Last year was a banner one for Wethersfield CUSD #230.
The high school received its first exemplary designation from the Illinois State Board of Education, the highest performance rating a public school can receive from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on the annual state report card.
Schools are judged on academic proficiency, student growth in math and English/language arts, science assessment results, graduation rate and attendance or chronic absenteeism. Wethersfield has a current graduation rate of 97%, according to the ISBE website.
In addition, this year’s senior class produced five Illinois State Scholars, out of a class of 33 who placed them in the top 10% of all graduates in the state based on ACT scores, GPA and class rank.
This school year, the district hopes to continue, and hopefully improve on that record with a school improvement plan and goals outlined by Elementary Principal Kyle Dennison, Junior/Senior High School Principal Tyler Nichols and Instructional Coach Dawn Newman at the September meeting of the Wethersfield Board of Education.
Dennison presented plans and goals targeting improvement in math and reading in the elementary grades.
In the junior and senior high schools, Nichols and Newman presented a plan by which the junior/senior high will implement a school-wide problem-solving framework to improve student’s ability to read and interpret complex tasks, analyze evidence and data, select appropriate strategies, explain their reasoning and evaluate their conclusions.
Progress will be measured through improvements in math, science and reading and other areas. Measurable targets are set and include helping students see how problem solving applies beyond school.
After a brief public hearing, the board adopted the budget for the 2027 fiscal year (FY27) as presented by Superintendent Kurtis Smyth.
The budget includes an expenditure of $5,925,732 in the education fund, $509,600 in operations and maintenance and $465,781 in transportation.
Smyth said two factors will impact the transportation fund, lagging state reimbursement payments and a reduction in the number of students being transported daily by district personnel and vehicles to distant out-of-district locations for special education classes which will now be provided at Wings Academy.
Board president Steve Newman said Wings Academy, which recently opened in the former American Legion building on Railroad Avenue, will be taking at least 28 Wethersfield students, and possibly more, “off the road,” which will reduce transportation costs.
The budget estimates the total fund balance at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2027, to be $6,645,048 with all funds in the black. The balance on hand at the beginning of the previous fiscal year, which ended on July 1, 2026, was $6,475,648.
The board may consider amendments to the budget during the fiscal year.
