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Freeburg CCSD 70 trustees honor third-grader Josie Kramer; district to establish memorials and supports
Summary
The Freeburg CCSD 70 board opened its meeting with a moment of silence for third-grader Josie Kramer, announced memorials (pink playground swings), a Josie Kramer award at graduation, and an annual fundraiser to benefit Friends of Kids with Cancer; staff and neighboring districts provided crisis counseling and a therapy dog.
The Freeburg CCSD 70 board opened its meeting with a moment of silence to honor third-grader Josie Kramer, who died three weeks earlier after a lengthy battle with cancer. The board described Kramer as "vibrant, sassy, kind, and loving" and said her "Josie Strong" legacy will be permanently remembered by the district.
At the start of the meeting the district announced several commitments to preserve Kramer’s memory and support affected students: pink swings to be installed at playgrounds at both school buildings; a Josie Kramer award to be presented annually at graduation to an eighth grader who "displays the same qualities" Kramer showed; and an annual fundraiser whose proceeds will go to Friends of Kids with Cancer, the organization the family requested the district support. A participant at the meeting also reported a community "jam day" that raised more than $1,400 for related donations.
Board members and administrators thanked school social workers (identified in the transcript as Gudzinski and Meade) and staff for providing crisis response, and acknowledged help from neighboring districts that provided crisis counselors and a therapy dog for students and staff. In administrative reports the district noted the third-grade recorder concert was dedicated to Kramer and that staff organized on-campus memorials decorated with bows and pink items.
The announcements were framed as ongoing commitments: the memorial installations, the annual award, and the district-hosted fundraiser are planned steps the board and administration said would help sustain Kramer’s legacy and support students grieving her loss. The board did not take additional formal policy or budget actions tied to these items during the open meeting; further operational details and timelines were not specified.
