DuQuoin CUSD #300

What a great school improvement day focused on taking care of kids and teaching with passion! Thanks to Sara Boucek for bringing an inspiration message and reminding teachers to have fun! Special shoutout to Donna Lively and the cafeteria staff for preparing the baked potato and salad bar! It was a huge hit with everyone!

Mrs. Loyd's class is earning that with Patience and Teamwork we can do hard things :)

Elementary news for the week of August 28th https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lAEBbVPOTkxOsD3GIhRJgPlECLjq0Hp2/view?usp=sharing

Picture day is rapidly approaching @ DHS! Save the Date! Pictures will be taken on Tuesday August 22nd.

Du Quoin CUSD #300 is seeking qualified applicants for the following positions: -School Nurse/Health Occupations Teacher, School Nurse/CNA Teacher, High School EOC Aide. Please see the district's website for more information.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, by the Board of Education of Du Quoin School District #300 in the County of Perry, State of Illinois that the new fiscal year’s Budget and Notice beginning July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 will be on file and conveniently available to public inspection at the Du Quoin School District #300 Central Office in Du Quoin, Illinois 62832. The new fiscal year Budget for the period July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, will be on file on the 16th day of August through the 19th day of September 2023. The Public Hearing on the 2024 fiscal year budget will be held on September 19th, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Du Quoin K-8 School Media Center located at 845 East Jackson Street, Du Quoin, Illinois 62832.

DHS DAILY ANNOUNCEMENTS Wednesday, August 16, 2023 Today’s Lunch: Chicken & Noodles OR Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and fruit Tomorrow’s Breakfast: Cheese Omelet, toast, fruit, milk and juice Tomorrow’s Lunch: Cheesy Breadsticks OR Cheese Pizza, salad, carrots and fruit Flashlight yearbook If you ordered a 2023 Flashlight yearbook and have yet to pick them up, please stop by in the main office by the end of the week. There are still a few extra copies available for $50 in the main office until Friday, Sept 1 The online store to preorder your 2024 Flashlight yearbook is available at www.jostens.com. You can reserve yours for the early bird Back-to-School Special price of $50 by Friday, Sept. 22. The price will increase the longer you wait. Fall sports picture day is Friday, August 18. Pictures will begin at 2:00pm with boys and girls golf followed by color guard, band, boys and girls cross country, cheer, Indiannettes, volleyball, bass fishing, freshman football, JV football and Varsity football. All athletes will be photographed followed by the group picture. During fall sports pictures, Boosters will also take photos for the Booster Buttons. They are available for $5. Order forms are in the office. School picture day is Tuesday, August 22. All students and faculty will be photographed this day for IDs and for the yearbook. Gatorade Game is this Friday at 6. Staff introductions will start at 5:30 followed by the introduction of all sports teams. Back to School FFA Water Bash is August 21st. Hope to see you there! Reminder that all meals are free this year to all students. Breakfast every morning we offer several choices of main entree items. We have muffins, poptarts and the entree of the day. We also have yogurt, cold cereal, oatmeal and cereal bars. Lunch meals always offer an alternate main entree item. All meals include milk and your choice of fruits. We always offer a fresh fruit at every meal. This year we will have a share cart if you pick up an item that you do not want please put it on the share cart examples would be pre-packaged items, fresh fruit and milk or juice. We will be unable to allow extra milks at this time.

We are excited to announce that our District will be implementing a new option for the upcoming school year available to schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The district has been approved for this program through June 2027. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR STUDENT? Great news for ALL OF OUR STUDENTS! All enrolled students are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no charge to your household each day beginning with the 2023-2024 school year. No further action is required of you. Your child will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit an application. In short, all students now qualify for a free breakfast and/or lunch every school day. We are very excited to have been approved for this program and believe that it will benefit all our students and their families. We are looking forward to a great school year here in DuQuoin Community Unit School District #300 and are excited that school breakfast and lunch is something that our families will no longer need to worry about.

2023-2024 new teacher welcome and lunch was a huge success! Thank you teacher mentors for coming to know your new teachers. Special thanks to the community members who either prepared food or provided donations for today's event! It was so appreciated by everyone! Banterra Bank - luncheon donation Christina Sims - decorated cookies Dana Lipe/Salty Boar - Potbeans Du Quoin State Bank - swag bags Tracy Fenton - BBQ

The Du Quoin Board of Education will hold a special meeting; August 1, 6:00 p.m. - Media Center K-8 Building. Have a great week!

Du Quoin CUSD #300 is seeking qualified applicants for the following positions: -1st Grade Teacher -Elementary EOC Aide Please see the district's website for more information.

Summer Food program would like to welcome the DuQuoin FFA to the elementary/middle school commons on Wednesday, July 12, 2023(tomorrow). The students will be here from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. to do some activities with the kids. We will be painting with fruits and veggies, glove gardening and a little beanie baby fun. Please come and join us tomorrow July 12, 2023 from 9-11. Then stay for lunch. Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, bread with margarine and fruit.

