Peru Elementary School District 124
Encyclopedia
Peru Public Schools, formally named Peru Elementary School District 124, is the public school district
responsible for public education
below the high school
level in Peru
, Illinois
, United States
. It operates two elementary school
s and one middle school
. The school district was established in 1840. It has a current enrollment of about 1,070 students.
in LaSalle.
Aurora University
’s College of Education uses Parkside School as a cohort site for some of its graduate-level courses.
and brother of geologist John Wesley Powell
, served as superintendent of Peru Elementary School District 124 from 1862 to 1870. William Powell, or Bram, as he was known, wrote several textbooks that were used in classrooms throughout the United States.
In the 1990s the district broke new ground the area of special education
by successfully supplying community-based services to allow a child disabled with Tourette's syndrome to remain in his home and his local schools instead of being sent away to receive specialized educational services. In 1999, it was estimated that this approach had resulted in annual cost savings of $63,000.
was supported by more than 78 percent of taxpayers.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
responsible for public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
below the high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
level in Peru
Peru, Illinois
Peru is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It operates two elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s and one middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
. The school district was established in 1840. It has a current enrollment of about 1,070 students.
Schools
Each of the district's schools serve a different age group. Northview Elementary School provides pre-kindergarten through first grade, Washington Elementary School has grades 2 to 4, and Parkside School is the district's middle school, enrolling grades 5 to 8. After middle school, children in the district are zoned to attend LaSalle-Peru High SchoolLaSalle-Peru High School
LaSalle-Peru Township High School, also known as LaSalle-Peru High School, LPHS, or simply LP, is a public four-year high school located at 541 Chartres Street in LaSalle, Illinois, a small city in LaSalle County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. LPHS serves the communities and...
in LaSalle.
Aurora University
Aurora University
Aurora University is a private, not-for-profit, co-educational liberal arts college located in Aurora, Illinois, 40 miles west of Chicago, Illinois. Additional university locations include the George Williams College campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin and the Woodstock Center in Woodstock, Illinois...
’s College of Education uses Parkside School as a cohort site for some of its graduate-level courses.
History
The Peru public school district was established in 1840. William Bramwell Powell, author of numerous books, father of violinist Maud PowellMaud Powell
Maud Powell was an American violinist who gained international acclaim for her skill and virtuosity. She was born in Peru, Illinois. She was the first American violinist to achieve international rank...
and brother of geologist John Wesley Powell
John Wesley Powell
John Wesley Powell was a U.S. soldier, geologist, explorer of the American West, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions...
, served as superintendent of Peru Elementary School District 124 from 1862 to 1870. William Powell, or Bram, as he was known, wrote several textbooks that were used in classrooms throughout the United States.
In the 1990s the district broke new ground the area of special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
by successfully supplying community-based services to allow a child disabled with Tourette's syndrome to remain in his home and his local schools instead of being sent away to receive specialized educational services. In 1999, it was estimated that this approach had resulted in annual cost savings of $63,000.
2007 referendum
A 2006 task force of community members recommended that Roosevelt Elementary School, then 83 years old, be replaced by a new facility yet to be constructed. To generate funds for the new building, the school district formed an agreement with the city of Peru to raise sales tax by half a penny, generating approximately $1.5 million in revenue. The historic referendumReferendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
was supported by more than 78 percent of taxpayers.