Good morning! This is a reminder that Juniors and Seniors will be attending the Capital Education Fair in Springfield next Wednesday October 7th from 8am-12pm. We will leave as soon as we take attendance and be back in time for lunch. Remember that this is also a 2pm dismissal day. If you have any questions or concerns please let Mr. Gonzalez or Mrs. Means know. Thank you and have a great day!
Free Pre-K Screenings coming up at the end of October.
More info can be found on this flyer.
More info can be found on this flyer.
Reminder: Illini Central Schools will dismiss at 11:30 on Wednesday, September 30th.
Busing for PreK is not available that day, and regular PreK is not in session. PreK students and their grown-ups are invited to attend Donuts with Grown-Ups from 8:30-10:30.
Busing for PreK is not available that day, and regular PreK is not in session. PreK students and their grown-ups are invited to attend Donuts with Grown-Ups from 8:30-10:30.
On October 20th, Illini Central will partner with Who We Play For to offer life-saving electrocardiogram (ECG) heart screenings for student-athletes.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the #1 killer on school campuses and among student-athletes, which is why we are taking a stand to care for the health and safety of our students.
For any questions, email heartscreening@whoweplayfor.org.
In order to register for your child’s heart screening, go to https://www.whoweplayfor.org/
heart-screening-registration.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the #1 killer on school campuses and among student-athletes, which is why we are taking a stand to care for the health and safety of our students.
For any questions, email heartscreening@whoweplayfor.org.
In order to register for your child’s heart screening, go to https://www.whoweplayfor.org/
heart-screening-registration.
The image provides step-by-step instructions on how to schedule family conferences in Skyward.
Looking to make a little extra money while making a difference?
Illini Central needs substitute teachers and paraprofessionals!
Whether you're retired, between jobs, looking for flexible work, or simply have a few days available each month, we'd love to add you to our substitute team!
Did you know you don't need college credit to substitute as a paraprofessional?
If you're 19 or older and have a high school diploma or equivalent, you may qualify for a Short-Term Approval Paraprofessional License (STA-PARA).
To substitute as a teacher, you need at least 60 semester credit hours or an associate's degree.
💰 Substitute Paraprofessionals: $136/day
💰 Substitute Teachers: $160/day
One of the best parts of substituting? Flexibility! You can choose the days that fit your schedule while supporting our students and staff.
Ready to get started?
📋 Licensure information:
https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Sub-Para-Checklist.pdf
📞 Join Illini Central's substitute calling list:
https://aptg.co/q2qGNL
👆 Fingerprinting information:
https://roe53.net/resources/fingerprinting
Questions about licensure? Contact the Regional Office of Education at (309) 477-2290.
We look forward to having you join the Illini Central team!
Illini Central needs substitute teachers and paraprofessionals!
Whether you're retired, between jobs, looking for flexible work, or simply have a few days available each month, we'd love to add you to our substitute team!
Did you know you don't need college credit to substitute as a paraprofessional?
If you're 19 or older and have a high school diploma or equivalent, you may qualify for a Short-Term Approval Paraprofessional License (STA-PARA).
To substitute as a teacher, you need at least 60 semester credit hours or an associate's degree.
💰 Substitute Paraprofessionals: $136/day
💰 Substitute Teachers: $160/day
One of the best parts of substituting? Flexibility! You can choose the days that fit your schedule while supporting our students and staff.
Ready to get started?
📋 Licensure information:
https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Sub-Para-Checklist.pdf
📞 Join Illini Central's substitute calling list:
https://aptg.co/q2qGNL
👆 Fingerprinting information:
https://roe53.net/resources/fingerprinting
Questions about licensure? Contact the Regional Office of Education at (309) 477-2290.
We look forward to having you join the Illini Central team!
Family Conferences are just around the corner on Wednesday, October 7th, and Thursday, October 8th, from 4:00-8:00. Sign up today via Skyward!
What are Family Conferences?
Family Conferences are the same as a parent/teacher conference, except your student is present.
What are the benefits of Family Conferences?
Ownership of Learning: Students take personal responsibility for their academic achievements and setbacks when discussing their own progress.
Confidence & Communication: Presenting work and talking through goals builds strong public speaking and interpersonal skills.
Self-Reflection: Preparing for these meetings teaches children how to self-assess their strengths and identify areas that need improvement.
Stronger Collaboration: Direct involvement fosters a trusting, collaborative relationship between the student, teacher, and parents.
Clearer Motivation: Hearing expectations directly helps align home and school support, leading to better classroom engagement and positive attitudes toward school
What are Family Conferences?
Family Conferences are the same as a parent/teacher conference, except your student is present.
What are the benefits of Family Conferences?
Ownership of Learning: Students take personal responsibility for their academic achievements and setbacks when discussing their own progress.
Confidence & Communication: Presenting work and talking through goals builds strong public speaking and interpersonal skills.
Self-Reflection: Preparing for these meetings teaches children how to self-assess their strengths and identify areas that need improvement.
Stronger Collaboration: Direct involvement fosters a trusting, collaborative relationship between the student, teacher, and parents.
Clearer Motivation: Hearing expectations directly helps align home and school support, leading to better classroom engagement and positive attitudes toward school
Seniors-please see the attached flyer for scholarship opportunities! Remember to keep checking your Google Classroom for additional scholarship opportunities and availabilities!
Congratulations to our high school PBIS students of the month for the month of August. Myles, Hailee, Kaci, and Eli were recognized for showing responsibility. Keep up the great work!
Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 22nd, high school students will attend a presentation on online safety and sextortion. The assembly will be led by Clint Weir. Clint Weir brings nearly three decades of service and strategic leadership to the stage. With 25 years in law enforcement, Clint’s expertise spans criminal investigations, drug awareness education, and a deep understanding of the "street-level" impact of public service. Parallel to this, Clint has also served 25 years in ministry, honing the ability to connect with audiences at a heart level.
This unique intersection of safety expertise and spiritual leadership led to the creation of The Shift. As the founder of The Shift, Clint is on a mission to bridge the gap between where people are and where they could be. Whether speaking to students about youth culture, training officers, or helping corporate teams overhaul their internal culture, Clint delivers
more than just a speech—he delivers a catalyst for change.
Clint has addressed conferences, retreats, and public events nationwide, and specializes in three critical areas:
Youth Culture: Decoding the challenges facing the next generation.
Safety & Awareness: Practical insights from a career in investigations.
Mindset Mastery: Overcoming the obstacles that keep individuals and organizations stagnant.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Annie Baugher, high school principal.
This unique intersection of safety expertise and spiritual leadership led to the creation of The Shift. As the founder of The Shift, Clint is on a mission to bridge the gap between where people are and where they could be. Whether speaking to students about youth culture, training officers, or helping corporate teams overhaul their internal culture, Clint delivers
more than just a speech—he delivers a catalyst for change.
Clint has addressed conferences, retreats, and public events nationwide, and specializes in three critical areas:
Youth Culture: Decoding the challenges facing the next generation.
Safety & Awareness: Practical insights from a career in investigations.
Mindset Mastery: Overcoming the obstacles that keep individuals and organizations stagnant.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Annie Baugher, high school principal.
On Thursday, October 15th, we will host our FAFSA Workshop for Parents of the senior class. The event will run from 4:30-6:00pm. Completing the FAFSA form is a high school graduation requirement.
If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Gonzalez or Mrs. Means!
Due to a power outage at Lincoln High School, LTEC will NOT be held today. This only applies to those high school students who attend LTEC.
On Thursday, September 24th the Sophomores will be traveling to Lincoln Land for their annual Careers Expo. Lunch will be provided.
We would like to inform all parents and guardians that on Thursday, September 17, 2026, per the School Safety Drill Act, the district will participate in a district-wide Law Enforcement Drill. If you would not like your child to participate, please notify your child’s principal by 9 am on 9/17/26.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death on school campuses – more than any form of cancer, concussion, or illness combined. Thousands of seemingly healthy kids die every year due to detectable heart conditions.
That’s why Illini Central CUSD 189 is thrilled to announce that we’ve partnered with Who We Play For to provide our youth the opportunity to get their heart checked with an electrocardiogram (ECG). The heart screening will take place on October 20, 2026, from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m..
Every student-athlete can sign up for a screening online here: https://www.whoweplayfor.org/heart-screening-registration
Why take advantage of this electrocardiogram (ECG) heart screening? The standard physical is statistically proven to be less than 4% effective at detecting any heart conditions; adding an ECG improves those odds to 80-95%.
ECG screening saves lives.
ECG screening is non-invasive, painless, and takes about 5 minutes.
A pediatric cardiologist or cardiologist trained to evaluate the heart of an athlete will interpret each ECG. We will return results via email within one week of the screening.
An ECG typically costs around $150.
What is Who We Play For (WWPF)?
WWPF represents every young person who lost their life due to a detectable heart condition missed in their physical.
At hundreds of schools across the country, WWPF has screened 200,000+ students and saved the lives of 200+ students, all of whom had previously undetected life-threatening heart conditions.
Watch this video (youtube.com/watch?v=WF8SlXw-Dxc&feature=youtu.be) to understand more about what to expect at a heart screening.
That’s why Illini Central CUSD 189 is thrilled to announce that we’ve partnered with Who We Play For to provide our youth the opportunity to get their heart checked with an electrocardiogram (ECG). The heart screening will take place on October 20, 2026, from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m..
Every student-athlete can sign up for a screening online here: https://www.whoweplayfor.org/heart-screening-registration
Why take advantage of this electrocardiogram (ECG) heart screening? The standard physical is statistically proven to be less than 4% effective at detecting any heart conditions; adding an ECG improves those odds to 80-95%.
ECG screening saves lives.
ECG screening is non-invasive, painless, and takes about 5 minutes.
A pediatric cardiologist or cardiologist trained to evaluate the heart of an athlete will interpret each ECG. We will return results via email within one week of the screening.
An ECG typically costs around $150.
What is Who We Play For (WWPF)?
WWPF represents every young person who lost their life due to a detectable heart condition missed in their physical.
At hundreds of schools across the country, WWPF has screened 200,000+ students and saved the lives of 200+ students, all of whom had previously undetected life-threatening heart conditions.
Watch this video (youtube.com/watch?v=WF8SlXw-Dxc&feature=youtu.be) to understand more about what to expect at a heart screening.
On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Illini Central Schools will operate on a 9:30 Delayed Start for Professional Development. Details on procedures for this can be found here: https://aptg.co/TZ5XNc
On Wednesday, the Freshmen class will take a field trip to Midwest Central for a college and career fair. There is no cost and students will be back in time for lunch at school.
Thank you to Christ Church in Springfield for their school supply donation!
Help support the Class of 2030 with their Trash Bag Fundraiser at the Prairie Harvest Festival!
SAVE THE DATE!
FAFSA Night Workshop for Seniors; Thursday, October 14th from 4:30pm - 6:00pm
More details to follow.
FAFSA Night Workshop for Seniors; Thursday, October 14th from 4:30pm - 6:00pm
More details to follow.