Kane County Reporter

Central Community Unit School District 301 marked the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year with a series of posts on August 20, highlighting first-day activities and milestones across its schools.

In an early post, the district celebrated Central High School’s senior class: "#DayOne301 of Senior Year The Class of 2026 at @301_chs kicks off a season of milestones, memories & moments to last a lifetime. Here’s to making it unforgettable. #WeAreCentral " (August 20, 2025).

Later in the day, attention turned to Lily Lake Grade School: "Fist bumps, smiles, and first day excitement at the iconic Lily Lake on #DayOne301 Built in 1918, this marks the 108th school year for our community’s landmark building — and the first for Principal Gibbs! #WeAreCentral " (August 20, 2025).

The district also shared enthusiasm from Howard B. Thomas Grade School: "Game faces on! HBT is kicking off the 2025-26 school year with plenty of smiles — maybe it’s the excitement, maybe it’s the perfect weather for #DayOne301 . Either way, our team is ready to play hard, learn big, and make this season one to remember. #WeAreCentral " (August 20, 2025).

Central Community Unit School District 301 serves Kane and DeKalb counties and includes several schools such as Central High School, Central Middle School, Country Trails Elementary School, Howard B. Thomas Grade School, Lily Lake Grade School, Prairie Knolls Middle School, and Prairie View Grade School (source). According to state data reported by the Illinois State Board of Education (source), the district employs approximately 280 teachers with an average salary of $58,199; nearly four out of five teachers are women. The student body is diverse—65.3 percent White, 16.5 percent Hispanic, 12.2 percent Asian, and 2.1 percent Black (source). In fiscal year 2020, per-student spending was $19,244 for a total budget exceeding $84 million (source).