Peru’s Northview Elementary to host public meeting on potential expansion

Northview School in Peru is considering expanding its facilities to keep up with the growth in its pre-kindergarten programming, academic intervention programming, English language learner and special education support services, according to a news release sent Friday.

The school will be hosting a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, in the school’s gymnasium to give the public information on the process and give residents the opportunity to ask questions or express any concerns.

Information also will be provided on how to fund the expansion, including a sales tax agreement extension request with the city of Peru and other financial considerations.

“After months of consideration and planning, it has become clear that the addition of new classrooms and spaces are necessary,” Superintendent Richard “Jamie” Craven said in the release. “This expansion will help alleviate overcrowding, potentially large class sizes and support our dedicated staff in delivering the best possible education.”

Craven said in an email that Northview’s current pre-k enrollment is 123, and the school’s 12-year average is 86.

“We currently have one full class and six half-day classes,” he said.

Craven said that the positive additions to the schools curricular offerings reflect the commitment of the community to provide a high-quality education for all students.

“However, with this growth comes a developing need to consider expanding our facilities to ensure we can continue offering a safe, effective and modern learning environment,” he said.

The event will not be livestreamed or recorded for future posting. Anyone who has questions or concerns and is unable to attend can contact Craven at jcraven@perued.net or 815-223-1111, ext. 5.