The Panther Post
December 2025 Monthly Newsletter
Happy Holidays!
Dear Pleasant Hill Families~
I want to take a moment to give a heartfelt shout-out to our Pleasant Hill staff for the hard work they pour into our community each and every day. Because of their dedication and commitment, our students continue to grow, thrive, and succeed. As we enter the holiday season, I encourage you to reach out to a Pleasant Hill staff member and share your appreciation for the impact they have on your child.
To our families, I also want to extend warm wishes for a joyful and peaceful holiday season. Thank you for the important role you play in our Pleasant Hill community. As we look ahead to the new year, I invite you to get involved here at the school if you haven’t already—whether through classroom volunteer opportunities, extracurricular events, or by connecting with your child’s teacher to learn how you can support learning at home.
With the holiday season upon us, please remember the importance of taking care of yourself as well. Below, you’ll find some helpful holiday self-care tips. When we care for ourselves, we are better able to care for those around us.
Yours in Education,
Dr. Lisa Weaver
Superintendent
The Illinois State Board of Education released the annual Illinois Report Card on October 30, 2025. All information can be found at www.illinoisreportcard.com. The Report Card contains school performance data from the 2024-25 school year. Please take a few minutes to read the information below to learn more about the Illinois School Report Card and Pleasant Hill's designation. There is also a pdf document attached below with some excellent graphics that help tell our district's story.
ℹ️ What the Designation Does — And Does Not Tell Us
What it does tell us:
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How our school is doing overall compared with other schools across Illinois — academically and in student success indicators and subgroup performance.
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Whether there are any student groups in our school whose needs may be greater (for example based on slower growth, lower proficiency, or higher absenteeism).
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Insight into how the school is doing not just academically — but in broader areas (attendance, climate, etc.).
What it does not tell us alone:
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It is not a “report card grade” — it’s a summary of many pieces of data, not a simple A–F grade.
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It doesn’t capture qualitative aspects — like student engagement, teacher feedback, school culture, or unique programs that aren’t tied to state metrics.
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It doesn’t explain why performance is what it is — underlying causes (e.g., resource limitations, pandemic impacts, individual student needs) need deeper context.
📌 What About 2025 — What’s New / What to Know
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The 2025 Illinois Report Card was released publicly October 30, 2025.
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For 2025, there are new aligned performance levels for general ELA, math, and science assessments — reflecting updated expectations for college and career readiness.
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The redesigned proficiency benchmarks mean that statewide comparisons may shift, so a change in designation (or data) doesn’t always mean a drop (or rise) in learning — sometimes it reflects updated standards.
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The 2025 Report Card includes several indicators beyond test scores (e.g., attendance, student success, growth) — reinforcing that the designation aims for a holistic view of school performance.
🏫 What We Know for Pleasant Hill SD 69 (2025)
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Pleasant Hill Elementary School has moved from targeted to “Commendable” this year, which is a great accomplishment!
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A commendable designation means: our school is meeting state benchmarks, and — importantly — there are no student groups identified as “underperforming” in a manner that would trigger a lower designation.
If you have any questions or simply want to offer feedback or suggestions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by contacting Superintendent, Dr. Lisa Weaver, at Lweaver@phill69.com or Principal, Mrs. Kim Priller, at kpriller@phill69.com Go Panthers!!
December 1-7 is National Handwashing Week
It's important now more than ever during Flu Season to wash our hands!
Did you know that washing your hands several times a day is the #1 way to prevent and stop the spread of germs and stay healthy? Most bacteria and viruses can live on your hands for more than 24hours! A full day? Wow! Time to wash those hands!
COVID BOOSTERS AND FLU SHOTS ~ It's not too late to get your families COVID boosters and flu shots! Call your Doctor, go to your local pharmacy or the Health Department and schedule yours today!
Stay safe and healthy,
Ms. K. Naugle, BSN, RN, NCSN
School Nurse
IS YOUR CHILD UP TO DATE ON ALL OF THEIR EXAMS??
Kindergarten-Physical, Eye Exam AND Dental Exam
2nd Grade - Dental Exam
6th Grade-Physical Exam AND Dental Exam
Please get these turned into me ASAP. Thanks 😊
As districts work to decrease elevated chronic absenteeism rates, a clear pattern is emerging: school avoidance driven by anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges is now one of the biggest barriers to attendance.
Districts that are making real gains are doing something different — they’re integrating mental health directly into their attendance strategy, not treating it as a separate initiative.
That’s the focus of our upcoming webinar designed exclusively for state and district leaders:
Thursday, December 4 | 2:30 - 3:30 PM ET
You'll hear from Superintendent Mary Skipper, Boston Public Schools, about how they reduced chronic absenteeism from 42% → 35% in just one year, with an additional projected 4–6% drop this year. Their work shows what’s possible even in complex urban contexts when mental health becomes a core attendance intervention.
You’ll also hear from:
Carl Felton (EdTrust): State-level policy strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism
Jeremy Singer (UM-Flint): Research on why schools can’t solve absenteeism alone
This virtual event is part of Cartwheel's free webinar series for parents, caregivers, and school staff in our community.
Anything is Possible with Panther Pride
Email: lweaver@phill69.com
Website: www.phill69.com
Location: Pleasant Hill Elementary School, West Malone Street, Peoria, IL, United States
Phone: 309.637.6829
Facebook: facebook.com/PleasantHillElementarySchool
Twitter: @PHillPanthers