Belleville School District

Belleville East and West players, coaches and parents are hoping the first season catches on in the area and more schools in the Metro East add programs in the next couple of years.

According to the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools’ educator shortage survey from the previous academic year, more than 30% of open teacher, support staff and special education positions went un- or underfilled — the highest percentage in the six years.

Some students could be fully inoculated by the end of June.

For Jaylon Muchison, speech has paid off in a big way. The Belleville West High School graduate recently netted $22,500 from Optimist International’s 2020 Oratorical World Championship — winning his regional and state rounds before claiming the international title.That money will make a huge difference as the 18-year-old heads to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign this fall. He plans to pursue a double major in acting and communications.

Belleville police arrested a male student Wednesday morning they considered a threat to other Belleville East High School students.Belleville Township…

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Sept. 23, 2009 - An NAACP official said Tuesday that the punishment imposed on students involved in…