School numbers declining

Star Courier While Kewanee District 229 has had relatively stable enrollment figures over the last 20 years — the same can’t be said for Henry County schools as a whole. All the other schools are experiencing declining enrollments. Both situations create different challenges. Kewanee District 229 had 1,976 students in 2020, up from 1,832 in 2010 and 1,779 in 2000. “Why do we have the enrollment we do? Because Kewanee has been a progressive town, trying to expand its local businesses,” said Chris Sullens, District 229 superintendent. Kewanee also has several large employers, Great Dane, Good’s, OSF Saint Luke Medical Center, Wal-Mart and Martin Engineering in Neponset, he said.