Welcome to the Herscher Community Unit School District #2 website! 

It is an honor and privilege to serve as Superintendent.  I truly appreciate the spirit, cooperation and assistance I have received from the school community thus far.

My philosophy for student success focuses on communication with all stakeholders, shared decision-making, customer service, excellent student behavior and mutual respect.  I hope you will visit our website often for information about Herscher C.U.S.D. #2.  By working together with students, parents, faculty, and the community, I am confident that we will celebrate many successes throughout the year(s).  I hope to continue to build positive culture in our schools and to provide the strongest academic and extra-curricular program(s) in the area.

Sincerely,

Dr. Richard S. Decman, Superintendent

ATTENTION

The Herscher CUSD2 Board of Education is looking for 2-3 community members to be part of the Land Use Committee.  The goal of this committee will be to brain storm and develop ideas for the use of Reddick Grade School following this closure.  We are hoping the committee will have specific recommendations to give to the Board of Education.

Reddick Grade School will be closing following the 2012-2013 school year.

If you are interested in jointing this committee, please feel to contact Dr. Richard S. Decman, Superintendent at 815-426-2162 or via email at decmanr@hsd2.k12.il.us.

Thank you in advance for your help in this very important process.

Illinois School Districts in the News

Deficit spending due mostly to lack of financial support through the State’s budget is strikingly apparent as districts in every direction of us start the grim process of looking forward.

To view articles concerning districts throughout Illinois, click here. 

Community Survey

The Herscher Community Unit School District #2 Board of Education is conducting a brief survey to collect the thoughts of parents and the school community.

To participate in the survey, please click here.

Thank you.

  Now Available . . .

  Early Registration Materials for the 2012-2013 School Year

  Please return packets with your child by Friday, May 4, 2012.

COMMUNITY SAFETY ALERT

May 10, 2012

Dear Parent:

A student at Reddick Grade School has been identified as a confirmed case of pertussis (whooping cough).  Pertussis is a highly infectious and usually mild illness that is easily transmitted through coughing and sneezing and may last for several months.

Symptoms of pertussis may appear 5 to 10 days following exposure but can take up to 21 days. The first symptoms of pertussis are similar to those of a common cold: a runny nose, low-grade fever and a mild occasional cough which can become severe and spasmodic - with a distinctive “whooping” sound - and progress to vomiting.

Although most people recover completely from pertussis, complications from the disease can be severe in high risk groups, especially infants under one year, and children who have not been fully immunized against the disease. 

The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends that all close contacts to a person with a case of pertussis receive antibiotic treatment even if they have been vaccinated against it.  The health department is tracing the close contacts of persons with pertussis.

·  If your child is in the fifth grade at Reddick or rides Bus 27 he or she may have had close contact with the reported case, please contact your child’s physician to advise them regarding your child’s exposure to pertussis and to arrange for antibiotic treatment. 

·  If your child attends Reddick, Herscher Grade School-  third grade, Pre-K or rides Bus 6 they may have been in contact with siblings of the reported case.  Just be on the alert for symptoms of pertussis described above and contact your health provider if the symptoms appear.  In addition, frequent handwashing and respiratory hygiene (e.g. covering your cough, coughing into tissues, disposing of tissues promptly) are important practices that help to limit the spread of infection. 

The safety of all our students in the Herscher District #2 is our first priority and I encourage you to be proactive by contacting your doctor if your child has any of the above symptoms.  If should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the schools or the Kankakee County Health Department.

If you or your physician have any further questions, please contact the Kankakee County Health Department directly at 815-802-9400.

Dr. Richard S. Decman
Superintendent

“Education . . . The Ultimate Investment”

Parent Notification Regarding No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Under No Child Left Behind a parent has the right upon request to the following information:

1. Whether the teacher has met the state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject in which the teacher provides instruction.
2. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or provisional status.
3. The teacher's baccalaureate degree major and other degrees.
4. Whether paraprofessionals provide services to the student and if so, their qualifications.

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Edmonds at 815-426-2162 ext 1010 or Sally Sullivan at 815-426-2162 ext 1016.

Cancel School or Not?

Cancelling school is one of the more difficult decisions a Superintendent must make.  The decision to delay, dismiss early or close schools due to inclement weather has an enormous effect on all of our families.  The following information may help you understand the process I use when making this important decision.

When inclement weather impacts the District, I make the decision to dismiss, delay or close schools based upon a careful analysis of the following factors:

1. Information on road conditions from: law enforcement, our transportation director and local road commissioners.
2. Amount of accumulated snow and/or ice, or the density of the fog.
3. Whether or not the precipitation/fog is predicted to continue throughout the day.
4. Temperature and wind chilll.
5. Impact on our transportation (buses).
6. Weather predictions from satellite system, local radar and National Weather service.
7. Storm/fog timing.
8. Discussions with area Superintendents beginning the prior evening and continuing again around 5pm

There may be times that you believe we should have cancelled or school should have been in session.  Unfortunately, due to the size of our district (over 250 square miles), it is very difficult to determine when it is safe for school to be in session.  For example, if you live in Limestone, conditions might be fine but in Reddick they may be terrible.  The final decision on whether to cancel school or not is based upon the overall condition of the District.

If you do not feel it is safe for your child to get to school, use your best judgement as to whether he/she should attend.  Please call your respective school office and let them know.

Who makes the decision on whether to delay, dismiss early or cancel school?  As the Superintendent, I am tasked with this responsibility.

When is the decision made? I will make every attempt to cancel school by 6 am or the previous night, so we can initiate the CALL ONE program, notify local radio stations, initiate our internal phone trees and notify TV stations.  If a school day is delayed or dismissed early, the same contacts will be notified.

Will we close school if conditions worsen (early dismissal)? If weather conditions worsen, I will be reluctant to dismiss early.  If I send students (especially younger students) back home, some will return to empty houses.  Once students arrive at school, I feel the safest plan is to keep them at school until the end of the day.  However, there may be a time we will dismiss early, in order to get students home before a storm worsens.  I am hoping this will be a rare occasion.  If this does happen, we will utilize the CALL ONE system immediately to notify parents.

I hope this explanation helps explain the process we go through when considering whether or not to cancel school.

Dr. Richard S. Decman, Superintendent