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Emails for November 2015
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Fieldcrest Elementary music teacher arrested for video taping | Troop 4073 Girl Scout Daisy Troop make donation | Suspected case was NOT mumps at Fieldcrest South | Garabage pickup for Thanksgiving | When is garbage pickup this week? | What if? | MDR Class of 1966 to celebrate 50 year reunion | Possibility of Mumps at Fieldcrest South | My Observations of the November 11th School Board Meeting | New building | Comment on Fieldcrest vision and mission statements | Consider the Future | Scouting For Food | Board of Education meeting changed to Minonk | Bowlers needed | Editorial feedback on Wenona TIF | More than Tiff | Volleyball team beats Monmouth | Information on Distinguished Alumni Awards | A new school? WHY??? | Building renovation/construction project information | Fieldcrest to play at Kewanee Nov. 7 |

Fieldcrest Elementary music teacher arrested for video taping

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I am writing to inform you about a situation that has resulted in one of our teachers being arrested. Elementary music teacher Michael Brown was arrested Tuesday night (November 24) and has been charged with unauthorized video recording of School District staff members in the restroom. At this point in time, there is no indication that the allegations involve the videotaping of any students.

We were shocked and disappointed to learn about these allegations, and we are cooperating fully with the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation. Mr. Brown has been placed on administrative leave pending resolution of the criminal charges per school district policy. We are still in the process of determining how to fill Mr. Brown's teaching duties in each of the three elementary buildings in which he taught.

That is all of the information we know and are able to report at this point. Any questions regarding the investigation should be directed to the Woodford County State's Attorney's Office. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this situation.

Dr. Daniel L. Oakley, Superintendent
Fieldcrest Community Unit School District 6

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Suspected case was NOT mumps at Fieldcrest South

This message is a follow-up to last week's suspected case of mumps at South.

We have been notified that the suspected case of mumps was NOT mumps after all. After testing by the state lab, it was determined that the case was not mumps.

Dr. Dan Oakley


When is garbage pickup this week?

I am guessing that garbage pickup will be Friday due to holiday. Can you post something??

Paula Hancock


MDR Class of 1966 to celebrate 50 year reunion

The MDR class of 1966 will celebrate our 50 year reunion on July 23rd, 2016. We have narrowed down the location to two spots in Peoria: Alexanders Steak House http://www.mercedesrestaurants.com/alexanders-steakhouse and The Lariat Club, http://www.peoriasteakhouse.com . We are still having some trouble finding all of our classmates.

If you are a member of the class of 66, we need to hear from you. We would like your preference on these two sites, and if you will be attending, how many people. We would very much like to hear from all classmates, so we know if you have seen this posting. Also, if you know of any classmates who do not do social media or may not be on our list, please contact them. We really want all members of our class to be aware of this milestone reunion.

Here is the link to our class facebook page: You have to do a ctrl click to get to the site https://www.facebook.com/groups/mdrclassof1966/

hink48@frontier.com


My Observations of the November 11th School Board Meeting


The complete lack of concern for the Fieldcrest districts low ACT average score of 19.
The Superintendent's showing disrespect toward his position and to those he serves, by his casual attire (wearing jogging pants and casual shirt).
A Fieldcrest first, 2 uniformed Minonk police officers standing guard, one blocking the open exit door and the second standing on the other side of the room surveying the attendees. Who paid for them to be in attendance?
The School Board's shortage of knowledge in the creation of the vision and mission statements.

Gene Oncken

Kyle K Bradbury: The good lord doesn't care what you wear since when does clothing matter

Kyle K Bradbury: But let's down grade what someone was wearing really I think there are bigger issues then down grading an individual on what he or she is wearing

Jeri Oltman: Thank you for attending and for posting this, Gene. Even those of us far away care about the children and teachers in the school district.

Kyle K Bradbury: I shouldn't say anything because I have never been to a school board meeting and I respect every one is entitled to there "opinion " just saying

Kyle K Bradbury: Everybody has the answers it's pretty easy to sit here and type what you think is right but nobody wants to step up because they don't want to be blamed

Al Kline: You got it. Kyle

Al Kline: If parents would work as hard as teachers. Just think the kind of children we would have.


