Lake County Gazette

On January 28, 2025, we at the Lake County Gazette submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Emmons School District 33. The request pertains to all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study".

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

We requested these documents in electronic format under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. As members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we have also requested a fee waiver for this service.

According to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, while 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, over half (58%) of teachers in Illinois hold a master's degree or higher.

We are committed to ensuring transparency in our local institutions and will continue to provide updates as we receive more information from Emmons School District 33 regarding this FOIA request.