April 2023 News

Office Hours & Phone Numbers

MJH School Office   -7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.   -309-833-2074

Attendance Office    -7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.   -309-833-2484

Co Principal E-Mail Addresses

Dana Isackson isacksond@mcusd185.org

Brock Bainter bainterb@mcusd185.org

Asst. Principal's E-Mail Address

Brett Burton burtonb@mcusd185.org

SIP Day 

April 21, 2023-Half day attendance AM

Spring Break

April 7, 2023 - April 10, 2023 - NO SCHOOL

Clay Club

MJH Athletic Family Pass

2022-2023 Jr High School Athletic Pass will allow immediate family members admission to regular season Jr High Athletic Events only.  (IESA State Series Athletic Events are not included)  $75.00 per Family Pass (Immediate Family Only)  These passes are available in the Athletic Office at the Jr Sr High School.

JH School Hours

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Jr. High classes begin at 8:00 a.m.  Outside doors are unlocked at 7:30 a.m. Students arriving before 7:50 a.m. should go to the Commons.  Students are dismissed from the Commons at 7:50 a.m. to go to the restroom, and/or get a drink.  Students need to be in their seats for their first hour class at 8:00 a.m.  Buses arrive between 7:35 and 7:50 a.m.  

Breakfast is served  at 7:30 a.m.  Jr. High students should budget their eating time daily, so they are not late for their first hour class at 8:00 a.m.

MJH DAILY SCHEDULE 2022-2023

1st Hour 8:00- 8:43

2nd Hour 8:46-9:29

3rd Hour 9:32- 10:15

4th Hour Class 10:18-11:01

(4A Lunch 10:18-10:53)

5th Hour Class 10:56-11:39

(5B Lunch 11:04- 11:39)

6th Advisory 11:42-11:57

7th Hour 12:00-12:42

8th Hour 12:45-1:27

9th Hour 1:30-2:12

10th Hour 2:15- 3:00

E-Learning Days

E-Learning Day Schedule

Class                          Time

First Hour            8:00 am - 8:23 am                 

Second Hour       8:26 am - 8:49 am

Third Hour           8:52 am - 9:15 am

Fourth/Fifth Hour 9:18 am - 9:41 am 

Seventh Hour      9:44 am - 10:07 am

Eighth Hour        10:10 am - 10:33 am

Ninth Hour          10:36 am - 10:59 am

Tenth Hour          11:02 am - 11:25 am

Lunch                  11:28 am - 12:03 pm 

12:05 - 3:00 Complete daily tasks.  Teachers may be contacted via E-mail.

Winter Weather Information

If the weather becomes questionable, a parent/guardian will receive a phone call and an email from Skylert, the District’s notification system, will announce delays, dismissals or school closings. More information can be found on the School Closings page on the school website.

INCLEMENT WEATHER/NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

To learn more about, Skylert, please visit the district website.

Attendance/Passes/Bus Pass

If your child is absent from school any portion of the day, the parent/guardian must notify the school by 9:00 am.  A parent may call the office anytime before 7:30 a.m. and leave a message on the voice mail.  After 7:30 a.m., please call and speak with office personnel.

If a child is absent and no notification from the parent has been made, a reasonable effort by the school to notify the parent will be made.  A parental note is required on the next date of attendance.  This is in addition to the contact made between the parent and school on the day of the absence.   The note should be submitted to the Attendance Office or Jr. High Office before the student begins classes.  The Attendance Office or Jr. High Office will issue a pass to re-enter class.

If your child has an appointment during the school day, please send a note to school with the student.  The student should bring the note to the Jr. High office and a pass to leave class will be written.  It is very difficult to ensure a timely response if you show up unannounced requesting a student.  For example: PE classes may be hard to find so you may be late for an appointment if we are not notified in advance.  

Bus drivers try to ensure safety for all students on the bus.  Limiting numbers of riders is necessary to ensure safety.  Therefore, if a student needs a bus pass, the student must have a signed note from the parent.  We cannot accept phone calls.  A written request with the parent/guardian signature is required for a bus pass.

Sporting Events 

Jr. High students attending sporting events like Macomb High School football game are required to sit in the Jr. High section of the bleachers.  Students need to refrain from playing football, running around, or loitering as well as using inappropriate language.  If a student does not follow these rules, they may be banned from attending sporting events for the rest of the year.

