Over 70 people jammed the Fieldcrest band room to attend the Fieldcrest Board of Education
meeting Thursday night. Rumors were rife throughout the community that the board was going
to announce the closing of Fieldcrest South Elementary despite the denial by Fieldcrest
Superintendent Dr. Stagliano in a letter to this website.
Board president Jeff Pickard told the crowd that the rumor that Fieldcrest South will be closing
stops right here at his desk. He said there has been no discussion on that subject and that the
rumor is unfounded. Nevertheless, 3 parents addressed the board to voice their concerns over the
possible closing of Fieldcrest South and also over the possibility of Draconian cuts coming down the pike.
Kim Sullivan from Minonk told the board that she didn't want to see her children split apart from
their classmates and be transferred to another building in the district. She said that she wants
the district to become truly unified by allowing children to remain together with their classmates
throughout their educational career.
Fieldcrest teacher and parent Debbie Klendworth told the board that cutting personnel will result in
class sizes of 30 or more students. She said this will severely impair the education of the students.
She told the board that if large class sizes are necessary, it will be less harmful to have bigger class sizes in the upper grades rather than
the lower grades where students are more dependent on the teacher. She suggested combining the two middle
schools instead of cutting staff in order to save money. She also was concerned about the lower grades
losing PE and music.
Paula Weisenhofer of Minonk also voiced her concerns over large class sizes that will result from
cutting staff.
Board president Pickard told the crowd no cuts will be announced that evening. He said cuts will
be announced at the next board meeting on March 18. Pickard said that board has no alternative other
than to make the cuts since the public has already indicated by a 3 to 1 margin in the last referendum
that increased taxes is not an alternative. He said these cuts will hurt our education. The board is
looking at class balancing in K thru 8, cutting back on subjects and transportation. He
said that we have to get Springfield to understand that the funding crisis is real and is hurting our
communities. He concluded by saying that the board is going to be upfront about everything. They will
not be pulling the wool over anyone's eyes.
In other news, Superintendent Stagliano said that the Fieldcrest dance team has advanced to the Super-sectionals.
The board authorized the transferring of $750,000 from working cash to the education fund. Stagliano said
that the money will be gone by the end of May.
