WELCOME BACK
I am pleased to report that the 2017 – 2018 school year is off and running! The staff and students have done a remarkable job transitioning to a new year, and we are excited for all the possibilities that lie ahead. The staff and I thank you for choosing Limestone Walters and trusting us with your children each and every day. We promise to provide an outstanding educational experience for all students, and welcome the involvement of parents. At Limestone Walters we are committed to providing the best possible opportunities, and with the help and support of our parents, we are able to do just that.
BUILDING UPDATES
Probably one of the most desired building upgrades in many years this summer has been the addition of air conditioning in all of our classrooms. Last fall the Board had indicated that should the Peoria County Facility Sales Tax pass, they would immediately explore the possibility of air conditioning the building and look to lower the tax rate. The CFST did pass and as promised, air conditioning was installed and the tax rate was lowered by nearly 12 cents. There are still areas in the building that are not air conditioned such as the gym, the hallways, and the kitchen area that we hope to phase in over time. Our first disbursement of the CFST funds is supposed to arrive this month. Before committing to other projects, the Board wants to monitor what those CFST funds may generate in a given year. We are extremely grateful to the taxpayers of Peoria County for providing additional revenue to our school for building projects that will benefit students for years to come!
TRANSPORTATION SAVINGS
With the help of our friends at Oak Grove, we have been able to save additional transportation funds by sharing two of our routes with them. The state finally has a budget in place that hopefully will assist with the backlog of payments, and transportation has been part of that backlog. However, despite the state backlog we have been able to lessen the burden of transportation costs by sharing services with Oak Grove.
TEACHER EASE & TECHNOLOGY
We have rolled out a new student information system, Teacher Ease. The new system is more user friendly, and also allows for lunch and other fees to be paid online. However, parents still have the option to make payments by cash or check if they prefer not to absorb the convenience fee. In addition to Teacher Ease, we have upgraded our technology infrastructure, added some classroom sets of Ipads, and replaced some outdated smart boards. We are able to make these additional purchases by using our lease levy and our federal REAP grant.
We are looking forward to a great year and can’t wait to see what all of our students will achieve this year!
You are always welcome to contact me at any time. Remember that the greatest gift you can give your children is your time.
Sincerely,
Tim Dotson, Superintendent
I am pleased to report that the 2017 – 2018 school year is off and running! The staff and students have done a remarkable job transitioning to a new year, and we are excited for all the possibilities that lie ahead. The staff and I thank you for choosing Limestone Walters and trusting us with your children each and every day. We promise to provide an outstanding educational experience for all students, and welcome the involvement of parents. At Limestone Walters we are committed to providing the best possible opportunities, and with the help and support of our parents, we are able to do just that.
BUILDING UPDATES
Probably one of the most desired building upgrades in many years this summer has been the addition of air conditioning in all of our classrooms. Last fall the Board had indicated that should the Peoria County Facility Sales Tax pass, they would immediately explore the possibility of air conditioning the building and look to lower the tax rate. The CFST did pass and as promised, air conditioning was installed and the tax rate was lowered by nearly 12 cents. There are still areas in the building that are not air conditioned such as the gym, the hallways, and the kitchen area that we hope to phase in over time. Our first disbursement of the CFST funds is supposed to arrive this month. Before committing to other projects, the Board wants to monitor what those CFST funds may generate in a given year. We are extremely grateful to the taxpayers of Peoria County for providing additional revenue to our school for building projects that will benefit students for years to come!
TRANSPORTATION SAVINGS
With the help of our friends at Oak Grove, we have been able to save additional transportation funds by sharing two of our routes with them. The state finally has a budget in place that hopefully will assist with the backlog of payments, and transportation has been part of that backlog. However, despite the state backlog we have been able to lessen the burden of transportation costs by sharing services with Oak Grove.
TEACHER EASE & TECHNOLOGY
We have rolled out a new student information system, Teacher Ease. The new system is more user friendly, and also allows for lunch and other fees to be paid online. However, parents still have the option to make payments by cash or check if they prefer not to absorb the convenience fee. In addition to Teacher Ease, we have upgraded our technology infrastructure, added some classroom sets of Ipads, and replaced some outdated smart boards. We are able to make these additional purchases by using our lease levy and our federal REAP grant.
We are looking forward to a great year and can’t wait to see what all of our students will achieve this year!
You are always welcome to contact me at any time. Remember that the greatest gift you can give your children is your time.
Sincerely,
Tim Dotson, Superintendent