McHenry County Blog

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog published the percentage of incoming freshmen at McHenry County College require remedial math classes.

The best high school district was Huntley’s at 46% needing help to be able to take a college course.

Today, we look at the situation with regard to English.

It’s much better.

The average is only 11%.

So, take a look at the figures for each of the high school districts in McHenry County College District 528:
Previously, I typed out the results math results so people could find them with an internet search engine.  Today, we’ll do the same for preparation for college English, except going from best to worst.

• Alden-Hebron – 0%
• Richmond-Burton – 6%
• Marengo – 8%
• Johnsburg – 9%
• McHenry – 11%
• Crystal Lake, Cary-Grove – 11%
• Woodstock – 14%
• Huntley – 20%
• Harvard – 38%

Again, explanations are welcomed in the comment section.

Tax Hike advocates in the McHenry High School District started beating the drums on February 19, 2010, the day of the McHenry Chamber of Commerce Business Expo.

Those who wanted to file for school board have done so.

The deadline was yesterday.

Here’s who running for what, high school districts first:

The three incumbents up for election in Marengo High School District 154 have filed for office again. No contest here. They are

• Leah Trader
• Elizabeth Henning
• Dianna K. Torman

Crystal Lake High School District 155 has three candidates for three seats, who are uncontested.

• Barbara J. Slusin
• Karen Whitman
• Jim Nelson

McHenry West High School Saturday the Kiwanis Key Club and Student Council were holding a Fun Fair.

McHenry High School District 156 has three vacancies. Thirteen candidates have filed for the school board.

• Stephen White
• Ali Coy
• Marybeth Varvil
• Donald Cichoski
• Paul A. Stevens
• Tracy Simon
• Darnell H. Qualls
• Mellody Ahrens
• Joseph Meyer
• Beth Taylor
• Steve Bellmore


McHenry High School District 158 rolled out its campaign for higher taxes on Feb. 19, 2010. Click to enlarge.

• Timothy Byers
• Daniel Koruna

Challenges may be filed December 21, 22, 23, 27, and 28 at the Board of Education Office District 156, 4716 W. Crystal Lake Road McHenry, Illinois from 7:30 am-3:30 pm.

Five candidates have filed their petitions for three spots in Richmond-Burton School High School District 157. Adam Metz has also filed for the underlying grade school board, Nippersink Grade School District 2.

• Steven Holtz
• Tom Wisinski
• Thomas Gough
• Douglas Bushing
• Adam Metz

Terms are expiring for Tom Wisinski, Douglas Bushing and Dennis Holian.

Richmond-Burton High School says home schoolers can participate in athletics and clubs, according to a Northwest Herald article by Kathy Gresey.

But, Carpentersville School District 300, which has a home school Dad on its board, turned thumbs down on the families that save it thousands of dollars a year, the NW Herald’s David Fitzgerald reports.

In Richmond, the vote was 6-0. While not officially allowed by school policy in years past, a half dozen kids have taken part in such property tax-supported activities.

Although Happy Briggs of Spring Grove does not home school, she led the fight in the northeastern corner of McHenry County, reporter Gresey writes.

In the much larger southeastern corner and northern Kane County school district, the school board decided to follow its attorney’s advice. The attorney seems to have been following the rules of the very private Illinois High School Athletic Association regulations, which are decidedly anti-home school.

The attorney also raised questions about liability insurance coverage.

Even home school Dad John Ryan, who brought up the issue, withdrew it from consideration.

This reminds me so much of a story my father told me his Tri-State Packers ttrade association lawyer in Washington told him while Dad was arranging for canning and packing industry witnesses on Capitol Hill during and after World War II.

The high priced attorney said, “Cal, there are two kinds of lawyers. Those who tell you why you can’t do what you want to do and those who tell you how to do what you want to do.”

Which type of lawyer do you think is on District 300’s payroll?

= = = = =
The picture is of John Ryan, home school Dad on the Carpentersville District 300 school board.

For more McHenry County Blog, click here.

Richmond-Burton High School says home schoolers can participate in athletics and clubs, according to a Northwest Herald article by Kathy Gresey.

But, Carpentersville School District 300, which has a home school Dad on its board, turned thumbs down on the families that save it thousands of dollars a year, the NW Herald’s David Fitzgerald reports.

In Richmond, the vote was 6-0. While not officially allowed by school policy in years past, a half dozen kids have taken part in such property tax-supported activities.

Although Happy Briggs of Spring Grove does not home school, she led the fight in the northeastern corner of McHenry County, reporter Gresey writes.

In the much larger southeastern corner and northern Kane County school district, the school board decided to follow its attorney’s advice. The attorney seems to have been following the rules of the very private Illinois High School Athletic Association regulations, which are decidedly anti-home school.

The attorney also raised questions about liability insurance coverage.

Even home school Dad John Ryan, who brought up the issue, withdrew it from consideration.

This reminds me so much of a story my father told me his Tri-State Packers ttrade association lawyer in Washington told him while Dad was arranging for canning and packing industry witnesses on Capitol Hill during and after World War II.

The high priced attorney said, “Cal, there are two kinds of lawyers. Those who tell you why you can’t do what you want to do and those who tell you how to do what you want to do.”

Which type of lawyer do you think is on District 300’s payroll?

= = = = =
The picture is of John Ryan, home school Dad on the Carpentersville District 300 school board.

For more McHenry County Blog, click here.