Dr. Donn Mendoza, Superintendent at Round Lake Community Unit School District 116 | rlas-116.org
Dr. Donn Mendoza, Superintendent at Round Lake Community Unit School District 116 | rlas-116.org
Round Lake Area Schools Community Unit School District 116 (RLAS-116) has reaffirmed its commitment to student and staff safety amid recent reports of immigration enforcement activity in the Round Lake area. The district stated that no immigration enforcement agents have entered any schools or district properties, and all schools are operating on a normal schedule.
Superintendent Donn P. Mendoza addressed families in a letter, emphasizing that protocols adopted by the Board of Education in February 2025 remain active. He noted that state law does not permit school districts to change instructional delivery methods, such as switching to an E-Learning model, in response to immigration enforcement actions.
"Our district has clear, legally reviewed procedures for responding to any requests involving student interviews or records," Mendoza wrote.
The superintendent also referenced a federal policy change earlier this year: "As a reminder, in January 2025 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded its long-standing policy restricting immigration enforcement in 'protected areas' such as schools, churches, and healthcare facilities. While this change broadened where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may act, it did not expand ICE’s legal authority."
Mendoza acknowledged community concerns about these developments and highlighted support available through Mano a Mano Family Resource Center for families seeking assistance with immigration-related matters. He encouraged those needing additional help to access behavioral and mental health resources listed on the district's website.
According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, Round Lake Community Unit School District 116 includes several schools serving Lake County—such as Indian Hill Elementary School, Magee Middle School, Raymond Ellis Elementary School, Round Lake Senior High School, among others (source). The district employs over 500 teachers with an average salary of $69,620; more than 70 percent are women (source). The student population is predominantly Hispanic at nearly 78 percent (source), and per-student spending was $24,469 in 2020 (source).
"As always, RLAS-116 remains focused on providing a safe, supportive and inclusive educational environment for every student," Mendoza said.
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