https://www.nieburfh.com/obituary/Debora-Evans
Per the new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the teachers and certified staff, students will be released at 2:45 PM the school day prior to a federal holiday. Since Wednesday, November 11 is Veteran's Day, students will be released early on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. South Elementary will release at 2:35, Pittsfield High School will release at 2:40, and PCS will release at 2:45. Please call your child's school if you have any questions about the release time. Thank you for your continued support of Pikeland schools.
Dr. Russ Tepen
Superintendent
The 2026 Illinois School Report Card was released today, and we have some great news to celebrate across Pikeland CUSD #10!
South Elementary: Approaching Exemplary
Pikeland Community School: Commendable
Pittsfield High School: Approaching Exemplary
We are proud of the progress happening in our schools! These designations reflect the hard work of our students and staff and the commitment to getting better every day.
Behind these results are teachers working hard in their classrooms, students putting forth their best effort, and the many people who make our schools run each day. From our paraprofessionals and office staff to our custodians, bus drivers, food service teams, nurses, and everyone who supports our students and school, every role is important and everyone plays a part in our success. We are also grateful for the families and community members who continue to support our schools. It takes all of us working together to make a difference.
We know there is always room to grow, and we aren't done yet. But today, we want to take a moment to recognize how far we've come and celebrate the people who make Pikeland a great place to learn and work.
Thank you to everyone who plays a part in making this progress possible.
For more information, please visit https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/District.aspx?districtId=01075010026
Ryan Benz
Assistant Superintendent
Pikeland CUSD #10 recently received concerns regarding books being read in classes. The district takes these concerns seriously and is following Board Policy 6.260 to address them.
As outlined in the policy, we are forming a committee to review the materials and follow the established review process. We appreciate those who have brought their concerns forward and will work through the process thoughtfully and in accordance with district policy.
Dr. Russ Tepen, Superintendent
Ryan Benz, Assistant Superintendent
ATTENDANCE PRO NEWS ARTICLE
Coming Soon: A Better Way to Stay on Top of Attendance
We're excited to announce that Pikeland CUSD#10 is launching Attendance Pro by Apptegy, a new way for families to stay connected with their child's school around attendance — all through a simple text message.
Starting Oct. 19, 2026, you'll receive real-time attendance updates directly to your phone when your child is marked absent or tardy. No app to download, no phone call to the front office, no portal to log into — just a straight forward text that makes it easy to stay informed and respond in seconds.
Say hello to a better attendance experience!
Get notified instantly. Receive a text message the moment your child is marked absent — no waiting for a call or checking an app.
Reply by text, in your preferred language. Simply text back to confirm an absence, share the reason, a photo of the doctors note, or ask a question. All messages are automatically translated to your preferred language.
Send proactive notices. Know your child will be out? Text us ahead of time and we'll document it — no need to call the front office.
Families will automatically begin receiving messages once the platform launches on October 19, 2026. Once you have received a message, save the contact so you can reply and reach out, whenever you need!
Attendance matters, and everyday counts. We’re excited to bring forward a better, more modern experience to help you, and us, drive better attendance across every day.
Per the new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the teachers and certified staff, students will be released at 2:45 PM the school day prior to a federal holiday. Since Monday, October 12, is Columbus Day, students will be released early on Friday, October 9, 2026. South Elementary will release at 2:35, Pittsfield High School will release at 2:40, and PCS will release at 2:45. Please call your child's school if you have any questions about the release time. Thank you for your continued support of Pikeland schools.
Dr. Russ Tepen
Superintendent
INVITATION TO BID
Pikeland CUSD #10 is interested in selling one (1) used:
2016 Chevy Malibu LT1, 4-door
Miles: 140,692
New front tires
50% tread on rear tires
1.5L eco-tech 4-cylinder turbo
Condition: This vehicle was involved in an accident. The vehicle was repaired following the accident. For more details about the repairs, please contact Matt Davidsmeyer at 217-285-2752. A/C, cruise, all functions work. Interior and exterior good shape.
The District is seeking sealed bids for the purchase of its car, and such bids shall be received by the District at its Office at 512 S. Madison St., Pittsfield, Illinois 62363 until 2:00 PM on October 5, 2026. No bids will be accepted after this deadline. No faxed or emailed bids will be accepted. Bids are scheduled to be opened and read aloud at 2:00 PM on October 5, 2026.
The District makes no representations regarding the condition of the car and does not warranty its condition in any way. Interested bidders are encouraged to please contact Matt Davidsmeyer at 217-285-2752 for additional details.
While the District generally expects to sell the car to the highest bidder, the Board of Education of the District reserves the right to reject any and all bids or any part thereof, to waive any informalities, errors or irregularity in bids received or in the bidding process, and to accept the bid that the Board of Education deems the most favorable to its interest after all bids have been examined.
Dr. Russ Tepen
Superintendent Pikeland CUSD 10
Just a reminder about the Town Hall meeting tomorrow evening at 6:30 PM in the PHS gymnasium. We will be presenting information about facilities and possible funding solutions. If you are unable to attend in person, we will be live streaming the meeting on the Pikeland Facebook page. We welcome your participation and feedback in this process.
Become, Belong, Saukee Strong!
