General Questions

Why is this better for students?

This is the question that has driven this movement from the very beginning and has guided the work of the Committee of Ten. We believe that by combining resources of two high quality school districts will result in better opportunities for children. Combining all the students and staff into a single district will allow us to increase course offerings, electives, extracurriculars, and support systems. In addition we will increase the efficiency of our teaching staff and allow them to collaborate with one another which will lead to an increase in our collective skills and knowledge.

Why are we doing this now?

There are many reasons to pursue consolidation now. Both districts desire more academic and extra-curricular opportunities for our students, and a broader property tax base. The recent pandemic and teacher shortage has highlighted the advantages of consolidation to increase diversity and recruitment opportunities. The districts have a long history of working together including sharing the FFA program, sharing food service, sharing transportation costs for students, sharing athletic teams and high school teachers, as well as ongoing collaboration between superintendents.

Is the teacher shortage affecting this decision?

Yes. As of October 2021, Leland has three unfilled high school teaching positions and Somonauk has one unfilled high school teaching position. These vacancies are already affecting the education of our students as they are learning via an online platform instead of from a physical teacher in the classroom. In addition, both districts struggle to attract enough substitute teachers to cover teacher absences. According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, there were 1007 unfilled teaching positions in 2017. This number increased to 1985 in 2020. This trend is already affecting the two school districts and consolidation would help to minimize this impact on our students.

What is the method of reorganization being proposed?

The specific type of reorganization being proposed is a consolidation, which results in the dissolution of the two existing districts and the creation of a completely new district.

Why was this type of reorganization chosen?

The Committee of 10 studied different modes of reorganization that meet the legal requirements from our situation. From those modes of reorganization, the Committee of 10 felt consolidation was the best choice for the students and both communities.

What guiding principles did the Committee of 10 use to guide their work?

The Committee of 10 worked to keep quality education for the students as the number one priority. The Committee of 10 worked to provide additional extra-curricular activities for the students. The Committee of 10 worked to be financially responsible to the taxpayers of the districts.

What will be the school name?

Somonauk - Leland Community Unit School District

What will be the school colors?

Blue and gold for high school and black and green for middle school

What will be the school mascot?

Bobcats for high school and Panthers for middle school

How many teachers will be displaced?

It is the goal of both boards that all employees will continue their employment with the consolidation. It is likely that we can achieve optimal staffing levels through normal attrition in the years to come.

What happened to the Leland / Earlville consolidation?

While Leland and Earlville did have some conversations about pursuing a feasibility study, they were simply casual conversations and never advanced to a formal study.

What is the feasibility study?

The feasibility study was released in the fall of 2020. It included an analysis of facilities, enrollment, finances, transportation, curriculum, extra-curriculars, and recommendations. This study found no significant obstacles to the proposed consolidation of Somonauk and Leland.

How can I get a copy of the feasibility study?

The feasibility study is available on the Leland and Somonauk web sites and at this link: FEASIBILITY STUDY

What are the drawbacks to consolidating?

Sports: There may be more competition to be a starter on some sports teams. While it appears this may reduce opportunities for students, having more students interested in sports increases the likelihood of having a team each year as well as the likelihood of having a junior varsity team, which provides more playing time for students.

Distance: Some students will spend more time on the bus (about 9-10 minutes) than they currently do.

Change: Change is always hard. Both communities are proud of their schools, their mascots, and their history. Adjusting to a new school name, new colors, or a new school can be challenging, but the enhanced educational and extra-curricular opportunities that will be offered to students makes it worth it.

What did Paw Paw do with their high school?

The voters in Paw Paw voted to deactivate their high school. In doing so, they entered into an agreement with Indian Creek to send their high school students to Indian Creek high school. Paw Paw pays Indian Creek an out of district tuition charge for each student.

How will this affect the public library? Will residents of the Leland School District have access to the Somonauk Public Library?

The Somonauk Public Library is completely separate from the school district. They have their own board, director, budget and facilities. The proposed consolidation would have no effect on the public library.

How big will the proposed school district be and how many students would attend?

The new district would be 96 square miles and have approximately 971 students.

What is the current enrollment at each grade level?