September Newsletter

I would like to officially welcome everyone back to the 2026-2027 School Year! We have had a successful and smooth transition back to school! Thanks for the support you give your children and GHS!

Volunteering is a wonderful way to be involved with your child’s school. We hope that you will take
advantage of one or more of the various opportunities listed on this sheet as well as a donation to
our PTA! Click Here to donate or volunteer!

Geneseo High School was once again named one of the top schools in the state of Illinois and the top school in Illinois in the Quad Cities Region! Here is a link to the story!

During WIN time we offer both a "Student Workshop" and a "Skills Lab" (for ELA and Math).

Skills Lab- Students who need extra support for ELA and math courses can be signed up by a
teacher to go to the Skills Lab during WIN to get extra help from a teacher.

Student Workshop- Students who are not completing their homework or classwork even after
reminders will be assigned to the "Student Workshop" during WIN to get their work done. Students
will be paired up with a peer helper to make sure they complete their assignments.

By providing 2 options for students who "can't do" or "won't do" we are ensuring students are
learning at GHS!

This year we really want to emphasize the importance of getting to school on time.

Why is this important? - Being on time sets students up for success. Arriving to school promptly ensures theydon’t miss key instruction, builds responsibility, and creates habits that last beyond high school. Thank you for partnering with us to help your student start the day ready to learn!

One of the most important habits we can help students develop is the responsibility of turning work in on time. Due dates are a part of everyday life—whether it’s meeting a work deadline, paying a bill, or following through on a commitment. Learning to manage time, meet expectations, and be accountable for responsibilities is an important life skill.

Turning work in also gives teachers an opportunity to see what students know, what they don’t know, and where they need additional feedback or support. Missing work makes it harder for teachers to accurately assess learning and respond to student needs.

How can parents help? Encourage your student to check assignments and due dates regularly, use a planner or calendar, establish a routine for completing work, and communicate with teachers when they need help. Together, we can help students build habits that will serve them well beyond high school.

Our fall sports teams are already in action! Football, volleyball, golf, tennis, cross-country, and
soccer games are happening throughout the month. We encourage you to come out and support
our student-athletes. A full schedule of games and events can be found on this site by clicking here.

Thank you to our parents and families for your continued support of Geneseo High School. Your encouragement, communication, and partnership play an important role in helping our students succeed. When school and home work together, students are more likely to feel supported, stay engaged, and take ownership of their learning. We truly appreciate all you do to support our students and our school community!

Friday, September 4

Homecoming Dance Ticket Sales - Before School

Monday, September 7

No School - Labor Day

Tuesday, September 8

Homecoming Dance Ticket Sales - Before School

Wednesday, September 9

Homecoming Dance Ticket Sales - Before School

Float Face-Off - Richmond Hill Shelter, 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 10

Homecoming Pep Rally - Football Field, 7:00 p.m.

Friday, September 11

2:00 p.m. Dismissal

Homecoming Parade, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 12

Homecoming Dance - GHS Main Gym, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Coronation at 8:45 p.m.)

Monday, September 21

Senior Class Graduation Meeting with Herff Jones - Theatre, during WIN

(going over ordering information for Senior Graduation announcements, cap/gown/tassel, etc.)

Tuesday, September 29

9th-11th Grade Picture Retakes - Library Lobby Loft, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 30

1/2 Day School Improvement - 11:30 a.m. Dismissal

2026 Homecoming Events

“Mardi Gras” -- Week of September 7-11, 2026

Ticket Sales:

Homecoming Dance Tickets will be on sale before school on Friday, September 4, and Tuesday and Wednesday, September 8-9. The cost is $10 for all tickets. Guests must have an advance ticket. Tickets will be sold at the door for GHS students.

Spirit Week Dress-up Days:

September 8-11

Monday- No School

Tuesday, Sept. 8 – Jersey Day

Wednesday, Sept. 9 – Country vs. Country Club

Thursday, Sept. 10 – Generation Day

Seniors dress as Senior Citizens

Juniors dress as Middle Schoolers

Sophomores dress as Toddlers

Freshman dress as Babies

Friday, Sept. 11 – Spirit Day, Green/White, Team - Club Day.

