Durbin visits District 108

By Sharon Woods Harris
Times staff writer

Many Illinois schools have good programs for students after classes are over -- but they aren't reaching enough children, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Wednesday.

The Illinois Democrat visited Pekin District 108 offices at Washington Intermediate School as part of a statewide fact-finding tour on education. He told school administrators he was impressed with some of the unique programs the district offers, and they shared his concern about extending them to as many students as possible.

Durbin participated in a 45-minute forum with Superintendent Perry Soldwedel and other administrators, as well as teachers, representatives of the Tazewell County Cooperative Extension office, the Pekin Park District and the Tazewell County Health Department.

"The schools we've visited have good programs but they don't reach enough kids," Durbin said. "To do that the schools need more facilities, transportation, et cetera."

He said the issue of transportation has come up "over and over again" -- with calls for van pooling or after-hours bus service.

Durbin is writing legislation to use some of this year's federal surplus for educational purposes. He said President Clinton expressed an interest in school funding through his State of the Union Address.

Durbin said much of the federal budget surplus will go to pay some of the $5 trillion national debt, and to strengthen Social Security and Medicare. He hopes a portion will be earmarked for education.

Those funds would likely come without restraints on how they're spent, but the federal government would require the districts to meet accountability standards in later years, Durbin said.

The federal government generally provides about 4 percent of public school funding, he said. More funds might make it easier for districts to start programs or set up transportation to get students back and forth to programs, Durbin said.

District 108 Board President Barb Strand told Durbin schools need flexibility in funding programs. Often, she said, one program runs out of funds and officials can't transfer money to bail it out.

Durbin said he wants to see art and music enrichment programs, as well as an extended school year for gifted and academically challenged students.

He expressed concern about the whereabouts of students after school, before parents get home. "Kids sometimes do the right things, but some kids don't," Durbin said.

"Things happen that aren't good for them or the community."

Durbin asked questions at the forum about at-risk and gifted programs to serve students before and after school, and during the summer months. The senator also asked questions about mentoring programs.

Soldwedel and others at the forum told Durbin the district shares the problem he described -- it has good programs in place, but lack of transportation often keeps students from participating.

Durbin learned about after-school programs the district provides in conjunction with the Pekin Park District, the Health Department and other agencies.

Those programs include:

• Tazewell County Project Success, run by the Health Department. The program addresses health issues, develops associations between youth and adult mentors and provides safe places with structured activities after school.

• After School Adventures, run jointly by several agencies, featuring activities such as Super Sonic Science, basketball, girls' volleyball, bowling and Ice Adventures -- a Pekin Park District program that brings students to the Memorial Arena to skate. Free transportation is furnished from Wilson and Washington schools on Fridays, and skate rental fees are waived.

• A mentoring program which pairs up academically sound students with lower grade level students.

  Soldwedel said he was pleased with the opportunity to show Durbin what the district offers and give him input for his tour.

  "We were chosen for this visit because we are already trying to deal with lengthened day and year opportunities," he said. "And we are very much promoting our district working with other community agencies to do these things and allowing other agencies to use our buildings for their programs."