Welcome to this week's edition of:

Happy Friday, Morton 709 Families, Staff, and Community,

It was a short week, but a full one, and this issue reflects the caring partnership and community we continue to build together. As a district, we strive “to be a provider of and an advocate for the education of all children.” Schools and families support one another: at school, we reinforce the lessons you teach at home—helpfulness, responsibility, and cooperation. Your support helps students value their classrooms, athletic fields, and music rooms, and give their best wherever they are.

Quote of the Week:

"It is the connection between schools and communities that creates greatness in schools." — Bill Ayers

Go, Potters.

Dr. Joe Sander

Superintendent

A fun, quick look at what's happening around the district!

Special thanks to Morton Potter Athletics, Paul F Photo, and Sue's Sports and Posts Pictures.

Join the Conversation

Be a part of the conversation. Learn more about the ballot question. Attend an informational Town Hall Meeting with Dr. Sander:

Jefferson School - October 22, 2026 (Thursday) 6-7 pm

Morton Early Voting Schedule

Temporary Voting Location: Morton Township, 300 West Jefferson St., Morton, IL 61550

Special Morton Location Hours:

• October 16th - 9 am to 6 pm
• October 17th - 9 am to 3 pm
• October 18th - 9 am to 3 pm
• October 23rd -9 am to 6 pm
• October 24th - 9 am to 3 pm
• October 25th - 9 am to 3 pm

Learn more by visiting Redefine 709 or contacting Dr. Sander directly through this convenient "Got Questions?" form.

🐻🐻🐻🐻Home of the Lettie Brown Bears🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻

This year’s school-wide theme at Lettie Brown is “Growing, Learning, & Leading into America’s Next 250,” and the library is helping students turn the page on a new season of discovery. Thanks to the Morton Community Foundation and the Jan Smith Memorial Funds, the Lettie Brown Library has purchased 12 new books to support the theme.

The collection includes books about the states and our beautiful National Parks, along with encyclopedias about our government, presidents, and military. From state lines to park trails and the institutions that shape our country, these resources give students plenty to explore—and a chance to enrich their knowledge of America. It’s a well-rounded collection, with something for every curious reader.

A heartfelt thank-you to the Morton Community Foundation and the Jan Smith Memorial Funds for making these additions possible. Laurie Zehr, Lettie Brown Librarian, is always excited and grateful to grow the Lettie Brown Library and provide students with new opportunities to learn. With these books on the shelves, America’s story is ready for its next chapter.

There were plenty of reasons to smile in a recent Lettie Brown Kindergarten lesson: students enjoyed a BINGO activity as part of the new Eureka Math curriculum. With every call, young learners had a chance to practice math concepts in an engaging, hands-on way—and see how much fun learning can add up to.

Lettie Brown first graders are getting into the groove as they learn to subtract with zero. The idea may start with nothing, but there’s plenty to think about as they work through each problem.

Rug time gives students a change of scenery, getting them up from their seats and into a fresh space to work.

"Zero to hero" is fitting wordplay for these young mathematicians as they keep practicing subtraction.

"Make a Difference. Be a Hero, Stay Drug Free"

Spirit Dress Up Days:

Monday, Oct. 19th - Being Drug Free is My Superpower! - Dress like a Superhero

Tuesday, Oct. 20th - Being Drug Free is No Sweat! - Wear comfy/athletic clothes

Wednesday, Oct. 21st - Just Say No! - Wear Red

Important Dates in October:

Thursday, October 22nd, and Friday, Oct. 23rd, Parent Teacher Conferences

Monday, October 26th: Lettie Brown PTO Meeting 7:00 pm

Friday, October 30th: Fall/Halloween Parties in the afternoon!

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Ms. Little’s students enjoyed The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt, written by Riel Nason and illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler.

This precious tale follows a courageous little ghost on a big adventure. Because the ghost is different, the journey brings challenges and disappointment at times—but its spirit will capture readers’ hearts.

After enjoying the story, students followed visual directions and verbal instructions to create their own little quilted ghosts. They used their eyes, ears, and hands to bring each creation to life, stitching together a playful connection between story and hands-on learning.

As an added bonus, students also learned about quilts. It was a boo-tiful way to explore a story about being different and discover how a patchwork of pieces can come together uniquely and beautifully.

It is a family-friendly story.

Jefferson kindergartners are taking math one step at a time with the new Eureka Math curriculum. Working in groups, students built Number Stairs from 1 to 10, matching each number with the appropriate number of discs. As the numbers climbed, students could see how each stair represents a quantity.

A "gallery walk" let students share their Number Stairs and explore one another’s work. This hands-on activity brought counting, teamwork, and a little stairway-to-success wordplay together—one number at a time.

In September, a large group of Jefferson Patriots was recognized for their sense of responsibility.

