PEORIA (25 NewsNow) -The Elite era in Peoria’s Public School system will come to end next month, after Monday’s close, 4-3 vote to pursue a different option for at-risk young people.
Nova Academy is the name, set to use the same building now used by Elite Community Outreach, Trewyn School.
Elite Community Outreach operated their Game Changers Safe School program for 6th through 8th graders for years, but that era is over.
“They’re going to surround them with things that they were not getting from ELITE, only because ELITE is a community outreach organization, they’re not an educational organization, that’s no one’s fault, that doesn’t make them bad, they’re really good at relationships and mentoring,” said Board Member Sarah Howard.
Howard said students will have access to more teachers and mental health counseling.
“Implementation of NOVA Academy will allow the district to establish a consistent, district-directed educational program that aligns with Illinois Safe School requirements, Regional Office of Education expectations, and the district’s commitment to providing students with access to appropriate opportunities and supports,” wrote Deputy Superintendent Renee Andrews in a memo to the school board.
She said staffing costs will be covered by the Regional Office of Education through a grant “and any additional transportation costs will be covered by Title 1 funds.” The district also said they have grant funding for mental health services, experiential learning, and transition supports.
Some board members, along with the Superintendent, and Deputy Superintendent said there was a meeting in July where they say they attempted to extend an olive branch to Elite.
But, they felt the organization did not want to work with them and communication broke down. Howard said that conversations about partnering together were brushed off or taken as an insult.
Though the NAACP and Elite dispute this narrative. Marvin Hightower said his organization called the meeting so that stakeholders could meet and get connected.
“This whole situation could have been handled in a much more professional way. The bridge you are burning with this change is the same bridge [Dr. Bell] and Dr. Andrews will need to go across when they are ready to throw you away and we won’t be there,” said Hightower, President of Peoria’s NAACP branch.
The organization and its supporters held a rally near the administration building before the meeting. Several public speakers Monday asked the board to tell Elite what they were doing wrong and the organization could implement changes, but the board decided against that.
It’s expected that Nova Academy will begin to take shape immediately, while Elite will have it’s last day on Dec. 18.
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