Lake County Gazette

On January 28, 2025, we at the Lake County Gazette submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Hawthorn Community Consolidated School District 73. The request was specifically for copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study."

As a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, access to these public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.

We believe that as members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.

Hawthorn Community Consolidated School District 73 Principal Dr. Peter Hannigan (2023) | Hawthorn Community Consolidated School District 73

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. It's also worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

The requested documents will help shed light on how these statistics translate into day-to-day operations within schools like those in Hawthorn Community Consolidated School District 73. It will also provide insights into how key educational concepts such as "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study" are being discussed and implemented within this district.

We await their response with keen interest.