their teachers and regularly ask them questions of a personal nature. However, middle school children need boundaries in their relationships with adults, especially with their teachers.”
He says the district’s action did not come in response to parents’ complaints but that two parents and two students had sent e-mails objecting to the District’s decision. Spring has about 665 students.
Editor’s note: Let’s back up here and consider what, exactly, the teacher should have said when asked if he had used illegal drugs? Any response other than, “No,” would have signaled the kids that this guy had, in fact, done what tens of millions of Americans, including at least one U.S. president and several U.S. senators, have done – experimented with marijuana and perhaps other illegal drugs. Instead, the student teacher chose to be candid and to suggest that the use of illegal drugs was not a good thing. Isn’t that the lesson Snowflake is supposed to impart?
Instead, District 34 has taught an unwitting lesson: “Tell the truth and something bad might happen, so it’s better to lie.”
In a district that has spent years repeating the mantra, “Character Counts,” it’s pretty clear that the administration hasn’t a clue what character means. We’re told the student teacher has been reassigned. We wish him well. Maybe if more adults leveled with kids, kids wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the warnings of programs like Snowflake.
PARK BOARD MULLS COMMUNITY PLAN – MINI-GOLF AND BMX BIKING ANYONE?
After an extensive public hearing process, a consultant appeared before the Glenview Park Board with maps showing fields for baseball, softball, soccer, football and lacrosse, new restrooms, a natural area and a dog park. The proposal for about 55 acres west of Milwaukee Avenue, adjacent to Community Park West, emerged after citizens attended three public meetings to request more playing fields and a place for pooches to romp off leash.
The district’s engineering consultant, Bob Hamilton, warned that soils in the area don’t drain well. “We’re going to have to work to make this a jewel,” he said, adding that re-grading and planting rain gardens could go a long way toward keeping the property dry.
Hamilton said the district could also dig a pond to catch storm runoff and supply water for irrigation of playing fields.
He pointed out that the area is ideal, because there are no residential neighbors to complain about the noise of kids at play and said a special berm would be built along the western edge of the park to minimize noise from traffic on I-294.
During a public comments period, Katie Karlson, a member of the new support group Dog Owners of Glenview (D.O.G.) said she was also the mother of two sons. “Support of a dog park does not mean you don’t support sports fields,” she told the board. “They’re not mutually exclusive. Community Park West is a place where you can have it all, and everybody wins.” (For more on D.O.G., visit http://www.glenviewdogpark.org/)
Edward Teske wasn’t so sure. “I like dogs,” he said, “but I would think people would like a more central location.”
“We’re very pleased with the size and location,” said D.O.G. spokesman Pat Curran. She said Glenview needs a place “where healthy, well-behaved dogs can socialize and exercise,” and promised the pooch park would be used year-round.
A spokesman for Glenview Youth Baseball was equally enthusiastic about fields for that game, and a leader of AYSO – the largest youth soccer group – agreed. Calling the shared vision a “lovefest,” he urged the park board to “get her done!”
Retiring park board member John Winand expressed disappointment that new restrooms must be built, noting that the district had already spent significant dollars for such facilities in another part of the park.
Consultant Hamilton said the existing facilities were relatively small and far from proposed fields. “If you had to take a 10-year-old to the washroom, you’d miss half the game,” he explained.
Superintendent of Park Services Fred Gullen added that current plans would more than double the number of people in Community Park West. “Existing facilities are pretty well used. When all the games are going, you have about 1,000 people in the park.”
Park Board Member Ted Przybylo said he was “not very happy that there is so little passive recreation.” He was puzzled that planners had not accepted one resident’s call for Frisbee golf, and said he would like to see a mini-golf course at the site. Przybylo said his family has its own mini-golf tournament each summer. He also called for installation of more batting cages.
Park Board President Bill Casey urged the district to hold talks with the park’s next door neighbor, Aon, to determine how much parking space could be shared. Since most games would be played during evening and weekend hours when Aon is not using its lot, he reasoned the district could save money and green space by sharing. “Do we need to keep building concrete slabs all over the place?’ he wondered.
Casey also asked whether the district might put BMX bike trails atop berms being built between the dog park and playing fields. Consultant Hamilton didn’t think that idea would work.
