Resident urges Elmwood Park High School to offer live-instruction summer classes

Mister Doyle, a community member, asked the Elmwood Park CUSD 401 board on May 30 to authorize live, teacher-led summer classes at Elmwood Park High School so students can earn credit, get ahead academically or catch up with peers.

Doyle told the board, “All classes should be conducted by a live teacher,” and argued the program would help students “maintain focus and avoid the summer slide.” He said the initiative would provide constructive summer engagement similar to existing sports camps and would create additional pay opportunities for teachers, which he linked to retention. “Offer the teachers real pay,” he said.

The request was presented during the public-comment portion of the meeting and there was no motion, vote or formal directive on the record to adopt a summer-instruction program. Board members acknowledged Doyle’s comments but did not discuss details or take action during the meeting.

Doyle also said some Elmwood Park High School teachers currently teach summer classes at other schools and argued that offering summer instruction in-district could reduce recruitment away from EPHS. He recommended fair compensation for staff who teach summer classes but did not specify a pay scale or funding source.

The board did not set a follow-up meeting or ask staff to return with a proposal during the session. Details Doyle provided that would affect implementation—budget impact, pay rates for teachers, enrollment eligibility and scheduling—were not specified at the meeting.