D158 looks to add partnership with Advocate Sherman Hospital for its Medical Academy

HUNTLEY — At the June 1 Huntley Community School District 158 (D158) Committee of the Whole meeting, Dr. Bryan Zwemke, the assistant superintendent of Learning and Innovation, presented the Board of Education (BOE) with a new partnership opportunity D158 is looking to pursue to enhance Huntley High School’s Youth Residency Program through the Medical Academy.

According to Zwemke, the Medical Academy creates a process for students to earn the Health Sciences College and Career Pathway Endorsement through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

D158 has been able to provide this opportunity for students through their long-standing partnership with Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, however, Zwemke stated that multiple issues have sprung up that led the district to pursue a new partnership with Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin.

D158 Superintendent Dr. Scott Rowe further elaborated to the board that post-COVID staffing challenges began to impede Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital’s ability to give D158 students the attention that the hospital wanted to give.

In a meeting with Northwestern Medicine Hospital leadership, Rowe shared that the district had attempted to work with the hospital to look at the curricular offering and ways to revamp the program to fit D158’s needs.

“At the end of the day, they weren’t able to give us the hours and individualized attention that we have grown accustomed to. To the level that we wanted or even I wanted,” said Rowe. “So, that relationship is maintained. It’s just that [they] can’t be our sole partner anymore. It was going to diminish the quality of the Youth Residency Program and so, [we’re] really fortunate Advocate Sherman jumped at the opportunity to be involved and are going as far as Northwestern Huntley had prior to their staffing shortages, which [Sherman wasn’t] having the same issues.”

Rowe added that the new partnership with Advocate Sherman will give students in the program an opportunity to experience two different hospital systems that can play a huge benefit in their career path.

It was clarified to the BOE that the Youth Residency Program is not expanding and will continue to be a very competitive program to get in to. The new partnership with Advocate Sherman was in response to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital not being able to meet the district’s needs, said Rowe.

With Advocate Sherman Hospital only having been involved with shadowing, volunteer, and internship opportunities, Rowe mentioned that it will take some time for Advocate Sherman Hospital to understand D158’s program, but is confident that they will learn just as Northwestern Medicine had to learn.

The agreement with Advocate Sherman Hospital will be discussed further at the next D158 BOE meeting scheduled to take place on June 15.