The February 11, 2026 Board of Education meeting VIDEO recording is now available.
Meeting Recording Includes:
Open Session Meeting
Superintendent & Committee Reports
FEBRUARY 2026 Highlights
Winter Benchmark Assessment Data Review
Approval of the 2026-2027 School Year Calendar
Administrator Reports
Mrs. Kim Maher - Director of Communication, Development, and Safety:
Registration for returning students will begin this month. The registration process has been updated and families will experience a more comprehensive approach to completing registration and payment for their returning students.
Pre-Registration for students that will attend Kindergarten in 2026-2027 is ongoing.
While we continue to share our expectations and needs for timely and accurate communication from transportation, use of the MyView app has continued to increase across the district. The last month provided good opportunities for refining practices for LW210 and increasing understanding of its function and use for MSD114 families!
The final project in the Phase II district office plan has been completed. An SEG (silicone edge graphics) display was installed in the boardroom. Illustrations of each building are included, in order of their construction, including the original two story Manhattan Grade School. SEG displays are designed to provide flexibility as new fabric graphics can be purchased for interchanging displays over time.
The MSD114 SRO Team has returned with social media videos as well as surveying families for parent session preferences in our community newsletter. They hope to offer at least one parent session again this spring.
Mrs. Cheryl Donovan - Director of Curriculum and Instruction:
Winter benchmarking is complete. All buildings reviewed data at the grade level, class level, and individually. Thank you to the teams for their thoughtful conversations, ensuring our students are supported.
All staff have now participated in an overview training of the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan.
During our teacher institute day, staff participated in vertical articulation and collaboration. A presentation reviewing English Language/Multilingual processes and protocols was also shared with all staff.
We continue to evaluate our alignment to our Math Vision and Mission. Staff were invited to complete a survey at the beginning of January. A summary and trends were shared with staff. Staff will be invited to complete the survey again at the end of the year.
Staff are preparing for state testing. Thank you to those behind the scenes preparing our platform, devices, and groups, those preparing with kids, and our kids. All are working incredibly hard!
Mrs. Julie Hantson - Director of Special Education:
Special shout out to Vicki McAndrew (Counselor at WC) for her assistance with the bus accident.
Our 2025-2026 Student Services Community Night is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2025 (5:30pm-7pm) at Wilson Creek School. We have a variety of activities, vendors, animals, and a sensory truck confirmed for attendance for that night.
Our district is up for ISBE Indicator 8: Parent involvement survey. The Indicator 8 Parent Involvement survey was distributed to the parents of students with disabilities in our district to determine how well schools throughout the state are involving parents in their children’s education. Parents have received them and have begun filling them out.
Administrators at Wilson Creek and Mrs. Hantson continues to attend remediation meetings for Preschool compliance in regards to having students in the LRE and access to general education peers. We just completed Part 2 of the process and submitted it to the state.
Thank you to our counselors in the district for all they do! We just celebrated School Counselor Week this past week: Feb. 2-6.
Ms. Cari Rohe - Wilson Creek:
Wilson Creek had our monthly Pride Assembly on January 28th! We celebrated the Eberhart Family and honored our students of the month who exhibited our character trait of Perseverance! What made the assembly even more exciting is that a student and a staff member made Ms. Book's possible shot!
Our winter days also took place at the end of January. Staff from both Kindergarten and First Grade met with the instructional team to review the progress of students who were currently receiving intervention and to review the most recent benchmark data to see who could benefit from intervention.
Two first grade teachers, Mrs. Zuccato and Ms. Neighbors had 100% of their students in the green for reading so this was very exciting! First Grade also made the biggest gains overall in the district on the benchmark testing! We are very proud of First Grade!
We had an early release on January 28th. Our staff continued to learn about the literary components by rotating through sessions as small groups. We also came together as a whole group to review the results from the literacy audit. Teachers collaborated in first grade about the writing curriculum changes we are looking to make for the 26/27 school year as part of our School Improvement Plan. Kindergarten collaborated with the Instructional Specialist as well.
The winter screening for Preschool also took place on January 28th. All of our EC and PFA staff participated in the screening process as we welcomed many little ones looking to begin preschool at Wilson Creek throughout the day! EC/PFA just wrapped up their exercise and healthy habits unit of study and began their Transportation Unit! Preschool and EC took a field trip on Monday February 2nd to the New Lenox Children's Museum! There were lots of fun activities in the museum to support the current Transportation Unit as well as support all of their other units of study! The students had a wonderful time and the staff were very organized and planned a great trip!
Preparations are underway for our Family Fun Night which will take place Wednesday, February 25th! The theme is "Blast into Learning." There will be many STEM activities for families to enjoy plus our book fair and raffles!
Mrs. Elise Kirk - Anna McDonald:
Special Days: The month of February has some very special themed days at Anna McDonald. Super Bowl Day, 100 Days of school and Candy Land are among the most magical. Our staff pours in so much time and energy into making these days special. These are truly the days to remember!
