Proud Hawk Community-January 2026

Hello, Proud Hawk Community!

As we move into the final semester of the school year, our focus at Heritage CUSD #8 is firmly on finishing strong while planning thoughtfully for a bright future. This time of year is full of energy, reflection, and forward momentum, and we are excited about the work underway across the district.

Our educators are collaborating closely as they build future schedules, refine instructional plans, and prepare for the year ahead. At the same time, we are working to solidify grade-level configurations and thoughtfully hire individuals who are eager to join the Heritage team and contribute to our student-centered culture. Please see further information in Mrs. Sanders' update and our new educators that will be joining us at Heritage.

We are also looking forward to two upcoming opportunities to nourish both minds and bodies. Select here to register for Parent & Student University. $10 vouchers will be provided for students who are registered in advance for Smith Burger. These sessions are designed to bring families together for meaningful learning and connection and we’re excited to welcome Smith Burger as part of the experience! The program may be viewed here.

A friendly reminder that today is the final day to register for Breakfree: Digital Detox 5K in order to receive a T-shirt. We hope you’ll consider joining us as we continue to promote wellness, connection, and community pride.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we remain committed to strong relationships, purposeful planning, and creating the best possible future for Heritage students.

Warm regards,

Dr. Norton

At the January Board of Education meeting, the Board conducted a first reading of the proposed Cooperative Football Agreement, with a recommendation anticipated for consideration at the February 17 Board meeting.

The Board also engaged in a facilities priorities discussion, looking ahead to projected needs over the next several years. Areas of focus included parking lots, tracks, and playgrounds, as part of a proactive effort to plan for maintenance, safety, and long-term improvements across the district.

Additionally, the Board took action on a Resolution providing for the issuance of $2,300,000. This action does not result in a tax increase, but instead strengthens the district’s working cash balance as we plan for future priorities and facility needs.

While the district is currently well above the state’s Evidence-Based Funding adequacy target, the Board is taking a responsible, forward-looking approach to financial planning. There is ongoing uncertainty regarding future federal funding, particularly in areas known as mandated categoricals. Mandated categoricals are state and federal funds that must be used for specific, legally required services such as special education, student transportation, and early childhood programs. Although these services are required, the funding provided does not always fully cover their actual costs, making proactive planning essential to ensure these programs remain strong and uninterrupted.

Together, these actions reflect the Board’s commitment to thoughtful planning, fiscal responsibility, and long-term stability in support of students, staff, and the Heritage community.

Student Ambassador Board Update

At the January 20 Board of Education meeting, Student Ambassadors Ethan Lyons and Tatum Morgan shared updates and perspectives on behalf of the student body.

Ethan highlighted upcoming activities, including Senior Night for Scholastic Bowl, and shared that students would appreciate the opportunity to revisit and discuss prom location options when planning for future years.

Tatum shared excitement around student involvement in events such as the FCCLA Valentine’s Dance and noted that students involved in cheerleading and football are eager to learn more about the cooperative football agreement. Additional information related to the agreement was later discussed during the meeting.

Ethan and Tatum will be leading a session at Parent and Student University on Tuesday, January 27, and extend an invitation for families, students, and community members to join them to hear more about student leadership.

My name is Shelley Fitzgerald, and I have been a part of the Heritage School District for 15 years. I was the District Secretary and High School Volleyball Coach before my current role. My son, Ryan, and daughter, Maddie, both graduated from Heritage in 2015 and 2017. My husband, Bob, was also a School Board Member.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, traveling, watching volleyball, and mini adventures with my children.

Go Hawks!

Heritage is excited to welcome our new educators that will be joining our team next school year. Mason Wyant will be teaching PE/Health, Kacie Roberts will be serving as Title I Interventionist, and Lynnae Struck as our 5/6 teacher. Bella Dudley was approved previously as our Elementary Special Education/ESL Teacher.

SOAR (Supporting Opportunities for Achievement and Resilience) is a Regional Office of Education (ROE 9) program designed to support students who may be experiencing challenges with academics, attendance, behavior, or social-emotional needs. The program serves students in grades 4-12 and focuses on building strong relationships, setting goals, and removing barriers to student success.

We are excited to share that Mr. Danny Callaway has begun working full-time in our district, serving both buildings and meeting regularly with students in grades 4-12. As the SOAR liaison, Mr. Callaway provides daily and weekly student support, helps create individualized student success plans, and works closely with families and staff to connect students with the resources they need to thrive.

SOAR is designed to be a supportive, collaborative partnership focused on student growth and success.

Unfortunately, there is still uncertainty with the Preschool for All Grant that funds the Spectrum Pre-K Program. We were hoping we could begin this program at Heritage for 2026-2027. We want to be thoughtful and prepared for this transition. Due to guidance not received at this time, we will need to hold off for next school year and continue with the location for our Pre-K students being served at St. Joseph Elementary.

We had so much fun getting to help host the JH Glow Dance! Thanks to the amazing parents who planned this fun event!

A special shout out to Mrs. Hermasillo and the JH Art class for making the photobooth backdrop and to our awesome DJ.

