North Cook News

Oak Park River Forest director of student learning Laurie Fiorenza is stressing adaptability as a way to keep students on the right track in a school year where COVID-19 has made the need for change constant.

“A few people have asked how we used data last year to drive this year and that’s the MTSS model,” Fiorenza said at a special school board meeting convened to deal with the issue. “We pulled data from that spring semester and used that info to put students into credit recovery. We had all of the SCL and emotional support and attendance initiatives … I think the list of things that we have attempted to provide for students based on data is also part of the reason we see a lower number and I think a lot of work was done.”

 The issue of grades and what seniors need to graduate has become a burning topic around OPRF since members of ROYAL (Revolutionary Oak Park Youth Action League), which has students at the school, demanded changes in the grading process as a way of accounting for COVID and the strain it has put on learning for many students.

In addition to a no-fail policy, ROYAL is seeking a commitment from the school board that includes assuring that all students will receive credit for their current classes, all seniors at the school will work with ROYAL toward gaining Bridge Cash Scholarship Pandemic Assistance, a guarantee that students be given credit for taking part in mental health and healing activities and a vow “ROYAL shall be given the power to implement recommendations and hold OPRFHS accountable for learning through the COVID19 pandemic and the U.S. racial violence pandemic.”

School officials countered by insisting they are doing all they can to make learning accessible to all students. Officials said they have “deliberately enhanced our academic and social-emotional supports in an effort to ensure that all students, particularly those who struggled, have had equitable access to learning.”

Again, Fiorenza stresses the importance of compromise and flexibility.

“We have an evaluation process, but this year we didn’t follow that process because we don’t feel this was a good benchmark year being in the middle of a pandemic. These were brand new interventions we were trying so what I have for you is updates on key data and highlights,” she said. “A true evaluation is not as tight as it would have been in a non-pandemic year, but we will do that moving forward.”