DuQuoin CUSD #300

The 2022 Pullis Family Scholarship is now available through the District #300 Educational Foundation Scholarship Program. The District #300 Educational Foundation has announced it is now accepting applications for the 2022 Pullis Family Scholarship (formerly known as the Rosemary Pullis Scholarship). Dr. Michael Pullis, son of Rosemary and George Pullis, re-named this scholarship six years ago in memory of the contributions his parent’s made to students throughout their careers in education. The Pullis Family Scholarship is available to recent Du Quoin High School graduates who have completed at least their first or second year of college, will be enrolling as a sophomore or junior, and are majoring in one of the following areas: Education, Counseling, Social Work, Nursing, Pre Med, or other profession that seeks to help others. Academic record, future promise of academic achievement and need are the criteria in consideration in the awarding of this scholarship. This scholarship which has been in place since 1985 has provided nearly $40,000 in assistance to past Du Quoin High School graduates. It will again be a $2,000 award and will be selected by the District #300 Educational Foundation Scholarship Committee. Applications for the Pullis Family Scholarship are available by contacting Melissa Tilley at the District #300 Central Office, may be submitted in typed or electronic form, and must be received by Friday, July 15, 2022 for consideration. The District #300 Educational Foundation is honored and thankful to continue our partnership with Dr. Michael Pullis as a way to continue the tradition of this scholarship. This scholarship has continued to fulfill its original purpose in providing assistance to college-level students as they pursue professions that benefit others.

If your student is participating in the Outdoor Explorers field trip, they are running a bit late. Expected return is between 2:00-2:10 at the elementary school in the front.

JOB POSTINGS for 2022-2023 school year: Instructional Aide Position Individual Student Aide Position We are currently seeking applicants for an instructional aide position which will serve students at our high school and an individual student aide position. These are full-time positions and individual health insurance is provided to our full-time employees. Applicants for the aide positions must meet the qualifications to be a school paraprofessional in Illinois. Those qualifications are as follows: - At least 19 years of age - ONE of the following: Associate’s degree or higher OR 60 semester hours of coursework OR high school diploma/GED and a score of 460 or higher on the ETS Parapro test OR high school diploma/GED and the following scores on the ACT Workkeys test: Applied Mathematics/Applied Math (with a score of 4) Reading for information/Workplace Documents (with a score of 4) To apply, please complete a Support Staff Application. A District 300 Support Staff Application can be accessed and downloaded from our website at this link: https://www.duquoinschools.org/browse/53919 . Applications may be returned by e-mail to Administrative Assistant Denise Hirsch at dhirsch@duquoinschools.org or turned in at the District Office at 845 E. Jackson St. Applications should be turned in by 3:00 PM on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. If you have any questions regarding the positions, please call the Du Quoin CUSD 300 office at 542-3856.

Students in K-8 who are enrolled in the 21st Century summer program have a family letter with details concerning the program schedule. Please look for this letter in your child's backpack. Also we will be using the new bus company, First Student, for our summer routes. The parent letter indicates bus information and pick-up time in the morning. Please contact Kailah Kelly at 542.4744 or Diana Rea at 542-3856 if you have questions.

May, 25, 2022 – As part of our efforts to ensure kids have access to healthy meals during the summer months, Du Quoin School District #300 is pleased to announce its summer meals site will be serving kids and teens. Starting on Monday, June 6, all kids and teens 18 and under can receive meals free of charge, no registration needed. The summer months are already one of the hungriest times of year for many kids. The need will be even greater this summer as the nation continues to grapple with the pandemic. Due to changes at the federal level, we are no longer able to offer grab-and-go or parent pick-up meals. We are dedicated to still serving children and the community, and we plan to serve meals Monday-Friday from June 6–July 29, 2022. We will have meals served at the following locations/times: Du Quoin Elementary/Middle School - Breakfast 8-9 a.m. / Lunch 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Du Quoin Pool Park Pavilion - Lunch only 11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Du Quoin Keyes Park Pavilion - Lunch only 12:30-1:00 p.m. The Summer Meals program is funded by the USDA and run by school districts and local organizations. Sites can be found throughout the area. We’re always happy to see you at our designated locations, but there may be more convenient locations closer to you. Families can text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 304-304 and type in a zip code to find nearby summer meals sites, along with operating days and times. No application, registration or proof of residency or citizenship is required at sites. Visit our Facebook page to learn more. DuQuoin Summer Food Service Program The Summer Food Service Program is available to all eligible children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Any person who feels that he or she has been discriminated against in any USDA-related activity should write immediately to: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 202550-9410

Elementary News for the week of May 23rd https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gDd2aSxByQqWon00NZInzv3kP1QShlSF/view?usp=sharing

Tonight's high school graduation can be viewed by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyE8Jr5G48KKDW3BcpQvAcw

