📚❤️ FAMILY READING NIGHT IS COMING! ❤️📚

One Family. Many Stories. Endless Adventures!

The Meridian CUSD #223 Libraries invite all families to celebrate Illinois Family Reading Night on Thursday, November 19!

🏠 The best part? You can celebrate right at home!

Put down the screens, pick up a book, and enjoy some quality family reading time! Whether you're sharing a bedtime story, reading aloud, or enjoying your favorite books together, it's all about making memories through reading. ❤️

🎉 PLUS... TWO FUN WAYS TO PARTICIPATE & WIN!

📸 Family Photo Challenge: Share a photo of your family enjoying reading for a chance to win a special family reading prize! Submit photos by November 24.

📖 Student Reading Challenge: Track reading minutes from November 19–December 1 and return completed reading logs to your school library by December 2 for a chance to win a student reading prize!

✨ Families are welcome to participate in one or BOTH challenges!

📌 Check out the attached flyers for all the details on how to participate!

Let's celebrate the joy of reading together, Meridian #223 families!

❤️ READ TOGETHER. GROW TOGETHER. MAKE MEMORIES TOGETHER! ❤️

1 day ago, MCUSD 223 Libraries

📚 Save the date! Illinois Family Reading Night is coming next Thursday, November 19. Join in the fun from the comfort of your own home! More details are coming soon. What will you read together? ✨

2 days ago, MCUSD 223 Libraries
Honoring our heroes, rain or shine.❤️🌧️

Today, Monroe Center proudly continued day 2 of our Veterans Day tradition of planting our annual Field of Flags. Despite dodging raindrops and working through every break in the weather, our students were determined to honor our service members properly. ❤️🤍💙

To every veteran: thank you for your courage, your selfless sacrifice, and the freedoms you have protected for all of us. As you drive past Monroe Center over the next few days, look at that field of red, white, and blue and know we see what you've done for us; we appreciate you and honor you today and every day.

Happy Veterans Day! 🦅🎖️✨
3 days ago, Deana Simpson
More great photos of students and staff! 📸✨ Many thanks from Monroe Center to all of our Veterans! 🇺🇸🎖️

Thank You Veterans! Not Just Today, but Every Day! ❤️🤍💙
4 days ago, Deana Simpson
Today, Monroe Center students began building their Field of Flags to honor our Veterans. Every flag planted represents a story, a sacrifice, and a hero to 🇺🇸✨

We are deeply moved by the incredible generosity shown toward our Field of Flags through the generous donations to DAV. Because of your thoughtful donations, we have many flags to honor our Veterans, and DAV can provide vital, life-changing support to disabled Veterans who have given so much of themselves for our freedom. Every single contribution directly impacts the lives of those who have served our country.

To our Veterans, active-duty service members, and military families: thank you. 🎖️❤️

No words are big enough to match the depth of your courage, dedication, and selfless service to our nation. Whether you served decades ago or are wearing the uniform today, we see you, honor you, and will never take your sacrifices for granted.

To everyone who sponsored a flag, shared our mission, or stopped by to pay their respects: thank you for standing with our heroes. Together, we are ensuring their service is never forgotten. 🎗️🤝
4 days ago, Deana Simpson
⚾ STILLMAN VALLEY BASEBALL CAMP! ⚾

Calling all future Cardinals in 1st–8th grade! 🔴⚫

Join the Stillman Valley Baseball coaching staff and players for a morning of instruction, drills, and fun! Campers will work on hitting, fielding, throwing, baserunning, and baseball IQ while developing their skills and love for the game.

📅 Thursday, December 31 (New Year's Eve)
⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Stillman Valley High School – Gymnasium/Indoor Facility
💲 $20 per player

⚾ What to Bring: Glove, bat, helmet, indoor athletic shoes (no metal cleats), and a water bottle.

📝 Register Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevTxlXfb_cmWb-6LYfUquFa0wnRhDUQEDwqoOu5gS4R8UUTw/viewform

Come learn from our Cardinals and get ready for baseball season!

GO CARDINALS! 🔴⚾
5 days ago, Heather Alderks
A huge, warm THANK YOU to all of the family members who joined us in Mrs. Embertson’s math class today! 📐🎒 Watching our students team up with you for Math Workplaces, show off their problem-solving skills, and share those big "aha!" moments was surely a highlight this week. 🧠💡

Mrs. Simpson and Dr. Plourde were thrilled to share in the fun, too! 🌸👏 Our mathematicians showed great leadership, learning, playing, and problem-solving alongside you. Thank you for making our classroom community so special! 🥳🧁🐾
8 days ago, Deana Simpson
Attendance has been incredible at MC, and Mr. Potato Head did not disappoint today, celebrating alongside students and staff. We appreciate all students' and parents' efforts to get students here each day. It greatly impacts their learning. Thank you, everyone, for your consistency and support in getting kids excited to come to school each day when they're healthy.
8 days ago, Deana Simpson
Meridian CUSD #223 is seeking the following positions. Please visit www.meridian223.org and click on Employment to view jobs and apply!
9 days ago, Micki Hoefle
🍽️ DINE AROUND TOWN & SUPPORT MERIDIAN ELEMENTARY PTO! 🍽️

Take a night off from cooking and support a great cause!

