ROCHELLE – Students attending Rochelle’s Central Elementary School this year will enjoy a brand new blacktop on their playground.
For the last couple of years, it has been a question mark if the students would be able to use the blacktop during their recess or not. The ground was very uneven with many sinkholes and cracks often had to be blocked off with cones so the kids would avoid them.
“It has been a long time coming and we are excited to finally have that available to us,” said Celeste Canfield, new Central School principal.

Work repairing the blacktop began as soon as students were let out for summer at the end May and continued all throughout the summer. Work was just completed a few weeks ago, just in time for the coming school year.
While the new blacktop will give the school more space for the kids to use during recess or P.E. activities, the main reason behind replacing the blacktop was the children’s safety.
“Essentially the ground was caving in, so that becomes very unsafe for children to be around and at any point that could have collapsed and we didn’t want any students getting hurt,” explained Canfield, who recently was promoted to fill the principal position.
Prior to becoming principle, Canfield has taught multiple classes in the Rochelle Elementary School district, as well as had the opportunity to work with administration before.
She is both honored and excited for the opportunity in her new role.
“I am very much excited. Central School has been my home for the past few years. The desire to help students and advocate for them is what really drove me to want to go into administration,” explained Canfield. “Now having that opportunity in what I consider my home school is very exciting and I am very much honored to be given this opportunity.”