Latest news with #EdisonMiddleSchool
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Best Buddies Friendship Walk making a difference in Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Hundreds of students from all over Central Illinois joined in the annual Best Buddies Friendship Walk at Edison Middle School in Champaign Thursday morning. Best Buddies is an international non profit raising money and focusing on protecting students with special needs from isolation. WCIA's 'Remarkable Woman' back from California, inspired to grow Champaign-based non-profit 'Our mission is to connect students with disability or different ability, also, with other students in the general area and the general classroom or in the community,' Mary Nada, a functional life teacher at Edison Middle School, said. Three years ago, Nada had a huge role in getting her school and others involved. 'We wanted to join the Chicago and Normal walk, but we couldn't take our students or the buddies. It's hard for their families and for us, so we decided to do a small thing in here,' Nada said. 22 libraries open in two Illinois prison facilities, IDOC announces That small thing ended up turning into nearly 150 people the first two years. And now, it's gotten even bigger, with more than 500 people this year. 'Inclusion is a big part of our community. And I didn't really realize that until I joined best buddies,' 8th Grader Mallory Borden said. Borden has been part of best buddies for the past three years. She says the program has taught her a lot about herself and life. 'I can learn more about the diverse backgrounds and just like different abilities that people have. And it's just really interesting and it makes me feel really good that I'm able to help someone and just like, connect with them,' Borden said. Project Success back up and running at 6 Vermilion Co. schools Borden said the knowledge she's gained helps her spread the message to her friends and encourage them to join the program. Because for Nada, that's her mission. 'Teach them about Best Buddies and teach them about inclusion and how it's important for our community members and our students and and the area and just be aware of it,' Nada said. The Best Buddies organization was able to meet their fundraising goal of $16,500. The money will go toward creating jobs for people with disabilities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Champaign school board meeting canceled due to lack of quorum
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign School District was supposed to meet Monday night for their regularly scheduled meeting, but that meeting was canceled after three members called in absent. The three members who would've been absent include Mark Holm, Betsy Holder, and Amy Armstrong. The meeting's agenda could have seen the board confirm two principals at Edison Middle School and Booker T. Washington Academy, as well as SROs at Central and Centennial High Schools. Champaign woman killed in Monday night I-57 crash WCIA caught up with the school board president to weigh in on how she feels about the canceled meeting and the state of the current board. 'By not being able to meet tonight and not being able to find another date to meet at the time, we're holding people's careers up,' said Gianina Baker. 'And I don't think that's appropriate.' The Champaign School Board canceled its meeting due to a lack of a quorum, which means the board did not have the necessary four members in attendance to hold a meeting. 'We can't meet tonight because three individuals have decided they don't want to meet. This is not what's in the best interests of our students,' Baker said. 'And I would hope that our public would understand that.' Board member Amy Armstrong told WCIA that the district was well aware she would not be at tonight's meeting, saying in part: 'Prior to today, there was no effort made to reschedule,' Armstrong said. 'I've not heard any information on these important topics prior to being asked to vote on them.' 'There was a silence in the car'; Urbana family remembers, mourns baby after fatal crash She added: 'This petty toxic circus needs to end.' Betsy Holder said she told the district of her likely absence ahead of time. In a statement, she said in part: 'If the district was aware of a quorum issue, they had multiple opportunities to reschedule before posting the agenda on Friday and then canceling the meeting today.' And Mark Holm told WCIA over the phone he had a pre-arranged business also told WCIA about his desire to get the newly voted-in board members sworn in as soon as possible. 'Clear the deck and get out of the way,' Holm said. 'There's five new ones. Let's swear them in.' But Baker said the current sitting board has a responsibility to conclude business before the new members take their seats. 'The votes haven't been certified, so we can't even name the board members as we speak,' Baker said. 'And so this is absolutely a duty of this current board, and I'd like to finish that out.' The election certification for the five new board members is scheduled for Tuesday. Once certified, the board will have until May 11th to swear in the new members. The next scheduled board meeting is April 28th. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Perry Local selects architects, construction manager for new middle school construction
PERRY TWP. – Perry Local Schools recently hired key players to design and manage construction of the district's new middle school. The Board of Education picked BSHM Architects of Columbus to design the new school. The project will combine Edison Middle School and Pfeiffer Intermediate School students under one roof. The building will house about 1,200 students in grades 5-8. The board also selected Hammond Construction of Green as the project's construction manager at risk. Hammond recently has done work with new schools in North Canton City Schools and Green Local Schools. "The selection of BSHM and Hammond Construction brings us one step closer to creating a state-of-the-art middle school for our community," Superintendent Nate Stutz said. "Their expertise will help ensure that we deliver a facility that meets the educational needs of our students while aligning with Perry's vision for the future." The new middle school will be constructed on Hartwick Park at 3737 13th St. SW. District officials said the park, part of the district-owned property along 13th Street that sits between Edison Middle School and the high school campus, would serve as the best location. Officials intend to move the park to another location on the 13th Street campus. The project will be funded through the state's Ohio Facilities Construction Commission's Classroom Facilities Assistance Program. The district is set to receive $62,253,023 from the state to build a new middle school and clean out and raze Edison Middle School and Pfeiffer Intermediate School. The project will not require any new local tax dollars. Last May, the state notified Perry that funding would be available for the project sooner than anticipated. At the start of the elementary construction project, the district entered the state's expedited program. That allowed the district to receive credit for work completed on renovations or new buildings when state funding became available. The district opened three new kindergarten through fourth-grade schools in the fall. The middle school is the next step in the district's long-term facilities plans. Stutz said the excitement for the new middle school continues to build after seeing the community's response to the new elementary schools. "We are really looking forward to working with BSHM and Hammond to create a school that is a reflection of our community and our values," Stutz said. "People are really excited for the new middle school." The design and development phase is expected to take about a year. Stutz hopes to break ground in early spring of 2026. If all goes well, the new school should open to students in the fall of 2028. Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or This article originally appeared on The Independent: BSHM Architects, Hammond Construction head Perry Local middle school
