The Kaneland IgKnight Personalized Learning Academy (KIPLA) will relocate to Kaneland John Shields Elementary School (KSS) and Kaneland Harter Middle School (KHMS) next school year to help address the district’s projected $4.2 million budget shortfall.
This move is expected to save the district approximately half a million dollars in heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements needed at the Kaneland Meredith Academic Building (KMAC), where KIPLA is currently located. It will also eliminate the need for additional support staff, such as the school nurse and principal.
Despite the change in location, students will continue learning at their own pace using the same personalized learning structure.
“While the space itself will be different, students will continue to learn along continuums at their own level in multi-age environments,” Personalized Learning Coordinator Laura Garland said.
KSS was chosen for grades third through fifth due to its central location and adequate space for the program. However, some parents are concerned because they live outside the elementary school’s boundaries.
“For students who live outside of the Shields boundaries, we’ve already started to work on designated [bus] routes that would run all the way out to Virgil,” Superintendent Dr. Kurt Rohlwing said. “There will be a couple different routes that will go to the different boundaries and will pick them up and drop them off.”
KHMS Principal Brian Faulkner and KSS Principal Kara Salto have designated several classrooms in each building for the program. At the middle school, the second floor’s purple wing will accommodate the approximately 80 sixth through eighth graders enrolled in KIPLA. These students will have two dedicated blocks of instructional time at the start and end of the day, while joining KHMS students for physical education and one exploratory class.
Third through fifth graders enrolled in KIPLA will continue their current personalized learning style with the addition of recess time, which was unavailable at KMAC due to the lack of a playground.
KIPLA parent Lara Ekstrom expressed concern about losing the sense of community that’s been established at KIPLA but is optimistic about the new opportunities.
“Having a certified art and music teacher is something that we’ve missed a bit in the last two years,” Ekstrom said. “My kids are excited to have access to a playground at recess again.”
The administration is currently preparing KIPLA families and staff for the change by distributing surveys, holding meetings with parents and students, and organizing school visits.
“KIPLA families have had the opportunity to tour their new locations and meet with the principals of each building,” Garland said. “The students will visit the buildings again in late April.”