We hope everyone had a great time! 😆

We extend our sincere thanks to a generous donor whose support helped offset the costs of this session of Parent & Student University. This generosity allowed us to offer meaningful learning opportunities for our families and students, and we truly appreciate the support of our school community.

We are also so grateful for our UIUC partners, the Beckman Institute, and Chesser Financial for sharing their expertise and resources. These are remarkable opportunities for our students and families!

Hello from Heritage Elementary and Junior High School! We’ve had a busy start to the new semester,

and our junior high winter sports are going strong. The 7th grade boy’s basketball team competed in

their regional game last weekend in Rantoul. Although they did not advance, they gained several

positive playing experiences. After falling behind by 12 points, the boys went on an impressive run

before halftime and closed the gap to just two points, what an exciting game to watch and a great

example of the growth they’ve made this season! This weekend, we’re excited to cheer on our 8th grade team as they begin regional play at St. Malachy in Rantoul.

In addition to our boy’s basketball program, we were proud to celebrate our cheerleaders last

week during 8th Grade Night. It was a wonderful opportunity to recognize the hard work and

dedication our students, both boys and girls, have shown throughout their elementary and

junior high years.

Our girl’s volleyball season has also recently begun, and the team has already played several

very close and exciting matches. We can’t wait to see what the rest of their season brings!

Looking ahead, our elementary staff has already begun planning for the 2026-27 school year in

preparation for our 7th and 8th grade students transitioning to the high school in 2027-28. As

part of this process, we are implementing grade-level clusters. Next year, students will be taught

by teams of teachers at the following levels: 3rd/4th grade, 5th/6th grade, and 7th/8th grade.

Our current teaching teams are as follows:

• 3rd/4th Grade: Mrs. Stierwalt, Mrs. Shonkwiler, Mrs. Taylor, and Mr. Harding

• 5th/6th Grade: Mr. Bartlett, Miss Lynnae Struck, and Mr. Holleman

• 7th/8th Grade: Ms. Block, Mr. Honeycutt, Mr. Brown, and Mrs. Tison

The goal of these clusters is to enhance student learning through looping grades and teachers,

provide additional enrichment time, and support smoother transitions as students’ progress

through grade levels. We are very excited about these changes and will share more details with

families regarding classes and schedules on March 10th during Kindergarten Orientation Night

and our grade-level meeting nights. This also coincides with Spring Parent-Teacher

Conferences, and we hope to see everyone there.

Due to a recent e-Learning day, we had to reschedule our much-anticipated Storm Science

Assembly, generously provided by our wonderful PTC. We are planning to

reschedule this event for early March.

PTC and Student Council also hosted a Glow Dance for our junior high students on February

16th. The event had an excellent turnout, and everyone had a great time! Be sure to check out the

photos below.

Coming up soon, we are excited for our very own PEP Assembly on Friday the 30th! Our

HAWK mascot will be making an appearance, along with our cheerleaders, athletes, and band

members, to help build school spirit.

We will also be celebrating the 100th Day of School with our Kindergarten through 2nd grade

students, a fun tradition filled with creative outfits and projects. It’s always a joy to see our

youngest learners participate.

Time is flying, and it’s hard to believe we are just a couple of short weeks away from 3rd

quarter midterm. Attendance continues to be a focus, with a goal of reaching 96.5%

attendance for the month of January. Many students have already earned monthly locker

magnets and certificates for their excellent attendance. Keep up the great work!

We will continue to keep families informed about upcoming activities and meetings. As always,

please feel free to email or call your child’s teacher with any questions.

Mrs. Sanders

Every day at Heritage High School, classrooms are filled with engaging, hands-on learning that reflects the dedication of both students and staff. These examples represent just a small snapshot of the many great things happening across the building.

Students in Mr. Frost’s classes are working on many projects and a guest speaker gave several students a possible work opportunity.On Tuesday, the Bricklayers Union Local 8 came in to speak. He provided them with an opportunity to lay a row of bricks using different mortar joints. Several students didn't know about this being a possible career and are seriously considering applying for their free apprenticeship program. Construction has just completed Pinewood Derby cars, which will be used to test a track that they are currently designing. They will be building this for Introduction to Industrial Technology classes now and in the future. Welding 1 has completed garden signs with their last initial on top, and Advanced Welding is assembling stands that will help to support their dirt bikes when they are working on them. Intro classes are halfway through their Animation unit, where they are drawing flipbooks and will be making a short claymation movie. Woodworking and Advanced Woodworking are wrapping up their first projects of the year. Woods is assembling and finishing their vinyl record storage boxes, while Advance Woods is working on building coffee grinders.

In Mrs. Magsamen’s horticulture class, students combined science, design, and creativity by recreating a full color wheel using sugar cookies, white frosting, and only the three primary colors of food coloring. This hands-on assessment required students to mix and blend primary, secondary, and tertiary colors while applying knowledge of floral design elements, color types, and design techniques. Students also continued developing craftsmanship skills through recent evergreen wreath projects.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Aten’s computer science students are building foundational technology skills through Python coding, and Mrs. Hermosillo’s art students are creating impressive works in preparation for the upcoming art show. Together, these highlights reflect the high-quality instruction, creativity, and student engagement that occur daily across Heritage High School.