Black History Assembly: On February 26th students will enjoy a laser light assembly honoring and celebrating Black History.
Pack Pride Assembly: Later this month, we will host our 2nd trimester reward day to celebrate students' hard work. During the morning students will play board games with their Anna Mac pack members and in the afternoon we will host a pride assembly where we will celebrate our Empathetic Elephants, Persevering Penguins, and Honest Otters.
Movie Madness: Thank you to Pack Council for organizing movie madness. Students stayed after school and enjoyed watching “The One and Only Ivan.” They raised funds to support various community organizations, including Manhattan Fire, PD, teachers and bus drivers!
Specials Superstar: Each month our Art, Music, PE and STEM teachers nominate two students that demonstrate outstanding character. Their picture is displayed on our Specials Superstar wall and they receive a certificate and trophy.
Institute Day: Staff had a full day of learning and growing today. The morning was filled with district level vertical articulation and the afternoon was spent back at Anna Mac with data meetings, IAR training, and team time. Thank you to our dedicated staff for making the most out of our professional learning days.
Mr. Ryan McWilliams - Manhattan Intermediate, Director of Buildings and Grounds:
Manhattan Intermediate School
Partner Data Days took place on January 27th & 29th. Content Area Data Days were on February 3rd & 5th. Thank you to the staff for coming prepared to talk about kids and to Tracy Lamont and Kelly Barr for facilitating the conversations.
Congratulations to Mr. Galassi and the MJHS wrestling program for their dominance across the area. We have many 5th grade boys and girls contributing to the program and showing great progress and promise for the future of the program.
Content teams spent the afternoon on January 28th ER Day collaborating. Time was well spent ensuring we have consistency & continuity with our Curriculum & Instruction at 4th & 5th grade.
4th & 5th grade spent Feb 6th & 10th at Laraway Lanes. Thank you Jerry Davern & Laraway Lanes staff for accommodating us! Thank you, Mrs. Davern for coordinating the field trip for staff & students.
Thank you to Mrs. Ramsey & Mrs. Fox for the opportunities they provide our kids in the library. It's nice to see the kids actively doing a variety of activities & tasks and checking out books. Many new book titles have also been added to the bookshelves.
Art Club and Homework Club are in full swing. Mrs. Boersma, Mrs. Houk, Ms. Innes, & Mrs. Pilon head these after school opportunities.
It's been a fantastic school year to this point. Kids are doing a great job keeping themselves occupied at arrival; playing nicely at recess; keeping the building nice and tidy; and taking care of their student and school responsibilities. I am looking forward to some of our Spring activities with the kids.
Here's to warmer weather just around the corner!
Buildings and Grounds
The B&G Department would like to give a big thanks to the Manhattan Park District. On snowy days when the track needs clearing at MIS so the kids can still walk during recess, our Parks & Rec have been lending us a hand clearing the track. Much thanks to the crew, Bob Gainous, Vicki Pacewic, and Jay Kelly.
Mr. Vince Perillo - Manhattan Junior High:
Winter Data Days: Under the lead of Mrs. Meghan Petschinsky, Mrs. Amy Goberville, and Mrs. Joyce Watson (with assistance by Mrs. Nicole Klaric and Mrs. Natalie Worth), MJHS staff members went through both Individual Data Days and Big Team Data Days. During Data Days, staff members looked at the results from the Winter STAR Screener, the Winter DESSA Screener, 2025 IAR Tests, and local assessments to identify students that could benefit from extra support as well as to plan how to have all students experience growth on this year’s IAR Tests in March. One of MJHS’s SIP goals for the 2025-2026 school year is on student growth on the IAR Test.
From here, along with the help of our Building Leadership Team, MJHS has already begun planning for the weeks leading into the State Testing to ensure our students perform their best on the assessments.
SEL Professional Development: Three members of our Social-Emotional Learning Committee recently attended a training on building relationships with at-risk students through the Will County ROE. Afterwards, they came back and presented the information they learned to the MJHS staff during our early release school improvement time. Thank you to Mrs. Ethridge, Ms. Flavio, and Mrs. Klaric for working on this for our staff and students!
School Counselor Week: During February, MJHS celebrated National School Counselor Week. Throughout the week, our school counselor, Mrs. Nicole Klaric, shared information and activities for both the staff and students in the building.
Blue Crew/Athletic Boosters Events: On Tuesday, January 27th, the Blue Crew hosted a camouflage-themed event for a home wrestling meet, which was held at MJHS. It was great seeing students and staff show up in themed outfits to cheer on our wrestlers as they competed against Hickory Creek. On Thursday, February 5th, Blue Crew sponsored an event for the last home girls’ volleyball game. The theme for the game was Hawaiian!
Winter Off-Campus Rewards Trip: At the beginning of March, MJHS students will be taken off-campus on a Rewards Trip to celebrate the students who continuously meet (and exceed) the expectations at school. All students start the rewards period qualifying for the trip; the only way students become ineligible is if they receive two detentions or any kind of suspension in the rewards period. Thanks to our staff members who helped plan for, communicate, and chaperone the trip.