Taking responsibility for one's actions and making responsible choices are part of a growth mindset, and our Patriots are always pursuing growth.

(Mrs. Adolphson shared more images on Facebook.)

We are proud to celebrate these students as they model what it means to be accountable community members. By continually pursuing growth, our Patriots show us that responsibility isn't just about following rules—it is about becoming the best versions of themselves.

Thank you to all the students, families, and staff who support this positive culture of accountability and continuous learning at Jefferson Elementary.

19-21: Red Ribbon Week

19: Choir Concert at 6:30 pm at Grace Church

22-23: No School: Parent-Teacher Conferences

22: 6:00 pm, 709 Open House for Tazewell County Tax Referendum in Jefferson Cafeteria

26: PTO Meeting 6:30 pm (New Date)

30: Halloween Class Parties at 1:15 pm and Halloween Parade at 2:15 pm

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🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊"Home of the Grundy Gators"🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊

Parachute play in PE class is a great opportunity to practice following directions. It is a challenging lesson in cooperative play. The parachute is huge, even for our older Gators.

Students enjoyed every minute. Can you feel the joy?

Grundy’s sixth graders kicked off an exciting outing at Shea Stadium, cheering on the Bradley University men’s soccer team. A few raindrops couldn’t dampen their spirits—the students had a great time rooting for the Braves.

Bradley and Olivet Nazarene finished tied, but the day was still a win for the sixth graders, who got to enjoy the game together. Mrs. Friedrich and Ms. Owdom, both Bradley graduates, had extra reason to cheer. Others may have been rooting for the ONU Tigers.

Rain or shine, it was a memorable day for these future Braves. Go BU!

These students were recognized as September "Students of the Month." They got back in the groove and are making a positive impact on everyone around them. Recognizing students who show growth mindset skills is a fun way to celebrate and highlight important character traits being fostered in Grundy's halls, classrooms, cafeterias, and on the playground.

Grow Gators, grow!

Grundy always looks forward to the Help-A-Thon.

Big jobs and small ones, they serve with happy hands and hearts. Some are part of the Gator family who have moved on to MJHS. Siblings are always excited for a school day reunion.

Tuesday, October 20th - Picture Re-Take Day

Thursday, October 22nd - Parent/Teacher Conferences - 8AM- 7PM - No School

Friday, October 23rd - Parent/Teacher Conferences - 8AM - Noon - No School

Monday, October 26th - 5th/6th Music Program - 6:30 at Bertha Frank (MHS)

Friday, October 30th - Halloween Parade and Parties - 1:30 PM

Wednesday, November 4th - Early Dismissal (11:55 AM)

Wednesday, November 11th - Veteran's Day - No School

Wednesday, November 25 - 29 - Thanksgiving Break - No School

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🦁🦁🦁🦁"Home of the Lincoln Lions" 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Sixth graders at Lincoln have completed part one of mask making in Artistic Adventures—and they’re already showing plenty of creativity. With plaster strips and water, students begin shaping masks in a hands-on project that blends art with cultural learning. It’s a chance to get their hands wet and their imaginations working.

Students team up with a partner, taking turns masking each other as they create. Partners work together through the process, making this favorite activity a shared adventure as well as an artistic one. There’s plenty to enjoy when students get to make something of their own—especially when the project begins with a little teamwork.

As they make their masks, students also learn about the ways masks are used in different cultures around the world. The activity invites them to explore what lies behind the mask while discovering how art can connect to culture. Part one is complete, and this mask-terpiece of creativity and discovery remains a favorite for students. In part two, students will decorate their masks with their own colorful finishing touches.

Morton is famous for far more than pumpkins—our disc golf course is a real draw, bringing players from across the country to compete and play. Last Friday, Lincoln students had an excellent opportunity to learn from some genuinely talented disc golfers during PE. A big thank you to Miss Schmitt for orchestrating such a fantastic learning experience for our students.

• Disc golfers yell "Fore!" to warn people when a throw might head their way. It's a common safety call borrowed from ball golf. Some players also shout "Heads!" or "Disc!", but "Fore!" is widely understood and used.
• Disc golf scoring works like ball golf: each hole has a par, and players are described as being under par, over par, or at par. The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) uses par in its official scoring.

We're also deeply grateful to Ledgestone Disc Golfers for their generous gift of two baskets and 60 discs. That's what we call a hole-in-one contribution to our school community!

Lincoln Elementary greatly appreciated a crew of Morton Junior High School students during Help-a-Thon. Their support added a little extra pride to the day—and plenty of reasons to roar with appreciation.

How many of the MJHS helpers are Legacy Lincoln Lions?

Lincoln’s second-grade Lions were roaring through a morning of hard work and learning.

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🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺 Home of the Huskies 🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺

There is always something going on at Morton Academy.

