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Parents urge Dunlap school board to hire more counselors and support the high school pool
Summary
During public comment at the April 16 board meeting, parents and a student urged Dunlap CUSD 323 to increase counseling staff and expand mental- and behavioral-health resources; one parent also advocated for preserving the Dunlap High School pool.
At the Dunlap Community Unit School District #323 board meeting on April 16, parents and a fourth-grade student pressed the board to strengthen student mental-health supports and staffing.
Anna Lee Huntington, identified in the minutes as a Dunlap parent and coach, urged the board to support the Dunlap High School pool and to hire another full-time counselor for Hickory Grove Elementary School. Parent Bob Klimko said the district should hire more school counselors and opposed moving a current counselor at Dunlap Grade School to split duties between DGS and Hickory Grove during the 2025—6/2026 school year. Fourth-grader Josie Klimko also spoke in favor of hiring more counselors.
Jean Smith, a parent of Dunlap students, publicly thanked Dr. Hastings, the district's Director of Special Education, for securing a placement for her daughter and called for additional behavioral- and mental-health resources across the district.
The minutes record these comments but do not show any immediate staffing motions or approval of additional counselor positions. Superintendent Dr. Dearman noted administrative items and said he will provide a report requested elsewhere on property tax appeals; the board did not announce a timeline or funding decision at this meeting related to additional counseling positions.
The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for May 21; a special meeting to seat the new board is planned for May 7.
