Chester Mental Health faces staffing crisis and long shifts
The state facility housing criminally insane defendants battles dangerous conditions due to budget cuts and staff shortages. AFSCME says mandatory 16 hour shifts two to three times weekly place workers at risk, while the overseeing department cites lower patient levels as driving reduced staffing.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
State Department
Ty Petersen
American Federation of State
Petersen
Chester
DOC
Cairo sixth graders study Holocaust through letters and pennies
Mary Beth Goff's Cairo Elementary class with 16 students has connected with Holocaust victims' stories, sending letters to synagogues in Illinois Missouri Kansas and Nevada. They have raised over 2000 pennies to honor lost children and reflect on hate and civil rights.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cairo
Mary Beth Goff
Europe
Goff
Hezekiah Brown
Illinois
Missouri
Kansas
Nevada
Miami
Tavaris Ware
Brown
Aaron Eisenhauer
Tereanne Kincaid
Schools work to boost graduation numbers in state
Becky Malkovich reports on efforts by local educators to raise four year high school completion rates across the state. After a calculation change in 2011, many schools show different graduation figures, with Frankfort Community High School dropping from 83.3 percent in 2009 to 70.3 in 2012, highlighting challenges and reform efforts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Frankfort Community High School
Johnston City
Anna
Marion
Benton
Murphysboro
Carbondale
Pinckneyville
West Frankfort
Carterville
du Quoin
Herrin
Illinois State Board of Education
Numbers 2012 report card highlights graduation hurdles
Principal Danny Stevens says the data skews the picture as Franklin County High School implements a Freshman Focus program to smooth the transition into high school. Regional Supt. Matt Donkin emphasizes the freshman and sophomore years as crucial for preventing dropouts amid poverty-related challenges and supportive ROE programs.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
FCHS
Danny Stevens
Franklin Williamson
Matt Donkin
Regional
Office of Education
Also Mentioned on This Page
IDHS
Afscme
Chester Mental Health
Scott Fitzgerald
Thesouthern
Thesouthern.com
Becky Malkovich
ROE
Project Echo
du Quoin High School
Matt Hickam
Hickam
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