Lake County Gazette

The Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 is addressing concerns about water quality in its schools, Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich announced on October 10, 2025. The district is working with J.S. Held, LLC to collect water samples from various locations within each school building. Once the testing results are available, the company will recommend and install filtration systems tailored to each facility. The timeline for this process spans several weeks and follows recommendations from the City of Collinsville issued on September 24.

"We understand that concerns about water quality in our schools and communities have been on everyone’s minds recently. Please know that the district takes this very seriously and is committed to ensuring a safe environment for all students and staff," Skertich said.

He added, "From the start of sampling to the installation of the final filtration system, this process will take several weeks, and every step is being carefully planned to address the recommendations provided by the City of Collinsville on September 24th. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions regarding this matter."

The district covers Madison and St. Clair counties and includes multiple schools such as Caseyville Elementary School, Collinsville High School, Collinsville Middle School, Dorris Intermediate School, Jefferson Elementary School, John A. Renfro Elementary School, Kreitner Elementary School, Maryville Elementary School, Summit Elementary School, Twin Echo Elementary School, and Webster Elementary School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

In addition to updates on water safety measures, Dr. Skertich reminded families of upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences scheduled for Thursday, October 30 from noon until 8:00 p.m., and Friday, October 31 from 7:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

"Parent/Teacher Conferences are right around the corner. Please schedule a time to discuss your child’s progress, both academically and socially... It is important to connect with teachers to discuss your child’s progress so far this school year. Simply put, we want to see you!" Skertich said.

Collinsville High School's Homecoming events will begin next week with activities organized by the CHS Student Council. Featured events include Mr. Homecoming on Wednesday, October 15 at 7:00 p.m., the Homecoming Parade on Thursday, October 16 at 4:30 p.m., and the Homecoming Football Game on Friday, October 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Finally, there will be no school on Monday, October 13 in observance of Columbus Day.

Dr. Skertich concluded his message by expressing appreciation for families' support: "We look forward to working together to support your student’s academic, social and personal growth now and in the future. Thank you for your constant dedication to our students. Don’t forget to wear your purple and show your Kahok pride!"

According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 employs 418 teachers with an average salary of $60,392; 81 percent are women and 19 percent are men. No teacher has more than ten absences in a school year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district's student population is composed of 56 percent White students, 14.1 percent Black students, 24.1 percent Hispanic students, and 0.5 percent Asian students (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, per-student spending was $16,872, totaling $104 million for the district (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).