We love reading aloud together at Morton Academy. This video is the same book we read in class this week. It is full of pumpkin goodness on every page. We learned about:

• Teamwork & Belonging
• Empathy
• Courage in a Crisis

One day in the pumpkin patch, the strangest little pumpkin hatched. Spookley the Pumpkin was different. All the other pumpkins teased him until Spookley proved that being different can save the day!

This perennial best-selling children's book delivers a special message of tolerance and kindness that is just right for fall . . . and any time of year!

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Help-A-Thon is one of the best days of the year for Morton Junior High School students and the community. It took place on Tuesday, October 13th, and black T-shirts with the bright yellow logo were spotted all over town. It is reciprocity in action.

Students and staff pour into the community, and the community pours back into the students through donations, opportunity, and new experiences. The funds raised support the many extras MJHS enjoys all year long, while giving students opportunities to serve with their hands in places that call to their hearts. Some students discover new career ideas they might explore. Yes, Help-A-Thon is a learning day, too.

Pulling off a service event with 480 tweens and teenagers is no small feat. The MJHS leadership and office staff spend months preparing for the one-day event. Teachers and support staff serve alongside the students and make memories they'll carry into high school.

Principal Chris Carter always offers up a special note of gratitude to Mrs. Julie Tharp, Transportation Director, and her team, who figure out how to move kids to and from service sites with a limited number of buses and drivers available. It is quite a feat every year, and their work is deeply appreciated. Thank you to all of the volunteer partners and hosts, too. They provide opportunities and sponsorship.

Being present and engaged with their community benefits both students and recipients of the goodwill and service. We have so many great photos from the day; there was no way to choose just a few. Enjoy the photos HERE.

It was an especially great day to be a Junior Potter! MJHS students and staff had a beautiful day of work and helping!

Congratulations to MJHS October Rotary Student of the Month, Markos Minassian. Markos is the son of Andre and Jill Minassian. He invited 8th-grade history teacher Adam Sheeley to join him.

Join us for family-friendly trick-or-treating, bounce houses, and more! This is our 10th anniversary of celebrating Halloween with the community!

Infants through Grade 4 are welcome to participate. The event is a great example of students serving their school and the community.

October 24, 2026, 5:00-7:00 PM

Clay is excited that "Potters Night Out" is just around the corner. It is a favorite among K–6 students who love to dance. It is a great way to help younger students experience junior high in a fun and safe way.

Mr. Carter and Mr. Hammond let Clay share some "vintage" T-shirts during a girls' basketball game this week.

What is this year's theme? "Under the Sea." Registration information is below.

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If you love orchestra or soccer, you will not want to miss the Orchestra Concert on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center. The concert will step it up a notch for music lovers and soccer fans... or should we say "football" fans.

The Morton High School Marching Potters are soaring into the season with their 2026 show, What Gives You Wings. Last Saturday, the band earned top honors at the Lincoln-Way Marching Invitational in New Lenox, Illinois, taking the Grand Champion title.

The Potters also took first place in Class AAA and received four caption awards: Best General Effect, Best Visual Performance, Best Musical Performance, and Best Auxiliary. These achievements reflect the musicians’ talent, hard work, and teamwork, as well as the dedication of everyone who supports the band.

It is all about community, connections, costumes, and high-level competition. Or is it the parades, pageantry, percussion, and passionate parents (and caregivers) that raise the pride in performance? Whatever it is, it is special for those who commit and pursue excellence.

All Band Photos: Paul F. Photo.

Want to experience the full What Gives You Wings show without traveling far? Join us for the Marching Potters’ Community Night performance!

• Date: Monday, October 26

• Time: 7:30 p.m. (gates open at 7 p.m)

• Location: Morton High School

• Admission: Free to the public

The band will perform its full show in uniform, sharing its hard work with friends, neighbors, and the next generation of 709 performers. A bake sale with tasty treats will be available, and after the performance, the high school will host a reception and displays for graduating seniors.

Admission is free, but every attendee through the gate supports the band. Each year, generous sponsors partner with the band to pledge $1 per person in the stands, making the event an important fundraiser for the program. We hope you’ll come out and cheer on the Marching Potters!

Welcome back to the MPTV Coaches Show! This week is the "Fall Sports Post-Season Special." Technical difficulties required a post-show edit to get all the information into the show. Potter (and Washington Co-op) fall sports are making history. Thanks for watching each week.

💫💫💫💫"Home of the Potters!"💫💫💫💫

As we work to improve executive functioning skills for all students, we have been promoting the habit of using daily planners effectively. Today was the first round of random spot checks of planners.

Students with well-filled-out planners earned a treat!

Morton High School is proud to celebrate its 2026 Spanish 4 students, who became the first students at MHS to take the STAMP proficiency test last spring. Their participation marked an exciting milestone for our school and highlighted their dedication to learning another language.

