Illini Bluffs School District #327
Home of the Tigers!
#IBTIGERPRIDE
Collaboration. Community. Commitment.
For generations, the public school system in the Glasford area has provided a quality education built on a tradition of collaboration, community, and commitment. We are proud of our rich history and how it has made our district into what is today. The timeline below illustrates this story and explains how the school district we have today came to be.
The Illini Bluffs School District is committed to preserving our history, and this page is just the first step in that process. We are working to digitize old yearbooks, documents, etc. with the hope of putting them on our website for viewing. We also plan to expand this page more in the near future to include all of those who helped make IB what it is today. Part of that effort will be researching former teachers, staff, and community members and putting information about them on here as well.
Early Days
The first school house in the area was built in 1830. It was 16x24 foot log cabin located east of Glasford.
In the mid 1800's there were several small school houses built including: Tichnor's Crossing, Baty School, and Duffield School.
1875
The first school was built in Glasford.
The school in Glasford was expanded and by 1913 a new brick school house was built. This school was known as Glasford Grade School.
Early 1900's
1916
Timber Township High School District #159 was formed and classrooms were leased by the district at Glasford Grade School.
First class graduates from Timber Township High School. 29 students were enrolled at the time.
1918
1922
A special election was held to consolidate Glasford, Kingston Mines, and several rural school houses into one district known as Consolidated District 205.
1923
Completion of a new high school building which cost $48,000. Enrollment grew to 92 students. Glen Reddich was Principal.
First school bus was purchased and Louis B. Jeckel was appointed Principal.
1937
1944-1948
Portions of Logan, Limestone, and Hollis Townships were added to the Timber Township High School District.
1949-1950
First addition to the Timber Township High School building.
The image above shows the 1949-1950 addition as it appears today. The addition is attached to IBMS and houses sixth grade and high school English classrooms. The 1949 addition is the oldest existing portion of the complex.
The image to the left depicts where the new addition was added to the original 3-story TTHS building.
1957
Longtime principal Louis B. Jeckel retires and J. D. Alvey takes over as Principal
1959
Large Second Addition Added.
"To you the people who are helping to build our new school, we would like to express our sincere appreciation from our class and all the many succeeding classes who will benefit by it. This 'thank you' extends to the farmers, the merchants, the teachers, the contractors and construction workers, the parents, the people who worked so tirelessly at the election poles, the 'yes' voters, and anyone who has helped in any way in obtaining our goals.
The only proof the coming generations will have of your encouraging support is in the form of the new Timber Township High School and in this dedication. We shall never forget your willingness to give us the kind of education building that we can be truly proud of for years to come."
- Excerpt from the 1959 yearbook
The image above shows the 1959 addition today. IBMS has occupied this space since 1977.
1969-1970
Timber Township High School 159 along with Glasford-Kingston 205, Lancaster, Mapleton, Westwood, and Wheeler schools consolidate and become Illini Bluffs Unit School District #327
First School Board
This image shows the first school board of the unit district. Left to Right: Forrest Junker, Gary McCann, Keith Probyn, Jim Scott, Bill Urish, Loren Balliez and Gordon Voss.
First Superintendent
William Tweedy was hired as Illini Bluffs Community Unit School District #327's first Superintendent.
Second Superintendent Marvin Strube
Business Manager
Bill Barnett
High School Principal
J. D. Alvey
Marvin Strube, who was the Superintendent of Glasford-Kingston 205 was the one who actually submitted the Illini Bluffs name in the "Name of the District" contest. Mr. Strube would go on to be hired as business manager of the newly formed Illini Bluffs School District, and in 1971 he was appointed as IB's second Superintendent where he served until his retirement in 1993.
Timber Township High School Principal J. D. Alvey was appointed as Illini Bluffs High School's first Principal. Mr. Alvey served in this position until his retirement in 1988.
Bill Barnett was hired as the Business Manager for the district. Mr. Barnett also served as the Transportation Director for several years. Mr. Barnett left IB in 1993 after over twenty years of service to become Superintendent of a neighboring school district.
Elementary/Middle School Principals
Brad Janzen
Lawrence Geltmaker
Brad Janzen was hired in 1970 as the K-2 principal of the newly formed IB district. Mr. Janzen traveled between Wheeler, Kingston, and Westwood schools. Years later, he primarily was based at the Mapleton school before the district built the new elementary school which brought all of the elementary kids onto one campus. Mr. Janzen served as elementary Principal until his retirement in 2003
Lawrence Geltmaker was the Principal/Superintendent of Westwood school before the IB district was formed. In 1970, he became 3-5 Principal at Mapleton school. Later he would become the Principal at Illini Bluffs Middle School where he served until his retirement in 1991.
1974-1977
A 2.7 million dollar bond referendum is passed to build a new high and remodel the old high school for a middle school. The project also included tearing down the original 3-story Timber Township High School Building.
IBHS as it appears today.
1993
Illini Bluffs hires its third Superintendent, Dr. Steve Mitchell, after longtime superintendent Marvin Strube retired.
2000-2001
A new elementary school is built on the same campus as the existing high school and middle school. This brought all of the students of the IB school district together under "one roof."
Former longtime high school Principal J.D. Alvey cuts the ribbon in a ceremony dedicating the new elementary school's library in memory of his wife Rose Alvey.
The new elementary school's commons were named after longtime elementary Principal Brad Janzen who retired in 2003 after 33 years of service to the district.
2003
Illini Bluffs hires its fourth Superintendent, Mr. Randy Stueve, after Superintendent Dr. Steve Mitchell retired after 10 years of service to the district.
2007
Illini Bluffs hires new Superintendent, Dr. Sam Light, to replace Randy Stueve who retired.
Illini Bluffs Today
In 2014, Dr. Roger Alvey, a former IB teacher and IBMS Principal, was appointed as the district's sixth Superintendent. Dr. Alvey is the youngest son of longtime high school Principal J.D. Alvey.
Dr. Alvey has over a decade of experience as a Superintendent, and under his leadership, IB is moving onward and upward.
We are proud of our rich history and we appreciate all of those who have helped make our school district the great district it is today.