Change is a constant at schools in Rolling Meadows

Changes large and small are greeting students as they head back to class. Are you aware Rolling Meadows has eight schools within its boundaries? That's high for a suburb our size ­- but the schools draw from other towns as well.

I was able to catch up with each of the schools' principals this week. It's impressive they called me back at all during this frenetic time of year; most of the schools opened Thursday.

With my own children attending three Rolling Meadows schools, I was curious about two things: what changes will greet students this year, and how much the slumping economy will affect the way things are done.

For starters, several schools have new principals. One is Kerry Swalwell, at Plum Grove Junior High. She jumped right into a challenging situation, with Plum Grove Road still ripped up just outside its doors.

"The biggest change is working to get the kids here safely with all the construction going on," she said. Her staff has tried to ensure parents know the new route into the parking lot.

Joshua Carpenter is the new principal at Central Road Elementary. He's spent the past few weeks getting to know his staff as well as parents. A change at Central will be the a new positive-behavior program that has seen success at several other District 15 schools.

One of them is Carl Sandburg Junior High. Principal Ed Nelson said that on the first day of classes, a "boot camp" - complete with camouflage shirts for the staff - was held to reintroduce the program and reinforce good behavior.

The school also will be applying to enter No Excuses University, program that promotes college readiness. Willow Bend Elementary Principal Toni Kappel already has her school involved with No Excuses this year.

At Rolling Meadows High School, a revamped English department area will get students' attention. The rooms are reconfigured to be bigger and more efficient, says Principal Charles Johns. The school's ventilation system has been updated, too.

An exciting sight will greet Kimball Hill Elementary students: a climbing wall that spans an entire side of the gym - courtesy of the PTA.

David Corbett, who retired three years ago after 34 years in District 15, is interim principal at Kimball Hill. Soon after retiring, he took a job that "bored me to tears," so he returned to the district to fill a temporary vacancy and hasn't stopped since.

Principal Valerie Zemko says St. Colette School will introduce a new reading program. But she's really excited about the school's big push in the sciences, through use of a garden and a rooftop weather station.

John Conyers Learning Academy Principal Peg Lasiewicki says other than a few new teachers, the only change will be the 3-year-olds coming into the program, "which we're always excited about." The school takes in children from throughout District 15 who have special needs.

Though not within Rolling Meadows' limits, Fremd High School takes in many of the city's teens. The most visible change there will be students wearing ID badges - a new District 211 requirement. "We're trying to ensure students are as safe as possible," new Principal Lisa Small said.

There's no doubt inflation and tight budgets are having an effect on schools and families. Both Small and Johns said their high schools have seen a slight increase in requests for reduced fees, waivers and free lunches. Johns says the conversations he's had with parents this year show people in many different situations are in need.

Sandburg's Nelson recognizes that back-to-school shopping has been a greater burden for some families. "Parents will be telling their kids to be more careful with their school supplies," he said.

At St. Colette, Zemko says students and teachers are being asked to keep waste at a minimum, including paper and electricity.

Kappel says Willow Bend has received a large donation of school supplies from a former student, and the school is taking a "proactive approach." "We're well aware that some kids will be showing up lacking school supplies."

• Colleen Thomas' column appears Fridays. She welcomes your news about community events and people. Call (847) 427-4591, or e-mail her at cthomas@dailyherald.com.