Crystal Lake District 47

Rosemary Blazier is remembered for her generosity and leaves behind a legacy at countless local organizations.

Search our table to see what designation your McHenry County school received on the 2024 school report card.

This week, the Illinois State Board of Education released school- and district-level data showing what percentage of McHenry County students were considered proficient in math and reading last year. Check out this chart to see if that's an improvement over the prior year.

McHenry County school districts said they still see long-tail effects of COVID-19 but note scores released this week in some cases are higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Artist and parent Sara Jean Stevens is the face behind the colorful murals found at Husmann and North elementary schools.

Sara Jean Stevens started painting her kids' school's walls to bring some fun and happiness to the place. Now she's started a company called Moth and Moon Co. to spread her talents.

After a year of negotiations, Crystal Lake School District 47 and its teachers union both approved the tentative agreement on a new contract that includes increased benefits, pay raises and plan time for teachers.

Leonetta Rizzi has a long history of social service work, currently as executive director of the McHenry County Mental Health Board. She is a recipient of the Northwest Herald's Women of Distinction award.

Defense attorneys want argue at the civil trial of the death of a 3-year-old toddler struck and killed by a school bus in Cary that the child’s parents were “negligent” and “caused” his death, according to a filing in the McHenry County court.

Woodstock School District 200 to get 3 electric buses; grant money from the Volkswagen emissions settlement is helping to fund the vehicles.

After nearly a year of negotiations, Crystal Lake-based School District 47 and its teachers union have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, officials say.

Crystal Lake District 47 teachers don't have a contract deal and have declared an impasse in talks. What happens now and could it lead to a strike?

With possible teachers strike looming, the Crystal Lake School District 47 teachers union has filed an unfair labor practices complaint against the district.

Crystal Lake District 47 teachers have formally declared an impasse in contract talks, meaning they could go on strike in weeks. They've been bargaining for a new contract for nearly a year.

A look back at the first day of school in Crystal Lake and Woodstock from Northwest Herald photojournalist Gregory Shaver.

Crystal Lake District 47 started its school year on Wednesday, Aug, 21, 2024, with students, teachers and staff returning for the first day of class.

The Crystal Lake District 47 school teachers union will start the school year Wednesday without a new contract as negotiations continue after 10 months.

Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 will host a resource fair for district families Aug. 24.

A new school year has arrived in McHenry County with optimism, nerves, cautions.

Crystal Lake-based District 47 is asking for parent and guardian input on potential school boundary changes for Hannah Beardsley, Richard Bernotas and Lundahl middle schools.

Crystal Lake teachers rallied outside the District 47 offices this week as contract negotiations continue and the first day of school quickly approaches. So how much do Crystal Lake teachers make?

Crystal Lake teachers rallied outside the District 47 offices Monday afternoon ahead of another contract negotiation session

Crystal Lake School District 47 and Community High School District 155 approved a $1.6 million grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to purchase four electric buses and chargers.

Crystal Lake-based School District 47 continues contract negotiations with the teachers union by adding a federal mediator as negotiations for a new contract stretch into eight months.

The Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers Association has been bargaining with District 47 for eight months as the contract expires on the first day of school in August.

Eighth grade students attending Crystal Lake District 47 Richard Bernotas middle school will have a different math structure from the other district’s middle schools in a pilot program starting in August.

Students in Crystal Lake-based School District 47 and McHenry-based School District 15 will have access to free mental health teletherapy sessions.

When he's not working as a music teacher, Crystal Lake resident Mike Muggli can be found in his basement that he transformed into an art studio creating custom designs on disc golf frisbees.

Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 and the union representing its support staff have agreed on a settlement over the district’s use of a temp agency to fill vacant paraprofessional positions.

School bus driver Stacey Balmes helped bring Bricks of Hope efforts to McHenry County by starting a charity motorcycle ride and a Lego drive at Crystal Lake District 47 schools.

At Crystal Lake’s Bernotas Middle School, 22 students and three staff members “braved the shave” and buzzed off their hair to raise money for childhood cancer research.

Cary resident Evan Cochrane will be competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May after winning the McHenry County Regional Spelling Bee Wednesday.

The underground portion of Crystal Creek in Crystal Lake will be restored back to its natural state starting this summer to combat flooding and improve water quality.

Most McHenry County school districts have shut down or moved to remote learning because of Friday's winter storm

A look at some of the biggest stories that moved McHenry County in 2023.

Police officers across McHenry County took children shopping Sunday

The Crystal Lake Association of Support Staff union filed a complaint against District 47 with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board for using a temp agency.

Disparities in absenteeism appear in most McHenry County school districts when the data are broken down by race and in comparing students with disabilities.

Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 will host a job fair Wednesday and Friday for paraprofessionals, bus drivers and substitute openings.

Crystal Lake School District 47 and the union representing its support staff are at odds over the district’s use of a temp agency to fill vacant paraprofessional positions.

School buses are transporting kids smoothly for the most part in McHenry County, officials said.

Wednesday marked the first day of school for many McHenry County children, including in Crystal Lake, Woodstock and McHenry.

The first day of school at West Elementary School in Crystal Lake on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, as students around McHenry County return to school after the summer.

Two districts are fully staffed and the rest of the 18 districts in McHenry county need between five to 20 drivers, McHenry County Regional Superintendent of Schools Diana Hartmann said.

The Crystal Lake Public Library and Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 have signed an intergovernmental agreement that will allow students who live in the district but outside of the library’s boundaries limited access to library materials, programs and resources.

District 47 students that live out of Crystal Lake boundaries will be able to get Student Access Cards starting Aug. 1.

Leonetta Rizzi, Executive Director of the McHenry County Mental Health Board, earns award for efforts in addressing mental health needs in Crystal Lake District 47.

Husmann Elementary School is redecorating the main hallway and lobby with painted murals that transform the beige color palette to a kaleidoscope of colors.

Family legacy lives on, but Rob Fetzner ends tenure as Crystal Lake District 47 school board member.

A long-time competitive singer, Donna Bates was set to compete at the Sweet Adelines regional competition in Milwaukee last weekend, just days after she and her husband, Joseph, were killed in a downstate Illinois crash.