The Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education is examining the pros and cons of a possible expansion of the district’s prekindergarten (PreK) and early childhood (EC) programs. At its Sept. 23 meeting, board members requested a cost estimate for expanding the district’s PreK and EC offerings as part of[Read More…]
Author: Chris Weber
D161 takes precautions after potential social media threat
In a letter dated Sept. 19 and addressed to District 161 students, parents and staff, Superintendent Dana Smith informed the community of a “TikTok video circulating with threatening language against Parker Junior High School.” “We received a report from the Safe2Help tipline,” Smith wrote. “After investigating the incident with the[Read More…]
D161 Board prepares for budget hearing
At the Sept. 9 meeting, the District 161 Board of Education continued a discussion about the proposed 2024-25 school year budget. The board considered three options presented by Associate Superintendent Frances LaBella. The first option was to freeze the 2024 property tax levy and reduce budgeted revenues. The second option[Read More…]
D161 recognizes Parker students for lunchroom mural
At a Sept. 9 meeting, the Flossmoor District 161 Board of Education recognized a group of Parker Junior High students for a mural and other artwork they painted. Last spring, district administrators commissioned art students from the school to paint a mural in the newly renovated Parker Junior High cafeteria.[Read More…]
LaBella to serve as Bloom Township trustee for D161
The District 161 Board of Education voted to appoint Associate Superintendent Frances LaBella to the Bloom Township School Treasurer’s Board. The treasurer’s role is to provide effective consolidated financial services in order to maximize a school district’s return on investment. Bloom Township Treasurer Robert Grossi works with nearly 20 dozen[Read More…]
Hidden Gem 2024: The Gem gets Heather Hill buzzing with excitement
The Gem route wraps around Heather Hill, where every year, residents take the opportunity to cheer the runners on through their seventh mile of the half-marathon. This year, neighbors welcomed the athletes to Heather Hill with a cheer group inspired by Super Mario Bros. Princess Peach offered a mushroom power-up[Read More…]
D161 Board reviews 2024-25 budget proposal
At the August special meeting, the Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education discussed the best way to handle a potential budget surplus. Associate Superintendent Frances LaBella presented the budget proposal, emphasizing that it is a roadmap based on assumptions rather than actual figures. The budget’s revenue sources include local[Read More…]
Residents take concerns about detention basin safety plan to D161 board
Several residents at the District 161 Special Board of Education meeting voiced their concerns about safety as a stormwater detention basin around Heather Hill School is nearing completion. Some Heather Hill residents are frustrated with what they say is a lack of clear and factual communication about the project. Several[Read More…]
The HoFlo Hundred: 100 kilometers for a good cause
GoodSpeed Cycles bike shop in Homewood organized a 100-kilometer ride around Homewood and Flossmoor on Sunday, Aug. 18. Around 55 cyclists, mostly local but one from as far away as New Mexico, participated in the “HoFlo Hundred,” raising more than $1,100 for the James Hart Outriders, an organization that improves[Read More…]
Heather Hill residents voice ongoing safety concerns about detention basin
Around 30 residents of the Heather Hill neighborhood in Flossmoor attended a meeting on Aug. 17 about safety concerns after one neighbor found a child playing in the detention basin construction site surrounding Heather Hill school. Crystal Cleggett said her husband first noticed the boy at the site and told[Read More…]
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