Comment on Fieldcrest vision and mission statements

I have attended many school board meetings over the past forty plus years as an educator, parent, and district taxpayer. Each school board is unique in its make-up and direction. Tonight I attended the Fieldcrest School Board meeting and left the meeting early because of how painful it was to watch the Board members and the Superintendent who was guiding the Board. Pain, you ask? Yes, pain, and embarrassment for the lack of understanding of the Board members as to what they were being asked to accomplish. Let me explain what I saw and why I am distressed.

The Fieldcrest School Board was attempting to formulate a vision and mission statement for the Fieldcrest School District. The Board members did not have any idea what a vision statement or mission statement was or what the purpose of these documents is in relation to the Fieldcrest School District's obligation to its stakeholders. The Superintendent had not furnished the Board members with examples of vision and mission statements from other Illinois school districts. In my observation the Board members were totally lost as to what they were being asked to create and why they were asked to create it. There had been no obvious due diligence performed as to the educators' and stakeholders' wants, needs, and insights for the vision and mission statement. And the superintendent was working very hard to get anyone other than the school board president to speak up on the points he was trying to go over regarding this task. The Board members simply did not understand the task before them and there is no reason that they should have.

Having worked as an educator for over 30 years in more than six school districts in Illinois, in all that time I have never experienced a school board dictate a vision or a mission statement to its educators or its district. I have been involved in the creation of several vision and mission statements in the school districts where I was employed. Each of those districts began this task by establishing the needs and wants of the stakeholders (tax payers and residents) of the school district. This was accomplished by the educators of that district by formulating a questionnaire for the stakeholders. The questionnaires were circulated to the district population in several ways. The two questionnaires that stand out in my mind were circulated to the stakeholders by mail and through volunteers handing them out door to door. Once the questionnaire answers were completed and compiled, the educators met in each of the districts and began the task of deciphering the needs and wants of the stakeholders. The principals within each district directed the educators to use a systematic, research based, procedure that was illustrated by a private company specializing in vision and mission statements. The second step, after the vision and mission statement, was the creation of the school districts' curriculum for each department and grade level. These were also created by the educators.

It was the educators that wrote the vision for the school district, drawing on the opinions of the stakeholders. It was the educators that wrote the mission statement as they were the ones responsible for the execution of the mission. It was the educators that formulated the curriculums and programs that achieved the vision and mission statements. It was the educators that understand how they need to execute the desires of the stakeholders.
Once the educators drafted the vision and mission statements, they were given to the superintendent, with the assistance of the principals, to present to the school board for the board's review and adoption. It was never the school board dictating to the educators and stakeholders what is wanted or needed, as is happening here in Fieldcrest School District.
How can six people that are not educators write protocol for those who are ultimately responsible? The Board dictating to educators and stakeholders their vision and mission is not wise. This heavy handed, misguided, approach by Fieldcrest School Board and Superintendent is the same one we've experienced on the issue of building a new school. The vision and mission statement is just another prime example of the Board not performing its due diligence and dismissing the stakeholders. Dictating to stakeholders will not help the school district, it will only destroy it. The Board's blatant disregard for educating themselves on the task at hand and their deaf ears to any opinion other than their own merely demonstrates why the Fieldcrest School District is in such dire straits. This District is being governed by a Board that repeatedly shows us it doesn't value education, its educators or its tax payers. Yes, it was painful and embarrassing to watch the Board flounder and fumble, but it's more painful for the stakeholders to suffer its inadequacies and ignorance.

Most Sincerely,
Sharon H. Oncken M.S.E.

Note: I am posting this on MinonkTalk and the Fieldcrest School website, because they are the chosen form of communication by the Fieldcrest school district as stated at the meeting. I realize it will not reach many of the households within the school district, however I will provide copies to anyone that would like to circulate this observation to others with in the school district.

