Perry Elementary Transition

This transition plan is designed to prioritize family preference and strongly encourage timely registration for all of our Perry families . 

April 2026: Preference & Registration 

• ParentSquare Selection Form: Current K-4 families will receive a form to rank their preferred elementary schools in order of priority. Families will also be able to choose if they prefer a cohort or if school choice is most important. We will make every reasonable effort to provide preferred placements to current Perry students. Forms must be completed via ParentSquare by April 30, 2026. 
• Default Enrollment: Families who do not return the form or designate no preference will be enrolled at the school most closely aligned with their current address, subject to space availability. 
• Lottery System: A lottery will determine the order in which students are placed and contacted based on their preferences. The lottery will be done by family and siblings will not be separated 
• Elementary principals have coordinated open house/tour dates for families that are interested in seeing other elementary schools in the District. All open houses will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 
  • Caledonia Elementary - April 14 
  • Lincoln Elementary - April 23 
  • Meehan Elementary - April 21 
  • Seth Whitman Elementary - April 15 
  • Washington Academy - April 16 
• Registration Deadline: To participate in the choice process, families must register between April 1st and April 30th. The preference form and lottery process only apply to those who register on time.

May 2026: Placement & Notification 

• Assignment Process: When a family’s lottery number is called, Central Office will verify timely registration and then contact the family to discuss available options using their preference form as a guide. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide preferred placements to current Perry students. 
• Kindergarten Placement: All incoming kindergarten students within the Perry attendance area will be enrolled at either Lincoln Elementary or Washington Academy based on their home address. Current PES students who have a sibling who is an incoming kindergarten student, will be enrolled with that new student. 
• Late Registrants: Families who register after the April 30th deadline will be notified of their school assignment during the summer. They will be enrolled at the school most closely aligned with their current address, subject to space availability. 
• School Integration: In addition to the open house/tour dates in April, principals will offer additional times in May for families to tour the buildings at all elementary schools for incoming Perry students and families once placements have been made. These dates will be finalized and shared in the coming weeks. 

June 2026: Welcoming New Students 

• Principal Outreach: Building principals will reach out to welcome new families to their respective school communities. 
• Student Cohorts: Whenever possible and/or desired by students/families, student cohorts will be kept together in classroom placements to maintain social continuity. 
• Transition Support: Every effort will be made to ensure a smooth, welcoming, and supportive transition for every student. 

This process is monitored by Dr. Johnson and the Registration Team, with support from Mr. Fry and Mr. Mandujano. 

Note on Accessibility: All correspondence will be provided in the families' native language, and staff will make multiple attempts to reach every family. 

Placement of Students in the PES Attendance Zone for the 2026-2027 School Year - Including Incoming Kindergarteners 

For the 2026-2027 school year, incoming kindergarten students who would have traditionally attended Perry Elementary will be assigned based on a new boundary designation.

New Boundary Designation:

• Jackson Street will serve as the primary boundary line. 
• North of Jackson Street and residences on Jackson Street: Students will be assigned to the Lincoln Elementary, Central Middle School, and Belvidere North High School attendance area. 
• South of Jackson Street: Students will be assigned to the Washington Academy, South Middle School, and Belvidere High School attendance area. 

Transition Plans 

• Plans will be made for celebrations at Perry Elementary School to provide closure for current Perry students and provide a sense of care and belonging during the transition - possible plans may include: 
  • Legacy Week 
  • Memory Books 
  • End of the Year Celebration 
• Bridging the Gap - plans will be made to help transition students to their new schools which may include: 
  • Conscious Discipline Team will plan and coordinate common welcoming/transitioning activities for PES students and families. 
  • Student Ambassadors assigned to welcome Perry students 
  • Student cohorts so that Perry students will stay with their classmates from Perry at their new schools whenever possible/desired. 
  • Tour and open house events have been coordinated for Perry students and staff at each elementary school in April. Additional May dates will be finalized and shared in the coming weeks. 
  • Students may be welcomed with some spirit wear and welcome items from their new school
  • Possible site visits for staff and paraprofessionals to visit their new schools before the end of the school year. 
• At the start of the new school year, Central Office staff will be on site along with site leadership to greet students and families and help to ensure they feel welcomed on their first day. 
• Perry staff will also be welcomed at their new locations by administration and highlighted in newsletters and with school spirit wear/items 
• Communication plans will continue to be developed and FAQs and who to contact will be shared with Perry families through the District website and ParentSquare.

Purpose and Vision: The D100 Administration is dedicated to supporting PES students and families during this transition. Our primary goal is to ensure that students can attend their preferred school and remain with their peers whenever possible. Currently enrolled siblings will be allowed to follow siblings who are also currently enrolled and attending school in D100.

