Lake County Gazette

Superintendent Chris Spencer has announced the continuation of "Coffee with the Superintendent," a quarterly program aimed at providing information on Coal City School District programs and operations. The initiative, started in fall 2024, is designed to keep families and community members informed about topics relevant to the district.

The sessions for the current school year are scheduled for September 19, November 14, February 20, and April 24. Each meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the Board Room of the District Administration Center. In addition to these coffees, Superintendent Spencer will also host three Town Hall Meetings on October 28, March 18, and May 13 at Coal City High School starting at 7 p.m.

Coal City School District residents are encouraged to attend one or more of these sessions throughout the school year.

The Coal City Community Unit School District 1 serves both Grundy and Will counties and includes several schools: Coal City Early Childhood Center, Coal City Elementary School, Coal City High School, Coal City Intermediate School, and Coal City Middle School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, there are 153 teachers in the district with an average salary of $69,297 before pension contributions; women make up nearly 78 percent of this workforce. Notably, no teachers have reported more than ten absences in a school year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Demographically, students in the district are predominantly White (86.9 percent), with Hispanic students making up nearly ten percent; Black and Asian students each account for less than one percent (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In terms of finances, spending per student was $21,619 in 2020 for a total expenditure of over $47 million that year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Superintendent Spencer stated: "Coffee with the Superintendent is a quarterly program that serves to provide information on Coal City School District programs and operations, and keep the public updated on topics of interest and importance."