PES WILL NOT OFFER AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM

PRINCETON -- The Princeton Elementary School Board will not start an
after-school program at this time.

At Monday night's board meeting, the PES Board agreed to follow a
recommendation by Superintendent James Whitmore to take no action on
implementing an after-school program in the district. The board had
considered starting the after-school program next fall.

At the May 3 PES Board meeting, Sherry Hockings, representing the
University of Illinois Extension office, presented preliminary findings of
a survey taken of PES parents on their interest in starting an after-school
program. According to Hockings, 190 parents answered the survey, and 87 of
those parents expressing a need for an after-school program. Hockings
estimated the after-school program could be handled for $4-$5 per student
per day.

Arin Peterson, director of the Bureau County Day Care Center, had opposed
PES starting an after-school program, saying it would be a financial
hardship on the center to have the competing district program.

Whitmore said Monday there does appear to be a need for the after-school
program, but there also appears to be a negative financial impact on the
day care center.

PES Board member Janet Turpen said if the after-school program is needed,
the board should continue looking at ways to meet that need. Turpen made a
motion to proceed with the after-school program. The motion died for lack
of a second.

The future of the Drug Awareness and Resistance Education anti-substance
abuse program has also been put on hold for Princeton Elementary School.
The Princeton City Council had asked the PES District to share in the costs
of the DARE program.

At Monday's meeting, Whitmore said the DARE program would cost PES, Malden
Grade, St. Louis Catholic School and Princeton Christian Academy a total of
$8,781 for the second half of the 2004-05 school year. The city has
budgeted money to pay for the first half of the school year.

Whitmore said he believes the district could commit some money for next
year's DARE program, but the problem arises for the 2005-06 school year,
which would cost the elementary districts $27,436. Whitmore did not have a
recommendation for the 2005-06 program.

The PES Board agreed to put the DARE program on the agenda for its upcoming
committee-as-a-whole meeting.

Whitmore also gave an update on the school resource officer program, which
operates primarily at Princeton High School and Logan Junior High School.
The money for the program was provided by a three-year federal grant, which
just ended.

The city of Princeton has made the commitment to continue to the resource
officer program but has requested help paying for the program's $50,000
budget, which is primarily the officer's salary.

Whitmore said the PES district could possibly help with $20,000 of the
cost. The district could not commit itself beyond next year, Whitmore said.