The Porcupine Post
September 4th, 2026
From the Principal
Wow, we have finished 2 full weeks of school. All of the kids are doing so well with the routines and making new friends.
Our first parent education day is Tuesday, September 22nd, be sure to check out the flyer below to RSVP. A copy will be sent home in your child’s backpack next week! On parent education days there is no school for ECC students, on those days we offer some parent workshops with babysitting followed by a fun activity.
I’ve included some information below regarding the safety drills that we are required to do every school year.
Be sure to order your Porcupine ECC Spirit Wear, orders are due by Friday, September 11th! See PTA news below for the link to order.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sheryl Pauwels
Celebrations 🙌
Students in Mrs. Jones’ class have done a great job getting back into the swing of things at school! They’ve been reviewing the expectations, getting to know each other, and exploring all the areas in the classroom. We are so excited for the new school year
Week At A Glance 📅
September 7th - No School District Wide
September 8th - Tornado/Shelter in Place Practice Drill
September 10th - Fire Drill/Evacuation Practice
September 12th - Huntley Hootenanny
September 18th - ECC Fun Run
September 22nd - No School ECC ONLY Parent Education Day (see below for information)
September 29th - ECC Picture Day
Home / School Connection 🏡
Throughout the school year we are required to practice safety drills for severe weather/tornados called Shelter in Place, evacuation such as a fire drill, bus evacuation, and a lockdown drill. We will put the practice drill dates and/or information into our weekly Smore. Below are some tools and resources that we use prior to the drills to help our students prepare and understand. Feel free to use them at home as well. We will be completing the lockdown drill between 9/8-9/30. Please click here for the parent letter with more information regarding the lockdown drill details.
Tornado Drill Social Story English
Announcements & Reminders 📣
Parent Education Day
Come learn about the key areas of development in early childhood—social-emotional, communication, motor, and cognitive skills. Our ECC team will share what occurs within the classroom setting and practical tips for supporting your child at home. This interactive, encouraging session will help you feel confident in understanding and supporting your child’s development.
The presentations will take place inside a classroom, giving you a chance to see where your
child learns and grows every day.
FAMILY ACTIVITY
We will be staying right here at the Early Childhood Center for our family involvement activity
this month! We’ll enjoy Ms. Jamie’s Farm Show in two groups. While you’re waiting for your
group’s showtime, you can explore and play on our playground! Miss Jamie’s Farm show is a high-energy, audience-interactive musical play with farm animal puppets. Kids can sing along, dance, and participate in question-and-answer trivia about farm Animals and farm foods.
Please let us know if you will be attending by clicking HERE
PTA News 👪
Check out the CMPTA Website for details on all the activities they have planned
Membership
This year’s dues:
Parents/Guardians: $12 (less than 3 fancy coffees!)
Staff: $8 (you’re already superheroes—we’re just making it official)
Feeling generous? You can also sponsor a teacher and earn yourself a gold star in kindness!
Becoming a member doesn’t mean you’ll be voluntold to run a carnival (unless you want to—then we love you even more). It just means you’re helping support the school, the students, and all the fun stuff we do!
https://cmpta158.givebacks.com/store to join today and become part of the magic!
Thanks for being the amazing village that helps raise even more amazing kids.
Spirit Wear
Get ready to show your ECC pride with the new CMPTA School Spirit Wear Collection!
Online ordering closes September 11, so be sure to get your order in!
Click HERE to view the spirt wear collection.
District News 🪧
Get Involved and Join PTAC!
Are you looking for a meaningful way to get involved in our school district? We invite you to consider serving as a representative on our district Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee (PTAC) for the 2026–27 school year.
This year, we are working to strengthen communication and connection between our schools and the district by increasing awareness of the important work of PTAC. We are seeking one parent and one staff representative from each school to attend three meetings during the year and serve as a liaison between their building’s parent group and the district PTAC.
