John Asplund, District 205 Superintendent — what parents need to know about the new school year

Galesburg District 205 students head back to class Wednesday — and Superintendent John Asplund has answers for the questions parents actually ask, from why the year now starts in early August to what it really costs to send a child to district schools (spoiler: not much). Asplund joined Galesburg's Morning News for a wide-ranging conversation that also covered the district's $65 million reserve fund, a change to student eligibility rules, and more. They talked about: Why school now starts in early August — and the surprising reason behind it A breakdown of this year's calendar, including fall break and a shot at four-day weeks in May What it actually costs parents to send a child to District 205 schools A change to the "no pass, no play" eligibility rule Why enrollment continues to decline, and where Asplund sees early signs of a turnaround New video boards at Van Dyke Field and John Thiel Gym What Asplund would tell the next superintendent about taking over the job   Related story: What parents need to know about District 205's 2026-27 school year 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts and Spotify