The district’s Executive Director Chuck Balling reminded the board that this was only a plan. While fencing might go up for a temporary dog park next year, he said the first ballfields might not be available for “several years.”
Among other things, the district is hoping to get $400,000 from the state to help build the new facilities. Costs will be discussed during a special meeting at 7 pm. Tuesday, May 8 in Park Center Room 201, 2400 Chestnut Avenue.
PARKS TO SPEND MORE THAN $12,000 TO ENTER NATIONAL CONTEST
Arguing that it would be good, passive marketing, Balling persuaded the board to enter the National Sporting Goods Association’s annual Gold Medal competition – a contest that could end up costing more than $12,000. He argued that the winner would have an easier time attracting talented employees, and Commissioner Judy Beck contended the honor might help Glenview win future government grants.
Glenview is the only community to have won the award twice, but it has not entered since taking the gold in 1977.
Costs to enter include making a video about the park district. Administrators said they would not have to make that investment unless the community is chosen as a finalist, and at that point it might be possible to find a sponsor to foot the bill.
MORE PARK NEWS AND NOTES
-- The district awarded a contract for more than $150,000 to an Alsip construction company – the only firm to bid on improving the air conditioning in the Lakeview Room of Park Center. While 15 companies requested information on the job, Leisure Services Director Bob Quill said only Amber Mechanical was qualified and willing to do the work. The district wants to move quickly to beat the hot weather and had asked that the job be done in just two weeks, because the room – a money-maker for the park district – is booked for social events in June. After checking with the Better Business Bureau and references provided by Amber, the district persuaded the company to lower its bid by $37,000.
-- The golf course has a new website: ww.golfglenview.com, and district residents will be able to play at the Des Plaines Golf Center on River Road under a three-year reciprocal arrangement with Glenview’s golf clubs.
-- The district offered special thanks last month to the Korean-American Fellowship for Golf, a group that has contributed $3,000 for youth golf programs.
-- The park district has hired a full-time marketing and communications director, Liz Gogola.
-- Long-time commissioners John Winand and Doug Kaiser bid farewell to the board during last month’s meeting. The normally long-winded Winand told the group, “I’ve got nothing profound to say. It’s been an honor and a priviledge.” Noting that he and Winand had already spoken during an earlier reception, Kaiser joked, “The Rolling Stones’ retirement tour didn’t take this long.” Their successors, Angie Katsamakis and Bob Patton, will be seated later this month.
Editor’s note: Have the rules governing gum changed while we weren’t looking? Board President Bill Casey chewed steadily as he handed out last awards to the Korean-American golfers and the retiring commissioners. We hope he’ll consider spitting out his wad in time for this month’s swearing in.
WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED AT THE GLEN?
The village will host a public workshop at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 9 in the police station’s community room, 2500 East Lake Avenue, to discuss how 45 acres of land just west of Shermer and north of West Lake might be used. Most of the property had been used for Navy housing that’s no longer needed.
Residents will join School Districts 30, 34 and 225, the Glenview Park District, the library and Glenview/Northbrook Youth Services in creating a land reuse plan. A second workshop is set for Wednesday, May 23.
THE RIGHT PLACE FOR LEFTOVER DRUGS AND USED ELECTRONICS
-- If you have old computers, microwaves, fax machines, DVD players and other electronics sitting in your home, The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County will pick up and recycle as many as six for $25. SWANCC’s truck will make the rounds in Glenview on Wednesday, May 9. To schedule a pick up go to http://swancc.org/recycling/computerelectronicsathome.html If you have used laptops in good condition, contact Glenview Watch. We’re working with a charity that would love to send those computers south to needy kids in Latin America. Just send us an e-mail: glenviewwatch@aol.com
-- Also on Wednesday, May 9, bring your expired and unused medications and sharps to the Glenview Senior Center, 2400 Chestnut between 9 a.m. and noon. Drugs must be in their original containers with the labels attached, and the sharps must be in a rigid, transparent container. If you don’t have one, or want more information, call 847-904-4340.
THE GREEN SCENE
-- Glenview’s annual river clean up is set for Saturday, May 12 from 9 a.m.- noon rain or shine. Meet along the river next to the parking lot of Kohl’s off Willow Road. T-shirts, garbage bags, gloves, water and snacks will be provided, along with garden tools for clipping woody weeds. Bring the kids, and bring the sunscreen.