***Students must stay within the school dress code***

All-School Election:

Homecoming elections will take place via Google Docs. The ballot for all school elections will be open Tuesday and Wednesday, September 8-9.

Float Face-Off:

Sponsored by Class Advisors

Wednesday, September 9, 4:00-9:00 pm at Richmond Hill Shelter--Float building. Come help your class build the best float ever.

Pep Rally:

Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 p.m. at the Football field; join the pep band, cheerleaders, Maplettes, and football team. Team dances and games will take place. The Student Council will announce the Homecoming Court.

Parade:

Friday, September 11 at 3:30 p.m. - Have your teams/clubs at the park by 3:00. Participants are to look for their vehicle and listen to instructions.

****NO CANDY can be thrown from a moving vehicle or float. If your group has candy, it must be passed out by people walking alongside your entry. Oftentimes this is by adults or boosters. Please help us enforce this policy; tell your team or club members.

Dance:

Saturday, September 12 - 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Location is at the high school in the Big Gym; Coronation will be held at 8:45 p.m.

Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 (Geneseo students only); guest tickets need to be purchased in advance.

This past school year we had 28 more students take an AP class than the previous school year. 86.76% of students who took an exam scored 3 or higher on their AP exams. If your child is

considering going to college in the future, we recommend that all students take an AP course to help them prepare for success. We offer several AP courses starting sophomore year. To sort through all our courses you can visit our online course catalog here- https://gcsdstaff.org/courses/

The NMSQT/PSAT is the qualifying test for entry to the National Merit Scholarship Program and will be offered at Geneseo High School. The NMSQT/PSAT test is for Juniors only. The exam will be given on Wednesday, October 14th in the GHS Theatre beginning at 8:00 a.m. The cost is $18.00 and we will accept cash or check. Checks should be made payable to Geneseo High School.

Students will receive valuable feedback in the areas of critical reading, math reasoning and writing. There is a question-by-question review of answers to see which questions you answered correctly. The test booklet is given back to the students for additional practice in areas of concern. Students also receive a personalized statement of specific academic skills that need attention and how to improve those skills. This is also the exam that indicates whether or not students qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Students must register in the GHS Counseling Office by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11th. Your student should plan to pay for the exam at the time of registration. Free study guides and practice tests are also available after registration. If you have any questions, please contact me at 309.945.0306 or through email at aioerger@geneseoschools.org.

Leaving School During the Day

1. In the case of illness:

If a student is not feeling well, they need to go see the school nurse. The school nurse will contact a parent/guardian and will get approval from the parent/guardian before the student leaves school. Failure to check out with the school nurse could result in disciplinary action.

2. In the case of professional appointments:

Students having a medical/dental or other professional appointment must present a signed note from a parent/guardian to the GHS Front Office before school on the day of the appointment. The note needs to state the date, reason for leaving, and the time they need to be dismissed from class. When the note is given to the GHS Front Office, the student will receive a permit to show their teacher so they can be excused from class at the stated time.

In the case of last-minute appointments, the parent may notify the school by phone about the appointment. The student then must pick up a permit from the GHS Front Office to be excused from class.

Appointment Confirmation Slips

When a student receives their permit to leave for an appointment they will also be given a blue appointment confirmation slip that needs to be signed by the doctor, dentist, or professional involved. The signed blue confirmation slip must be given to the GHS Front Office when the student returns from the appointment in order for the absence to be recorded as excused.

When a student has a medical appointment before school starts for the day, a confirmation slip from the professional office must be presented to the GHS Front Office upon check-in for the absence to be recorded as excused.

If a signed confirmation slip is not returned the absence will be recorded as unexcused.

A confirmation slip is needed if a student has an extra-curricular activity, practice, game, etc. in order for the student to participate.

Attendance and Extra-Curricular Participation

On days when school is in session, students involved in extra-curricular activities must be checked in at the Front Office by 10:30 a.m. (with Early Bird - Period 6 schedule) and 11:30 a.m. (with a Period 1-7 schedule), unless prior arrangements have been made for medical appointments, funerals, etc.