Reminder our summer food program runs through July 28, 2023. We offer breakfast and lunch free to all kids 18 and under. Adults are only $1 breakfast and $2 lunch. We have 3 different sites to accommodate everyone's schedule and location. We are at DuQuoin elementary/middle school. 8-9 breakfast...11-1 lunch. Ward school by the park. 8-8:45 breakfast...11-12:30 lunch. Derby hall behind Atkins flooring off route 51 9-9:30 breakfast...12:45-1:30 lunch. Go like our facebook page DuQuoin Summer Food Service. We provide daily updates of meals provided for the day.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT Du Quoin Community Unit School District #300 CUSTODIAN / JANITOR K-8 School Compensation: $14.65 entry level per hour; 100% employer paid individual health insurance; 14 paid holidays; 10 vacation days; 10 sick days; 2 personal days. Shift / Work Hours: 8 hours per day; 40 hours minimum per week, 1st or 2nd shift, possible required overtime for extra-curricular events on weekends and nights. Qualifications: K-8 School graduate; custodial, janitorial, and maintenance experience; understanding of building, grounds and physical plant operations and care Duties: Performance of both indoor and outdoor custodial, janitorial, and maintenance duties in order to provide students with a clean, safe, comfortable, and efficient educational environment. Primary duties shall include the daily cleaning and preparation of school building including restrooms, classrooms, offices, corridors, and athletic facilities. Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 17, 2023 by 12:00 pm Make Application To: Cory Robbins, District Business Manager Du Quoin Community Unit School District #300 845 East Jackson Street Du Quoin, IL 62832 Phone (618) 542-3856 x1416 crobbins@duquoinschools.org

Du Quoin CUSD 300 Calendar for 2023-2024

Summer program families, Due to the Excessive Heat Watch in our region this week, students are encouraged to bring water bottles to the remainder of the summer program to stay hydrated. We will keep students inside instead of holding outdoor recesses. Also, the Outdoor Explorer camp field trip set for Friday, June 30 is cancelled for students' safety in light of the excessive heat impact. Students do not need to bring a picnic lunch and will have a regular dismissal at 11:30, unless staying for the Summer Foods lunch. The Summer Foods lunch for program students is 11:30 am - 12:00 pm. Students enrolled in the Outdoor Explorer camp will have a family note about the field trip cancelation tomorrow, Wednesday, June 28. We apologize for this inconvenience in the program offering. Diana Rea Curriculum Director/21st Century Grant Administrator Du Quoin CUSD 300

Press Release From Du Quoin CUSD #300 Educational Foundation Tuesday, June 27, 2023 The District #300 Educational Foundation has announced it is now accepting applications for the 2023 Pullis Family Scholarship (formerly known as the Rosemary Pullis Scholarship). Dr. Michael Pullis, son of Rosemary and George Pullis, re-named this scholarship seven 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 DuQuoin 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 DuQuoin 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 Monday, July 24, 2023 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.

As a reminder, the 21st Century Summer Program is closed in observance of the Juneteenth Holiday. Classes or camps this week will resume Tuesday, June 20.

Du Quoin 21st Century Program invites our community and families to two summer program celebration events this Friday, June 16. Beginning at 9:00 am, Rocket Camp students, taught by Larry Alvarado, will begin individual student launches in the east parking lot of the middle school. Everyone is welcome to enjoy this Blastoff conclusion to a successful week learning about engineering principles and scientific laws as part of the rocketry concepts and design. The second event is part 1 of the Camp Invention campers Invention Convention. This camp, taught by Jennifer Craft and Mandie Davis, focuses on engineering design and creative solutions, is being held two weeks with a student convention showcasing products at the end of each week's learning. This Friday, June 16 the convention will be held in the K-8 Commons beginning at 11:00 am featuring mimicbots and skateparks! Come out and help us celebrate student critical and creative thinking! Following the convention, join us for the Summer Foods Program lunch free for all students and just $2 for adults. On the menu for Friday, June 16 is pork sandwiches, baked potato, broccoli and fruit. Grab the menu on our website or app in the dining section https://www.duquoinschools.org/dining

Du Quoin CUSD 300 is proud to announce Mrs. Denise Woodsides has been named as the next principal of Du Quoin Middle School. Mrs. Woodsides will officially take over the responsibilities on July 1st and replaces longtime DMS Principal Aaron Hill who departs to become the high school principal in West Frankfort. Mrs. Woodsides, a Du Quoin native, has spent the past four years as the assistant principal at Du Quoin High School and prior to that was a member of the high school faculty as a teacher of business education and sponsor of the Future Business Leaders of America chapter at DHS. On behalf of the Board of Education, administration, faculty and staff, we welcome Denise Woodsides as the leader of the DMS team!