📅 Saturday, November 7

Stop by Royal Blue for a delicious meal, dine in or carry out, and 15% of the proceeds will be donated to the Meridian Elementary PTO!

🍨 $1 from every Turtle Sundae will also be donated!

🥩 Gram's Homemade Jerky is joining in the fun, donating a portion of their sales as well!

A great opportunity to support our local businesses while giving back to our students and schools!

❤️🖤 Go Cards!
10 days ago, Heather Alderks
Nurse Mikah is encouraging Highland families to help fuel their child's day with healthy snacks!

Packed snacks are a big part of your child’s energy and focus at school. This year, my goal is to help our elementary students learn how to choose snacks that truly power their brains and bodies.

Check your child's backpack today! We have sent home an educational flyer along with a handout for them to complete and return to school.

What makes a great school snack?
- Go Healthy: Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein (like yogurt or cheese) provide steady, long-lasting energy.

- Limit the Crash: Highly processed snacks packed with added sugars can lead to energy dips and trouble focusing in class.

Please take a few minutes to look over the flyer with your student, complete the handout together, and help them pack vibrant, healthy options. Thank you for helping us keep our school healthy and energized!
12 days ago, Kayla Richolson
MC staff also had fun dressing up and taking pics with students. Thanks, everyone, for being such good sports and doing this for our students. They love it! Huge shout-out to all the parents for all the extra effort in hosting the classroom parties they created for students and staff.
15 days ago, Deana Simpson
Of course, Mrs. Simpson had to stop for some extra energy, so she grabbed herself a coffee or two! LOL
15 days ago, Deana Simpson

Staff at Monroe Center partnered with OO Saloon for a fun night of trunk-or-treating for the community. Last night, we had to clear a few cobwebs out of the back of the car, but once the kids did, they found plenty of candy. We were fortunate to see plenty of students too.

15 days ago, Deana Simpson
Another great day with math in the classrooms over at Monroe Center. Thrilled to share that many of our 4th-grade parents learned workplace activities alongside their students on Thursday. We also had several 3rd-grade parents come in to learn with their students as they walked through a math lesson. Thank you for helping us take the mystery out of math by joining us in the learning process.
15 days ago, Deana Simpson
A little late to the timeline, but our gratitude for our school leaders is never out of season!
16 days ago, Elaine Nicholson
It's a beautiful fall day to do your math work outside. Where there's a will, there's a way! Ms. Horton's class enjoyed this beautiful fall day doing their math in a beautiful setting. What a day!
17 days ago, Deana Simpson
Thank you to the many parents who joined several 4th-grade classrooms for Math today. We had a full house and explored Math Workplaces; some did Number Corner, while others worked with their students on a math lesson, then joined the Workplaces. There may have been a bit of competition in the Workplaces, but it was all in good fun. Thank you to those who could come in; we also appreciated that many could attend lunch with their students. Other 4th grade classrooms are doing similar rotations on October 29th. Thank you for learning alongside. at Monroe Center.
19 days ago, Deana Simpson

📚🎉 Highland’s Book Fair was a GREAT success! 🎉📚

Missed the fun? There’s still time to shop online! 🛍️📖 Find your next great read and keep the love of reading going!

💻 Shop the Scholastic Book Fair online: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/highlandelementaryschool3

Thank you for supporting our school and helping us grow a love of reading! ❤️📚

19 days ago, MCUSD 223 Libraries
🏈 IHSA PLAYOFF FOOTBALL | FRIDAY NIGHT

Stillman Valley hosts Reed-Custer in the opening round of the IHSA Class 2A Playoffs!

🚪 Gates Open — 6:00 p.m.
🏈 Kickoff — 7:00 p.m.

🎟️ IHSA Admission: $8
Cash at the gate or purchase through GoFan:
https://gofan.co/app/school/IL22507

⚠️ No passes accepted for IHSA playoff games. All students must purchase a ticket.

Please review the attached parking and ticket-entrance map before arriving.

Let’s pack the stands for the Cardinals!

#CardinalPRIDE
24 days ago, Heather Alderks