Ashley Stachniak was elected vice president of the Peotone School District Board of Education November 17, defeating Mark Jones 5-2.
The election came during a meeting where two residents raised serious concerns about the district’s response to an October 30 bus accident involving students traveling out of state for FFA activities.
Bus Accident Sparks Policy Questions
John Maxedon questioned whether the district followed proper procedures after the accident, citing inconsistencies between district policies and actual practices. He said a Freedom of Information Act request revealed missing training records for the bus driver, despite district reports to the regional superintendent indicating such training had occurred.
“If the FOIA request was responded to saying that no such records existed but the report to the regional superintendent said that they did, the question I have is: Was the FOIA not fulfilled completely, or did we lie to the regional superintendent?” Maxedon asked.
Maxedon also criticized the timing of mandatory drug testing, which occurred at 11:36 a.m. the day after the 6:56 a.m. accident — more than 28 hours later.
“The rules for drug testing are if there was a towed vehicle, if there were injuries, and if there was a citation — all three occurred,” Maxedon said. “It’s your job to make sure it gets cleaned up.”
Parent Jolene Walenga, whose daughter was on the bus, said parents weren’t promptly notified about the T-bone collision at an intersection and learned of it from their children instead of district officials.
“My child called me. Nobody from the district — no text message, no phone call,” Molina said. She added that when parents arrived to pick up their children, IDs weren’t checked for student release.
“There was a signing sheet. Anybody could have walked in and signed out my child,” she said.
Walenga requested a full review of the district’s emergency response and corrective action to ensure parents are notified by officials, not children, in future accidents.
“Our children deserve safe transportation, and we deserve clear, immediate communication when their safety is at risk,” she said.
Board President Dawn Love thanked both speakers but provided no specific response to the allegations. “Thank you for bringing it to the board,” Love said. “You shared information I wasn’t aware of.”
P-Card Spending Cut by $33,000
Before the consent agenda vote, Stachniak reported significant improvements in administrator credit card spending after implementing stricter oversight. P-card spending dropped to $8,800 this school year compared to nearly $19,000 during the same period last year.
“We are $33,000 less than what we were spending last year now that the parameters are being followed and the checks and balances have been put in place,” Stachniak said.
She also reported the district spent $106,000 this month on special education outsourcing, which she’s tracking for year-end analysis.
Academic Performance Strong
Assistant Supt. Carol Zurales reported all district schools — Peotone Elementary, Peotone Intermediate Center, Peotone Junior High, and Peotone High School — received “commendable” ratings on the Illinois School Report Card.
The district’s graduation rate reached 88 percent, with 63.4 percent of students proficient in English Language Arts and 41.6 percent proficient in math — both above state averages.
Zurales set new goals of reaching 70 percent ELA proficiency and 50 percent math proficiency by spring 2028.
Tax Levy Approved
Business Manager Adrian Fulgencio presented the 2025 tax levy, projecting a 2.9 percent increase with a total estimated tax rate of 2.9081 percent. The district will levy $15.66 million, while anticipating an actual extension of $15.46 million.
Working Cash Bonds Planned
The board approved resolutions for issuing up to $4.965 million in working cash bonds and scheduling a public hearing on the matter. After this issuance, the district cannot issue additional working cash bonds and will need to make substantial cuts.
Facilities Updates
Supt. Brandon Owens reported a feasibility study is underway with Wight & Company, including building assessments and stakeholder meetings planned through January. A community engagement meeting is scheduled for January 26.
The district experienced a power outage at Peotone Elementary over the weekend, caused by a conservative breaker setting and ground fault. The issue is covered under warranty, and all systems are functioning normally.
Owens also reported completing 13 FOIA requests during the past two months and holding parent engagement meetings, with about 12 people attending the most recent session.
The board also approved school improvement plans for all buildings, course guide changes for the 2026-27 school year, and an early graduation request.