Meeting Summary and Briefs: Casey-Westfield School Board for Feb. 23, 2026

Spread the love

Casey-Westfield School Board Meeting | Feb. 23, 2026

The Casey-Westfield Community Unit School District 4C Board of Education met on Monday, February 23, 2026, at the Unit Office. The meeting time was moved to 5:00 p.m. to accommodate a regional basketball game. The Board focused on setting the calendar for the upcoming school years, approving administrative salaries, and hiring new staff.

Brief Title: Arts Hall Gets New Sound System
Board President Tracy Gelb announced via an addendum that the Arts Hall has been equipped with a new sound system. The upgrade was funded through a donation from Blattner Energy. Gelb noted that the drama cast was excited to test the new equipment during their rehearsal later that evening.

Brief Title: Masonic Lodge Donates to Art Program
The Board voted to accept a $1,000 donation from the Casey Masonic Lodge #442. The funds are designated for Elementary Art Supplies. The Masonic Lodge also continues to sponsor the “Bikes for Books” program at Monroe Elementary, where 3rd through 5th graders have already read and tested on 2,278 books five weeks into the program.

Brief Title: Upcoming Events and Testing
Principals noted several important upcoming dates. The “Read-A-Thon” at Monroe kicks off on March 2, coinciding with Read Across America Week. Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled for March 12 and 13. State testing (IAR) is scheduled for April 8-13, and the High School Prom will be held on April 25.

Brief Title: Bikes for Books Success
Monroe Elementary students are reading at a rapid pace for the “Bikes for Books” program sponsored by the Casey Masonic Lodge. According to the building report, 3rd through 5th graders have taken and passed 2,278 Accelerated Reader (AR) tests in just the first five weeks of the program. Students earn a ticket for every test passed during their library rotation times for a chance to win a bike.

Brief Title: Social Studies Essay Contest
Junior High social studies students are participating in a local writing challenge titled “The Big 250: Casey Celebrates America.” Created by the City of Casey, the contest asks students to write about what America means to them through the lens of family traditions, community service, and local history. The contest will award first, second, and third-place prizes.

Brief Title: 100th Day of School Celebrated
Kindergarten students at Monroe Elementary marked a major milestone on February 14—the 100th day of school. The celebration included a parade and various counting and craft activities throughout the day to commemorate the achievement.

Brief Title: Photography and Art Skills
High School photography students are learning the history of their craft by creating their own pinhole cameras. The “Beginning Art” students are perfecting black-and-white portrait drawings, while the “Intermediate” group is working on portraits in full color. Meanwhile, Junior High art students are focusing on perspective drawing and ceramics.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Illinois lawmaker supports EPA rollback; AG opposes

Illinois lawmaker supports EPA rollback; AG opposes

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – An Illinois lawmaker is praising the Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump for repealing the...
Supreme Court upholds evidence-based immigrant asylum standards

Supreme Court upholds evidence-based immigrant asylum standards

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision on Wednesday, upheld a lower court ruling that required substantial evidence for an asylum application. The case,...
Illinois Quick Hits: Report shows Illinois with highest U.S. tax rates

Illinois Quick Hits: Report shows Illinois with highest U.S. tax rates

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A new survey says Illinois has the highest tax rates in the country. According to a WalletHub...

WATCH: Hegseth: U.S., Israel will soon have ‘complete control’ over Iran’s airspace

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square American and Israeli forces have begun taking control of Iranian airspace, and in a few days, it will be uncontested airspace, Secretary of War Pete...
Do No Harm claims racial discrimination in civil rights complaints against 2 health groups

Do No Harm claims racial discrimination in civil rights complaints against 2 health groups

By Tate MillerThe Center Square Do No Harm filed two individual civil rights complaints against healthcare organization Kaiser Permanente and health center CommUnityCare for offering what it describes as racially...
Clark County Graphic.6

Clark County Bans Kratom Sales in Unincorporated Areas

Clark County Board Meeting | Jan. 16, 2026 Article Summary: The Clark County Board voted unanimously to prohibit the sale, possession, and delivery of Kratom and 7-Hydroxymitragynine products within the...
Senate Judiciary confronts rise in child trafficking and sextortion

Senate Judiciary confronts rise in child trafficking and sextortion

By Emily RodriguezThe Center Square The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday heard from witnesses about the growing number of instances of child sex trafficking and exploitation. Some senators say there...

WATCH: Gov. Ferguson signaling income tax bill may be dead for session

By Carleen JohnsonThe Center Square Nine days remain in the 2026 legislative session in Olympia, and the proposed income tax has yet to reach the House floor and reports circulating...
Lawmakers consider SNAP, other amendments to 2026 farm bill

Lawmakers consider SNAP, other amendments to 2026 farm bill

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Lawmakers on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee debated dozens of amendments to the long-overdue 2026 farm bill during the Tuesday night markup. The Farm, Food,...
Los Angeles school board borrows $250M for settlements

Los Angeles school board borrows $250M for settlements

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square The Los Angeles Unified School District recently borrowed $250 million to settle claims of sexual abuse. That's in addition to the $500 million that the...
WATCH/EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS: California Voter ID measure gets over 1 million signatures

WATCH/EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS: California Voter ID measure gets over 1 million signatures

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square An initiative imposing new voter identification requirements in California is one step closer to getting on the ballot. Roughly 1.35 million signatures were collected during...
As fighting intensifies overseas, Republicans push harder to get DHS funded

As fighting intensifies overseas, Republicans push harder to get DHS funded

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square As fighting continues overseas, Republicans have ramped up calls to Democrats to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which not only regulates immigration...
Reported debt deal, credit downgrades may add to Chicago budget woes

Reported debt deal, credit downgrades may add to Chicago budget woes

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago taxpayers may face higher costs if the city follows through with a reported bond deal. The...
State financial officers protect, recover $28B in tax dollars in 2025

State financial officers protect, recover $28B in tax dollars in 2025

By Tate MillerThe Center Square Conservative state treasurers, auditors and comptrollers protected and recovered $28 billion in taxpayer dollars from “waste, fraud, and abuse” in 2025, according to a report...
Iran war, Saudi outage to boost U.S. propane, butane exports

Iran war, Saudi outage to boost U.S. propane, butane exports

By Alton WallaceThe Center Square Chaos in global energy markets following the launch of Operation Epic Fury is expected to drive record demand for U.S. exports of propane and butane,...