Just one week from Spring Break, the United School District has a handful of projects planned, with many already completed, as they prepare for the reorganization of grade levels in the fall reports Superintendent Jeff Whitsitt:
“We have spruced up an old cafeteria at the high school that we plan to use for our junior high cafeteria. Over spring break we have a lot of projects going on, we have an asbestos tile floor removal, replacement flooring going in, some HVAC work, we are still finishing up some of the ESSER funds; we have a gym floor that is going to get redone. We will be putting out some correspondents to our parents and to our community as far as where we are with the reorganization and where we are with just this year as a school district, both financially and program wise, and some of the things we have opted to change, talk about the changes we are making in our pre-k program. With our grade level changes we have some special nights planned here at the end of the spring as far as open houses and informational nights, what the four, five, six building will look like and get those kids in that building so that they have a little bit of a comfort level. Also, bring all the seventh, eighth, and ninth graders over to the high school and let them get a lay of the land as well.”
In the fall, the current United Junior High will house the fourth through sixth grade levels, moving the seventh and eighth graders to the high school campus, and thus creating more classroom space in the elementary buildings. Additionally, at a special United Board of Education meeting on February 29th, the Board passed a resolution to employ Tom Hawkins as the new United Superintendent beginning July 1st.
In a special board meeting on Thursday February 29th, the United CUSD 304 Board of Education approved the hiring of Mr. Tom Hawkins to be their next Superintendent. Hawkins will officially begin his duties as superintendent on July 1, 2024 and is under contract through the 2025-2026 school year. Hawkins will replace Mr. Jeff Whitsitt who is retiring at the end of the current school year.
A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Kinesiology, Hawkins began his educational career in the Galesburg 205 school district as a middle school PE teacher at Lombard Junior High. Hawkins has spent his entire career to date in the Galesburg school district holding such positions as Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, JH Principal, and most recently the Jr-Sr High Principal of the newly formed Galesburg Junior-Senior High School. Hawkins completed his Masters Degree in Education and his Education Specialist license at Western Illinois University in Macomb.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity the Board of Education has provided me to become the next Superintendent of United CUSD No. 304. I look forward to meeting the students and staff of this great district.” Hawkins said. “Warren County has always been my home, and I look forward to being a proud member of the United Community.”
A lifelong resident of Warren County, Mr. Hawkins resides in Gerlaw, Illinois.
***Courtesy of the United School District 304***