Drop Off/Pick Up Locations & Procedures

Safety is our main concern in creating procedures for drop off and pick up.  With safety in mind, please follow procedures noted below:

CAR

Parents who drop off/pick up their child should do so in the circle drive or east entrance (Door A) at the Jr/Sr High School.  The circle drive is located by the football field on the northwest side of the building.  The east entrance is on the tennis court side of the building.  

Students who ride with high school sibling/students should enter the building at the circle drive entrance into the Commons. High School students park in the west parking lot by the football field.  High School students bringing Jr. High students should have them in the Commons before 7:55 am.  Jr. High students should be in their seats at 8:00 am or they will be marked tardy.   

WALK

Students who walk to/from school should enter/leave the Commons.  Student walkers may leave from the east doors or Commons.  They are advised to walk on the grass, not through the parking lot.  

RIDE A BIKE

There is a bike rack on the side of the building.  Students should park AND LOCK their bikes at the bike rack.  They should enter/leave the building in the Commons.  

BUS

Students riding a bus will be dropped off and picked up at the main entrance (Door H)  southwest side of the Commons.  At dismissal, students should go directly to the Commons, be seated, and wait to be dismissed when their bus is called.

Jr. High students riding home with their high school sibling should wait in the Commons for the high schooler.

PARENT EXCUSED DAYS & MENTAL HEALTH DAYS

Students are allowed 9 parent excused days.  These days are to be used for family related reasons. 

Mental Health Days are used for actual social/emotional stress related absences.  When mental health days are reported, families should call the school to report this to the school.  A counselor will be advised so that support can be available at school.      

2022-2023 MCUSD 185 Visitor Notice 

When entering any Macomb CUSD #185 school building, all visitors will be required to leave a PHOTO IDENTIFICATION CARD during their visits. Staff will provide approved visitors with a badge before allowing them into the building.  When leaving the building, visitors will have their photo ID returned.   Sign-in sheets for visitors will no longer be used. 

New Cell Phone Policy  

In order to support student learning, the cell phone expectation at Macomb School District #185 is that all students, pre-k through grade 8 will not have cell phones in our classrooms and will leave their phones in their lockers when they are brought to school. This policy was already in place through grade 6 and as we transition to a new middle school model, we find it beneficial to extend the policy through grade 8.   The cell phones are to remain in the locker until the end of the school day.  If parents need to reach their child due to an emergency, please call the office of the building your child attends. Students contacting parents needs to be consistent. Students will ask teachers before they contact parents when they are ill, upset or require something. Teachers will assist students in contacting home through the classroom/office phone.  

Detentions

Detentions are issued to students when other strategies have failed to redirect inappropriate behavior.

After school detentions are served 3:10 - 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. Parents are notified.  Students are required to be in the detention room, in their seat, and quiet by 3:10 pm.  The detention will not count as being served if they fail to follow these procedures. Students must bring school work and/or a book to read.  They may NOT go back to their lockers or the restroom after 3:10 pm.  

It is our mission to communicate desired behaviors, not emphasize what NOT to do. Detentions are a tool to redirect behaviors when all other efforts fail.

Reminder

It is the student's responsibility to pick up items brought to school and dropped off at the office by parents/guardians.

Thank you for helping your student remember to bring all items to school.  For example:  homework, musical instruments, lunch money, etc. 

Asbestos

Telephone Calls

We encourage parents and children to communicate before he/she arrives at school. This provides a sense of security for students throughout the day.  They know what's going on with family.  Please limit phone messages to emergencies, if possible.  If a student needs to make a call during the school day, they should report to the Jr. High Office.  A phone log is maintained.  The office phone is not for making plans with friends.  The main office closes at 4:00 pm. 

Change of Address

Please notify the office of any changes regarding: home address, employer information, home/work/cell phone numbers, emergency contacts.  Family access is available for you to view various students data such as attendance, grades, emergency contacts, food service summaries and other similar types of information. Please keep your account updated. 

IAR TESTING

-The Illinois State Assessment of Readiness Testing (IAR) will be given on 4/4, 4/5, and 4/6. Both 7th and 8th grades take this standardized state test and there will be an altered schedule student follow.     

-The Science assessment for 8th grade only is 4/18, 4/19, and 4/20 and we will operate on the regularly scheduled times.  Tests will be administered in science classes.  

YEARBOOK

2022-2023 Yearbooks will be distributed Thursday, April 20 during Advisory.  If you did not preorder a yearbook, we have some available.  These will be sold on a first come, first served basis.  The cost is $40.00 each. Checks should be made payable to Macomb School District #185.