The Winter Olympics Celebrations continue in Family and Consumer Science courses. The students have been cooking up some master pieces during the International Unit.
Menu:
Croquet Madame from France
Apple Strudel from Germany
Bitterballen from the Netherlands
Mando Panna Cotta from Italy
Nasi Goreng - Indonesian Fried Rice
Gyro from Greece
Tortilla Española (Spanish Egg & Potato Omelette)
Karpatka (Polish Cream Puff Cake)
Chinese Mango Pudding
Hungarian Paprika Sour Cream Pork Chops
Chivito Sandwich from Uruguay
Chinese Ramen Noodle Soup
Menu:
Croquet Madame from France
Apple Strudel from Germany
Bitterballen from the Netherlands
Mando Panna Cotta from Italy
Nasi Goreng - Indonesian Fried Rice
Gyro from Greece
Tortilla Española (Spanish Egg & Potato Omelette)
Karpatka (Polish Cream Puff Cake)
Chinese Mango Pudding
Hungarian Paprika Sour Cream Pork Chops
Chivito Sandwich from Uruguay
Chinese Ramen Noodle Soup
A lot of fun learning and community outreach projects have been happening at ICHS:
1.Kylie Harp (an independent art student) and I have been working the last few weeks on a professional sign for Darling Industries in town. They reached out regarding a 'Main Entrance' sign for their company and we took on the task! They picked up their sign yesterday and it should be up at their company soon on display! This was a fun and unique community connection and project. Kylie did a great job representing IC and showcasing her artistic talent, and they were happy with the final result!
The ICHS Art Club has been working on a custom cabinet mural in the art room this semester. The cabinets were dated and rough, so the Art Club has been working hard to beautify them and update their look! Students just finished the base coat and are now planning small murals that will be painted inside of small numbers on each cabinet. I will send you more images as this project progresses and continues! We try to meet every Thursday after school, so it is a bit of a slow process, but it's coming along!
1.Kylie Harp (an independent art student) and I have been working the last few weeks on a professional sign for Darling Industries in town. They reached out regarding a 'Main Entrance' sign for their company and we took on the task! They picked up their sign yesterday and it should be up at their company soon on display! This was a fun and unique community connection and project. Kylie did a great job representing IC and showcasing her artistic talent, and they were happy with the final result!
The ICHS Art Club has been working on a custom cabinet mural in the art room this semester. The cabinets were dated and rough, so the Art Club has been working hard to beautify them and update their look! Students just finished the base coat and are now planning small murals that will be painted inside of small numbers on each cabinet. I will send you more images as this project progresses and continues! We try to meet every Thursday after school, so it is a bit of a slow process, but it's coming along!
Congratulations to our ICHS Students of the Month for the month of January! Caid Liesman, Addison Liesman, Drake Ratliff, and Megan Hughes were recognized for showing integrity. Keep up the great work!
To celebrate the Olympics, ICHS Foods classes are having an international food festival. Students
selected a country that is participating in the Olympics, researched the country, and chose a recipe for
which the country is famous. The recipes were prepped and prepared. The classes enjoyed a wide
variety of tastes. Selected countries included Italy, Spain, France, Great Britain, Greece, Indonesia,
Poland, Germany, Ireland, China, Hungary, and Uruguay.
selected a country that is participating in the Olympics, researched the country, and chose a recipe for
which the country is famous. The recipes were prepped and prepared. The classes enjoyed a wide
variety of tastes. Selected countries included Italy, Spain, France, Great Britain, Greece, Indonesia,
Poland, Germany, Ireland, China, Hungary, and Uruguay.
We need volunteers! We are looking for 25 families to participate in our reunification training on 2/25. We are providing lunch, and we promise to make it fun for the kids! We will have a "gas leak" at the school that requires us to relocate to the Mason City Christian Church. The only "hook" is that an emergency contact will need to pick the students up at the church that afternoon. To participate, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/CW1LezbTHDZHJm9o6
Update for high school parents: Your students received their course request forms for the 2026-2027 school year. As you plan for next year, you can reference the course descriptions found on the Illini Central website under Student Info, then ICHS Students. All course requests are due on March 2nd.
Mrs. Miller's classes have been getting a head start on Valentine's Day. Sugar cookies for everyone! The best way to the heart is through the stomach.
Pre-K Screenings are being held for new students Wednesday, February 25th. If you have a 3-5 year old, call the Pre-K to get them signed up. You can call the school at 217-482-5180 ext. 5 for the Pre-K or email Mrs. List at alist@illinicentral.org.
We want to practice the Reunification Process on a more realistic scale.
We are seeking volunteers to help on our February 25th, 11:30 Dismissal afternoon.
