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Belvidere residents, teachers and students urge board to keep Perry Elementary open
Summary
Dozens of parents, teachers, alumni and students told the Belvidere CUSD 100 board on April 6 that Perry Elementary’s century-long role in the neighborhood outweighs facility shortcomings, urging the board to honor prior commitments and invest in repairs rather than close the school.
The Belvidere CUSD 100 public hearing on April 6 drew a steady stream of residents, teachers and students who urged the school board not to close Perry Elementary School.
Dr. Shug opened the session by outlining the district’s facilities master plan and saying the board was reconsidering Perry’s future because of the substantial investment required to bring the building up to code and accessibility standards. The public-comment period that followed was dominated by personal testimony and appeals to preserve the school’s neighborhood role.
“Perry is not just a building, it’s part of the foundation of Belvidere,” said a longtime supporter, arguing the school’s small size and personal relationships with staff produce benefits that “you can’t replace with square footage and new construction.” That theme recurred: parents and teachers described morning hugs, teachers who know every child by name and family networks centered on the school.
Several speakers pressed the board on process and transparency. Matt Zickert, a former board member, criticized the district’s procurement and budget choices and said a facility study cost roughly $600,000; he told the board they had “consequences” from election outcomes and said process matters in addition to any policy arguments about closing the school.
Teachers and staff framed the debate in terms of student stability. ESL teacher Ford Zachary said smaller neighborhood schools promote student growth and positive school climate, and urged phased investment, possible historic-preservation funding and reuse rather than consolidation. Third‑grade teacher Abby Cameron read verbatim questions from her students including, “Why did you break the promise?” and warned that consolidations could create classrooms of 30 or more students.
Speakers also raised specific district spending questions: a grandparent noted the district’s purchase of the Polk building (identified in meeting remarks as $375,000) and an alleged $1.3 million investment there; another speaker criticized the hiring of an outside contractor, Nexus Solutions, while neighborhood schools wait for repairs.
Some residents warned the board to consider future local growth. One parent pointed to planned industrial projects and argued that future enrollment changes could make a closure short‑sighted. Others offered to fundraise, volunteer or otherwise support an investment strategy that would keep Perry open.
The public comment period closed with applause and no public vote; the meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m. after a voice motion recorded in the transcript (motion to adjourn by Member Hempkey; second by Member Piggy).
