On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Hamilton Community Consolidated School District 328. The request was made by the Lake County Gazette, a media organization committed to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request specifically sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". The intention behind this request is to provide transparency to the public regarding these specific topics within the school district.
As a media organization, we at Lake County Gazette are involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
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. Interestingly, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.
We await a response from Hamilton Community Consolidated School District 328 regarding our FOIA request. We remain committed to providing our readers with transparent and comprehensive coverage of local government affairs.
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