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Letter from the Superintendent
April 12, 2019
Queen Bee Families,
I hope that this letter finds you well. I am happy to report that we have had a successful year in many respects and we are looking forward to continuing our work with you and our students next year. One of our challenges this year has come in the form of a change in the law that has made the timely publication of our calendar for the 2019-2020 school year difficult.
The State of Illinois now funds schools in a manner that is related to the total enrollment, student characteristics, and special needs of the students in each district as compared to each districts ability to meet a funding minimum. The Evidence Based Funding (EBF) has led to increased revenues for our district and those funds have gone directly into our classrooms. However, the old funding formula that based funding on student attendance rates and local property tax values has been retired, and with it, all of the rules for developing a Public School Calendar. Members of each house of the Illinois General Assembly are currently working on a remedy that would revive many of the rules for calendar development without interfering with the funding formula. I am confident that there will be a satisfactory resolution to this prior to the end of the school year.
I understand that everyone appreciates the most notice possible so that each family can plan for vacations and childcare. Recently, our Board of Education approved a preliminary school calendar for our district for the 2019- 2020 school year with the understanding that some changes might be necessary.
The major dates on the calendar should not change. The First Day, Last Day, Holiday Breaks, and Institute Days should remain unchanged from our new calendar. However, we are waiting for the calendar rules to be finalized to set the dates for our Parent Teacher Conferences. We anticipate that the length of the school day as well as the number of Parent Teacher Conferences will be addressed by the new law. I can assure you that we will have Parent Teacher Conferences next year and we remain committed to strengthening our connection with each family whom we serve.
Please feel free to contact your Principal or my office at superintendent@queenbee16.org if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Dr. Joseph R. Williams