Kankakee Times

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic showing few signs of slowing, Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53 officials are already thinking about their fiscal year 2021 budget.

With schools across the state closed in hopes of limiting the spread of the virus, Bourbonnais school leaders recently met for a board meeting to plot strategy going forward.

The gathering came on the heels of Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently announcing that the school closures will extend until at least until April 30, some three weeks later than the initial date he set with his stay-at-home order for the state.

“As we’re moving into these difficult times, we are talking about moving from a sprint to marathon thinking,” Interim Superintendent Margaret Longo told the Daily-Journal.

Longo added that includes district officials taking a second look at contracts and other planned expenses to ensure that staff will be able to receive salary and benefits through the 2021 school year.

Given all the sudden uncertainty, Longo said it is more important than ever for residents to complete things like the 2020 Census.

“The census is a source of income for our community, both at the school level and community level,” Longo told the Daily Journal. “We want to make sure everyone is counted because it’s going to impact our federal receipts.”

In the meantime, Board President Rob Rodewald recently took time out to thank teachers in the district who continue to go above and beyond for their students.

“We’ve been faced with something we have not seen in our lifetimes, and it is times like this that we see the true spirit of the people around us,” he said, adding teachers have “answered the call” by instructing their students in new and creative ways while administrators work around the clock to keep things running.

Rodewald also singled out food service workers for praise over the way they continue to prepare daily meals for students and custodians who are keeping buildings ready for when students are back.