Jacksonville School District #117 board approves 8-acre Woodson purchase for new elementary school

The Board of Education of Jacksonville School District #117 unanimously approved the purchase of eight acres in Woodson from Mark Pennell for $320,000 at a special meeting on March 25, 2025. Mrs. Wilson moved the purchase; Mr. Pool seconded, and the roll call recorded seven yeas and no nays.

Superintendent Steve Ptacek said the district selected the parcel as the best option for growth and noted it has been more than 50 years since the district built a new school. He described next steps: "They are looking to break ground Spring of 2026 with anticipated completion in fall of 2027," and said staff will conduct soil testing and proceed with design work. Ptacek said the proposed building will be sized to contain two classroom sections per grade and that the district may need to revisit attendance boundaries when the school opens to address overcrowding at existing schools.

The motion to purchase the land listed the seller as Mark Pennell and specified the acreage (8 acres) and purchase price ($320,000). The vote on the motion was recorded as: Yea—Wilson, Pool, Lonergan, Leonard, Stewart, Trace, Beard; Nay—None. No amendments to the motion were recorded in the transcript.

With the purchase approved, the board’s immediate tasks are completing soil tests, finalizing site design, and coordinating any boundary adjustments. The special meeting opened at 6:30 PM and adjourned at 6:47 PM; Superintendent Steve Ptacek and district staff including Assistant Superintendent Matt Moore and Chief Financial Officer Rick Cunningham were listed as in attendance.