SJHS Families:

We've officially hit the halfway point of 2nd quarter, and we're now counting down to the end of the semester. Many students have exhibited hard work and determination as they've navigated their way through the school year thus far, and we hope to see that continue as we conclude the fall semester. Not only am I proud of their commitment to their education, I'm continually impressed by the effort, drive, and motivation that our students display in their athletic teams and activities that they participate. We had great success with our fall teams, where all teams made IESA state appearances! We are lucky to have such outstanding student-athletes who are also great representatives of our school.

Please continue to access Skyward so you can keep up with your child's grades regularly. I encourage you to check in with your child's teachers if you have any questions or need any clarification on any assignments or areas where they may need additional support, especially as we're approaching the end of the quarter and semester.

I hope you all enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday; we are especially thankful for our dedicated teachers, staff, students, and families who make our school community so special. The partnership between home and school is vital in supporting the growth and success of our students, and we are grateful for your continued involvement.

I wish all SJHS students the best as we close out the last few weeks of 1st semester!

Mr. Pirok

Principal

Quarter 2 progress reports have been posted, since the midterm ended Monday, November 18. You can log on to Skyward Family Access (click the box/link below) in order to see your child's quarter 2 midterm grades.

As we near the end of the semester, encourage your student to continue working hard in order to maintain or improve their grades, so they can end this first half of the school year strong.

🎄December 20: 2PM Dismissal - End of 1st Semester

🎄December 23-January 3: Winter Break

The SJHS boys basketball team began their season at the beginning of November. Please see a copy of their schedule by clicking HERE. Note that our annual home 7th and 8th grade boys basketball tournaments take place this week!

Go terriers!!!

There will be a Christmas Pajama Dance for all 6th-8th graders on Friday, December 13th. Here are the details...

• Time: 6pm-8pm
• Location: Multi-Purpose Room (Cafeteria)
• Cost: $5
• Drop off and pick up your student in front of the school. The bus lane will be open and accessible for students, so they can quickly and safely access the multi; this also alleviates traffic and congestion behind the school.
• Concessions will be available for purchase, so bring money!
• School dress code still applies!!
• NO outside guests - ONLY SJHS students are permitted to attend.
• For safety reasons, this will be considered a lock-in event, which means we will not be releasing students from the dance early unless a parent or guardian has contacted Mrs. Schulte (sschulte@stauntonschools.org) or Mr. Kolesar (jkolesar@stauntonschools.org) to let them know their child will need to be picked up early prior to the event.
• Misbehavior could jeopardize a student's chances of attending.

🥞Click HERE for the December BREAKFAST Menu!

🥪Click HERE for the December LUNCH Menu!

Congratulations to all of our students who worked incredibly hard 1st quarter to earn high honor roll or honor roll status!! Also, shoutout to those students who made their attendance a priority and received perfect attendance during the 1st quarter of the fall semester! Way to go!!

We will be STAR testing during the week of December 9-13. Students will take an assessment in Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy. Teachers will be communicating the dates for this at some point soon. We do our best to stress the importance of these and for students to put forth their best effort and take them seriously.

Math Placement

Please bear in mind that this will be the first set of STAR scores we use to determine a student's eligibility to be enrolled in accelerated math, so please encourage students to do their best as it does play a factor in their future math placement. For your information, I have reattached our accelerated math placement policy.

As the end of the semester is approaching, I want to remind you of our semester reward policy, which establishes criteria for students to attend the end of semester celebration on Friday, December 20. I have linked the full policy for you below.

Touch base with your student and check Skyward, so you can check your child's eligibility. If students are ineligible based on not meeting one of the required expectations, they will be notified. If you happen to have any questions, please contact the office.

Thanks to all students that participated in our Thanksgiving Break dodgeball tournament! We were able to raise over $300! Way to go, SJHS! The money collected will be donated towards families in need this holiday season.

As temperatures begin to drop and we enter the Winter weather season, please remember to have students dress appropriately for the weather, whether that be a coat, hat, gloves, etc. We encourage families to check the weather forecast each day to make sure their child is equipped with the proper clothing to comfortably endure the colder temperatures.

While on the topic of winter weather attire, please see the flyer below for information regarding our coat drive for any family in need! Contact the nurses for more information and to get yourself on the list for a coat.

Please see a two part Winter Newsletter below from the Macoupin County Public Health Department!

YOU CAN STILL SIGN UP!! Miles of Smiles Ltd. is providing preventative dental services at our school to ALL GRADES at no cost on December 9th and 10th! This will satisfy the IL mandated dental requirements for grades K, 2, 6 & 9. Please do not hesitate to contact the health office for further information - 618-635-3838 x253. Thank you! CLICK HERE TO ACCESS FORMS: https://5il.co/2xjaq

The PTO will be opening the annual Holiday Shop next week (Dec. 9-13)! If your student is interested in shopping for their friends/family, please see attached flyer and wish list for more detailed information. Have your child check with their homeroom teacher to see when they will be able to attend.

The annual Christmas band and choir concerts are quickly approaching! Students have been working hard preparing material for their performances - come check them out!

⛄Choir Concert - Sunday, December 8 at 7 PM

⛄Band Concert - Sunday, December 15 at 7PM

Congratulations to the following Staunton Jr. High Band and Choir students who were selected to perform with the ILMEA District IV band and choir on November 2nd at Western Illinois University! These students prepare audition materials and then are nominated based on the quality of their audition to perform with other schools/students that make up our district/region. Way to go!

December's word of the month is RESPONSIBILITY, which is a key value that plays a crucial role in our students' personal growth and success. Responsibility means taking ownership of one's actions, following through on commitments, and understanding the impact our choices have on others. By encouraging students to be responsible, we are helping them develop important life skills such as time management, accountability, and decision-making.

Responsibility also fosters independence and self-discipline, empowering students to meet their goals and contribute positively to their school community. We encourage families to engage in conversations about responsibility at home, reinforcing the idea that being responsible is not only about fulfilling tasks but also about building trust, being reliable, and learning from mistakes.

Together, let’s support our students as they learn the importance of responsibility and apply it in their daily lives!