-- Glen Ash trees will probably be replaced under a plan proposed to the village board. The department of public works figures small treesplanted on the parkways of Glenview’s newest neighborhood will likely succumb to the emerald ash borer. Rather than invest in watering and pruning those small trees, only to lose them in the next few years, Glenview’s tree consultant says it’d be better to remove the existing ashes and replace them with a species that’s not so vulnerable. He ruled out trying to protect those trees and about 5,000 others on public property around town, noting that preventive annual treatments could cost the village $100 a year per tree.
Trustee Jim Patterson was dismayed. “No chance these bugs are just gonna’ die?” he asked. “I don’t see that happening,” said public works director Bill Porter. “Maybe the cicadas will eat them,” said a dejected Patterson. “Wishful thinking,” said Porter.
-- While Glenview’s public officials recently approved a developer’s plan to drain a local pond over objections from nature-loving neighbors, officials in Alameda County, California are rolling out a pond restoration program – providing financial incentives to landowners willing to fix up man-made ponds that, like the one in Glenview, have been around for more than 50 years. Restoring ponds preserves or creates new habitat for native frogs and salamanders that were headed toward extinction. The Wildlife-friendly Pond Restoration Program plans to give Alameda County ranchers over $700,000 to restore 28 ponds in the next five years.
Editor’s note: This is the kind of program that progressive, thoughtful leaders create, and Glenview’s own staff is moving in that direction. Kudos to the village engineer for proposing subsidies for rain gardens in Glenview. If we could just get more members of the plan commission and village board to recognize 21st century realities, Glenview could do so much more.
BOWLING, BOCCE, CHOW ON WILLOW ROAD
A unique recreation and dining complex called Pinstripes has opened its doors on Willow Road. Entrepreneur Dale Schwartz, a former pharmaceutical and biotech executive with an MBA from Harvard, chose the location, just west of the new Willow Festival Shopping Center, to launch an unusual concept – a restaurant and bar featuring Italian food and sushi, coupled with 18 bowling lanes and six bocce courts. (Bocce is a form of lawn bowling popular in Italy.)
Chef Mark Grimes has practiced his culinary arts at Maggiano’s, the Pump Room and Claridge’s Hotel in London. Specialties include wood-fired pizzas.
The 45,000-square-foot facility can accommodate 750 people. It features a year-round outdoor patio with a fireplace and a second-floor banquet space. Already, Pinstripes claims it has booked more than 100 private events. For more information, go to http://www.pinstripes.com/Images/PINSem.pdf
JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER
Health-conscious consumers and those looking for something new will find an intriguing alternative to ice cream this summer in Glenview. Annette’s Homemade Italian Ice, a DePaul-area favorite, has opened its first suburban shop in the former Baskin Robbins location on Glenview Road east of Greenwood. In addition to exotic ices like coffee-toffee, passion fruit and coconut-banana, you’ll find soft-serve frozen yogurt and traditional ice cream.
GLEN WATCH
-- Good students can get free movie tickets at the Glen. Students in grades K-12 should bring their official, original report card to the theater box office or guest services at The Glen. Those with all A’s get two free tickets. Kids with A’s and B’s get one free ticket, and those with all B’s get free popcorn.
-- Families who join the Kohl Children’s Museum will get a 10 percent discount on purchases at Amazing Gracies Children’s Shoppe, Ben & Jerry’s, the Book Market, Color Me Mind, Cookies by Design, Kinga Shoes and Strasburg Children.
-- Fitigues has closed. The casual clothing shop for women was owned by Florida-based Chico’s, which acquired the eight-store chain early last year. Chico’s management later said Fitigues did not meet its expectations and scotched plans for expansion.
JAMES COMPANY SELLS HEATHERFIELD SHOPPING CENTER
A shopping strip on the west side of Waukegan Road, just south of Willow, is making a local developer $22.6 million richer. That’s the price the James Company got for the shops at Heatherfield. Jewel-Osco is the anchor of the center, taking nearly 70 percent of the space. Its lease runs until 2018 according to Crain’s Chicago Business. The buyer of the 10-acre site is a trust whose principal is Berenice Ventrella, a resident of Northfield.
