Collinsville Middle School science teacher Rashell Wenos was recognized on Mar. 31 as the March 2026 Kahok Educator of the Month. The award was presented by Principal Brad Snow and local Benjamin F. Edwards financial advisor Jason Rehg.
The recognition highlights contributions made by educators in Collinsville Community Unit School District 10, which serves students across Madison and St. Clair counties, including several elementary schools, an intermediate school, a high school, and Collinsville Middle School itself, according to the Illinois Report Card.
In his nomination statement for Mrs. Wenos, Snow said: “Mrs. Wenos has been an educator at Collinsville Middle School her entire teaching career. In addition to teaching her science classes, she subs for teachers during her prep, mentors new teachers, volunteers for various clubs and sports, and is the chairman of the social media committee. Mrs. Wenos keeps CMS families up to date with all of the events that happen in the building whether it is special classroom projects, after school events or celebrations during the school day. She is a vital part of the positive culture at CMS.”
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 employs 418 teachers who earn an average salary of $60,392 before pension contributions; women make up 81 percent of this group while men account for 19 percent. There are no district teachers with more than ten absences per year.
The district serves a diverse student population: it is comprised of approximately 56 percent White students, 14.1 percent Black students, 24.1 percent Hispanic students and less than one percent Asian students according to ISBE data. During the most recent available year (2019-2020), enrollment stood at over six thousand students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in Collinsville and Madison County according to state records.
Financially, per-student spending in District 10 reached $16,872 in fiscal year 2020 for a total expenditure exceeding $104 million according to official reports. The district also reported having a chronic truancy rate well below state averages: only about three percent—191 out of all enrolled students—were considered chronically truant compared with nearly ten percent statewide figures as reported by ISBE.
Rehg sponsors this monthly award throughout each academic year as a way to recognize outstanding educators within District #10.
