East Aurora Public School District 131 (also known as Aurora Public Schools: East Side) is a public school district serving preschool through high school students in Aurora, Illinois, United States. It is considered the state's first public school district.
According to the 2016 Illinois State Report Card, the district had a total enrollment of 14,659 students.http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/publicsite/searchBySchool.aspx?searchby=districtName&language=english&year=2012&keyword=131&type=card&rcds=310451310 ; accessed August 2012 There are 12 elementary schools, three middle schools, one magnet academy (grades three through eight), two early childhood centers and East Aurora High School, all within Aurora city limits. The superintendent of East Aurora School District 131 is Dr. Jennifer Norrell. The school board president is Annette Johnson.
The district is bounded by the county line between DuPage County and Kane County to the east, the county line between Kendall County and Kane County to the south, the Fox River to the west, and the border with the neighboring West Aurora and Batavia School Districts to the north.
History
According to "The Educational History of Illinois", private subscription schools were taught by various teachers on the East Side starting in 1834. The first school in what would later become East Aurora School District 131 opened in 1836 at East Galena and Broadway. The school was subscription based. In 1839, a new school was built near Broadway and Claim Street.
East Aurora became a charter district on April 30, 1847, and was officially recognized by the state in 1851. The district became the first free school system in Illinois under a special act of legislature in 1851, two years before the state's free school laws passed. That same year, a two-story school was built with Merwin Tabor as principal. The first grade schools were built four years later.
The first class from East Aurora High School graduated in 1867. In 1878, East Aurora High School formed the first high school orchestra in the country. The first kindergarten opened in 1890 and, in 1903, the district started a school for deaf children.
There are several East Aurora School District 131 schools that no longer exist, including: New York Street School (1851-1864), Center School (1866-1957), First Indian Creek School (1870-1899), Indian Creek School (1899-1957), D.W. Young School (1875-1956), First Oak Park School (1887-1923) and Marion Avenue School (1889-1929).
District information According to the 2016 Illinois state report cards, there were 14,659 students enrolled in East Aurora School District 131. Of those students, 86.6 percent were Hispanic, 7.7 percent were black, 3.2 percent were white, .6 percent were Asian, .4 percent were American Indian and 1.4 percent were categorized as one or more races.
According to the 2016 Illinois state report cards, 62.7 percent of East Aurora School District 131 students were considered low income and 34.3 percent had limited English proficiency. One-third receive bilingual services.
The student-to-staff ratio at the elementary school level was 19 to 1 and at the high school it was 22 to 1, according to the 2016 report cards. The average East Aurora School District 131 teacher had more than 11 years' experience. More than 55 percent of teachers had a master's degree or higher.
Elementary schools School School's namesake Team name Colors Principal Year openedAllen ElementaryOlney C. Allen, former Kane County judge and school board memberPanthersRoyal and whiteWalter Ornelas1951Bardwell ElementaryConrad Bardwell, superintendent 1896-1928BearsForest green and whiteCatherine Cohoon1929Beaupre ElementaryWilliam S. Beaupre, banker and school board member from 1882-1927PumasRoyal and goldLirio Ramirez1916Benavides STEAM AcademyAnne Garcia Benavides, former East Aurora principal, administratorBengalsOrange and bluePatricia Rangel2014Brady ElementaryLorenzo D. Brady, Illinois legislator, mayor and East school trusteeBobcatsBlue and whiteElizabeth Vivanco1923Dieterich ElementaryGeorge N. Dieterich, former school board presidentBobcatsRoyal and whiteLauren Cunningham1922Gates ElementaryJohn W. Gates, former superintendentTigersRed and blackFatima Ballesteros1956Hermes ElementaryNicholas A. Hermes, school board memberPanthersRed and whiteKelly Hills1956Johnson ElementaryClifford I. Johnson, pharmacist and school board memberJaguarsKelly and goldInes Sem1956Krug ElementaryRose E. Krug, East Aurora nurse, World War I veteranCougarsRoyal and whiteClaire Landsford1965Oak Park ElementarySchool was originally surrounded by oak treesTigersPurple and whiteAnnette McMahon1924O'Donnell ElementaryMable O'Donnell, East reading supervisor and nationally published author BobcatsRoyal and goldTonetta Davis1965Rollins ElementaryEdna Rollins, director of finance and administrative servicesCougarsRed and goldStephanie Schmieising1990
Middle schools School School's namesake Team name Colors Principal Year openedCowherd Middle SchoolHenry Cowherd, Aurora resident and East High class of 1945CougarsRoyal and orangeJacqueline Gibson1992Simmons Middle SchoolClifton F. Simmons, former school board president and East High quarterbackPanthersBlack and whiteNelson Granadillo1961Waldo Middle SchoolK.D. Waldo, former superintendent of East Aurora 131WildcatsRed and whiteEileen Roberts1912
High schools School Team name Colors Principal Year openedEast Aurora High SchoolTomcatsRed and blackJennifer Mitchell1957 (current building)East Aurora Extension CampusTomcatsRed and blackTaveras Crump2014
Magnet academy School School's namesake Team name Principal Year openedFred Rodgers Magnet AcademyFred Rodgers, longtime community activistPumaBrian Valek2013 (current building)
Early childhood centers School's name School's namesake PrincipalEarly Childhood CenterN/AKathleen KogutChild Service CenterN/AN/A
Special education School School's namesake Team name Principal Year openedHope D. Wall School (run in cooperation with West Aurora Public School District 129)Hope D. Wall, special education teacherRocketsDr. Terry Collette1969
References
External links Official site