About PTAC
PTAC is a school board-required committee led by the superintendent that meets regularly to review and provide input on key areas, including:
Student discipline policies and their implementation, including considerations for students with disabilities
The reciprocal reporting system between the school district and local law enforcement
School bus safety procedures and how they are reflected in discipline policies
Policies addressing student behavior, including supports for students at risk of aggressive behavior and bullying
Guidelines related to the administration of medication at school
Meeting Schedule
All meetings will be held at the District Office from 6:00–8:00 p.m. on:
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Tuesday, January 12, 2027
Tuesday, April 20, 2027
Representatives will be asked to share updates and gather feedback at their school’s parent meetings (such as PTO/PTA or school advisory groups) to ensure two-way communication between the district and each building.
Important Note
While PTAC plays an important advisory role and informs recommendations to the Board of Education, it is not a decision-making body.
Interested in Participating?
Please complete the interest form by Sunday, September 6, 2026.
Your voice matters, and your perspective is essential to this work. We look forward to partnering with you to support our students, staff, and school community.
If you are looking to be involved at the school level rather than the district level, more information on ways to do that will be coming out soon.
Register Now for Huntley Hootenanny 5K on 9/12
The 9th annual Huntley Hootenanny is a 5K “glow” run/walk for adults and kids of all ages sponsored by the Huntley Education Foundation and presented in partnership with the Village of Huntley and Huntley Community School District 158. With nearly 4,000 participants (including 1,700 elementary students last year!) the Huntley Hootenanny is one of Illinois’ largest 5K community events.
The Hootenanny will be held on Saturday, September 12 in downtown Huntley (on the square) from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Race start time is 7:15 p.m.
You won’t want to miss this fun family event!
REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/4xpQ9qQ
Catch a glimpse of the Hootenanny in action! https://youtu.be/qCUO59Ugh6Q
Join Us for Our Upcoming MPAC Meeting!
Huntley Community School District 158 is excited to welcome all Huntley 158 multilingual families to our next Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee (MPAC) meeting on Monday, September 14, 2026, from 6:00–7:30 p.m. at the District Office, Room 180, 650 Dr. John Burkey Drive in Algonquin. MPAC provides families an opportunity to connect with district staff, share ideas, ask questions, and help support the success and well-being of our multilingual students. Your voice matters, and we hope to see you there!
Huntley 158 Family Learning Series (virtual)
Topic: School Anxiety, Avoidance & Refusal: Symptoms and Interventions
Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 6PM - 7PM
Presenter: Jacqueline Rhew, LCPC
Open to all Huntley 158 families
Join via Google Meet
September is Attendance Awareness Month and Huntley 158’s motto is “Your Presence is Your Power.” Every day a student is in school is an opportunity for them to build relationships, learn and access support.
The district is kicking off its first virtual Family Learning Series this year with a presentation by Jacqueline Rhew, a licensed clinical professional counselor, who specializes in school refusal and anxiety in children. The virtual event is free and open to all Huntley 158 families.
Rhew’s presentation will provide parents and caregivers with practical strategies to support their child who may be struggling with school anxiety, avoidance, and school refusal.
Huntley Community School District 158 partners with Care Solace
This partnership provides mental health care coordination services. This resource is completely confidential and available to all students, staff, and their families at no cost.
As the new school year begins, supporting our youth's mental health is more important than ever. The new school year can bring feelings of both anxiety and excitement as students transition into a new grade or perhaps even a new school.
We have provided a Back to School resource packet for parents and families who are navigating through this time. Click here to access the kit.
By working together, we can create an environment where our children thrive. As a reminder, Care Solace partners with our school to offer valuable mental health care coordination services to connect you with community-based providers for counseling, therapy, and more.
To access Care Solace:
Call 888-515-0595: Their multilingual helpline is staffed 24/7/365.
Visit caresolace.com/huntley: Explore mental health providers independently or click "Book Appointment" for personalized assistance.
Thank you for being dedicated parents in the Huntley Community School District 158 community!