(UPDATED: 9:58 P.M. 4/8/24)
The Galesburg School Board is holding off, likely for at least another school year, on changing the boundaries for Steele and Silas Willard Elementary Schools.
At the start of Monday night’s Board of Education meeting open session, Courtney Rodriguez, school board president, said the board later in the meeting would table the proposal until a board meeting in the fall. Rodriguez said more feedback is needed from the public, among other concerns.
“We will table it until next fall, when we can have more community and parent input on this, and get it all planned out, and have everybody’s questions answered, so more people feel comfortable,” said Rodriguez.
The proposed changes, Superintendent John Asplund told WGIL last week, would result in “low-incident” special education students (students with Autism, for example) in both schools being moved to just Steele. Asplund said that would have been done so that it would be less difficult for emergencies with students to be responded to. He said it’s currently difficult now to address emergencies among such students at Silas Willard. Asplund told WGIL last week he hadn’t gotten much feedback from the public despite being open to phone calls and comments, board members say they received plenty, but only a few were in favor.
“…My biggest concern was that it felt very rushed,” said Jennifer McKillip, a parent, to the school board. “I know a lot of other parents whose lives would be affected by the Steele and Silas redistribution, they feel the same way.”
Speaking of Silas Willard, the board Monday night approved hiring Jodi Keever as the new principal there next year, replacing the retiring Geoffrey Schoonover.
The board Monday night also approved naming the basketball court at John Thiel Gym after legendary girls basketball coach Evan Massey. Asplund said plaques honoring both Thiel and Massey will be placed on the athletic trophy cases until the court needs to be repainted, which should be in the next two years. At which time, Asplund said, a formal dedication ceremony will be held.
District 205 Superintendent of Schools John Asplund said the painted signature of John Thiel will remain on the court, along with a signature of Evan Massey.
Without discussion, the board also approved reductions in force of the district’s paraprofessionals. Asplund told WGIL last week many of them are expected to be re-hired, though some may not because of potential enrollment declines.
