The Jacksonville School District #117 Board has made a decision to close North School.

We wish that all the schools in the district remain open and do not wish to see any school in the district closed. North school provides a quality education to our students who in the near future will be the leaders and contributors of our community. Outlined below are a few of the reasons why North School should remain open:

Academic Success, Programs and Initiatives

1. North School is one of the five elementary schools in Jacksonville School District #117 that has made Adequate Yearly Progress for 2010.
2. North School has met or exceeded the requirements and specifications of Adequate Yearly Progress under the No Child Left Behind Act every year even as the benchmarks for this requirement increase every year.
3. North School has consistently been honored with the Spotlight Award on the State Honor Roll. The Spotlight Award honors high poverty, high performing schools where at least 50% of the students are classified as low-income and at least 70% met or exceeded the standards of the state reading and mathematics tests. All Spotlight Schools made annual progress and sustained their performance over the past three years.
4. North School’s Business Partnership with Kiwanis continues to be highlighted by the Chamber of Commerce as a wonderful example.
5. North School was the first school to pilot three new practices that are now district wide initiatives: NWEA MAP testing, Student-Led Conferences, and Quality Tools. North School has presented Student-Led Conferences and Quality Tools at regional, state, national and international conferences.
6. North was also the first school in the district to bring focus groups (originally called Indian Time at North), Multi-age classrooms with our differentiated class, and Parent Academics into practice. These practices are now being utilized at other schools within the school district.
7. North School piloted Girls on the Run in September 2010. The Girls on the Run program is a life-changing, experiential learning programs for girls age eight to thirteen years old. The Girls on the Run program inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.
8. North School is currently working on a technology integration project and is researching the one on one initiative for student laptops.

School Building and Facilities
 
1. North School is in fine working order and has been rated one of the best facilities in the school district by the District 117 School Board and the Vision Committee.
2. North School’s 1994 addition is the newest in the school district.
3. During the 2010-2011 School Year nine new windows were installed on the east side of the building. The installation came in under the $40,000 budgeted amount.
4. Roof repairs to North School in recent years have made the school leak free.
5. North School meets the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and passes ADA inspections each year.
6. The Bound to Stay Bound Literacy Program has revamped North School’s library making it the most up to date library in the district. Bound to Stay Bound had a photo shoot at North School’s library with North School students last Spring for promotional material.
7. North School’s boiler and septic systems are working just fine.

By signing this petition we, the undersigned, want the Jacksonville School Board, Administration and the Community of District #117 to know that we OPPOSE the School Board’s decision to close North School and we respectfully ask the School Board to reconsider their decision.