Lake County community says goodbye to Quentin elementary

Parents, teachers and students gathered Friday to celebrate Charles Quentin Elementary School as it ends its last full week in operation.

Closing ceremonies included a release of butterflies the students raised in their classrooms. Students watched them fly off in their separate directions into the clear blue sky.

"Even though our school is closing, you are going to be going to another school and like the butterflies, we are going to let you go so you can grow and learn," Principal Claudia Mall said.

The school's roughly 350 students will be split between Isaac Fox and May Whitney elementary schools. The Lake Zurich Unit District 95 school board voted last April to close the school due to declining enrollment.

Quentin, 21250 W. Shirley Rd., Palatine, opened its doors in 1961.

Kandy Keller, an administrative assistant who has worked at Quentin for 20 years, said she will miss the sense of family within the school.

"We just had a girl come back in yesterday that's going to college," she said.

During the morning ceremony for kindergarten through second graders, students roared with applause as their teachers and staff members were honored, many of whom have been with the school for more than 10 years.

Mary Miller, a reading specialist who has worked at Quentin for about 19 years, said she is sad to leave but excited to continue working with the district at Sarah Adams Elementary School next year.

"Everybody's been scattered throughout the whole district," Miller said. "I'll miss them. It's been great working with them; they've been very supportive."

Students have mixed emotions about leaving the school as well. Melissa Weiner, a fourth-grader, will go to May Whitney next year. She said she has friends joining her at her new school, but she is sad to leave.

"It's really sad, it feels like everyone's leaving me here ... but my friend lives (near Quentin) so I'll still see it," Weiner said.

Noreen Robinson has two daughters at Quentin, one in kindergarten and one in first grade, and both will attend May Whitney next year.

"They're sad, but we went to May Whitney and visited and it was a nice school and half of their friends are going there," Robinson said.