November 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's E-Mail Addresses

Dana Isackson isacksond@mcusd185.org

Brock Bainter bainterb@mcusd185.org

Asst. Principal's E-Mail Address

Brett Burton burtonb@mcusd185.org

Teacher Institute - No School 

November 7, 2022

Election Day - No School

November 8, 2022

Thanksgiving Vacation - No School 

November 23, 24, 25, 2022

School Laptops

Please make sure you are charging your laptop at home every evening.  Please bring your laptop charger cord to school every day.

Clay Club

Yearbook Club

Yearbook Club will meet Wednesdays from 3:15-4:00 in Mrs. Cooper's Room #185.

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

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

Thanksgiving Vacation

No School November 24, 25, 26, 2021--Enjoy your time with family!!

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.  

Choir News

♫ Macomb Junior High School Choral Department ♫

♫ Macomb Choir Boosters

Please become a member of the Macomb Choir Boosters. (Membership forms can be found: http://macombchoirs.org/boosters) Membership dues can be mailed to Macomb Choir Boosters, P.O. Box 117, Macomb, IL, 61455. Levels of membership include “Soloist”-$25, “Barbershop Quartet”-$26-$49, “Vocal Ensemble”-$50-$99, “Chamber Choir”-$100-$249 and “Choral Society”-$250-up.

♫ ILMEA District IV Choir Festival

Congratulations to Darah McFadden who has been selected for the Illinois Music Educator’s District IV Junior High Music Festival. Darah will participate in the Festival on the campus of WIU on Saturday, November 6th and will perform on a concert that afternoon. Congrats, Darah!

♫ Annual Poinsettia Fundraiser Sale

Thank you to those who have sold poinsettia plants for our Annual Choir Booster Fundraiser. Poinsettia pick up will be on Thursday, December 2nd from 2-5pm on the Fellheimer Auditorium Stage.

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫

♫ Upcoming Events: ♫

DATE EVENT

Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 IMEA District Festival at WIU Selected 6th, 7th and 8th grade students

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021 Poinsettia Distribution – MHS Fellheimer Auditorium 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 Seventh and Eighth Grade Winter Choral Concert 7:30 pm Fellheimer Auditorium *Required of 7th and 8th grade students

Monday, Feb. 14, 2022 6-12 grade Pops Concert/Dessert Auction *REQUIRED 5:30-8:00 pm MJSHS Commons

Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 IGSMA Solo/Ensemble Contest Optional for 7th and 8th grade choir & band students Place: Macomb Junior High School/Time: All Day

Friday, April 29 or 30,

2022 IESA Organization Contest *Required of all 7th and 8th grade choir and band students Place: TBA/ Time: TBA

Tuesday, May 10, 2022 Seventh and Eighth Grade Spring Choral Concert 7:00 pm Fellheimer Auditorium *Required of 7th and 8th grade students

For event information and a calendar of events, please visit: www.macombchoirs.org