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Peoria Public Schools will have universal masking at all of its buildings to begin 2021-2022 school year

A universal masking protocol at Peoria Public Schools buildings was announced at the July 26 Board of Education meeting. Please read the Superintendent's latest message to families following that announcement.

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Click here for new information on the device request program

Peoria Public Schools has instituted a device check-out program for Remote Learning. So far, more than 4,000 devices have been delivered to students and families since March 30. NEW AS OF APRIL 14: If you have not requested a device yet, please call the front office your student's school between the hours of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. The front office staff will fill out the request form for you.

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KCSS graduates 28 seniors

Knoxville Center for Student Success (KCSS) graduated 28 students on December 12. Graduates wore gowns of their home high school – Peoria High School maroon, Richwoods High School green and Manual Academy white and black. KCSS Principal Eric Thomas noted, “These are not just our students. They are students of Peoria High School, Richwoods High School and Manual Academy.”

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Steady stream of guest speakers help KCSS students make post-graduation plans

Formulating a post-high-school-graduation plan is a challenge for Knoxville Center for Student Success (KCSS) juniors and seniors. Many of them already shoulder the burdens of adults, including family responsibilities and full-time employment. Working toward the next step, whether completing FAFSA and applying for college or investigating employment options with opportunities for future growth, can be easily swept aside. KCSS family liaison facilitator Reginald Thomas makes copping a “get the diploma and get out” attitude unacceptable.

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Peoria Promise Foundation College Tuition Program - Making futures Bright!

Peoria Promise is a college tuition reimbursement program for City of Peoria high school graduates to further their education at Illinois Central College. 50% to 100% tuition reimbursement is available to all eligible applicants. Percentage is based primarily on financial need as reported on the FAFSA application. The Peoria Promise Application opens February 1 through May 1, 2018 for enrollment in the Fall 2018/Spring 2019 school year. For more information, to check eligibility and to enroll , visit our website www.peoriapromise.org

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Extended hours help KCSS students juggle school and other responsibilities

This semester KCSS has extended its hours to help students earn high school credits in less time than they might at a traditional high school. Previously, the school day ended at 2:30 p.m. Now, students can arrive as late as lunchtime and stay until 5:45 p.m. or they can arrive at the customary 7:30 a.m. start and work through the longer school day. The three extra hours allow students with scheduling conflicts due to employment and childcare issues to work toward earning their high school diploma. This year eight KCSS students also are enrolled in Woodruff Career and Technical Center (WCTC) programs, enabling them to graduate from high school with employment skills they can use immediately.

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KCSS celebrates mid-year graduation

One size does not fit all,” was a common refrain this week as 25 Peoria Public Schools students accepted their high school diplomas at the Knoxville Center for Student Success (KCSS) mid-year graduation ceremony. KCSS Principal Eric Thomas told the students, “This ceremony represents a lot of hard work. It represents staying up later, getting up earlier and making an extra effort to graduate.” Thomas noted that KCSS has no assistant principals or deans like traditional high schools, but does have 14 dedicated teachers who make sure the students are completing the credits they need to finish high school. “I am so proud of each of you,” Superintendent Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat told the students. “It is true that one size does not fit all and if a traditional high school approach work, we will try something else and we will keep trying until we find what works.”

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KCSS serves students with unique needs

The focus of the Knoxville Center for Student Success (KCSS) has evolved in the four years since Eric Thomas became principal. Initially the school was designed to serve as a way station for students transitioning from incarceration or suspensions back to one of District 150’s three traditional high schools and as a way to add supports for chronically truant students. For increasing numbers of students, however, KCSS has become not a temporary stop, but their “home” high school. “We offer a different structure for students who may not have had a successful freshmen and sophomore year and are behind on credits,” explains Thomas. “We don’t have big hallways or homecoming or prom, although we do have our own celebrations. We’re low-key and there are fewer distractions so students can focus on catching up on the credits they need and completing high school on time.” The school offers extended opportunities to catch up. The school day has nine class periods, rather than seven and the computer lab with Compass Learning is open for three extra hours each Monday through Thursday afternoon as well as during the summer months, provided funding exists. By having online classes mixed with teacher-instructed classes, students are afforded the opportunity to catch up on credits where they have fallen behind due to various life obstacles they are facing. The unusual structure means that a student who has fallen behind can earn 11 credits in a year, rather than the traditional seven. Some of the students have young children and many have jobs, so offering flexibility is important in helping them earn their high school diploma. One recent graduate, a 21-year-old young man, returned to school because, although he had worked several jobs, he knew his chances for keeping a job or advancing were limited without a high school diploma. The students travel to KCSS from all corners of Peoria. Each student is given a CityLink bus pass each day to travel to and from school. The school is

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