Metro East Sun

On January 28, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the New Athens Community Unit School District 60. The request, made by Metro East Sun, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, sought copies of all emails and memos from the past year that contained specific keywords.

The two keywords specified in the request were "Lucy Calkins" and "Units of Study". The purpose behind this request is to ensure transparency and accountability within public institutions. As a media organization, Metro East Sun is dedicated to gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to these public records will aid in fulfilling these professional responsibilities.

In addition to this, Metro East Sun believes it is eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional. This is based on its role in disseminating information to the public.

According to the Illinois Report Card, the average state teacher salary in 2023 was $73,916, and the state average Administrative Salary was $116,908. The average student-to-administrative ratio is 141:1, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1. It's also worth noting that 58% of teachers in Illinois have a master's degree or higher.

As we continue our mission at Metro East Sun to provide comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs, access to such records remains crucial. We believe that through transparency and holding public institutions accountable we can better serve our readership and community at large.