Johnston City Community School District

Parents and Guardians, The deadline for the 5 Essentials Survey is this Friday, March 28th. Please take this short survey to give your input on school improvements. https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/?target_name=parent&p=1 For those who have taken the survey, thank you!

🏆 Lincoln Elementary is the 4th Grade Brain Games Champions. 🏆 We're so proud of our team team, who went to competition at Rend Lake College today 🧠📚 They dressed in clothing inspired by the 30s and 40s since that's the content of their testing. Brain Games is a friendly competition that provides a structured academic atmosphere filled with creative thinking and problem solving exercises. Student teams navigate an array of hands-on activities, questions, and challenges across the curriculum of Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and the Arts.

Ms. Moore's Class at Jefferson Elementary is learning all about insects. These 2nd graders are working on a report about any insect of their choice. After finishing their report, they'll create a poster showcasing all of the information they learned about their insect like: 🦋 Where the insect lives 🦋 Its diet 🦋 Life stages 🦋 Harmful or helpful to humans 🦋 Interesting facts

The Johnston City Middle School and High School Student Council participated in this year's Polar Plunge. The Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge is a unique opportunity to support Special Olympics athletes by taking icy dips into a pool full of water. Our students raised more than $2000 for the Special Olympics. We want to say thank you to everyone who donated and to the Student Council for taking the plunge!

We're SO excited for Lincoln Elementary's Spring Open House. This event is the perfect opportunity for some family fun, and for parents to connect with school staff! It's free entry and there will be plenty of games. For purchase, there will be tasty concessions, and $1 tickets for raffles including some BIG prizes like a $100 gift card and FortNight PS5! All proceeds from these raffles go right back to the school and supporting our students through: 🌼 Buying prizes for our PBIS parties 🌼 Assemblies 🌼 Field trips 🌼 Quarterly parties

Ms. Moore's Class at Jefferson Elementary is learning all about insects. These 2nd graders are working on a report about any insect of their choice. After finishing their report, they'll create a poster showcasing all of the information they learned about their insect like: 🦋 Where the insect lives 🦋 Its diet 🦋 Life stages 🦋 Harmful or helpful to humans 🦋 Interesting facts

Members of the JCHS Student Council took part in the first ever Polar Plunge Frosty Face Off yesterday at Mtn Dew Park. ❄️🐻‍❄️ This fundraiser helps to support Special Olympics Illinois -- Region K. We love that our students want to be involved in the community and help support local, non-profit organizations.

Check out these rides for Drive Your Tractor to School Day. A handful of our JCHS students traded in their cars or trucks for a tractor to help celebrate National Ag Week! From left to right, those students are: ▪ Kace Grant ▪ Ty Clark ▪ Daxton Borders ▪ Wyatt Custinger ▪ Jordan Norris ▪ Marcus Smith ▪ Grady Barker The event raises awareness about the importance of agriculture and farming, and to showcase the machinery and equipment used in the industry.

Jefferson Elementary School's Mr. Kee is giving a shout out to his 2nd grade students. Every Friday, his class unloads 140 Gum Drops bags. Then, distributes them to students in classrooms throughout the school. Gum Drops are bags of child-friendly foods that go home with kids during the weekend. Mr. Kee says his students do this in the rain, snow, cold, or heat. We appreciate your hard work and helping heart. ❤️🖤

Washington Middle School students put their engineering skills to the test in an exciting STEM challenge—building the tallest freestanding paper tower! 📄🔧 With nothing but paper and tape, teams worked together to design and construct their way to new heights. This hands-on activity encouraged critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity, showing that even the simplest materials can be used to build something incredible!

National Ag Week is coming to a close, and we really enjoyed celebrating! This week, our high school hosted Ag Awareness Night for FFA chapters in the surrounding area. We had around 74 students show up. Section 24 FFA officers organized five speakers in the agriculture industry to come out and talk with FFA members and Ag students: ▪️ Nicole Cressey ▪️ Nathan Schatte ▪️ Brad Price ▪️ Neitzel Family Farm ▪️ Jeremiah Bright Also, 1st year FFA members competed in the Greenhand Quizbowl. Those five students put a lot of time into studying for the competition including making flash cards! We hope to make next year's National Ag Week even BIGGER and BETTER!

One last reminder -- all schools have early dismissal today at 11:30 a.m.

Eat a delicious Fish Fry, support our JCHS students!! The Johnston City Lions Club is sponsoring a Fish Fry where proceeds will go toward scholarships for our JCHS students! There will also be free eye exams for children ages 6 months to 6 years old (no purchase necessary). This event is Saturday, April 5th, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (or until they run out) at the Masonic Lodge, 501 Washington, Johnston City. The meal is $12.00 per plate, dine-in or carry-out. Tickets are available from Lions Club members, Johnston City High School Office, and the Johnston City District Office.

JCHS National Honor Society students volunteer this morning for the food giveaway at the First United Methodist Church. Our students were joined by the high school's Full-Service Community School Coordinator Heather Miller. This is the second month in a row that students have offered a helping hand, and Junior Sophie Walker has taken part both times. "I just really love helping everybody and like to put that joy into people," says the 16-year-old student pictured in the gray hoodie. "It really opens my eyes to how grateful I am and should be about everything that I have. " Several church members and regular volunteers mentioned they're thankful for both groups of students giving their time, especially on days like this one where nearly all the food went home with local neighbors.

📚⭐️ On Saturday, our JCHS Scholar Bowl team will compete in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Tournament!! 📚⭐️ After months of hard work, dedication, and teamwork, these amazing students have earned their spot in the state competition. We couldn't be more proud of their accomplishments, and wish them the best of luck as they represent the high school at the state level! https://www.jcindians.org/article/2098469

Friendly reminder: Tomorrow, March 21st, is a Half Day with dismissal at 11:30 a.m.

JCHS Senior Emma Holland is awarded the John A. Logan College (JALC) Ambassador Scholarship. This is a full tuition scholarship for two years. The Student Ambassador Program at JALC is a leadership opportunity for students who are dedicated to serving and representing the college on campus and out in the community. Way to go, Emma! 👏👏

March is Music in our Schools month 🎵🎵 A time of year to raise awareness about the importance of music education for all children, and the educators who are in the classroom teaching students the fundamentals of music and how to build on them. Today, we're highlighting Mr. Smith, who has a deep passion for music education and years of experience as a band director. He brings music, inspiration, and a whole lot of rhythm to Washington Middle School and Johnston City High School.

🍀 A FUN day to be in Mrs. Cheers' Kindergarten class 🍀 Students wore their green for St. Patrick's Day and learned about some Irish traditions. The class had a shamrock and gold coin hunt, made shamrock pudding and rainbow snacks, played pass the shamrock, listened to Irish music and did special brain breaks.

Some members of our JCHS Baseball team volunteered their time this Spring Break. The Johnston City Little League (JCJBL) had a shipment of field conditioner delivered to the park, but no way to unload it. The baseball team sent a few players over, who carried the bags off the truck and put them away. Washington Middle School Teacher and JCJBL President, Jaimi Kerley, is thankful for the helping hands!