If you are interested, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/sjJ2LPsmC4TfV8rE8
Forms must be completed by the end of the day on Tuesday, February 3rd.
Volunteers must have someone (self or an emergency contact) available to pick up their student(s) in the early afternoon.
We are seeking volunteers to help on our February 25th, 11:30 Dismissal afternoon.
If you are interested, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/sjJ2LPsmC4TfV8rE8
Forms must be completed by the end of the day on Tuesday, February 3rd.
Volunteers must have someone (self or an emergency contact) available to pick up their student(s) in the early afternoon.
The Senior Class has a limited number of blankets left for sale! We will be set up tonight (1/30) at the high school boys basketball game against New Berlin. You can also purchase blankets by calling Lynsey Means at the school at 217.482.5180 ext. 1205 or by emailing her at lmeans@illinicentral.org. Get your blanket while you can!
Calendar Reminders and Updates:
February 11th, 2:00 Dismissal
February 25th, 11:30 Dismissal (Reunification Practice PM)
March 2nd, Regular Attendance Day (make-up day from 1.23.26)
March 6th, End of Third Quarter
March 11th, 2:00 Dismissal
March 25th, 11:30 Dismissal
March 30th-April 3rd, Spring Break - No School
April 6th, Regular Attendance Day (make-up day from 1.26.26)
Yesterday, during our afternoon in-service, Illini Central Staff were trained on how we would reunite students with their guardians in the event of an emergency evacuation from the school building. Should the school building ever be considered unsafe for students due to a fire, gas leak, or other reason, we want to be prepared.
We wanted to update you on what the Reunification process will entail, so we have prepared this document, which can also be found on our website: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zrOZItJtzA7sFLEx87r86svPtimDAyyamrsj7doIYuQ/edit?usp=sharing
We want to practice the Reunification Process on a more realistic scale, so we are seeking volunteers to help on our February 25th, 11:30 Dismissal afternoon. If you are interested, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/sjJ2LPsmC4TfV8rE8. Forms must be completed by the end of the day on Tuesday, February 3rd. Volunteers must be able to pick up their child in the early afternoon.
Illini Central CUSD 189 will join the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in the thirteenth statewide survey of school climate and learning conditions. The survey provides a unique opportunity for students, teachers and parents to have a voice in improving their schools. From February 3 to March 13, 2026, students and teachers will be invited to participate in a 30-minute research-based survey to help identify strengths and weaknesses in their school’s learning environment. The parent survey supplement will also be administered during the same survey window. These surveys will serve as an opportunity for schools to reflect on progress since the last statewide implementation.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey provides a comprehensive picture of a school’s organizational culture in an individualized report measuring five “essentials” critical for school success:
Effective Leaders
Collaborative Teachers
Involved Families
Supportive Environment
Ambitious Instruction
Over thirty years of research at the University of Chicago in more than 400 schools has shown that schools that were strong on at least three of the 5Essentials were 10 times more likely to make substantial gains in improving student reading and math than schools that were weak on three or more of the Essentials. Those differences remained true even after controlling for student and school characteristics, including poverty, race, gender, and neighborhood characteristics. Strength on components within the Essentials also correlated with increased teacher retention, student attendance, college enrollment, and high school graduation.
Generated from a rigorous analysis of student and teacher survey responses, 5Essentials Reports demonstrate that what students and teachers say about their schools can serve as important indicators for school success. In the inaugural 2012-2013 statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey, 87 percent of all schools in the state met the 50-percent participation threshold to receive a 5Essentials Report, with participation from more than 70 percent of all teachers and eligible 6th through 12th graders across Illinois. Starting in 2018-19, fourth and fifth grade students were also included in the 5Essentials survey administration. In 2025, 93 percent of schools qualified for a report.
All district schools, including alternative schools that fall under the district’s domain, are required to participate in a school learning conditions survey every year. Starting in school year 2018-19, the survey will be required annually. The survey was deemed a key component to balanced accountability under the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan by stakeholders, which resulted in state legislative changes requiring the survey annually.
State legislation (105 ILCS 5/2-3.153) allows school districts the option to select an alternative to the 5Essentials from a pre-approved pool for the 2020-21 administration. Selection of an alternative required school board and local union approval and was at the district’s own expense. Details on survey alternatives can be found on the State Board’s website: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/5Essentials-Survey.aspx
Illini Central CUSD 189 will participate in the statewide 2026 5Essentials Survey to meet state legislation and the Board’s mandate. Principals and superintendents will receive their 5Essentials Reports in May. Survey results will also be reported publicly on the UChicago Impact Reporting Website in June and on the State School Report Card website in the fall. An optional parent survey supplement is available to all schools as a supplement to the 5Essentials Survey for teachers and students—results from the parent survey supplement will be included only in the individual school 5Essential Reports. Since 2013-14, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey has been normed using the 2012-13 statewide results so that all schools can demonstrate progress over time. As with last year, the 2025-2026 Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be normed using the 2024 statewide results.
