Pecatonica #321 Curriculum Corner

Parent Teacher conferences will be held on November 4 and November 5. There will be no student attendance.

November 4th Conferences: 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm

November 5th Conferences: 8:00 am -1:00 pm

Contact your student's teacher(s) for details.

Pecatonica CUSD #321 will be celebrating all past and current military members on Veteran's Day again this year. This ceremony will be held in the Middle School parking lot at 10:00 am on November 11, and our 4th grade class will be performing for the veterans in attendance. Local Veterans and active military personnel have been invited to share in the celebration. We would like to thank all those former and current military members for their service and sacrifice.

PCMS has joined the Area 2 SEL Cohort through the Regional Office of Education. The goal of this cohort is to focus on the social-emotional needs and growth of staff and students and will also provide educational resources for families and the community.

The middle school team has committed itself to achieving monthly meeting and professional development goals set by the Area 2 cohort that are aligned with social-emotional practices. This is a grant-funded program that will bring SEL education including mindfulness, restorative practices, and trauma-informed procedures to schools, as well as provide training and coaching to the cohort members.

At the building level, the cohort was formed and is led by counselor Brooke King and school social worker Jill Folk. Members of the staff team include Caroline Martin (MS ELA), Sabrina Massa (MS/HS Choir), Karen Kramer (MS ELA), Noah Hansen (MS ELA), Catie Harvey (MS Resource), Milana Bergstrom (5th grade), and Kim Hansen (District Curriculum Director). All staff members share a passion for SEL and are excited to bring what the program has to offer back to the school and the community at large.

Pecatonica High School is excited to continue our partnership with Rock Valley College (RVC) and Highland Community College (HCC) to provide an accelerated academic course of study for qualified students seeking a highly challenging learning experience. Qualified students of the Class of 2024 will have the opportunity to earn both their high school diploma and associate's degree at the same time. Qualified students of the class of 2023 will have the opportunity to get a jump start on their college career. Students will attend either RVC or HCC full-time (depending on which program is chosen) during their junior and/or senior years of high school.

A series of criteria must be met to qualify including completion of the Accuplacer placement test. Mrs. Abel has contacted students who initially qualify this year and those students who choose to pursue this option will take the Accuplacer placement test no later that December 2. Pecatonica High School will hold placement testing at PHS on November 11.

On November 3, the ES will participate in The Magic of Science assembly. During this 45 minute presentation, students will learn about science in a fun and engaging presentation.

According to the Magic of Science Website:

IT LOOKS LIKE MAGIC, BUT IT’S REALLY SCIENCE AT WORK!

In ancient times, magicians wielded tremendous power in society. Of course today we realize that the mysterious world of magic is truly the fascinating world of science. All magic is comprised of illusions and the majority of illusions are based on scientific principles...

The Magic of Science allows everyone, both in the audience and on stage, to become a magician! Everything done in this 45-minute science assembly program looks and acts like a real magic trick. The only real trick is that everything done is science at work. Everything performed has a scientific principle behind it, however, each of these topics will appear to the audience as a challenging and astonishing magic trick. If that wasn't cool enough . . . sometimes we'll tell you how to do the trick at home!

PES students will have a blast while learning just how magical science can really be!! We can't wait!

It is with great pride to announce the following have won the October Student of the Month Award:

Senior – Trenton Hetland

Junior – Theresa Gasparini

Sophomore - Aryana Statum

Freshman – Andrew Kottke

The PHS Key Club is currently holding its annual food drive. They are collecting food items on October 28 and will continue the drive until November 12.

Donations in the name of a specific high school student may be delivered to the HS library between 7:30 & 8:00 each morning or 3:10 & 3:30 each afternoon. If a person just wants to donate, they may deliver to the HS office at anytime and a Key Club member will retrieve the items.

All donations will be delivered to the Pecatonica Food Pantry on November 15. The pantry is in great need of some items including the following: canned fruit (not peaches), canned ravioli, canned carrots, canned green beans, canned creamed corn, canned tuna, canned beef stew, pickles, tissues, and soap.

The Elementary School PBIS committee will be hosting a sock drive to benefit Miss Carly's between November 1 and November 19th. Please consider donating new pairs of socks for Miss Carly's. Our goal is to collect 350 pairs before November 19th. Socks will be delivered to Miss Carly's on Monday, November 22.

We will have a Crazy Sock Day to celebrate on November 19th!

We're excited to invite you to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Hosted by our staff, this event is an opportunity for students of all ages to build their home libraries and further their love of reading . As always all purchases benefit our school.

• The Elementary Book Fair will be held November 1-5. The fair will be open **to students only ** on November 1, 2, 3 from 8:15 am to 3:05 pm. Parents and the public can come on November 4 from 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm and November 5 from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. Online shopping for the ES can also be accessed at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/pecatonicaelementaryschool1

• The Middle School Book Fair will be held October 27 - November 1. Students can purchase books before school, during lunch, and during ISP. The Book Fair will also be available to students and parents on November 4 during Parent/Teacher Conferences in the Middle School cafeteria from 1:00 pm -7:30 pm.

Pecatonica Drama Presents: Snow White! November 11, 12 & 13, 7pm at PHS. $6 General Admission Tickets will be sold at the door starting at 6pm.

November 4-5: Parent-Teacher Conferences

November 11: Veteran's Day Celebration

November 24-26: No School -- Thanksgiving Break

December 10: PSAT 8th grade at PHS

December 10: SIP Day -- 11:15 Dismissal

December 20, 21, 22: High School Final Exams

December 22: 1:45 Dismissal

December 23 - January 3: Winter Break

Email: kimhansen@pecschools.com
Website: pecschools.com
Location: 1300 Main Street, Pecatonica, IL, USA
Phone: 815-239-1639