CJHS "Chargers Connection"

Happy New Year! As we step into the new year and begin the second semester, our teams have been busy welcoming students back to school, engaging in team-building activities, and revisiting our school-wide PBIS expectations.

We’d like to take this moment to remind everyone of the true meaning behind #BEaCHARGER! We encourage our students to continue embracing these values with pride and to uphold them to the highest standard.

~Dr. Nicasio, Principal

nicasim@unit5.org

~Mr. Tripp, Associate Principal

trippd@unit5.org

~Ms. Oxarart, Assistant Principal

oxararta@unit5.org

As many of you may have heard, our beloved art teacher, Susie Vincent, passed away over winter break. Susie touched the lives of so many with her creativity, passion, and kindness, leaving a lasting impact on everyone she encountered. Susie had a unique gift for inspiring her students to see the world through an artistic lens, encouraging them to express themselves freely and fearlessly. Her classroom was a space of imagination, where every brushstroke and sculpture came to life with her guidance and encouragement. Susie's dedication to her students went beyond teaching; she was a mentor, a confidant, and a friend. Her warmth and unwavering support will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of learning from her. Her legacy will live on in the countless works of art and the hearts of those she inspired in our school community.

Did you have a wonderful experience with a CJHS Staff member and would like to shout them out? Students and families are invited to spread joy among our staff! Please fill out this form and we will share your message with them in our future Chargers Newsletters!!

The CJHS school community is proud to announce that three of our staff members will be receiving the Illinois State Board of Education 2024 Those Who Excel Award at a special banquet in their honor along with stellar educators across the state in May.

Congratulations to Sara Tracey (IMC EOP), Jillian Meszar (Orchestra Teacher), and Denise Goben (8th Grade Lit & Comp Teacher)!!

At the start of this new semester, students have been retaught expectations and understand there are consequences for not following them. As part of our support system, students receive cautions before these consequences are given. This semester, students who receive 4 cautions in 3 of the PBIS pillars (be respectful, be responsible, be safe) will receive a team referral in order to reflect on their behavior and problem solve on strategies to be successful moving forward. Upon the 5th caution, students will receive an office referral. As before, upon receive the 2nd caution, communication will be sent home by our teams so that we can partner with you to ensure your student's success at Chiddix!

As we enter 2nd semester, a reminder to our students that consequences and loss of bus privileges may be issued if we are not following expectations. Parents are encouraged to discuss bus safety and appropriate behavior with their children.

• Bus behavior has the same expectations as the school/classroom.
• Students should be waiting at their bus stop on time.
• Enter and exit the bus only when the bus is fully stopped.
• Choose a seat and sit in it immediately upon entering the bus. Do not stand in the entrance or in the aisle.
• Do not move from one seat to another while on the bus.
• While on the bus and while the bus is in motion, students must stay in their seats with arms and legs out of the aisle and/or windows.
• Please keep voice level low to minimize distractions to the bus driver.
• Reminder the cell phone use should be appropriate. There should be no taking pictures, movies, or recordings while on the bus.

Reminder that the school day begins promptly at 8:45 a.m. Students may come into the building at 8:20 a.m. and wait in their assigned space (cafeteria/gym) until the bell rings at 8:35 a.m. No students will be allowed in the hallways prior to 8:35 a.m. without a pass.

We encourage families to make medial visits after school hours but understand this may not be possible all the time. Parent/guardian must contact the Attendance Line at (309) 557-4454 and leave information on our automated system. This should be made as much as possible in advance. All students checking out early must be picked up in the office and signed out by a parent/guardian.

When possible, students are encouraged to come back to school after medical visits to avoid missing learning.

Each day that a student is absent, their parent or guardian must call the attendance line at 309-557-4454 before 8:45 a.m. to explain the reason for the absence.

For all absences, a student will be permitted to make up any missed work, including homework and tests. The student is responsible for obtaining assignments from his/her teachers.

There have been questions on what does standards based grading really mean?

Here is a quick graphic to illustrate what a 4, 3, 2, 1 means. Do not think of it as a 4 = an A. The objective is for all our students to master learning standards and receiving a 3 means they are meeting requirements for that standard. I hope this helps a little to clear things up!!

The KidWind event was offered at HCC last year and it seemed to have been well-received (this was an HCC promotional feature on it). We are ramping it up a bit more this year (hoping for 150 kids to compete) and wanted to make sure that we were getting the word out early so that schedules could be blocked out for this. You are invited to share with teachers and parent groups that might be interested!

HCC will be hosting a KidWind Event on February 12, 2025, at the Astroth Community Education Center (ACEC). This will be an all-day event (details to follow on specific time to start/finish once the flyer is created).

• For more information, google “KidWind” or go to this link: Challenges - KidWind (There are details and videos for what the event will include!) By the way, WIND is not the only the renewable energy targeted for this event, but also SOLAR!
• Registration is due on January 13, 2025. Click here to complete registration.

For questions about the event, contact: clc@heartland.edu or call 309-268-8700.

Kimberly Travers, Faculty - Industrial Technology

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Division

Heartland Community College (HCC)

We wanted to share that Unit 5 is expanding its use of the Verkada visitor management system to all district schools. This system, which has been used in Unit 5 high schools for the past year, is designed to enhance the safety and security of our students, staff, and visitors.

Upon entry into a school, visitors and volunteers will enter the main office and present their photo ID to be scanned by the Verkada system. The system tracks the arrival and departure of visitors, while also strengthening student safety by checking all visitors against a registered sex offender database.

The visitor's full name and date of birth is searched on sex offender registries. Additionally, the name is reviewed on our district banned person list. Within seconds, the system will share the results with school staff and will print an ID badge for entry.

If someone doesn’t have an ID, they will be checked in manually by office staff, sharing other forms of information.

It is important to note, this is only in use for times a visitor is entering the school during the day. It will not be used for after-school activities or when a parent is just coming to pick up a child.

We believe that the implementation of Verkada will greatly contribute to a safer and more secure environment for everyone in our school community. We are committed to providing a secure learning space and appreciate your support as we integrate this new system.

If you have any questions or concerns about Verkada, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Thank you for your continued partnership in ensuring the safety and well-being of our students.

Dr. Nicasio, Principal

Mr. Tripp, Associate Principal

Ms. Oxarart, Assistant Principal

Phone Numbers:

• General Information: (309) 557-4405
• Guidance Office: (309) 557-4850
• Attendance Line: (309) 557-4454
• School Nurse: (309) 557-4687
• Transportation: (309) 557-4287

Email: nicasim@unit5.org
Website: https://www.unit5.org/Domain/25
Location: 300 South Walnut Street, Normal, IL, USA
Phone: 309-557-4405