STAMP is a language proficiency assessment that measures students’ skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The test gives students a chance to show what they can do in Spanish beyond the classroom. For students who meet the requirements, demonstrating proficiency can help them earn the Seal of Biliteracy—recognition of achievement in English and another language. The seal honors students’ language skills and the time and effort they have invested in developing them.

Spanish 4 students took the test. Together, they achieved twenty-two "Commendations Toward the Seal of Biliteracy," and two students, Sam Swearingen and Alison Dellinger, earned the full "Seal of Biliteracy." These accomplishments reflect both individual hard work and a shared commitment to communication across languages and cultures. These accomplishments can open doors to scholarships and opportunities beyond high school, as both are listed on a student's transcript and diploma.

Congratulations to our Spanish 4 students! Their achievement sets an inspiring example for future MHS language learners and encourages more students to pursue the Seal of Biliteracy.

Morton High School multilingual students recently enjoyed an engaging day at Sommer Park's low ropes and team-building course.

Beautiful weather made for a perfect screen-free day outdoors, giving students a chance to learn and connect in nature.

Students took part in activities that encouraged them to problem-solve and think critically as a group, share their individual strengths, and work precisely together on ski-like wooden beams.

During the “Unknotting a Human Pretzel” activity, they also strengthened their English skills by practicing giving and listening to directions.

The students would love to tell you about the day. The Multilingual Learner (MLL) teaching team is grateful to all who support special opportunities for MLL students.

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In this Care U episode, Don & Stephanie discuss connection.

Connection matters, but how connected are we really? In this episode, we explore the Six Points of Connection and reflect on the relationships, communities, places, and activities that create belonging in our lives. We also consider what our connections model for the children in our care and how intentional connection can impact those around us. We hope you enjoy the episode.

Learn more about the Chamber of Connection: https://www.chamberofconnection.org/

We hope you enjoy this episode.

Questions? Want to hear more about something? Did something really hit home? We love FEEDBACK at Care U.

Students in Lincoln’s RISE class had a reel good time participating in the “Hooked on Fishing” program.

The afternoon brought plenty of delight—and a little hesitation when it came to touching the smelly, slimy fish!

The experience gave some students a chance to try something new, with a great crew of helpers supporting them along the way. With sunshine overhead and success at the end of the hook, the afternoon was quite a catch.

Several are already looking forward to the next chance to cast a line.

Redwing Basketball Sign-up is happening now. Use the QR code to register your student on "8 to 18" for your convenience.

Be sure to add next week's parent/caregiver meeting on 10/20/26 to your calendar.

This is an exciting new year of learning and connecting as we care for students and families.

Student Support Services is excited to offer these opportunities for families to learn, ask questions, and plan for your student's future. We are grateful to have experts to help guide the way.

You do not have to be a Morton 709 student, but Ms. Lindsay Franklin, Director of Student Support Services, would like to note that these sessions are for families of students who require specialized care as they age out of our Morton 709 programming.

The 2026-27 Early Childhood Education and Preschool for All calendar is available. There are times when these young learners will have a unique schedule due to their half-day schedule. Please review this schedule and share it with family and other caregivers.

• The next Developmental Screening is on October 14, 2026
• Screenings are by appointment only.
• Call 309-284-8033.

The Board of Education's next meeting is Tuesday, November 11, 2026, at 5:30 PM.

🦇October 2026 Dining Menus and October Newsletter 🎃

Click here for: 🎃October 2026 Breakfast Menu

Breakfast Prices: Grades K-12: $1.85

Student Extra Entrée: $1.10; Extra Milk: $0.70

Adults/Visitors: $2.75

Click here for: October 2026 Elementary LUNCH Menu

Click here for: 🎃October 2026 Morton Academy LUNCH Menu

🎃Grundy Preschool Snacks: October 2026

Click here for: 🎃October 2026 MJHS LUNCH Menu

MJHS Extras cost extra: MJHS A La Carte Menu

🌮This Week at MHS:

MHS Lunch Menu -

October 19th - 23rd (Pasta Bar)

October 26th - 30th (Salad Bar)

Extras cost extra: MHS A La Carte Menu

MHS Coffee Bar Menu

Morton Food Services is excited to offer breakfast for all. What started as a trial at Jefferson School has grown to every Morton 709 school.

Breakfast is a great way to start the day!

⚾👟🏐 MHS Athletics & Activities Homepage 🏀🥎⚽🏌🏻‍♀️

⚾👟🏐 MJHS Athletics & Activities Homepage 🏀🥎⚽🏌🏻‍♀️

2026-27 Early Childhood Education and Preschool for All calendar

2026-27 School Year Public Calendar

Just a reminder, the Revised 2026-27 Calendar includes school in session on election day. The state did not declare it a holiday, so the schedule was revised.

2027-28 School Year Public Calendar

How do I pay for it?

Safety Letter

Please request these records before the June 15, 2027, deadline.