The Paw Print - September 2025

SJHS Families,

It’s hard to believe we’re nearly a month into the school year — and what a great start it’s been! We've seen incredible energy from the students as they've returned to campus. From getting back into routines to jumping into new subjects and activities, our junior high students are already showing us their curiosity, focus, and engagement.

Junior high is such a unique and important time — full of growth, exploration, and discovery. Whether your child is adjusting to their first year in junior high or returning as an upper-grade student, we are here to support them every step of the way. Our teachers and staff are committed to building strong relationships, creating safe and inclusive classrooms, and helping each student develop both academically and personally.

We’re also so thankful for you — our families. Your involvement and encouragement make a huge difference in your child’s experience, and we appreciate the strong partnership we continue to build with you. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

As we move further into the school year, we look forward to watching your students continue to grow in confidence, character, and capability. We can’t wait to see all they’ll accomplish!

Go Terriers!

Mr. Ryan Pirok

Principal

The 2025-2026 CUSD #6 school calendar has been attached below for your reference.

UPCOMING DATES:

📌Monday, September 1: No School - Labor Day

📌Friday, October 10: 2PM Dismissal - End of First Quarter

📌Monday, October 13: No School - Columbus Day

Please see the attachment below for our semester incentive policy. At the conclusion of every semester, students are rewarded with a field trip and/or celebration based on their ability to meet all of the following criteria:

• C average in ALL core classes (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies)
• No more than 2 referrals
• No in-school suspensions
• No out-of-school suspensions
• No unexcused absences

The attachment goes into more detail, so I encourage you to read over it. This document is also included in the handbook as an appendix.

Consistent attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic achievement. When students are present, they are more engaged, connected with their peers and teachers, and able to keep up with classroom learning. Even missing just a few days each month can add up and make it harder for students to stay on track. In fact, research shows that students who consistently miss school are at a risk of lower academic achievement, failure, and even dropping out of school altogether.

We understand that absences sometimes can't be avoided due to illness or emergencies, but whenever possible, we ask for your cooperation in making daily attendance a priority. Arriving on time and being ready to learn helps set a positive routine and builds lifelong habits. Please keep in mind that attendance is a piece of criteria in our incentive policy for end-of-semester celebrations.

Last, please understand that attendance letters will go out to families for every 5th student absence (i.e., 5 days, 10 days, 15 days, etc.); and the letters will be sent via mail monthly. Per the state of Illinois, attendance letters must be mailed home. For your information, it does not matter if the absence(s) is/are excused or unexcused - there must be correspondence from the school in order for us to remain in compliance with the state. In addition, any time that your child is going to be absent from school, please make contact with the office. If you have any questions, please contact Linda Thomas, Attendance Clerk, via email (lthomas@stauntonschools.org) or via phone (618-635-3838, ext. 234).

We encourage your son/daughter to submit an essay to the Patriot's Pen writing contest. Conducted nationwide, this VFW-sponsored youth essay competition gives students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. The 2025-2026 theme is "How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?". Please see the attached PDF for more detailed, important information (students were distributed a hard copy of the entry form, as well). Essays are due by October 31.

🧇BREAKFAST MENU for September can be found HERE.

🥪LUNCH MENU for September can be found HERE.

🥎JH SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

⚾JH BASEBALL SCHEDULE

👟JH CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE

🐾Check out a Terrier athletic event!

It is imperative to follow the protocol for transportation to/from an away interscholastic (athletic/extracurricular) event. I have attached a screenshot from the handbook that explains transportation protocol to and from an away event. Please read it thoroughly. At the very bottom of this section, I have attached the form to be filled out if your child needs to be transported home by someone other than a legal parent/guardian. This form can also be found on our athletic page and virtual backpack - both areas accessible on our website.

PLEASE NOTE at the conclusion of an away event, any student who will not be riding the bus and instead will be departing with a parent, legal guardian, or pre-approved alternate transportation provider must sign the official sign-out sheet provided by the coach. Under no circumstances may a student leave the event without completing the sign-out process with the coach.

All students are expected to ride the bus TO an away event; however, we understand that may not always be possible due to rare circumstances, so if that is the case, please contact the office.

Check out our NEW athletic page, which can be accessed by going to our website (District, High School, or Junior High page), clicking MENU, and then clicking ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES. You'll see everything athletic-related on that page including contact information, schedules, pictures, and more!

Cell phones are away for the day!!!

If a student brings his/her cell phone to campus, they are to be powered off and stored in his/her locker for the entirety of the day. Failure to do so will result in the following:

The 1st time a student has an electronic device that is turned on or being used during school hours, such device will be confiscated and taken to the building principal's office. The student should go to the office following the dismissal of school for return of the device.

The 2nd and subsequent time a student has an electronic device turned on or being used during school hours, such device will be confiscated and taken to the building principal's office. Parental/guardian contact will be made immediately upon occurrence of the second violation. The parent/guardian will be required to retrieve the electronic device from the building principal's office at the conclusion of the academic day.

**Violation to the established policy could result in disciplinary action, as well.

When attending an event on campus, dogs (and any other animal) are not allowed on school grounds. This rule is in place for reasons related to safety, health, and liability. Exceptions would include service animals. Thank you for your cooperation!

With our first home football game approaching, here are some reminders of the school's expectations:

🏈Be respectful and let the players play, the coaches coach, and the refs ref.

🏈No alcohol or illegal substances (including vapes) allowed on campus, per Illinois State Law.

🏈Refrain from going behind or underneath the bleachers.

🏈No throwing of footballs or other objects as they can go onto the field and cause game interruption.

🏈No pets are allowed on school grounds, unless they are registered service animals.

🏈Small children should be supervised.

🏈Failure to follow these guidelines could result in being asked to leave the game.

🐾Thank you for your cooperation! Go Bulldogs!!!

Please visit our websites in order to keep up with with events and information. In addition, I have included teachers' websites; please keep these handy, if your child has any of them! They are updated regularly.

District Website

https://www.stauntonschools.org/

Junior High Website

https://www.stauntonschools.org/o/junior-high-school

Mrs. Grammer's (6th ELA) Website

https://sites.google.com/stauntonschools.org/mrs-grammer-grade-6-ela

Mrs. Schulte's (7th ELA) Website

https://sites.google.com/stauntonschools.org/7th-grade-ela-mrs-schulte/home

Mrs. Klein's (8th ELA) Website

https://sites.google.com/stauntonschools.org/8thgradeela/home

Mrs. Boyer's (6th & 7th Science) Website

https://sites.google.com/stauntonschools.org/boyersjhs/home

For your information, each student has been given an agenda book for the 2025-2026 school year. These agenda books are valuable tools designed to help students stay organized, manage their time effectively, and keep track of important assignments, upcoming tests, project deadlines, and school events. Developing these organizational habits now is key to long-term academic success and personal responsibility.

We encourage all students to make it a daily habit to write in their agendas and refer to them regularly. You can support your child by reviewing their agenda book with them each evening, discussing upcoming tasks, and helping them prioritize their responsibilities.

By consistently using their agenda books, students can reduce stress, avoid missed deadlines, and build essential skills that will benefit them throughout their education.

Each student has been issued a combination lock this school year for his/her locker. All personal locks must be removed. If a lock has been lost or damaged, the student will be responsible for the cost of the replacement lock, which is $10.

The August/September word of the month is EMPATHY. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. When students practice empathy, they listen carefully, consider how someone else might be feeling, and respond with kindness and compassion. Empathy helps build stronger friendships, reduces conflicts, and creates a more supportive school community. Whether it's comforting a classmate who's had a tough day or including someone who feels left out, small acts of empathy can make a big difference.