A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Big Hollow Middle School in Illinois on January 28, 2025. The request, sent by the Lake County Gazette, seeks access to all emails and memos from the past year that contain specific keywords.
The terms "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study" were identified as the keywords of interest. Lucy Calkins is a well-known figure in the field of education, particularly for her work in developing comprehensive English Language Arts curricula. The term "Units of Study" often refers to these curricula.
As representatives of the Lake County Gazette, we believe that access to these public records is crucial for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we have requested a fee waiver as media professionals.
In relation to this story, it's worth noting some statistics about education in Illinois. According to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, and the state average Administrative Salary was $116,908. The average student-to-administrative ratio is 141:1, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1. Furthermore, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
This FOIA request represents our ongoing commitment at Lake County Gazette to provide comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs. We await a response from Big Hollow Middle School regarding our request for information.
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