Don’t think summer camp. This isn’t day care. Flossmoor School District 161’s Summer Academy provides students with a full day of curriculum-based instruction taught by the district’s own teachers. “It’s really an extension of the school year. We call it our pop-up school,” said Summer Academy principal Evita McNeil. Summer[Read More…]
Tag: Flossmoor School District 161
Property tax revenue boosts SD161’s prospects for balanced budget
Fran LaBella, associate superintendent of business operations at Flossmoor School District 161, offered a favorable preview of next year’s proposed budget during the board meeting on May 31. The district’s tentative budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year is $33.9 million. During a detailed presentation, LaBella said the budget is expected[Read More…]
District 161 costs rise; Bus company points to labor shortage and higher fuel rates
Flossmoor School District 161 will pay 20% more for bus transportation in the 2022-23 academic year, after the board approved a contract with Kickert School Bus Lines at its meeting on Monday, May 9. In its contract renewal, the district agreed to pay $152,000 more, for a total of about[Read More…]
State grant will help District 161 support mental health services
Flossmoor School District 161 recently earned a $635,000 Community Partnership Grant from the Illinois State Board of Education to support mental health services for students and educators in the post-pandemic world. “We originally wrote the grant for $113,000 and they gave us $635,000, so that was pretty exciting. I think[Read More…]
D161 approves Western Avenue traffic study to learn more about backup situation
Flossmoor School District 161 knows it has a traffic backup problem at Western Avenue Elementary School during pickup and drop-off times. A recently approved traffic study could help administrators and the school board learn more about what it’s going to take to fix it. The school board voted 5-1 on[Read More…]
District 161 begins search for new Parker Junior High principal
Flossmoor School District 161 officials announced on Friday, Dec. 3, that a search would begin for a new principal at Parker Junior High School. Superintendent Dana Smith informed parents and guardians of district students about the move on Monday. Principal Amabel Crawford was appointed to the position after previous principal[Read More…]
D161 school board facing complex grant and abatement choices related to 2021 tax levy
Flossmoor School District 161’s board of education and administrators are facing some complicated choices when it comes to its 2021 tax levy. Associate Superintendent Fran LaBella on Monday, Nov. 8, gave the board of education the first in what she said will be a series of presentations regarding this year’s[Read More…]
D161 reviewing traffic flow issues, particularly with Western Avenue backups
A compliment about one traffic-related issue led to questions about others for Flossmoor School District 161. Board Member David Linnear commended administrators during a school board meeting held Monday, Oct. 25, on their handling of a crosswalk situation at Heather Hill Elementary School. But he asked what was being done[Read More…]
D161 enrollment up this school year despite expectation of a drop after graduation of large class
Enrollment is up slightly in Flossmoor School District 161 this school year. Superintendent Dana Smith updated the board of education on enrollment figures during a meeting held Tuesday, Oct. 12. Total enrollment in the district is 2,310 students for the 2021-2022 school year, compared with 2,245 students last year, he[Read More…]
Exit interviews give administrators a better idea of D161’s strengths, weaknesses
Exit interviews recently conducted by Flossmoor School District 161 highlighted what ex-employees see as the positives and negatives of their time working for the school system. Eric Melnyczenko, District 161’s director of human resources, compiled recent responses in a report delivered Monday, Sept. 27, to the board of education. “There[Read More…]