District 300 Families, It is with sadness that I tell you about a loss to our school family. On Thursday evening, Mr. Mark Morefield, a DMS classroom aide, passed away unexpectedly. For those of you that knew Mr. Morefield, we ask that you remember and celebrate his service to our schools. For those of you who did not know Mr. Morefield, we ask that you respect our sadness and support us with your understanding, particularly for our middle school. Our social workers and counselors will be available to provide support to students at any time on Friday. Additional counselors from Perry County Counseling will be in our K-8 building on Friday as well to support students, faculty, and staff. If you notice your child struggling with this, please let your child's school know so that we can help support your student when they are at school. Please keep Mr. Morefield's family and our school family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you

Congratulations to the Class of 2022! https://www.duquoinschools.org/article/746900

Elementary News for the week of May 16th https://drive.google.com/file/d/17nW5l97G7914nuwKOfEocGAvVi34xQtp/view?usp=sharing

Elementary News for the week of May 9th https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bXqTHOBdtd7bhgZJAwRZsFMfqmxUGSVd/view?usp=sharing

Summer Food Program begins Monday June 6 through Friday July 29, 2022. Meals are free for kids 18 and under and will be available at the elementary school plus 2 other sites. Breakfast and lunch will be enjoyed on site this year, no grab-n-go orders. Watch for more details later this month on the future sites around town.

Congratulations to Lauren Heape on achieving the Million Words Club membership! Lauren is a senior and the fourth Du Quoin High school student to earn this level of success. Pictured is Mrs. Coleman, senior English teacher, with Lauren, who presented the award and t-shirt. Congratulations and keep reading!

The 2022 Southern Illinois Reading Council held the Spring Celebrations Program on April 28 awarding excellence in creative writing, including five Du Quoin CUSD 300 student authors. The SIRC sponsors an annual writing contest, open to public and private students across the southern Illinois regions for students in grades 2nd – 8th. Students are challenged to write a short story judged on creativity and organization, as well as overall theme and message. The contest recognizes the top three places in each each grade level out of a 13 county region. It is with tremendous pride we celebrate this accomplishment with our student winners. Student winners, respective award places and teacher’s name. 2nd grade Nixon Porter (2nd place) and Sofia Williams (3rd place) submitted by teacher, Mrs. Rachel Tilley; 3rd grader Harper Hill (3rd place) submitted by teacher, Mrs. Kimberly Loyd; and 5th graders Kai Travis (2nd place) and Ashlyn Strode (3rd place) submitted by teacher, Mrs. Leslie Small.

Du Quoin 21st Century offers a variety of summer courses and camps for students in K - 11th grade. Find out more in the news announcement https://www.duquoinschools.org/article/727981

We are currently seeking applicants for the following positions: Support Staff Positions - Custodian/Janitor (2) - Applications currently being accepted. Starting pay for the 2022-2023 school year will be $13.65/hr. with $1.30/hr. increases occurring in both 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. Health insurance is provided to employees by the District. Licensed Staff Position for 2022-2023 - Special Education Teacher at the high school (new position - self-contained setting) - Starting salary for 2022-2023 is $42,000. Prior years of TRS experience are recognized on the salary schedule. A formal mentoring program is provided for new/novice teachers. Deadline to apply May 12, 2022 Full job listings for licensed positions are posted on the IASA Job Bank. To apply for a position in our school district, please complete an application. A District 300 Licensed Staff Application or Support Staff Application can be accessed and downloaded from our website at this link: https://www.duquoinschools.org/browse/53919 or picked up from the District Office. Applications may be returned by e-mail to Administrative Assistant Denise Hirsch at dhirsch@duquoinschools.org or turned in at the District Office at 845 E. Jackson St. Applications should be turned in by 3:00 PM on the date of the deadline listed above for the position. If you have any questions regarding the position, please call the Du Quoin CUSD 300 office at 542-3856.

It's Scholastic Book Fair time! From April 25th - April 29th, discover new books with your kids at our BOGO Book Fair. Bonus: Every purchase supports our school. Click on our homepage below to check out new books, order online and set up your e-wallet NOW! https://www.scholastic.com/bf/duquoinelementaryschool1

Elementary News for the week of April 25th. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RQ5XzZHvQlQYlcndZ1lzYIQmoxGMWo4Y/view?usp=sharing

Elementary News for the week of April 18th. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IUoojZICR8rL3ljGpF1nx36phcpMRTQK/view?usp=sharing

We are currently seeking applicants for the following positions: Support Staff Positions - Custodian/Janitor - Applications currently being accepted Cook - Applications currently being accepted Licensed Staff Positions for 2022-2023 - Elementary Intervention Teacher - Deadline to apply April 29, 2022 Elementary Teacher (1st grade) - Deadline to apply April 19, 2022 Full job listings for licensed positions are posted on the IASA Job Bank. To apply for a position in our school district, please complete an application. A District 300 Licensed Staff Application or Support Staff Application can be accessed and downloaded from our website at this link: https://www.duquoinschools.org/browse/53919 or picked up from the District Office. Applications may be returned by e-mail to Administrative Assistant Denise Hirsch at dhirsch@duquoinschools.org or turned in at the District Office at 845 E. Jackson St. Applications should be turned in by 3:00 PM on the date of the deadline listed above for the position. If you have any questions regarding the position, please call the Du Quoin CUSD 300 office at 542-3856.