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Scouting For Food

Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts need your help - and so do thousands of hungry people in the community. Our Scouts are participating in the Scouting for Food drive this fall. On Saturday, November 7th, the Scouts placed plastic bags at doorsteps throughout the W.D. Boyce Council's 14 counties of Central Illinois. If you did not receive one of those bags you can still donate by putting your non-perishable food items in any bag and placing them on your front porch or steps. Then on Saturday, November 14th, the Scouts will return to pick up the filled bags. The food that is donated in Minonk will go the the Minonk Food Pantry.
The Scouts hope to collect thousands of pounds of canned food items. This year the food pantries are looking for protein food such as canned tuna, peanut butter, or canned ravioli, however any donations of food are welcome.
For more information about Scouting go to www.BeAScout.org or www.wdboyce.org.
Thank you for your donation!

W.D. Boyce Council
Minonk Cub Scouts

Donna Schmillen


Bowlers needed

Minonk Lanes every other Saturday night couples leagues has room for 4 more teams to round out a full bowling squad this year. These teams must consist of 4 team members. We can accept couples looking to be paired up with other couples to make up a team. Bowling starts November 14th for the remaining teams signing up. Please contact Roger Gaspardo @ 432-2874 at your earliest convenience for additional details. Thanks!!

Roger Gaspardo


More than Tiff

There were two polls that both showed people were in favor of keeping the old buildings and repairing them. The school board ignored these polls and chose to go forward with a new building. I don't know how they expect to pay for a new building? My taxes are already high enough without the district raising them more. If I need more money for my household budget I can't just go to work and tell them that I need a raise. Why should the board be allowed to build a new school and just ask the taxpayers for more money. If they had the money to build a new school and maintain it it would be different. The economy the way it is with Mitsubishi closing and Cat laying off thousands, I don't believe now is the time. You can't drive down any street without seeing a house for sale, people are wanting to move out of town. If taxes are raised even more it will only make things worse. Tiff or no Tiff, survey or no survey the point is the board is ignoring the people they serve.

Keith Paris


Information on Distinguished Alumni Awards

The Fieldcrest Community Unit School District #6 is instituting a Distinguished Alumni Award for graduates of Fieldcrest High School. The first awards will be presented at the 2015-2016 Fieldcrest High School graduation ceremony and awardees will be permanently enshrined in the Hall of Distinguished Alumni.
Anyone wishing to submit a nomination may download both a description of the awards cycle and the nomination forms at http://bit.ly/1KKyMWm. The deadline to submit nominations is December 31, 2015.

Dr. Daniel L. Oakley, Superintendent
Fieldcrest Community Unit School District 6

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A new school? WHY???

I can't believe there hasn't been an outpouring of emails regarding the latest ploy from Wenona. They have a scheme worthy of the Clintons and their foundation and perhaps akin to Bernie Madoff's thinking also.

For 20 plus years they have had a TIF district (used to be a limit of 10 years on those) and now they want to buy the new school for Wenona! Perhaps they should consider repaying the school district for tax money that they have avoided paying all these years. We could all accrue a nice sum if we didn't pay full taxes every year.

Back when the Fieldcrest district was being formed, there was a large school board meeting in the MDR gym. Donald "Tony" Janssen, in his own inimitable way commented during a break that if we had to choose between Toluca and Wenona, he would definitely choose Toluca because they were nicer and easier to get along with. If Wenona got thrown into the mix, so be it was his thought on the matter.

I am at the point where I think the best thing for everyone is to let Wenona separate, create their own district...and take the present superintendent with them!

Has anyone even approached another engineering firm about repairs-if they are needed? I see lots of buildings older than those at Fieldcrest (El Paso, Streator, Bloomington, Roanoke-Benson to name a few).

Martha Owens

Becky Peiffer: It is going to cost was less to repair than to build, by the te you consider the demolition of the buildings oh and dont forget the wonderful church they bought that they use to store junk! I think we need to start putting up signs that say NO NEW SCHOOL REPAIR THE OLD!! WAISTING MONEY JUST LIKE THE GOVERNOR.

