Heritage CUSD #8

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! It has been wonderful to see our students and staff back in our buildings and to feel the energy and excitement that comes with the beginning of a new year.

We have much to be excited about at Heritage.

Our staff has spent time preparing, collaborating, and focusing on how we can best support every student. As we begin this year, our commitment remains centered on providing strong learning experiences, building meaningful relationships, and creating schools where students, families, and staff feel connected, valued, and supported.

Our theme this year, Aim High. Soar Higher., reflects what we want for every Heritage Hawk. We want our students to set goals, believe in what is possible, learn from challenges, and continue reaching higher. That growth happens through a strong partnership among our students, families, staff, and community.

As we begin the year, I also want to highlight an important update to our student handbook regarding attendance. Students must be present for the full school day in order to attend or participate in extracurricular activities and events that day, unless they have a documented appointment. We understand that appointments and other circumstances arise; however, whenever possible, we ask families to schedule appointments outside of the school day to minimize missed instructional time. When there is a concern or challenge affecting your child’s attendance, please communicate with us early so we can work together to problem-solve and support your child.

As part of our continued focus on student and staff safety, our annual crisis drills will take place on Friday, September 4. Mr. Gourley and Mrs. Shanks will share additional information with families prior to the drills, including what students can expect and how the drills will be conducted.

Our partnership with families and staff is essential. Families know their children best, and our staff brings a deep commitment to knowing, supporting, and helping each student grow. We want families and staff alike to feel connected, informed, and comfortable communicating openly. We will take every step we can to communicate, listen, and problem-solve together when questions, concerns, or challenges arise. By keeping those lines of communication open, we can identify solutions early and provide the support our students need to be successful.

Thank you to everyone who has already helped us kick off the year with such a positive start. I am grateful for the enthusiasm, partnership, and support already evident throughout our Heritage community.

Here’s to a year of learning, connection, new opportunities, and plenty of reasons to celebrate our Hawks!

With gratitude,

Dr. Kimberly Norton
Superintendent
Heritage CUSD #8

Aim High. Soar Higher. is more than a theme for the school year; it reflects what we want for every Heritage Hawk.

To Aim High is to set goals, try something new, and believe that growth is possible. To Soar Higher is to keep going when something is challenging, learn from our experiences, and build on each success.

Throughout the year, we will encourage our students to grow academically, discover their strengths, build meaningful connections, and explore opportunities that prepare them for what comes next.

Whether the accomplishment is big or small, every step forward matters. We look forward to celebrating the many ways our Hawks will Aim High and Soar Higher this year.

Congratulations to Eli Denmark-Collins on earning the rank of Eagle Scout on Wednesday, August 19!

As part of his Eagle Scout project, Eli led the creation of a Gaga Ball pit for our Elementary/JH students. The Gaga pit is already a huge hit, and our students have been having a great time putting it to use!

We are incredibly proud of Eli for his leadership, hard work, and commitment to giving back to Heritage. His project has created something our students are enjoying today and will continue to enjoy for years to come.

🍎 Meet Miss Umbarger!

We’re excited to welcome Miss Umbarger, an Eastern Illinois University elementary education student, to Heritage for her student teaching experience!

Miss Umbarger will be working alongside Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Stierwalt, gaining hands-on classroom experience while learning, growing, and building relationships with our students. She has already jumped right in, and we were able to catch her in action with students today!

We are excited to have Miss Umbarger as part of the Heritage family!

Our Industrial Technology students are off to a great start with hands-on learning, skill development, and plenty of opportunities to create!

Students in Advanced Welding are working on safety projects that combine planning, design, and plasma cutting. Alex Bensyl is using a shade 5 face shield to protect his eyes while using the plasma cutter to cut an 8.5" x 11" piece of metal for his project. Nate Bonilla is also using the plasma cutter for his safety project. He will create a stencil, plasma cut a design into the metal, and then build a wooden frame so the finished piece can be displayed. Caleb Shanks is beginning his project by carefully drawing the logo he will later cut using the plasma cutter.

Meanwhile, our Introduction to Industrial Technology students have really embraced the opportunity to learn and build. They have started their first project—creating a cutting board from several types of scrap lumber. The project will require students to apply the skills they have learned in the lab while also gaining experience with the planer and finishing products.

It is exciting to see our students learning by doing, developing technical skills, and taking pride in creating something of their own. Thank you to Mr. Frost for providing our students with meaningful, hands-on learning experiences and encouraging them to build their skills, confidence, and creativity!

Hello Hawk Families!

Welcome to the new school year! This has been a fabulous start, and I want to thank all of our students, staff, and families for making that possible. Heritage is a special place, and that can be seen throughout our school and community. The year started off great with School Year's Eve. It was a joy to see all the smiling faces, and those smiles continued as we welcomed students for the first days of school.

This year, we have big goals and are excited to see our students grow. We look forward to working collaboratively with teachers and families as one team to support growth in academics and attendance. At home, families can support this work by reading with students or encouraging independent reading, practicing math facts with younger students, and checking in on homework with students of all ages.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions, concerns, or if there is anything I can do to support your student or family. I can be reached at kristin.shanks@heritage8.org or 217-896-2421.

