McHenry Times

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to Nippersink School District 2 on January 28, 2025. The request, made by the McHenry Times, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, seeks copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contain the keywords "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study."

As journalists at McHenry Times, we believe in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Access to these records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. Given our role in disseminating information, we have requested a fee waiver as media professionals.

This request comes amid ongoing scrutiny of educational practices and policies across Illinois. According to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, while the state average administrative salary was $116,908. The average student-to-administrative ratio stands at 141:1, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1. Interestingly, 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

The keywords mentioned in our FOIA request - "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study" - are likely related to educational programs or curricula used within the district. We look forward to sharing more information with our readers as we receive responses from Nippersink School District 2 regarding this request.