Coal City Courant

Unit 1 takes first steps in superintendent search

Published by admin on Tue, 08/18/2020 - 5:10pm

The Unit 1 Board of Education is taking the first steps in the search for a new school leader.
In June 2017, Dr. Kent Bugg informed the Unit 1 Board of Education of his intent to retire on June 30, 2022—the final day of the district’s fiscal year.
On the date of his retirement, Bugg will have served 33 years in public education, 17 as superintendent of Unit 1 Schools.
In announcing his plan for retirement, Bugg said next to being a father to his two girls—Mackenzie and Megan—serving as the leader of the Unit 1 school district has been the greatest honor of his life.

Patience, flexibility, understanding to guide new school year

Published by admin on Tue, 08/18/2020 - 5:09pm

School is officially back in session, however the learning spaces look a bit different this year.
Some students are back in the classrooms they left five months ago, and others will complete their daily lessons at kitchen tables and makeshift home classrooms. The one common thread is that students will be receiving the same education be it in a school building or from home.
As the 2020-2021 academic year gets underway in the midst of a global health pandemic, the Unit 1 School District has put a plan in place to ensure student success.

It’s time to head back to class

Published by admin on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 4:38pm

Five months after students abruptly left their classrooms in a state mandated shutdown, school doors are set to reopen.

In just seven days—barring any unforeseen directives by the state—students in the Unit 1 School District will resume their studies with approximately 86% of them attending in-person classes and the remaining 14% opting for remote learning, figures based on roughly 96.5% of the expected enrollment reporting in.

Grab and go lunch will come with no added cost

Published by admin on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 4:36pm

Although students may not be eating lunch at school, the Unit 1 School District will provide a grab and go meal for any interested student.

Anything goes

Published by admin on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 4:34pm

In a year where just about everything has been canceled or indefinitely postponed, Coal City’s two dance studios took new approaches to ensure their students could finish out the year with an annual recital.

Broadway Dance Center took its recital outdoors to assure their dancers had an in-person audience.

Federal funds will aid local pandemic response

Published by admin on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 4:32pm

The village of Coal City can access up to $230,000 in COVID-19 funding, and its neighbors who make up the 60416 zip code have access to an additional $117,000-plus in pandemic reimbursements.

Over $2 trillion was allocated by the federal government in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security [CARES] Act this past spring. The economic relief package provided direct assistance to Americans, dollars to keep businesses open and funding to help units of local government with unexpected costs.

Coalers score Advanced Placement honors

Published by admin on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 4:30pm

It wasn’t the best conditions to finish out the academic year, yet students at Coal City High School didn’t let a pandemic stand in their way of success.

Principal Chris Spencer has announced 16 students from the class of 2020 and one member of the class of 2021 earned academic honors for scores posted on their advanced placement [AP] exams.

The Unit 1 School District introduced the AP program to students in 2006 and over the years the program has grown in number of subject areas offered and percentage of students enrolling in the classes.

As cases rise, Grundy reaches COVID warning level

Published by admin on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 4:29pm

Grundy County recorded 49 new cases of the novel coronavirus in a nine day period, and the rise in confirmed cases and those presenting with symptoms has led the state to place the county at warning level.

A county enters warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators increase. The Grundy County Health Department announced on Aug. 7 the county had been placed on warning by the Illinois Department of Public Health [IDPH].

Student, staff wellness key component of school plan

Published by admin on Tue, 08/04/2020 - 4:02pm

As the 2020-2021 school year draws closer, the Unit 1 School District has a plan in place to educate its students in the midst of a pandemic. A significant part of the plan addresses the health and wellness of students and staff from required personal protective equipment [PPE] to what happens if a student or staff member becomes ill during the course of the school day.

McDonald’s takes first steps toward construction

Published by admin on Tue, 08/04/2020 - 3:59pm

The house is gone and the property cleared making way for a new McDonald’s restaurant in Coal City. So does the recent demolition of 65 W. Division mean a faster turnaround on the reconstruction of the fast food eatery?

As first reported in January, McDonald’s USA, LLC has plans for a new larger, modern state-of-the-art restaurant at 2 S. Broadway, and that includes a tandem drive-thru.

When outlining plans for the site, company officials said construction would not begin before 2021 and as of now the schedule remains the same.