Board Votes on Staffing Decisions

March 24, 2025

Dear District #7 community,  

At last night's Board of Education meeting, the difficult decision to dismiss and not renew the employment of 16 certified non-tenured probationary teachers was made. This decision was not made lightly and reflects the district’s commitment to financial efficiency.  

Some of the dismissed probationary teachers' positions will be filled by existing employees who will be reassigned. There are no planned reductions to any programs, including those in special education, or high school programs such as agriculture/FFA. Additionally, we remain committed to maintaining appropriate class sizes to support student learning. Our goal is to ensure each program remains sustainable within our available revenue sources. 

Each year, District #7 evaluates staffing based on student enrollment and available resources to the District, which come from various revenue sources that collectively make up the Education Fund. The Education Fund supports essential areas, including, but not limited to, salaries, curriculum materials, special education services, food service, and technology software/hardware. Unfortunately, a number of factors leading to increases in costs of contracted services and supplies have impacted the Education Fund, and it is not sustainable long-term.  

We remain mindful of the resources available to the district and are committed to being responsible stewards of those resources. As part of this responsibility, we must ensure that District #7 continues to operate efficiently. District #7 is financially healthy today and we need to ensure that we continue to maintain that financial health.  

Throughout this difficult process, our unwavering priority has been – and always will be – our students. We remain fully committed to maintaining the strength of our educational programs and ensuring that every child continues to receive the high-quality learning experience they deserve. 

Sincerely,  
Patrick Shelton, Ed.D.
Superintendent