District #7 March Update

 

Hello District #7 and Happy Friday! As of 3:35 p.m. today our students and teachers will be on a well-deserved break. Spring break begins today and school will be back in session on Tuesday, April 11.   

I wanted to take a few moments to update you on our recent Board meeting. Mr. Michael Hubbard, the Director of Security in District #7, presented the current and ongoing work of maintaining safe schools throughout District #7. Safety and Security are never far from our mind, but that holds especially true as we witness the recent events in Nashville, TN. We continue to be in thought and prayer for those families impacted by this horrible event.  

As a school district, we must remain vigilant in identifying and responding to threats which occur. Over the past several months, Mr. Hubbard has increased the training and consistency of our School Safety Officers and their presence in schools, updated our district-wide crisis manual, and connected our district-wide safety and security team. We also continue to investigate any threats of violence which are brought to our attention. District #7 is also installing vape detectors over Spring Break in an effort to alleviate the vaping epidemic which continues to impact our students.  

I also provided the Board of Education and those present with an update on our no-tax-rate-increase bond proposal that is on the ballot next Tuesday. Earlier this year, safety and security was identified as the number one priority for our schools and the bond proposal includes installing double-entry door systems in each District #7 school. We are also excited about the potential upgrades to our facilities with a renovation and addition to Lincoln Middle School, repairs and renovations at Hamel Elementary, Midway Elementary, Columbus Elementary and Edwardsville High School, along with new accessible and safe playgrounds at all District #7 Elementary Schools.  With Election Day occurring over spring break, we have also been intentionally reminding those in the District #7 community who are travelling to vote early. Please visit ecusd7.org/bond for more information on the bond proposal. 

We continue to plan for a busy summer in District #7. Summer school for this year will be held at Goshen Elementary School and Liberty Middle School, as Edwardsville High School will be closed for the vast majority of the summer for construction and fire alarm work.  

Finally, Parents/guardians of students new to District #7 for the 2023-24 school year can now pre-register on our website at ecusd7.org. This includes incoming kindergarteners, students moving into the district or students transferring from a private school. Registration for students currently enrolled in District #7 is anticipated to open on or around May 1, 2023. We will be sure to communicate as we get closer to May.  

Spring in District #7 is always a busy one and following spring break, I hope you take advantage of the opportunity to take in one of our spring sports and activities such as our spring concerts, as all of our students continue to make District #7 proud.   

Have a wonderful Spring Break and we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, April 11!  

Patrick Shelton, Ed.D.
Superintendent