Anthony Spires: Agreed. There is absolutely zero chance that the repairs would cost a fraction of a new building. But they seem so set a new building that they will skew the numbers to prove their point.

Tina Dunning :I am NOT in favor of building a brand new school, especially for it to be located in/outside of Wenona. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Minonk has the largest population of our whole school district. To me, with transportation costs, it only makes sense to have the school here. The district will be busing way more children since Minonk is the largest and Toluca coming in second in population. It just doesn't make sense. Doesn't majority rule??? Even if they decide they want a brand new school, (let's face it, I feel like the school board already has their minds made up and aren't going to listen to the public; ex. the survey) what is wrong with the land directly behind our high school now??? If I'm not mistaken, Spring Valley Hall did this and tore down the old school.


Fieldcrest to play at Kewanee Nov. 7

FHS Football Team Advances to Second Round to Face Kewanee Wethersfield on Saturday, Nov. 7 @ 1:30pm at Kewanee (Wethersfield).

Sean W. Poston
Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
Fieldcrest High School

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Troop 4073 Girl Scout Daisy Troop make donation

Troop 4073 girl scout Daisy troop raised $80 to donate to make a wish foundation in honor of Bryce and Alex McKay. Here is a letter in case anyone else is interested in donating in their honor

Heather Payton


Garabage pickup for Thanksgiving

Garbage pickup for the west side will be Friday and the east side will be Saturday side this week only.

MinonkTalk


What if?

Many people are calling for the School Board to base decision for the future of the district based on what citizens want. Just to play devil's advocate, what happens if what the citizens want turns out NOT to be the best option for the school district? That is a possibility.

Rich Luckey

Andrew Oncken: That's simple WE the tax payers actually will pay for the mistake then, not a board who won't listen.

Anthony Spires: The ENTIRE purpose of a school board is to create a link between the public and the school. They are a there to represent the publics opinions. We have a public school district - not private. It stands to reason that the publics views should weigh heavily into the choices they make. The school board is there to serve the community - not the other way around.


Possibility of Mumps at Fieldcrest South

This is from Dr. Daniel L. Oakley, superintendent at Fieldcrest schools. The following information is being passed on at the request of our district nurse in conjunction with the county health department, and is informational only.

This notice is to inform you that there is a POSSIBILITY that a case of MUMPS may be diagnosed at Fieldcrest South. The student is fully immunized!

There is NO Laboratory CONFIRMATION yet!! The student has been to the ER in Bloomington, with the possible diagnosis of Mumps. We are awaiting results from the State Lab.

Mumps is a contagious disease that is caused by a virus. Mumps typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite. This is followed by swelling of the salivary glands resulting in swelling of the neck and jaw area. Symptoms may appear 12-25 days after a person becomes infected. Individuals are most infectious during the 2 days prior to symptoms until 5 days after symptoms appear. There is no cure, the virus will run its course. Symptoms are managed through bedrest, fever reduction and fluid intake.

If your child develops symptoms, please notify your primary care provider immediately. Persons with mumps or symptoms of mumps should remain at home for at least 5 days after swelling of the salivary glands began.

Mumps is spread through saliva or mucus from an infected person. Washing hands is essential. Do NOT share cups, bottles or anything that could be contaminated. Hands should be washed if face or nose are touched.

Most students have been vaccinated for mumps in their 2 MMRs. If your child is NOT vaccinated, please do so.

Do not use Aspirin on a child!

Please remember that this is NOT a diagnosis YET. We will inform if this is a positive or negative result.

Thank you, and have a great day.

Dr. Daniel L. Oakley, Superintendent
Fieldcrest Community Unit School District 6


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New building

In regards to building a new school.
The research, meetings, and time exhausted over whether or not to build a new school is the perfect example of what Fieldcrest is good at, deflection. When you take a Ninja Turtle band-aid and put it over a scrape is the wound still there, obviously.
The purpose of a school is to educate students and prepare them for college or in some cases, the working world. When the results come in each year for standardized testing, although it should be expected, i just cringe.

