Lake County Gazette

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to North Palos School District 117 regarding copies of all emails and memos from the past year containing specific keywords. The request was made on January 28, 2025.

The FOIA request, submitted by the Lake County Gazette, a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, asked for records that contain the keywords “Lucy Calkins” and “Units of Study”. The requester believes that access to these public records is crucial for fulfilling their professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.

The Lake County Gazette has requested these documents in an electronic format and has also requested a fee waiver as a media professional. The organization is awaiting a response from North Palos School District 117.

Dr. Tom Kostes President of North Palos School District 117 | Official Website

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 noteworthy that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

As we continue our mission at Lake County Gazette to provide comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs, we believe this information will be vital in our ongoing efforts to hold public institutions accountable and ensure transparency for our readers.