GLENVIEW BLAZE BASEBALL SALUTES THE TROOPS
The Glenview Blaze Baseball teams will host 40 travel baseball teams at its Memorial Day Salute to Our Troops Tournament at West Park and Flick Park in Glenview beginning Friday, May 25, through Monday, May 28. The competition is recognized as one of the area's finest travel baseball tournaments hosted by one of Illinois' top travel teams. The Blaze, an affiliate of Glenview Youth Baseball which is a non-profit organization, consists of four Glenview baseball travel teams for ages 10 through 13. The teams compete in the Mid-Suburban Baseball League. Tournament play begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 25, and continues through the holiday weekend. West Park is located on Milwaukee Avenue at Zenith Drive, and Flick Park is on Glenview Road between Milwaukee and Greenwood Avenue. Spectators are welcome. As a salute to our troops, the Blaze will be collecting letters and items for care packages that will be sent to members of the armed services. The items can be brought to the main concession stand or purchased at the stand at West Park throughout the weekend. The letters and items for the care packages will be brought to Operation Support Our Troops - Illinois. Meghan Hoshaw, eighth-grade daughter of Elizabeth and Jim Hoshaw of Glenview, will sing the National Anthem to begin the tournament and a Glenview area veteran will throw out the first pitch on opening day.
READERS WRITE
After a game bid to wrest power from the single party that controls Village Hall, Andy Sarkany and Greg Kirby wrote, “While the two of us did not receive enough votes to be elected onto the board of trustees, we did quite well considering that it was a write-in vote, and that the established party made a strong effort and spent a fair amount of money to control village politics. They felt the pressure, and hopefully learned that there are issues outstanding which need to be addressed to keep the residents of Glenview happy. I am referring to the need for greater expenditures for utilities and road maintenance, a more frugal approach to spending and a stronger effort to maintain a stable village workforce.
“We feel that the effort on our part was valiant and overdue but should serve as a reminder to the electorate to never be complacent. Keep the passion burning when it comes to relevant issues that affect the village!
“We are so grateful to all of those who voted for us, and our special thanks go to the dedicated volunteers who so selflessly donated their time to the cause. They made this election more memorable! We also thank the news media and the League of Women Voters for keeping the public informed of election issues.”
MP was dismayed to hear that Village Hall has gone to the private sector for sweeping services and concludes you get what you pee, er pay for: “No sooner had the village outsourced street sweeping, when one of the workers was caught relieving himself in public! A village trustee’s wife saw and reported the illegal act. It was so nice when the village employees did the street sweeping. They were always friendly and professional.”
And SF writes: “What has happened to Glenview’s Street Sweeper – the streets in Glenview look terrible?”
The Watch replies: We’re not sure if your observations pre-date the decision to privatize, but if you’re unhappy with street conditions, give a call to the public works department, and let them know. The number is 847-657-3030.
Sandy Clark, the superintendent of forestry and grounds for the village of Mount Prospect, wrote to “let you know that the second site you listed in the April 23 Glenview Watch is incorrect—it is actually www.emeraldashborer.info. Also, www.illinoiseab.com tells what the state of Illinois is doing, and it has a link to an unbiased U of I Extension document about insecticide considerations.”
Glenview’s JLo was not happy to see goose control underway at Gallery Park: “While walking around Lake Glenview, I saw a woman out on the island spraying something on the ground. All the geese were standing along the opposite shore, looking in her direction and honking in agitation. I spoke to a gentleman on shore who had been watching her, and he reported that she was taking the eggs out of the nests there and spraying something on the nests. If this is Glenview's idea of goose control, I must protest. I'm no more fond of goose droppings than the next person, but if creatures are in residence, who are we to disturb their breeding areas? Must we interfere here too? The rental of some swans would discourage geese from using the lake as their home and would cause far less upset for the animals and for those who care about them. Watch, what's the official story?”
The Watch replies: Wildlife managers in suburbs everywhere are struggling with this situation. Geese thrive on green grass, and we’ve provided plenty of that, along with detention ponds like Lake Glenview. The birds are protected under federal law, so culling the flock is not an option. People can, however, get a federal permit to shake or spray goose eggs so they don’t hatch. (If the eggs were removed or smashed, mother geese would simply lay more, so the eggs are left, and the geese continue to sit on their nests for many months.)
