TOOL OR TOY? SCHOOLS STRUGGLE WITH RULES FOR FIDGET SPINNERS
When he’s doing homework, reading a book or sitting in class, 10- year- old Luke Doubek often grips a fidget spinner — a silent, three- pronged spinning toy that’s held between two fingers.
“It actually helps him concentrate,” said his mother, Margaret Doubek, of Hanover Park. Luke has ADHD.
Fidget spinners are the latest toy trend to invade suburban schools. They cost $ 3 to $ 15 and many kids play with them during lunch and recess. But unlike past fads, such as Silly Bandz or Yu- GiOh! cards, this toy can help some students with special needs stay focused or calm in the classroom.
That poses a dilemma for school officials, who are struggling to come up with a way to let some children have the popular toy in class but not others.
In most classrooms, the toys have become a distraction. In the past few weeks, dozens of suburban schoolteachers — including some at Robert Frost Junior High School in Schaumburg and Immanuel Lutheran School in Batavia — have sent letters home to parents or made morning announcements strongly discouraging students from bringing fidget spinners to school. Those who do are encouraged to keep them in their lockers or backpacks and play with them only during free time.
The policies vary among schools and classes. Some schools allow them at the teachers’ discretion. Others ban them unless they’re part of a special needs student’s 504 or IEP plan.
“It’s a tool. We recognize that. But it’s also a toy,” said Matt Barbini, deputy superintendent of Palatine Township Elementary District 15, who said it will be a topic of discussion at the next meeting with school principals. “Some students may very well require a fidget or sensory device as part of an individual plan, so we can’t ban it . . . but if it disrupts instruction, or creates an unsafe environment, we need to act responsibly.”
If a parent or student poses the “why does he get to have it?” complaint, privacy laws will prevent teachers and school officials from explaining why, Barbini said.
Some special needs parents see them as an alternative to the stress balls commonly used by schools to help students control their anxiety.
“They’re not for every kid,” Margaret Doubek said, “but for some kids, those fidget spinners actually work.”
— Jamie Sotonoff
NORTHWEST SUBURBS Rosemont, Schaumburg ranked as top vacation destinations
1 Rosemont and Schaumburg have been named to a list of top- rated vacation destinations in North America. Travel website Expedia ranked the two northwest suburbs in its top 50 list by analyzing 2016 user reviews. Rosemont, ranked 21st, was noted for its hotels, restaurants and entertainment options. Schaumburg, at 24th, got mentions for its farmers market, Prairie Center for the Arts, Trickster Art Gallery and miles of biking trails. — Daily Herald report
KANE COUNTY Grants drying up along with casino profits
2 Shrinking profits for Elgin’s Grand Victoria Riverboat will fuel the lowest total amount of riverboat grants ever awarded by Kane County. The county board’s executive committee locked in slightly less than $ 750,000 in riverboat grants for external agencies Wednesday. The grant money plummeted below $ 1 million for the first time two years ago. Last year, the county’s riverboat committee recommended less than $ 900,000 in grants. — James Fuller
NORTHWEST SUBURBS Ramp closures on I- 90
3 Ramp closures at the Jane Addams Tollway ( I- 90) and Elmhurst Road begin next week as workers ready the diverging diamond interchange. The counterintuitive design uses traffic lights to guide vehicles temporarily into the left lanes to avoid making turns against oncoming vehicles. Elmhurst Road will remain open, but ramps to and from the east on I- 90 will close in time for the Monday morning commute and remain closed through most of June. — Marni Pyke
DUPAGE COUNTY Mussel release planned
4 Roughly 9,000 freshwater mussels will be released into the West Branch of the DuPage River over six months with an eye toward improving water quality and giving hope for a species. “Freshwater mussels are the most endangered animals in America,” said Jessi DeMartini, aquatic research center coordinator for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. “But nobody knows it because they’re not cute and fuzzy.”
— Robert Sanchez
SUBURBS Why tax bills could go up
A proposal billed as a way to provide property tax relief to Illinois homeowners might actually have the opposite effect for many. By a 108- 1 vote last month, the Illinois House of Representatives passed the bill, which would increase the homeowner’s exemption from $ 6,000 to $ 8,000 for most Illinois homeowners. In Cook County, the homeowner’s exemption would increase from $ 7,000 to $ 8,000. Yet, the end result could be a slight tax increase on many suburban homes. Here’s why: There is nothing in the bill to stop local governments from collecting the same amount of money as before or slightly more each year. “You’re saying less property is taxable, but you’re not doing anything to reduce the need of money by taxing districts,” said Maurice Scholten, legislative director of the Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois.
— Jake Griffin