Tag Archives: Laura Petelle

Peoria Public Schools

District 150 disputes press release from Rev. Watson

38 Comments

After I posted the press release from Rev. Raymond E. Watson, Jr., I was received some e-mail messages disputing the accusations made. So I made some inquiries. School Board member Laura Petelle stated, “Contrary to what this press release claims, I have not been contacted by this group or any individual claiming to be connected to it, though I realized people sometimes misspell my last name when attempting to e-mail me. However, I attempted to contact them after receiving this press release and they have not returned my attempts at contact.”

In addition, I requested an official response from District 150 through Stacey Shangraw, who referred me to the new FOIA officer. My e-mail to the new FOIA officer wasn’t acknowledged, but Petelle forwarded me this e-mail from Superintendent Lathan (with Lathan’s permission). She also forwarded the e-mail to Billy Dennis (Peoria Pundit) and Emerge Peoria.

Board Members,

In response to Reverend Watson’s “press release” here are the actual facts about PHS. To my knowledge, only one blogger has inquired about the press release.

1) All principals and Central Office administrators in the District, who were not already on multi-year contracts, have been offered one-year contracts. There were no exceptions. Any ongoing multi-year contracts prior to my arrival must be honored. New principals were offered multi-year contracts.

2) Textbooks are an ongoing issue throughout our District. Several years ago, we evaluated our textbook process as a Six-Sigma project. We improved the process, but our high student mobility rate is an issue. To correct his letter, the first Peoria High textbook request sent to the warehouse was dated August 19, not August 1. The warehouse has filled all of the received textbook requisitions that are able to be filled.

3) There are only two plumbing work orders outstanding for PHS. A Sept. 30 work order for a leaking drinking fountain and an Oct. 5 work order for two toilets – one fills slowly and the other has a broken flush handle. A nearby plumbing service would need to be contacted.

4) I am developing a schedule to meet with all parent groups to introduce myself and allow time for Q&A.

5) We have been working collaboratively with the City to address the after school safety issues :

a) The posting of new signs on North Street indicating “No Stopping or Standing” and indicating no left turn onto North Street between the hours of 2:00 & 4:00 PM Monday through Friday.

b) Requesting support from the Parking Enforcement Division to assist in the enforcement of parking violations.

c) The installation of gates that will prevent vehicles from exiting designated entrance / exits.

d) The moving of the public bus stop form Richmond/North to Nebraska/North

e) The purchase of video cameras to tape student dismissal and after school activities.

f) Conduct school assemblies at all high schools regarding sidewalk safety.

Grenita F. Lathan, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Peoria Public Schools
3202 N. Wisconsin Avenue
Peoria, IL 61603

2010 Election, Blogosphere, General News, Museum Block, Peoria County, Peoria Public Schools, Peoria Times-Observer

Saturday must-see links

Leave a comment

If you haven’t already seen these this week, you’ll want to check them out:

  • Outside the Horseshoe for January 26, 2010, from WCBU 89.9 FM radio. Tanya Koonce has a conversation with Peoria County Administrator Patrick Urich, Peoria County State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons, and County Board Members Andrew Rand (Dist. 4) and Stephen Morris (Dist. 10) about the proposed Peoria Riverfront Museum project. What we can deduce from the conversation here is that, at least in the county’s perception, Lakeview Museum is trying to dominate and control the project. I suspect their perception is true; Caterpillar had similar problems working with Lakeview which led to their decision years ago to put their visitor center in a separate building instead of sharing space in the museum.

  • Blacktop Reform from DeWayne Bartels of the Peoria Times-Observer. You may be surprised to learn that the next time you want to get your driveway blacktopped, you’ll have to pay a lot more money and have fewer contractors from which to choose. The County Board is trying to run non-union blacktop paving contractors out of town. Let this be a lesson to current and future Board members: do your homework before you vote!

  • School Board Member Laura Petelle’s thoughts on the final candidate for District 150’s New Superintendent. She wants to assure everyone that the process this time was “far different and more comprehensive” than the past. In other words, they did a better job of vetting the candidates than the board that hired Kay Royster did. That should give residents some comfort.

  • Racism alleged within the Peoria County Democratic Central Committee. Rachael Parker is a sitting Peoria Board of Education member running for a seat on the Peoria County Board, and her campaign manager and communications director sent out a press release accusing local Democrats of being racist. They also questioned why the Peoria Journal Star did not interview Parker. I’m wondering how the Journal Star got a quote from Parker for their January 15 story if they didn’t interview her.

Happy reading/listening!

2009 Campaign, Peoria Public Schools

News release: Petelle running for school board

5 Comments

From a news release:

Petelle Announces for District 150 School Board

Peoria – Laura Petelle formally announced her candidacy for the District 3 seat on the District 150 School Board today.

“As a professor at Illinois Central College, I get District 150 students in my classroom all the time,” Petelle said. “We have great students. They deserve a great school district. District 150 should be a first choice, not a last resort.”

Laura Petelle, 30, works as an attorney in private practice in Peoria and as an Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Illinois Central College, teaching classes including philosophy and ethics.

“The school board term is five years. My baby will start kindergarten in five years. I’m very motivated to improve the District in that time,” Petelle said.

Petelle graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana (BA, 2000); she then went to Duke University in North Carolina where she earned a law degree (JD, 2004) and a Masters in Theological Studies (MTS, 2004). She is a member of the Junior League of Peoria, where she volunteers on the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum committee. Petelle serves on the community board of the University of Illinois Extension – Peoria County. She is married to Garth Madison, a litigator with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP; they are expecting their first child in late May. Petelle and Madison are members of the Biltmore Heights Neighborhood Association and of St. Philomena’s.

The District 3 seat is currently held by Mary Spangler, who will not be running. District 3 encompasses most of the city of Peoria north of Forest Hill Avenue. The election will be April 7, 2009.

Petelle also writes a local blog under the name Eyebrows McGee.