No U46 board vote on controversial new grade scale

ELGIN — The discussion Monday night about controversial changes to Elgin School District U46’s grading and late work policies may have been an hour-and-a-half long, but board member Maria Bidelman said, “This is not new.” “It’s a national discussion,” Bidelman said. That discussion followed the …

D301 remembers former principal Perry

BURLINGTON — When the teachers from Howard B. Thomas Grade School near Burlington participated in Central Community Unit School District 301’s first Relay for Life last month, they said they were running in honor of Richard Perry, their former principal. Perry, 66, lost his battle …

System would put police just a blue alarm push away in an emergency

BURLINGTON — In case of fire, pull the red alarm to summon the fire department. In case of an armed intruder, pull the blue alarm to summon the police. The blue alarm is not actually in use today. But it eventually could become a valuable …

D300 wins financial report awards for fifth year in row

ALGONQUIN — One of the first things Susan Harkin did when she became chief financial officer of Community Unit School District 300 last school was present the school board a number of financial awards it had won, she said. On Monday night, Harkin presented a …

State commission poised to deny Fox Valley virtual charter appeals

The state commission that oversees charter school appeals is poised to deny a request to open an 18-district virtual charter school in the Fox Valley area later this year.

Illinois State Charter School Commission Executive Director Jeanne Nowaczewski issued a recommendation Friday that commission members …

U46 announces two new administrators

ELGIN — School District U46 announced two new administrators Thursday, including a second assistant superintendent for elementary schools instruction and equity, a position created by the district’s plan to restructure 10 elementary schools. Steve Burger, principal of Liberty Elementary School in Bartlett, will move into …

School District U46 set to spend $4 million on technology

ELGIN — The School District U46 Board of Education recently approved more than $4 million in new technology, including mobile, laptop and desktop computers. Those purchases also include the installation of new core network equipment for the U46 data center to accommodate new data connections …

Classrooms experimenting with iPads as U46 creates technology roadmap

BARTLETT — Shortly before classes dismissed for the summer, three preschoolers huddled around an iPad in Erin Jackle’s classroom at the Independence Center for Early Learning. The letter “P” wriggled under Nathan Scholl’s finger, sounding itself out as the 4-year-old dragged it across the screen …

More U46 schools to implement schoolwide Title I funding

ELGIN — Three more elementary schools, three more middle schools and one more high school in Elgin School District U46 are planning to start schoolwide Title I low-income programs next school year. But that doesn’t mean more students in the second-largest school district necessarily are …

Elgin, Larkin grads ‘commence’ the rest of their lives

Inspiring words, the flip of a tassel from one side to the other, a million photo flash bulbs and more than 4,000 students from area high schools entered the next step of their lives this month. District U46’s five high schools held their commencements last …

Dist. 300 previews work on new attendance boundaries

ALGONQUIN — One of the “big things” Community Unit School District 300 will start working on this summer is setting the direction for proposed changes to its attendance boundaries, according to Assistant Superintendent of Operations Chuck Bumbales. That’s a process that could take two or …

D301 Central Education Foundation awards $4,000 to improve schools

BURLINGTON — Dressed in suits and carrying balloons and a big check, the group that swooped down on both Central High School in Burlington and Country Trails Elementary School in Elgin Friday morning could have been mistaken for Publishers Clearing House coming to award a …

Dundee Twp. Rotary scholarship winners

The Dundee Township Rotary Club recently awarded $30,000 in scholarships to 19 students attending Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville, Harry D. Jacobs High School in Algonquin, St. Edward Central Catholic High School in Elgin, and Elgin Academy. Since 1981, the club has awarded more than …

Abbott Middle School wins recycling award

ELGIN — Students from Abbott Middle School recycled more than 3,100 pounds of clothing during the month of April to take first prize in USAgain’s seventh annual Earth Month Challenge contest. Abbott topped 540 schools, collecting 3,104 pounds of clothing and shoes to win the …

Twice as many U46 teachers retiring than in average year

ELGIN — Twice as many teachers are retiring from School District U46 at the end of this school year as in an average year. And Elgin Teachers Association President Kathy Castle said “there’s not a single answer” why that number is so high, although she …