D65 cancels call with Rhodes families

Parents with students at Bessie Rhodes school were shocked 24 hours ago to learn that 7th and 8th sections in the magnet school would be eliminated in mid-November.

Now, another shock.

A Zoom call to explain the decision, and give families a chance to ask questions and let off steam Thursday evening has been cancelled as well.

In a message to the Rhodes community, District 65 administrators Katie Speth and Charmekia McCoy say that because the Zoom link had been made public, they were afraid that the call would neither be "safe:" nor "productive" for group converesation.

Instead of holding "what has now become a public zoom meeting," the district has decided to "engage in personalized zoom calls in the coming days," one-on-one sessions to "share the information that would have ultimately been presented in tonight's meeting."

Juana Vazquez is not happy.,

The parent of a 4th, 6th, and 7th grader at Rhodes, Vazquez told Evanston Now that she feels "distraught and mad," not only at what is happening at Rhodes but the way it's being carried out.

"To tell the truth," she said, "I never thought my kids' future would be so jeopardized."

Vazquez said her 7th grader "has high anxiety" about having to switch schools so suddenly. "Will she see her friends, her teachers?" Vazquez asked.

Vazquez is also concerned about her 6th grader. Once 7th and 8th grades are cancelled, Rhodes would still be K-6, but Vazquez worries that perhaps "6th grade would be cancelled at the last minute" as well.

Plus, Vazques said the Latino community, which is trying to help migrant children in Rhodes' bilingual curriculum, feels "pushed to the side."

In their message, the D65 administrators say that they "fully recognize and expect the sadness, frustration, and even anger" that have come in the wake of the 7th/8th grade announcement.

Of course, that's on top of the school board previous decision to close all of Bessie Rhodes after the next school year, once Foster School opens in the 5th Ward in Fall 2026.

The administrators say that on Friday, Oct. 18, families will be notified of which middle school (Chute, Nichols, or Haven) their 7th and/or 8th graders will attend.

Speth and McCoy say that "our most important priority is providing the necessary support for our students and families in navigating this transition," and the one-on-one calls are "the best and most personalized way of doing so."

Juana Vazquez fears that another transition my be coming.

"I don't think there is going to be a Bessie Rhodes by May."