As quoted from The Pantagraph,
"Below-average ACT scores in the area were Ridgeview, Clinton and Fieldcrest high schools at 19 and Streator at 18.
So can taxes raise, taking money from homes to throw at a new shiny building, yes.
Is this going to solve the actual problem in which affects the students for the rest of their lives? No.

As a Fieldcrest alum, kindergarten thru senior year, I have experienced just what it means to get a below-average education. I have experienced just what it means to be poorly prepared to compete in today's knowledge economy. Most classes handed you a passing grade just for showing up. The community, school board, and staff/educators need to wake up to this reality of where Fieldcrest ranks year after year. But hey, at least its consistent.

So let's hand the teachers pension, give the students tablets, and now put them in a new school and hope to some day be "average."

Kelsey Scheuer, a recovered Fieldcrest student

Scheuer34@hotmail.com

Jessica Michaels Overocker: It's amazing how you will always find what you are looking for. I have a friend who went to fieldcrest (I did not as we did not move to the are until after my graduation) & when she went to college the first college level math course she took used the EXACT SAME BOOK she had used in high school. At fieldcrest. And her friends were amazed at how well she was doing in that difficult class. And she did well because she was taught well. At fieldcrest. You will always find what you are looking for. And if you are looking to not support something, you'll find a reason not to. Perhaps in your complaining and blaming the teachers, you could instead look at the poverty rates in the districts you mentioned. Perhaps, just perhaps, the root of the problem is not the teachers who see kids 7 hours a day, 5 days a week...



Kelsey Scheuer: Poverty level for the disctrict is lower than the state average according to several studies at 14.67%.

Kelsey Scheuer: And I do not feel this is the teachers fault solely, nor was that states. Because I had several teachers that cared but had to pass most kids because higher ups needed better statistics.

Kelsey Scheuer: And again you are deflecting . Regardless what your beliefs are for the below-average education students are graduating with, there is still an issue. Poverty levels in questions, teachers caring or not, students unwillingness regardless the excuse. It is STILL an issue that needs addressed

Nicole Embery: I married someone from el paso...have several friends who went to el paso. i am always amazed at what their education offered them compared to what mine did. and no it isn't on the shoulders of the teachers. in some cases yes...teachers failed. but in most they can only do so much.


Amanda Mance: Has having a former student who went to Fieldcrest K-7th I couldn't agree with this more I didn't realize how much she was just shoved through to the next grade till she actually went to a school who cared if a child was learning. Take the $ to pay good educators before a new building. Glad my child's out of that district.

Janie Bade: Consider the thought that not all kids are willing to learn and the lack of support and cooperation from parents does not make the job any easier. It is not educators who run the schools anymore .... It is the kids who have been given that authority by a government which restricts the power of educators. Unfortunately that makes it easier to "pass the buck", than to stand up to the system.

Linda Bottcher Thacker: Moving to this community from the east coast 28 years ago now, I was shocked at the low quality of education my children received. The east coast wad 20 years ahead even then. By the time I realized the situation, I was not in a position to leave. But I agree, the quality of the education needs to be priority one. Let's prepare our kids for life before we paint a rose on the pig.

My dissatisfaction needs to be clarified. I do not blame most of the teachers. My children did have some very good ones through the years. They also had some very horrible ones. Even the good ones have to work with what they are given as tools, and work with an administration that is available. The standards and methods of teaching in my opinion did not focus on the things necessary for advancement of education. Just my opinion. Most kids that I am familiar with upon graduation need to take high school level general education classes in college before,they could move to college level. There are some that may have a talent and grasp o b e subject more than their peers, but as a whole, fieldcrest is way way behind.


Jonna Strauch: Though I agree with quite a bit of this, I would just like to say there are some teachers who care, some teachers who want better, but a lot comes from the administration too. I think the feelings of the community will be felt as the school system continues to dwindle.

Lynn Barth Manning: Very well said!

Sharon Oncken: So very true. So very sad.

Consider the Future

Hi Dave,
Regarding the possible new school building, let's think about it this way. Let's go back 30 years where we came from. Our cell phone was a brick, we had a stack of books, we had to mail a letter or find a telephone to talk to someone that was miles away, we had a lot of stuff.