Rooms 500, 501, and 503 Food Drive: Students and staff in these three rooms, led by Mrs. Dunlap, Mrs. Pierce, and Ms. Tooley, are seeking monetary and non-perishable items as donations to be able to give to the Manhattan Food Pantry. Starting February 17th and going until February 26th, students can bring in money or items to earn a chance to pie a teacher in the face. Staff members have been gracious enough to volunteer to get pied at an all-school assembly on Friday, February 27th.
NJHS: With the end of Trimester 2 coming at the end of the month, Candidate Packets will be made available in the coming days for any 7th or 8th-grade student interested in being selected for National Junior Honor Society. Students need a cumulative GPA of 3.80 over the last five trimesters to be even considered as a candidate for the national organization. Those individuals who submit their packet have the information they submit ran through a matrix to determine whether or not they will be selected to join NJHS and attend the Induction Ceremony in April. Thanks to Mrs. Sarah Johnston and Mrs. Jamie Smith, our two NJHS faculty sponsors.
Fishing Club: Fishing Club has continued to meet throughout the school year and is in the process of planning their spring outing for May 9th at a local lake. Shoutout to Mr. Hannig for continuing to lead the way for our future anglers!
New MJHS Clubs (Wildcard): MJHS started two news clubs this winter: Photography Club and Culture Club. Both groups give MJHS students another opportunity to get involved and connected to school.
The Photography Club, sponsored by Mrs. Amy Marshall and Mrs. Tina Benfante, meets twice a month to learn how to edit photos as well as exploring other digital media techniques. Also, the Photography Club sent students to our Blue Crew event for wrestling to capture the action. We look forward to seeing how this club grows and becomes more involved the rest of this school year.
Mrs. Jamie Smith formed our Culture Club, a group of students whose goal is to spread awareness of all the differing cultures, customs, and traditions that are a part of our current Manhattan community. As a first project, the Culture Club had a group of students create and give a presentation to members about Ramadan. From here, the students are working on ways to share information with all MJHS students and staff. We are excited for the plans Mrs. Smith and the Culture Club students have for the remainder of this school year.
8th-Grade Information: At the end of January, 8th-grade students had the opportunity to take Graduation Pictures. Any student who was unable to attend or who did not like their proofs can schedule an appointment for Graduation Picture Retakes on Wednesday, February 25th.
On Monday, February 3rd, Lincoln-Way West came over to speak with our 8th-grade students. The faculty and students from West shared information about their Open House on Wednesday, February 11th, and they also shared details about the high school. All 8th-graders received a packet of information later in the day to bring home, which also included the student’s Pre-ACT scores and tentative placement of classes for high school.
Graduation will be on Tuesday, June 2nd, at 5:30 PM at MJHS. Stay tuned for more information.
Athletics: Boys’ Basketball wrapped up their seasons in late January, with 7th grade playing through the first round of regionals and 8th grade playing through the second round. 6th grade Boys’ Basketball played hard at the DPVC tournament, but were eliminated in the first round. Cheerleading competed this morning at the IESA State Competition in Peoria, Illinois. Girls’ Volleyball season is off to a good start and they will be participating in the DPVC tournament soon. We will be hosting 7th Grade Girls Volleyball Regionals on February 28th, March 3rd, and March 4th. Wrestling season continues on through their stellar season with multiple team wins throughout. Scholastic Bowl has begun practicing and won their first matches against Morris. MJHS Athletic Expectations Night was held Monday, January 26th for Bowling athletes and their season began on Wednesday, February 11th. After that, Track and Field season begins at the beginning of March. We will be hosting Track & Field Sectionals here at MJHS on Saturday, May 16th again this year!
Music:
The 7-8th grade Symphonic Band will be performing a step-up concert at LWW High School on February 26th along with Liberty JH and LWW Bands. Several band students will be performing solos and/or ensembles at the IGSMA Solo and Ensemble Contest at Summit Hill JH on Saturday, February 21st. The 6th grade Concert Band and the Symphonic Band will be participating in and hosting the IGSMA Band Contest at Manhattan JH on Saturday, March 14th. The Concert Band will perform at 11:20am and the Symphonic Band will be performing at 1:00pm. Good luck to all orchestra and choir students competing at the IGSMA Solo and Ensemble Contest on Saturday, February 14th, at Mokena JHS! The Chamber Orchestra, Madrigal Singers, and many other ensembles/soloists have been working hard to prepare their selections. The 4th-grade Beginning Orchestra and 5th-grade Jr. Demon Orchestra has their winter concert on Thursday, February 19th, in the MJHS Gym. Our young musicians are excited to perform many new and challenging songs! The Demon Choir and Madrigal Singers will travel on Tuesday, February 24th, to Lincoln-Way West for their annual Choral Step-Up Concert. Both groups will chat with the high school students, have pizza, and perform their contest selections that evening. This concert begins at 6:30pm in the LWW Auditorium.