As we start the year, I wish everyone a wonderful school year and look forward to being a strong presence in our school for our students, teachers, and families!

Mrs. Shanks

At its August 17 meeting, the Heritage CUSD #8 Board of Education took action on several items and received updates as the district begins the 2026-2027 school year.

The Board approved revisions to the Student Ambassador Program administrative procedures and appointed Kaylee Junglas and Willa Tatman as 2026-2027 Student Ambassadors, with Rylen Stierwalt serving as Alternate Student Ambassador. The students took their oath of office and will provide an important student voice and connection between their peers and the Board throughout the year.

The Board also approved the PRESS 122 Board Policy updates and the FY27 Tentative Budget, which will remain on public display for the required 30-day period prior to the budget hearing and final adoption.

During discussion, the Board received an IASB update, including preparations for Heritage to host the IASB Illini Division Meeting in September. We look forward to welcoming school board members and administrators from districts throughout the region to Heritage for an evening of learning, collaboration, and connection. The Board also completed the first reading of the district's FY27 Risk Management Plan.

The Superintendent's Report highlighted the start of the 2026-2027 school year, with building principals sharing updates from their schools and the many preparations that contributed to a smooth opening for students and staff.

The Board also received updates on facilities and operations, including ongoing Health/Life Safety and facility improvement work, as well as district finances and preliminary audit results.

Continued progress toward the district's 2025-2030 Strategic Plan was also reviewed. This year's work will continue to focus on student achievement and growth, strong school and community connections, effective operations, and providing opportunities that prepare students for what comes next. The Strategic Plan continues to guide district priorities, decision-making, and continuous improvement.

We are grateful for the continued partnership of our Board, staff, students, families, and community as we begin another year of learning, growth, and opportunity across Heritage CUSD #8.

To get ready for the 2026-2027 school year, your student ambassadors are arranging different forms of communication between the student body and the Board of Education. To give everyone a chance to share their opinions, we are going to set up physical suggestion boxes where students can anonymously submit their thoughts, comments, or questions. There will be several located throughout the school so they are easily accessible.

We also plan to have QR codes that students can scan to access an online suggestion box. The online document will include meeting dates and updates about information that was shared and received. The QR codes will be located near or on the physical suggestion boxes and will be available for use before and after school.

We encourage everyone to provide feedback, as all submissions will be anonymous. Two of our goals for this year are to ensure strong communication between the student body and the Board of Education and to raise the bar for future student ambassadors.

🏈 Best of luck to our Heritage Hawks as they take the field tonight at ALAH for their first game of the season! 💛💙❤️

This season marks the return of our football cooperative with Villa Grove, bringing back the VGH Blue Devils and a special tradition that connects our student-athletes with the people who support them along the way.

Before game day, each player was asked to share his blue jersey with a staff member who has made an impact on him, a teacher, administrator, coach, or another important person at either school. Those staff members will proudly wear the jerseys today as a reminder of the relationships and support behind our student-athletes.

We love seeing this tradition return along with VGH football! 💛💙❤️🏈

Good luck tonight, VGH! We are proud of our Heritage boys and the entire team!

🏐 Heritage High School Volleyball is back!

We are looking forward to kicking off the season next week and cheering on our Hawks! ❤️💙

📅 Wednesday, August 26
🏐 @ Armstrong
⏰ 6:00 PM

📅 Thursday, August 27
🏐 vs. Salt Fork
⏰ 6:00 PM

A special thank you to Mrs. Magsamen for once again taking such excellent photos of our student-athletes! We appreciate her time and talent in capturing these moments for our Hawks. ❤️💙

Good luck to our Hawks as we get the season underway!

⛳ Heritage High School Golf is underway!

Our Hawk golfers have already hit the course for two matches this season, and we are excited to see them continue competing and improving as the season gets rolling!

Next week, the Hawks are back in action with two more matches scheduled at Blue Ridge and Marshall.

Best of luck to our golfers as they continue the season!

Our Junior High Cross Country team had its first meet in Paris this past week. Below are a few photos capturing some fun moments from the meet. Go Hawks! ❤️💙

School Calendar: stick on fridge! (here)

New apparel is up in the display case at the Homer building! Place your orders today! We will also be available at Parent & Student University.

https://campusink.printavo.com/.../64315-heritage-hawks

The Cancer Center at Illinois at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is currently accepting applications for our Cancer Ambassadors Program, a virtual program designed to introduce high school students across Illinois to cancer research, education, and career opportunities.

Cancer Ambassadors gives students an opportunity to connect with University of Illinois undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and other professionals while learning about cancer science and the many educational and career pathways connected to the field. Because the program is virtual and offered throughout the academic year, students can participate from communities across the state without needing to travel to campus.

The program is open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and no previous research experience is required. We are particularly interested in reaching students who are curious about science, engineering, health, medicine, or cancer research and would benefit from learning more about the opportunities available to them.

Applications for the 2026–27 Cancer Ambassadors Program are being accepted now.

Learn more and apply here: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/75666375