June 18, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Talk of the Town with Superintendent Todd Pence

Every week we ask a village mayor, trustee, school administrator or board of education member three questions. This week is St. Joseph Grade School Superintendent Todd Pence.

This post is sponsored by St. Joseph Siding and Window.

What is the biggest challenge facing your district?
Biggest challenge – Since the growth in our community has stopped we have been faced with the financial challenge of trying to do more with less.  It’s been a constant battle for the last 7 – 8 years just to try and break even.

What was your biggest accomplishment this school year?
I believe my biggest accomplishment this year has been putting a new principal in place at the grade school that has changed the whole atmosphere within the the building.  

What projects is your district going to tackle next school year?
Academically the biggest change will be implementing a new science curriculum that we researched and recently adopted.   As far as building projects we are constantly dealing with HVAC issues, but we also have worked with a company to help us develop a five year plan to address all our roofs.  This summer our plan is to address the two worst sections of the grade school roof.  We are also looking at trying to do something with the parking lots here at the grade school.     

Banner
Related Posts

St. Joseph Middle School announces honor rolls

January 30, 2019

January 30, 2019

7th gradeHIGH HONORS Logan Allen Owen Baltzell Payton Carter Maya Chahine Rachel Divan Sadie Ericksen Joseph Frasca Addison Frick Logan...

10 things you don’t know about me… Sue Esposito

March 13, 2019

March 13, 2019

Every week we ask a community member to share 10 things about themselves. This week it is Ogden Trustee Sue...

Kids Say….

May 2, 2019

May 2, 2019

Every week we ask five students from a local school to answer a question on a worksheet. This week the...

Bright Beginnings to hold open house

September 18, 2021

September 18, 2021

A long-time dream is finally coming to fruition. Bright Beginnings Learning Center located at 501 Peters Drive in St. Joseph,...

SJO 2022-2023 2nd Quarter Honor Roll

January 13, 2023

January 13, 2023

FRESHMANBell, AdalynCarlson, WilliamClark, WadeCrozier, CadeCruz, AdreonaDaly, NathanDwyer, CalebEricksen, KatherineFranklin, WilliamFrick, LandonHaley, WilliamHayes, CoyHood, BryannaHouchens, BrysonMcComas, VancePreston, GraceRay, GrahamRetz, LanceSanders, EthanSexton,...

‘Julie has been the backbone of this village for a long time’

December 28, 2021

December 28, 2021

Julie Hendrickson loves St. Joseph. And a piece of the small town’s footprint will soon step away from a long-time...

SJO fourth quarter high honor roll

June 2, 2021

June 2, 2021

Freshmen Allen, LoganBaltzell, OwenBeetz, SamanthaBurkhalter, ChloeDivan, RachelEricksen, SadieFrick, AddisonGetty, GraceGrant, BriannaHaake, LoganHarper, ChloeHarris, RachelHausman, BrodyHueber, AnnabelleJacob, TannerJolley, KyaJones, HeleneKibler, ToriLannert,...

Ask the doctor: Do adults need vaccines?

November 4, 2020

November 4, 2020

“Do adults need vaccines?” By: Jeanelle Murphy, DO Yes, adults definitely should have vaccines and keep up their childhood vaccines...

PVO sets return date for full in-person instruction

February 16, 2021

February 16, 2021

Starting on March 22, all the students in the Prairieview-Ogden School District will return to in-person learning daily. Superintendent Jeff...

SJO student creates program to help the food insecure

December 23, 2021

December 23, 2021

Kirsten Schaefer wants to help feed her neighbors. Schaefer, a junior at St. Joseph-Ogden High School, created the Feeding Your...

10 things you don’t know about me… Chandler Dalton

October 20, 2019

October 20, 2019

This week the director of St. Joseph-Ogden’s Fall Drama Production “Trap” tells us 10 things we don’t know about her!...

Kids say….

August 1, 2019

August 1, 2019

Students from PVO South tell us if they would like to be a farmer. This post is sponsored by Longview...

SJO hopeful to keep in-person learning through end of semester

December 9, 2020

December 9, 2020

Six staff members at St. Joseph-Ogden High School are currently in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 or being a...

SJO third-quarter high honor roll

March 30, 2022

March 30, 2022

FreshmenBeckett, EJBenoit, AudreyBesson, WillBonny, SarahBrown, LandonClampitt, MadisonDavenport, AerolynDietiker, EllaDitchfield, LukeEnnis, JacksonFranzen, SavannaFunk, AddisonGerdes, TaytonGetty, OliviaHamilton, MakennahHarris, LaurenHesterberg, HaleyHouston, MaebreeKearney, SaraKindle,...

Treatment for the common cold

December 23, 2021

December 23, 2021

By Jeanelle Murphy, DO The common cold is caused by a virus. There are over 200 common cold viruses but...

Comments
Leave a Reply