Quincy School District to continue review of elementary school boundaries

May 22, 2025 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher

Current attendance boundaries for Quincy's K-5 elementary schools were developed by the Boundary Advisory Task Force (BATF) with community and public input and were approved by the QPS Board in March 2017.

QUINCY — A group consisting of more than 30 people met three times in April to consider changes to the boundaries for the Quincy School District’s five K-5 buildings.

But Superintendent Todd Pettit said boundaries will not be changed for the 2025-26 school year.

“The task force has determined that more information is needed to make recommendations on boundary changes that could possibly take effect in the 2026-27 school year,” Pettit said during Wednesday’s Quincy School Board meeting.

The current attendance boundaries for the K-5 elementary schools were developed by a previous Boundary Advisory Task Force (BATF) with community and public input after the fifth of the district’s new elementary buildings went online. They were approved by the Board in March 2017.

The current 31-member boundary review task force was created in February and met on April 1, April 15 and April 29. It will resume meeting after the beginning of the school year with a mission to discuss how to equalize student numbers across schools in an effort to diversify student population while qualifying them for Title I funding status.

The group is made up of School Board Vice President Rachael Petty, board office administrators, the five elementary principals, elementary teachers, representatives of the Quincy Federation of Teachers and parents.

Members of the task force are:

Beswick, Eryn
Bordewick, Lucy
Breckenkamp, Alicia
Bruns, Taylor
Carmean, Erica
Cheney, Shannon
Cooley, Dinita
Crawford, Chandra
Dinkheller, Kim
Douglas, Linda
Douglas, Scott
Fink, Jason
Funkenbusch, Brad
Heightman, Sharla
Hite, Sandra
Jansen, Melissa
Kamphaus, Ryan
Krus, Wayne
Loos, Kristin
Maynard, Erica
Maynor, Dawn
Otten, Lisa
Pettit, Todd
Petty, Rachael
Seals, Melissa
Snider, Jessica
Sohn, Jim
Terry, Jessi
Trowbridge, Brian
Veihl, Michaela
Whicker, Amber
Whicker, Ryan

Board members also approved the district’s use of Red Rover management software to replace the current Skyward system which deals with scheduling, hiring, substitute teachers and timesheets.

“This will allow for an electronic onboarding process. Right now we are paper-pencil on all our new hire forms,” Whicker said. “From an efficiency standpoint, it will be light years ahead.”

Whicker said the program will be implemented with the new school year and will cost $43,200 with an initial one-time set up fee of $10,650.

**Quincy School Superintendent Todd Pettit and School Board President Shelley Arns present Rick Owsley with a flag that flew over QJHS following his retirement from the district after 32 years.**

The board also recognized retiring Quincy Junior High School Assistant Principal Rick Owsley after 32 years of service. Pettit and Board President Shelley Arns presented him with a flag that flew over QJHS.

“Each day, he (Owsley) lives the common pride along with his students that promotes that,” Pettit said. “He’s a man of integrity. He’s a man of passion and determination to do what’s best for kids each and every day.”

Owlsey defended the public school system as a cornerstone of the community.

“Never be afraid to carry a flag in the honor of public school service,” he said. “Public schools are under attack more than ever before. It’s important for us to celebrate our successes and hear guys with service and the needs of the children for this community. So never hesitate to stand up for the honor of public schools. They make our communities great places and we should always sit and celebrate our successes.

“And never forget, sometimes kids screw up and, maybe, deserve second chances.”

It was announced that Brett Ufkes would be the new QJHS assistant principal.