On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, UChicago Impact is providing Illinois 5Essentials to schools statewide. Teachers, students, and parents may complete the Illinois 5Essentials Survey online. For more information visit: www.5-essentials.org/illinois.
If you do not wish for your child to participate in the 5Essentials Survey, please sign and return this letter (https://aptg.co/PYcsCm) to the building secretary by February 3, 2026.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey provides a comprehensive picture of a school’s organizational culture in an individualized report measuring five “essentials” critical for school success:
Effective Leaders
Collaborative Teachers
Involved Families
Supportive Environment
Ambitious Instruction
Over thirty years of research at the University of Chicago in more than 400 schools has shown that schools that were strong on at least three of the 5Essentials were 10 times more likely to make substantial gains in improving student reading and math than schools that were weak on three or more of the Essentials. Those differences remained true even after controlling for student and school characteristics, including poverty, race, gender, and neighborhood characteristics. Strength on components within the Essentials also correlated with increased teacher retention, student attendance, college enrollment, and high school graduation.
Generated from a rigorous analysis of student and teacher survey responses, 5Essentials Reports demonstrate that what students and teachers say about their schools can serve as important indicators for school success. In the inaugural 2012-2013 statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey, 87 percent of all schools in the state met the 50-percent participation threshold to receive a 5Essentials Report, with participation from more than 70 percent of all teachers and eligible 6th through 12th graders across Illinois. Starting in 2018-19, fourth and fifth grade students were also included in the 5Essentials survey administration. In 2025, 93 percent of schools qualified for a report.
All district schools, including alternative schools that fall under the district’s domain, are required to participate in a school learning conditions survey every year. Starting in school year 2018-19, the survey will be required annually. The survey was deemed a key component to balanced accountability under the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan by stakeholders, which resulted in state legislative changes requiring the survey annually.
State legislation (105 ILCS 5/2-3.153) allows school districts the option to select an alternative to the 5Essentials from a pre-approved pool for the 2020-21 administration. Selection of an alternative required school board and local union approval and was at the district’s own expense. Details on survey alternatives can be found on the State Board’s website: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/5Essentials-Survey.aspx
Illini Central CUSD 189 will participate in the statewide 2026 5Essentials Survey to meet state legislation and the Board’s mandate. Principals and superintendents will receive their 5Essentials Reports in May. Survey results will also be reported publicly on the UChicago Impact Reporting Website in June and on the State School Report Card website in the fall. An optional parent survey supplement is available to all schools as a supplement to the 5Essentials Survey for teachers and students—results from the parent survey supplement will be included only in the individual school 5Essential Reports. Since 2013-14, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey has been normed using the 2012-13 statewide results so that all schools can demonstrate progress over time. As with last year, the 2025-2026 Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be normed using the 2024 statewide results.
On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, UChicago Impact is providing Illinois 5Essentials to schools statewide. Teachers, students, and parents may complete the Illinois 5Essentials Survey online. For more information visit: www.5-essentials.org/illinois.
If you do not wish for your child to participate in the 5Essentials Survey, please sign and return this letter (https://aptg.co/PYcsCm) to the building secretary by February 3, 2026.
Illini Central Schools will dismiss at 11:30 on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. All PreK students are invited from 8-10:30 for their Cozy Half Day, but no busing is provided.
The Senior Class has a limited number of blankets left for sale! We will be set up tonight (1/27) at the high school boys basketball game against Williamsville. You can also purchase blankets by calling Lynsey Means at the school at 217.482.5180 ext. 1205 or by emailing her at lmeans@illinicentral.org. Get your blanket while you can!
Due to extreme temperatures and blowing and drifting snow, Illini Central CUSD 189 schools will be closed on Monday, January 26, 2026. LTEC students should check their email for instructions regarding e-learning.
At this time, all evening and weekend activities will continue as scheduled.
At this time, all evening and weekend activities will continue as scheduled.
Save the Dates ICHS!
Out of an abundance of caution with the predicted extreme temperatures, Illini Central CUSD 189 schools will be closed on Friday, January 23, 2026.
At this time, all evening and weekend activities will continue as scheduled.
At this time, all evening and weekend activities will continue as scheduled.
On Monday, January 26th, our 7th Grade Boys Basketball team will compete in the Cougar Center for the Sectional Title. Students and staff are encouraged to wear their IC gear to support our team as they continue to play in the post-season. We are IC!
Congratulations to all our high school students on a job well done during the 1st semester! A special shout-out to our students who are being recognized on the honor roll for the second semester.