Now you just need a cell phone/Smart phone. It's the Internet, a camera/video recorder, a radio, MP Player, an eBook Reader, a calculator, a GPS, A Flashlight, a Level, a compass, a clock/alarm/timer, a notebook, photo album, Contact List/Phone Book, and about 30 other things. I know nobody knows the future but I am sure it will be fantastic.

Has the School Board taken into account what the future may be like. Even now you can go online and get a high school diploma or a college degree. Going forward 30 years we probably will not have brick and mortar school buildings. Students will be taught on line at home over the internet, using Skype, Face Time, or something similar. We may not even need a school board or have to pay taxes to a school district. The family would just pay into a school system while they had students in class.

Ponder this - the 30 year plan may be to retire the buildings and dissolve the school district.

Marc Durre


Board of Education meeting changed to Minonk

Please note that the Board meeting is now at the Fieldcrest High School Band room.... NOT in Rutland.

Thank you,
Julie May

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Editorial feedback on Wenona TIF

Dave - Super great job on your latest editorial exposing some of the happenings and shenanigans in the city government in Wenona.
So the mayor made the offer in front of a lot of people but later claimed he didn't say that. And the city might give the school some more money IF the school district OK's an additional 11 year TIF for the city. So that means, they are going to keep money that should be paid to the district, and than give some of it as A GIFT!!!! Come on, that's not even funny, it is pathetic.
I hope the people in Wenona, who largely appear to be nice enough folks, start digging into what is going on in their city hall. An additional 11 years after 23 years of TIF is not going to make Wenona beloved to the district.
If people check the two links provided in your editorial, they will learn the city may have to consider issuing bonds.

Thanks for helping get the facts out. Now , can we find out WHY there is a need for a new school?

Martha Owens


Volleyball team beats Monmouth

The Volleyball team beat Monmouth (United) in 3 games tonight.

25-22
15-25
25-19

They will play Orion on Thursday, Nov. 5 @ 6:00pm at Knoxville H.S. for the Sectional Championship.

Sean W. Poston
Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
Fieldcrest High School

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More replies on Fieldcrest building

Renee Williams: This whole statement and comments are rude in general... We are all part of this, it effects all of our children.. A new school in any of the towns will be nice for our children.. It will have heat and air conditioning in the entire building.. Plus reunite everyone. I believe it should be in a central location like Rutland but regardless that is not the most important thing... The towns can not turn against each other now.. What does that solve? The most important thing is that our children receive the education they can, they are cared for, and comfortable in thier atmosphere... Regardless of where the school is. Let's focus on what's important. The future of our kids.

Cody Weber: First off, Martha Owens...you're the reason why this district is failing. Not to mention you sound like an ignorant, ill-informed and small-minded individual stuck in the 90's. You're too busy treating each town as its own to realize this is for the betterment of the school district and all the children in it. It's a consolidation for a reason, that's why it wasn't called a segregation.
Quick math lesson (not using common core wink emoticon ):
In 1992, this TIF was estimated to cost the school district $100,000 annually in tax revenue.
2015-1992 = 23 years 23 x $100,000 = $2,300,000 Fast forward to 2003 and the school was losing around $83,000 annually if you include the state entitled 3% tax benefit.
That means conservatively speaking, 65% of the taxes that were lost over the past 23 years are being pledged back in to the district to help build a new, safe and technologically advanced building to help being Fieldcrest back to prominence.
Oh, and people do realize Toluca has been a TIF district since 2008, right?

Cody Weber: All this said, I wouldn't make a single deal or vote in favor of any referendums if I lived in these communities UNLESS the TIF tags were lifted from any community in the district and I would write a clause to disallow TIF eligibility while being part of the Fieldcrest School District.

Ashley Grant: I can't even believe what I just read! Regardless of what happens, this is a good example of how NOT to let our children talk to each other or behave. Would these kids seriously think of each other as rivals if it weren't for the parents holding on TO THE 90s?! If they do build a new school, it can only improve the environment for the children, which is what the issue should be about here.

