Finances, teacher residency program among topics discussed at Oswego schools community breakfast

In the past fiscal year, Oswego School District 308 not only had a balanced budget, it also had a $5 million surplus.

“In the last couple of years, what we’ve tried to do is set the district’s finances right,” Oswego School District chief financial officer Raphael Obafemi told those attending the second annual CommUNITY in Education Breakfast on June 3 at Traughber Junior High School in Oswego.

Finances was just one of the subjects discussed during the event. In his comments, Superintendent Andalib Khelghati talked about the important role that schools have.

“We know that schools are really at the center of our communities,” he said.

Talking about her experience as a student School Board member was Hope Rie, a recent Oswego East High School graduate.

“Being a student board member taught me a lot,” Rie said. “It taught me responsibility, it taught me to be charismatic and it also taught me to have a student voice.”

John Francis, executive director of schools for SD308, took note of the diversity of the student population.

“We need to respond to the needs of all our students and our families,” he said. “What they bring into our classrooms and schools, we want to honor and recognize that while we’re also preparing them for a life once they are finished being an Oswego student.”

To help them prepare the students, Francis noted the district offers 87 different career and technical education courses.

“That ranges from marketing to career exploration to health and science services,” he said. “You name it, we offer it at the high school so that kids can gain skills to use when they get out of high school.”

At the high school level, students can also achieve the Seal of Biliteracy, an award that a student can earn upon graduation by showing proficiency in both English and another language.

“We have 102 students who have received that this year,” Francis said.

Raggin Sondgeroth, the district’s director of schools staff development, talked about how the district is trying to increase the number of certified teachers teaching high-need subjects through its new residency program.

“We know we need special education teachers,” she said. “We need dual language teachers and English as a second language teachers.”

The district is partnering with Aurora University as part of the residency program. The NxtGEN Residency Program provides opportunities for individuals to teach in the district while furthering their own education through classes at Aurora University