Some communities have opted to rent swans or dogs to chase geese away, but this tactic just pushes geese into other areas. Such is, in fact, the case in Glenview. ITW, Glenbrook Hospital and the high school have all hired Knox Swan and Dog to get rid of geese. As a result, Gallery Park has an especially large number of birds, and some residents complain that they’re a hazard to cyclists in the park.
JA “was wondering why the Park Center recently replaced the countertops in the upstairs locker rooms with marble ones. The old countertops were in perfect shape.”
The park district’s executive director Chuck Balling gave this explanation: “The Park Center Staff reported that the counter tops in both the men's and women's fitness locker rooms were delaminating and there was an emerging mold problem developing in those areas. Based on the amount of use the fitness club is experiencing, it was determined that a higher quality surface was needed. Written quotes were received and the work was awarded to Stone Cutters - a local firm.”
JAS sees irony in a village program providing incentives to residents who plant rain gardens to help prevent flooding: “Let's see, Glenview allows all these McMansions to be built, and people who complain of the pools in their backyards are told we should hire special landscapers to plant rain gardens. Something is truly wrong with this picture. I have been a taxpaying resident of Glenview for 41 years. I am now a senior citizen and on a limited income besides. How does Village Hall think I can afford this, even with Glenview paying 50 percent? And why would I want all that stagnant water in my yard? It's a breeding place for mosquitoes and other disease-laden little buggers. Let the millionaires in the million dollar mansions figure out what to do. Let Glenview's administrators and elected officials figure out something else. Please, someone, take their shovels away! They are digging this town deeper and deeper.”
The Watch replies: While we agree that Glenview has overbuilt, we want to correct the impression that rain gardens produce standing water. In fact, the native plants used in such gardens have very deep roots that create long tunnels into the earth, promoting improved drainage and storage of storm water. In other words, rain gardens should eliminate problems with standing water. What’s more, you don’t have to hire a specialist to grow one of these plots of tall grasses and wildflowers. There are many websites and books that explain the relatively easy process. Take a look, for example, at this one: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/raingarden/Building.htm And, finally, Glenview isn’t the only one offering incentives. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has grants for schools and community groups willing to create rain gardens. For more information, check-out http://www.standingupforillinois.org/cleanwater/raingardens.php
NT is also grappling with the water problem: “Last November while using the sidewalk on the south side of East Lake between Greenwood and Shermer, I noticed several places where the sidewalk was submerged. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the water was coming from pipes sticking out of the ground that apparently ran from the back yards of homes that back up to East Lake -- two houses on Park Lane about one block west of Shermer and another on Lindenwood Lane about one block east of Greenwood. Thinking that it can't be legal to discharge sump pumps or other wastewater onto a public sidewalk, I stopped at Village Hall and spoke with a building department inspector. I showed him on a map exactly where the problems were, and he said he would look into it. Nothing was done, and the submerged areas froze in January and February. Now it's spring, and again those portions of the sidewalk are under water. How can the homeowners get away with this?”
The Watch replies: Public works won't comment without more detail, but they're expecting to hear from you and anyone else with a similar concern at 847-657-3030.
CC asks, “What are the rules regarding charitable organizations soliciting donations at stop lights? Do they need a permit? One religious organization seems to be there almost every week. I'm sure they are a worthy organization, but their methods of obtaining donations are far too aggressive, and I think they are here far too often.”
The Watch replies: Groups that solicit donations in traffic must get a permit from the Glenview Police Department.
Noting that a Morton Grove developer had decided to proceed with a mixed-use project, even after the community refused to provide financial incentives he said he needed, Miss M writes: “Now can you tell me why any developer would need financial incentives to develop a site in downtown Glenview with the proximity to public transportation and in a more desirable community?”
YOUR TURN: Write to glenviewwatch@aol.com or 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60026. If you haven’t already done so, please consider making a contribution to support The Watch. Non-deductible checks should be payable to Glenview Watch. Thanks for your support and for reading. Dean Schott and Sandy Hausman, Co-Editors.