Grade School Tax Rates

Cary Grade School 26 Board President Scott Coffey, inspired by the paraprofessionals’ demonstration in McHenry Tuesday, racked up the tax rates for all McHenry County elementary schools. I think his research is worth sharing more broadly: D-15 has the 2nd … Continue reading

McHenry Grade School 15 Paraprofessionals: “Poverty wages have got to go. Hey hey, Ho ho”

A Friend of McHenry County Blog sent a couple of photos of the McHenry Grade School District paraprofessionals rally. The chant was, “Poverty wages have got to go. Hey hey, Ho ho.” The current salary schedule can be seen below: … Continue reading

McHenry Grade School District Fails to Respond to Open Meetings Complaint

McHenry Elementary School District 15 met behind closed doors in a manner which member Erik Sivertsen deemed inappropriate. He filed a complaint with the Public Access Division of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. The AG’s Office asked for a responsea … Continue reading

Attorney General Probing Erik Sivertsen Complaint about His McHenry Grade School Board Violating the Open Meetings Act

Here’s Assistant Attorney General Matt Hartman reacting to McHenry Elementary School Board member Erik Sivertsen’s complaint about his board’s having held an illegal secret meeting: Ms. Kimbely Qualls President McHenry Elementary School District 15 1011 North Green Street McHenry, Illinois … Continue reading

Taxpayer Candidates for McHenry Grade School Board Holding Corkscrew Pointe Fundraiser Thursday Night

An announcement about a fundraiser Thursday night for the team of candidates seeking to lower McHenry Grade School District 15 taxes: “We want to lower your taxes vote the lower half of the candidates (appearing third and forth on the … Continue reading

McHenry Grade School District 15 Candidates’ Challenge Teachers’ Slate

Through a combination of resignations and terms ending, there are six spots up for election on the McHenry Grade School Board. Those dedicated to cutting taxes have issued the following palm card: The District 15 ballot looks like this: … Continue reading

Wheeler Reports

The end of session report from State Rep. Barbara Wheeler: The Wheeler 64 Report: July 1, 2016 New FY17 Spending Bills will Enable Full K-12 School Operations for Entire School Year The General Assembly took action on June 30 to … Continue reading

Comparing School Tax Totals – 2015 and 2016 Collections

Schools are the tax districts that take most money in every part of McHenry County. Below is a comparison of what was levied last year for collection this year and what was asked for the year before. Thanks again to … Continue reading

McHenry Grade School Member Alerts Public of Expensive Tuesday Meeting

A message from McHenry Grade School Board member Eric Sivertsen: On Tuesday night at 7:15 District 15 will be holding a public hearing at the district office on Green St. The plan is to transfer $6.5 million from the Transportation … Continue reading

Looking at More School Debt Information

Taken from bond documents by bond analyst Steve Willson is the following information: … Continue reading

Anomaly in County Clerk’s Precinct Results, List of GOP Committeemen

Take a look at the Republican Precinct Committeeman results in McHenry 29. The vote totals show McHenry Elementary School Board member Erik Sivertsen winning over McHenry Township Clerk Marsha Nelson by one vote Now look at the list of Republican … Continue reading

Sivertsen Comments on Fabrik Subsidy Request

McHenry Grade School District 15 Board member Erik Sivertsen commented recently on the subsidy that Fabrik requested.  It follows: The [property tax] abatement proposal was on the agenda for one of the D15 meetings. The committee that had placed it there, … Continue reading

Local School Finances – How to Probe

Crack researcher Susan Handelsmann of rural Woodstock has put together a “how to” piece about figuring out what your school board has done with school finances. It is presented below for McHenry Grade School District 15, but can be adapted … Continue reading

The School Employees on the McHenry Grade School Board

Another article tomorrow tells of an effort in Kansas to find out the relationships of school board members to family members with jobs in their school districts and members who have jobs in other school districts. Under the article about Paul … Continue reading

McHenry Grade School District Board Picks Man Betty Davis Beat to Replace John O’Neill

When long-time incumbent John O’Neill resigned from the McHenry Elementary School District the Board had to replace him with an appointee. Tonight, Paul Santopadre, the incumbent who lost to Betty Davis, O’Neill and Mike Hettermann in the last election, was selected in a … Continue reading

McHenry Grade School Seeks Replacement for John O’Neill

The resignation of John O’Neill from the McHenry Grade School Board opens up an opportunity for someone else to step up and serve. The District 15 School Board has issued the following directions for doing so: McHENRY –  The deadline for … Continue reading

John O’Neill Resigns from McHenry Grade School Board

John O’Neill, the first home school parent to be elected to a McHenry County school board, has resigned from the McHenry Grade School Board. O’Neill told McHenry County Blog that he is “resigning due to a relocation of his family.” … Continue reading

Teacher Salary Spikes

The Chicago Tribune’s Education superb Reporter Diane Rado has examined the cost to local taxpayers of school boards that increased teachers’ salaries more than allowed by law just before they retired.  Her main article can be found here. Reported in … Continue reading