Kahok Families,
There are several important items to share with you this week.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Parent/Teacher Conferences are right around the corner. It is important to connect with your child’s teachers to discuss academic and social progress. Please schedule a time on Thursday, October 24, between noon and 8:00 p.m. OR Friday, October 25, between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. If you are unavailable those times, reach out to your child's teacher(s) for assistance.
Test of Emergency Communication System
On the afternoon of Friday, October 25, the district will conduct a TEST of our emergency communication system. This will be done when school is not in session. The district-wide notification will provide an opportunity to confirm all families receive an urgent communication, and allow everyone to experience a sample emergency message. If you do not receive a message that day, please notify your child’s school. You can log-in to Skyward Family Access or contact the school to check your contact information (emails, phone numbers, etc.) You should also consider downloading the ParentSquare app to improve and streamline how you receive school communications.
Course, College & Career Planning for Current and Incoming CHS Students
The time has come in the school year when students in grades 8 through 11 will begin working with the CHS Counseling Department to select classes for the upcoming school year. Families of current high school students and incoming freshmen should watch for information from CHS in the weeks ahead regarding course planning and selection.
The courses students select in high school pave the way for future opportunities. High school classes are designed to expand students’ academic and social skills, while broadening their knowledge to help lay the foundation for their lives after CHS. While this is an exciting time, it can be stressful for students and families. To assist in the process, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s counselor or teachers to ask questions. In addition, the counseling department has created a new college and career planning tool: CHS Guide to Career Exploration and Career Planning to assist with both high school and post-high school planning. It is a comprehensive, easy-to-use resource that can be reached from the CHS homepage.
Besides providing helpful information for students and families to review in preparation for choosing classes, there are also tools for career exploration, career clusters to consider, post-high school options, test preparation tips, advice on balancing academics and social life, as well as grade-by-grade checklists to use for planning and tracking your child’s progress toward graduation and beyond. Please take time to look over the resources available and see how they can help your child now and in the future.
College & Career Planning for Intermediate and Middle School StudentsSimilar to our new high school college and career planning resources, grade-level guides are also being developed for Dorris Intermediate and Collinsville Middle School students. It is never too early to start thinking about the future and to have students explore how their talents and interests can become a career someday. Watch for those tools to be announced and posted on the DIS and CMS websites.
CMS Veterans Breakfast
November will be here before we know it, which means the 6th Annual CMS Veterans’ Breakfast is just around the corner. On Friday, November 8th beginning at 7:00 a.m., Mrs. Kalous and her students are inviting friends, family, and community members who are Veterans to attend a free “thank you” breakfast in the middle school commons, followed by an opportunity to share their personal experiences and stories. Anyone interested in attending is asked to RSVP by Wednesday, November 6, using THIS LINK.
Fall Sports Post-Season Play
Fall sports have been running at a crazy pace since the middle of August. Now we find ourselves in the middle of October, in the heart of post-season play. I want to wish all of our teams the best of luck in regional competition, and give a special shoutout to Kahok Golfer Eli Verning who is competing in the IHSA 3A State Final Tournament in Bloomington! Good luck Eli!
We Are Here to Help
Our administrators, principals, teachers and staff are here to assist your family by providing resources and answering questions to help your child reach their fullest potential. Please reach out. Our district and school websites have staff directories with links to send a message. We want to hear from you.
Thank you for your constant dedication to our students. Don’t forget to wear your purple and show your Kahok Pride!
Sincerely,
Dr. Mark B. Skertich
Superintendent
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