The Niles Community Schools Board of Education received some positive news at its council meeting on Monday.

Southside School received a gift of $25,000, which was accepted by the board.

The gift came in the form of a bequest in the will of Maudell Hart Lassiter, whose son, Kim Lassiter, taught at Southside School from 1981-2008.

“[It is ] truly a heartwarming gift from a wonderful family who loved Southside School, the staff and all we do to serve our students,” said Diane Curry, special education director and principal of Southside School.

Curry said the school is in the process of putting together a committee to decide what the gift should be used for.

Southside School is an educational center in Niles Community Schools that operates two center-based programs for low incidence special needs students and students who are not achieving, primarily due to an inability to control their behavior.