Enrollment and Capacity

• Seth Whitman Elementary School (SWES): Due to current facility constraints, classroom space at SWES is limited. We will accommodate as many PES students at this location as seating capacity allows.
• Other District Sites: For all other District elementary schools, the administration will exercise maximum flexibility to enroll as many PES students as possible at their preferred sites.
• Student Cohorts: We will offer larger student cohort opportunities at LES and WA for those students/families wanting a cohort opportunity and who do not have siblings that may need to be placed together.

School Assignment and Continuity: Once a current PES student is placed at a new elementary school, that site will become their official "home school." Moving forward, these students will follow the same placement practices and benefit from the same continuity as all other students assigned to that school.

Secondary Pathway Legacy Provision: To support family unity, PES students are granted a one-time option to adjust their secondary school pathway to follow a currently enrolled sibling. This allows a student to align their trajectory with that of an older sibling. This elective change must be initiated by the family at the time of the student’s initial transition into middle school.
Our Commitment: The D100 Administration remains steadfast in its commitment to providing a seamless, supportive, and transparent transition for every PES family.

Caledonia Elementary School – 2311 Randolph St., Caledonia
Caledonia Elementary School is located seven miles north of Belvidere and is proudly home to the Caledonia Cheetahs. We serve approximately 500 students, including 350 in grades K–5. Caledonia takes great pride in being a close-knit, family-oriented school community where strong relationships are at the heart of everything we do. Our students genuinely enjoy coming to school, building connections with their teachers, and participating in memorable events such as Trunk or Treat, the Valentine’s Dance, and our annual end-of-the-year celebration.

Lincoln Elementary School – 1011 Bonus Ave., Belvidere
Lincoln Elementary School is located near the Boone County Fairgrounds in the Riverbend Subdivision and serves approximately 565 students. We are the proud Lincoln Leopards! Our school offers a Two-Way Dual Language program, an Essential Elements special education program, and we will add an ABC special education classroom next school year. Students especially enjoy the spring PVO dance.

Meehan Elementary School - 1401 E. 6th. St., Belvidere
Meehan Elementary School, located off Genoa Road near Immanuel Lutheran, is home to approximately 630 students, including those in our one way dual language and ABC special education programs. We are proudly known as the Meehan Mustangs! Students at Meehan enjoy and participate in our MVP ticket system, earning rewards they can redeem at our school store. Meehan has an active PTO that supports family events and other opportunities for our students.

Seth Whitman Elementary School – 8989 Beloit Rd., Belvidere
Seth Whitman Elementary School, is located on the north campus between Belvidere Central Middle School and Belvidere North High School. We are known as the Seth Whitman Wolves. We are home to approximately 650 students. We are also home to special programs such as two way dual language the ABC special education program. We have a very active PTO that hosts events throughout the school year such as our annual Race for Education, Ice Hogs night where our students get to sign the National Anthem out on the ice, and Discover Center Science Night just to name a few!

Washington Academy – 1031 5th Ave., Belvidere
Washington Academy, located off 5th Avenue near the District’s Central Office, serves approximately 850–900 PreK–5 students, including those in our one-way Dual Language and SEEDS special education programs, and proudly represents the Wildcats. Our school is known for its strong culture of collective efficacy, and students and families enthusiastically engage in events like our Hispanic Heritage Celebration, family movie nights, the Boo Hop (a Halloween dance party), and our Spring family night.

As part of the transition process, the D100 administration is committed to ensuring consistency and minimizing disruption for PES students and families. The following outlines placement expectations moving forward:

Current PES 5th Grade Students (Grades 5–11)

• 5th grade students currently attending Perry Elementary School will continue on their established pathway through graduation.
  • All current 5th grade students will be enrolled at Central Middle School for the 26-27 school year and will remain on that pathway.
  • Families of current PES 5th grade students who live south of Jackson Street and would like to attend South Middle School next year should reach out to our registration department.
• Current middle and high school students who live in the PES attendance area will remain on their current pathway and will not be required to transfer schools.

Siblings of PES 5th Grade Students (Grades K - 4) 

• In the event that a 5th grade student has a younger sibling who currently attends Perry Elementary (Grades K - 4), these students will be allowed to follow the same school pathway as their older sibling, pending available space at the elementary school.

Incoming Kindergarten Students for 2026 2027 School Year and Beyond

• Incoming Kindergarten students will be placed according to our new boundaries, but may request a transfer to attend the same elementary school as their currently enrolled older sibling.