Dr. Russ Tepen
Superintendent
Good Morning Pikeland Families,
Due to the extreme projected heat index today, Pikeland Schools will be dismissing at
12:30 p.m.
South 12:20
PHS 12:25
PCS 12:30
There will be no afternoon preschool or early childhood.
All students will be fed lunch before they are dismissed.
Decisions on extra-curricular activities will be made later today.
Ryan Benz
Assistant Superintendent
Per the new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the teachers and certified staff, students will be released at 2:45 PM the school day prior to a federal holiday. Since Monday is Labor Day, students will be released early on Friday, September 4, 2026. South Elementary will release at 2:35, Pittsfield High School will release at 2:40, and PCS will release at 2:45. Please call your child's school if you have any questions about the release time. Thank you for your continued support of Pikeland schools.
Dr. Russ Tepen
Superintendent
We have just completed a thorough examination of the strengths and needs of our district through the creation of the new Pikeland Strategic Plan. As part of this process, students, staff, families, and the community were invited to participate in providing authentic feedback which served as a guide while the plan was developed and completed.
One of the top issues identified was the condition of our current district facilities. As a result of the surveys, feedback, and working sessions, the number two goal of the Pikeland Strategic Plan is to “Ensure all Pikeland buildings are safe, clean, fully operational, accessible, and updated.” Our ten-year Health Life Safety survey is currently being finalized, and this survey, which was completed by a licensed architectural firm, has identified a great number of standard violations in our buildings which will have to be addressed during the next ten years.
South Elementary has an issue with space. They currently have principals working out of closets, and need four additional classrooms. With the additional space, South could offer a more robust pre-kindergarten program, bring Early Childhood from PCS to South Elementary, and have the space for growth they require.
Pikeland Community School needs to have the roof replaced as it is original to the school, and an updated HVAC system. The HVAC system is original to the school as well, and could be much more energy efficient.
Pittsfield High School has a great number of structural concerns based upon the Health Life Safety survey. It is estimated that the standard violations only would cost between $12 Million and $15 Million dollars to fix.
As a result, the District will be having a Town Hall meeting on September 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM at Pittsfield High School gymnasium. At this meeting, we will discuss options to address the aging facilities. Options include renovation and/or new construction. Either of those options will require the district to sell bonds to fund the projects, and taxpayers will see an increase to their tax bill in order to raise funds for the projects. Please come to this Town Hall meeting so you can get a great deal of information, and ask any questions. Please put September 10, 2026 on your calendar, and we look forward to communicating our plan.
Dr. Russ Tepen
Superintendent
Pikeland CUSD 10 is committed to shaping a bright and successful future for every student. We are pleased to announce that our Strategic Plan is now finalized and ready to share.
Click the link below to learn more about our vision, goals, and priorities for the future of Pikeland CUSD 10.
PIKELAND STRATEGIC PLAN 2026-2031
This isn't about announcing a decision that has already been made. Rather, it's about making sure our community has the information and context needed as we begin looking at where we are today and where we need to be 10, 20 and even 30 years from now.
Here are three things we think are important for our community to understand:
1. Some of our facilities are aging.
We have buildings that have served our students and community well for many years. But as buildings age, maintenance needs increase, systems become more costly to repair and we have to continually evaluate whether we're making the best long-term investment in the facilities we have.
2. South Elementary has some real space challenges.
Our staff is doing a great job making the space we have work, but there are limitations. As we look at how we serve students today, and how we anticipate serving them in the future, we need to have a conversation about whether our current space meets our long-term needs.
3. We need to look beyond today.
Facilities decisions shouldn't be made simply because something is old or because we're running out of space. We need to look at enrollment, educational needs, building conditions, maintenance costs, available options and the financial impact of each potential solution.
Over the next several weeks, you'll begin hearing more about this conversation. There is not a predetermined decision or building project being announced today. We are at the point where we need to gather information, look at our options and have an open discussion with our community about what makes the most sense for our students and taxpayers.
If significant improvements, or potentially a new facility, become part of that discussion, our community deserves to understand the why behind it, what alternatives have been considered and what the financial impact would be.
Our goal is to be transparent and keep our community informed before decisions are made, not after.
We have a great school district, and we want to make sure our facilities are positioned to support our students and our community for many years to come.
Become. Belong. Saukee Strong.
Ryan Benz
Assistant Superintendent
We are saddened by the passing of Barb Ballinger a long time bus driver for Pikeland. Barb certainly made an impact on the children and families of Pikeland Unit 10. Her dedication clearly went far beyond simply driving a school bus, she cared for “her kids” and made them feel valued and looked after.
May Barb’s family, friends, fellow drivers, and all the children who knew her find comfort in the many memories she left behind. She will certainly be missed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors at Pleasant Hill High School and the Pleasant Hill School District during this extremely difficult time. We will stand united in support, strength and compassion with the students and families involved in this tragic situation and all of those who are impacted. Let's be the strength and the shoulder the Pleasant Hill community needs at this time to help them heal.
#Wolf Strong.
Dr. Russ Tepen
Superintendent
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Tonight’s JH baseball game at Auburn Junior High has been postponed due to heat.
Make up date is TBD.
- Taylor Kaufmann, Athletic Director