Rebecca Caldwell: Wow. So apparently some people get mad when other people come together to try and come up with solutions and help out. Thanks Wenona, for trying to help. It's pretty sad that the offer has resulted in name calling. Sorry some guy didn't think we were "nice" back in the 90s. I don't want to see a new school built either, but it's not my decision to make. And if a new school is built, it would make sense to be in a central location, which the proposed site is, halfway between Toluca and Wenona.

Lora Middleton: Amen to that! I couldn't believe what I was even reading! Wenona should be separated?! Wenona should just have its own district because they're "not nice"?! It's one thing to not agree with this new building, but to throw a childish temper tantrum arguing who's nicer than who... Stay classy friends!

Logan Robert Park: Just so you know this minonkian likes you Wenona folk

Erin Breyne: Funny how when we consolidated, one school had to be financially stable. That school was Wenona. We had offers to consolidate with Lostant but turned that down. A school and churches are the heart of a small town. These places make the town survive and bring joy. To take that away is, in my opinion, insane.

Amanda Greenland: I think the tif was the problem right from the start. Since one town hasn't been contributing , it makes people feel that it's not "one". I agree that we have to get along and bullying is certainly not the answer. Some of my best friends came from wenona! Hopefully everyone can move past the lack of tax money from wenona and come up with a solution.

Jessica Lindley Ward: Some people just run their mouths just because they can. Wenona is the same as any other. I never felt people were not nice. Some of the nicest people I've ever known and loved are from there.

Tina Dunning: Well said Amanda Greenland! The TIF's, in my opinion, feel like a slap in the face to the rest of the communities. I have absolutely no problem with anyone from Wenona! I really like a lot of people from there and it is a very nice town. I usually go to church there. I just want the decision to be financially smart in all aspects and areas!!! I love you Erin Breyne, and am not saying anything bad to you or about you, but I believe in fact that MDR was in the black at the beginning of the consolidation. That doesn't matter at this point. In my opinion, they should've built a brand new school, K-12, right at the beginning of consolidation. Then maybe we wouldn't be having as many issues.

Rebecca Caldwell: So, some people are upset that Wenona has a TIF district because they perceive it as Wenona is not contributing to the school district. Minonk and Toluca also have TIF districts. As do many other towns in Illinois, because without them there would be no chance for growth. So why then are they still mad when Wenona offers to give their money from the TIF to the school district? Doesn't make much sense to me...

Pam Carlson Testin: WOW! I can't even begin to comment on the rudeness of this statement

Carol Spangler: I think the author of this lovely article needs a "time out" she definitely has issues.

Peggy Clydesdale: I remember when I was a senior in high school in 1992 they put a quote of mine in the paper about how the biggest problem with the attempts to consolidate had been overcoming the parents' petty fighting over ridiculous high school rivalries that they wouldn't let die. Looks like lots has changed! Haahaha

Darold Gazza: How many have asked what could we have done better how could we not do the mistakes we did financially? The Whole rivalry thing is over has been we as the original classmates of Fieldcrest put it past us and made friends. The financial future was supposed to be okay but time and government has drastically changed that.What about bonds that were left for the schools and why doesn't the school ask for volunteers from parents or others in community we have a lot of talented people and i am sure local businesses would contribute if buildings need repair.

Chad Scott Hill: I still can't get used to the name Fieldcrest, it will always be M-D-R to me.

Tim Ioerger: Time for 2 new schools and be done with it... Marshall county east & Marshall county west. Lacon needs a new school to,so Build county schools and do away with the small town crap... Woodford Co can do the same.

Building renovation/construction project information

For those interested in reading further, information regarding the Fieldcrest CUSD 6 building renovation/construction project is available at http://www.fieldcrest.k12.il.us/district.cfm?subpage=2018350.Further questions can be addressed to doakley@fieldcrest.k12.il.us. Questions and answers will then be incorporated into the web page.

Dr. Daniel L. Oakley, Superintendent
Fieldcrest Community Unit School District 6

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