Winter - Lettie Brown Elementary

Inside this issue
Vision 20/20, Page 2
MCF Update, Page 4
709Connect Facilities,
Page 8-9
Art in 709, Page 13
Gameball Run, Page 16
709
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Communicator
VOLUME 31
2015
MORTON COMMUNIT Y UNIT SCHOOL DISTRIC T 709 SERVING THE GROVELAND-MORTON AREA
Music tradition strong in District 709
In
Memorial
M
Students in
Morton District
709 are active
in music education — band,
orchestra and
choir. At MHS,
about 25 percent of students
participate in
music. These
students at
Morton Junior
High are part of
the strong music
tradition in our
schools.
Photo by
Shannon
Killion.
KEY COMMUNICATORS: Residents join district for open discussions
T
he Key Communicators is
a diverse group of Morton
and Groveland residents that
meet quarterly with Superintendent
Dr. Lindsey Hall. The meetings
are structured around the five
goals that the Board of Education
has adopted – achievement,
communication, climate, facilities
and finance.
The purpose of this group is to
establish a relationship between the
community and the school district
and for the Key Communicators
to have a general understanding
of issues and topics related to our
schools. These meetings are a way
for the school district and the
community to have meaningful
dialogue and serves as a forum to
share ideas.
The meetings are open to
the public. If you would like
to be added to the email list to
receive reminder notices, please
contact Dr. Hall at lindsey.hall@
morton709.org.
Upcoming meetings
6:30 p.m., Feb. 24
6:30 p.m., April 28
Both meetings will be at the
District Office, 1050 S. Fourth
Ave.
orton District 709
would like to honor
and remember three
employees that passed away
during the first semester of this
school year.
Mr. Joal Stanfield, 35, was
the varsity boys’ tennis coach
at Morton High School and a
third-grade teacher at Lincoln
School. His vibrant spirit and
“character before victory”
attitude was evident on the
court and in the classroom.
Miss Amy Hardin, 24,
worked as a para-professional
and assisted special education
students in the intermediate
instruction program and
provided support in the
general education setting at
Lincoln School. She saw each
student through the lens of
ability rather than disability.
She had a quiet passion for
students with unique learning
challenges.
Mrs. Kay Reardon, 83, was
a bus monitor for our school
district. She was known at
“Miss Kay” to the students that
she served. She always greeted
her students with a warm
smile and often sang to them
on the school bus.
Countless students, families
and fellow employees were
impacted by Mr. Stanfield,
Miss Hardin and Mrs.
Reardon. We are thankful for
their service. They are missed.
2
709 Communicator
A message from
the Superintendent
A
s a life long educator and learner, I believe that
education is an investment in our children’s and
our country’s future — not just in Morton, but
throughout the State of Illinois.
In 2013, I was one of 42 superintendents asked to be
part of Vision 20/20. This initiative
brought together representatives
from the Illinois Association
of School Administrators, and
then later joined forces with the
Illinois Principals Association,
the Illinois Association of School
Business Officials, the Illinois
Association of School Boards and
the Superintendents’ Commission
for the Study of Demographics and Diversity, and the
Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of
Schools.
All of these groups care about and are dedicated to
educating our students. What was the purpose? To
create a blueprint to solve the challenges facing our
public schools in Illinois. It is time to take action and
make meaningful change for our kids and our future.
For too long, we have collectively focused on what
is wrong with public education. Vision 20/20 is an
initiative that has purposefully taken aim at problem
solving, practical solutions, and focusing on all of the
good things that happen in public schools every day,
sometimes under very challenging circumstances.
Vision 20/20 asks for action from Springfield. It asks
for action at the local level and it asks for educators
to support this plan. Vision 20/20 also must have the
support of communities, businesses and industry, and
other entities in order to fulfill the promise of public
education.
The four pillars of the plan are published here, but
more information about Vision 20/20 is available at
www.illinoisvision2020.org.
This important work is vital to the future of public
education in Illinois, and as such, to the overall future
of our great state. I have been proud and honored to be
a part of Vision 20/20.
FROM VISION TO ACTION
As public educators, we believe public education works. We reject the premise that education in Illinois has failed,
but recognize its impact has not been equitably delivered to all student populations and that there are opportunities for continuous improvement. Now is the time to act. Our vision forward is clear.
The quality of teachers and school
leaders is the greatest predictor of
student achievement schools can influence. By attracting, developing, and
retaining our state’s best educators, we
can have a profound impact on student learning.
Priorities
 Recruit and Retain High-Impact Educators
 Provide Relevant Professional Development
A quality education for all Illinois students cannot be ensured without the
collaboration, compromise, and hard
work of both educators and legislators. With that in mind, it is necessary to expand educator
responsibility in the legislative process, create a shared
accountability model, and restructure mandates to allow
more local district flexibility.
Priorities
 Expand Educator Role and Responsibility in State
Governance
 Implement a Differentiated Accountability System
 Restructure Mandates
21st CENTURY LEARNING
For success in life, students need more
than knowledge of math and reading.
It is time to expand the definition
of student learning, commit to the
development of the “whole child,” and invest in policies
proven to link all schools to 21st century learning tools.
Priorities
 Develop the “Whole Child”
 Preserve Instructional Time
 Invest in Early Childhood Education
 Link Students to College and Careers
 Expand Equity in Technology Access
Dr. Lindsey Hall
Superintendent
SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE EDUCATORS
EQUITABLE & ADEQUATE
FUNDING
All students in Illinois are entitled to
a quality education. It is our duty to
ensure our students have access to all necessary resources
by improving equity in the funding model, appropriating
adequate dollars for education, and allowing local school
districts the autonomy needed to increase efficiency.
Priorities
 Fund Education Based on Local Need
 Stabilize State Funding for Education
 Enhance District Flexibility to Increase Financial
Efficiency
3
709 Communicator
2015
District calendar
February
16 Presidents Day,
April
3-10 Easter Break, no
no school
school
March
6 Inservice, half day,
May
17 MHS Graduation, 2
no school p.m.
9 Inservice, full day, no
school
p.m.
25 Memorial Day,
no school
Note: The final day of school
for the 2014-15 school year
will be announced later
in the Spring. The last day
of school is determined
according to the number
of emergency days used.
Please contact your building
principal if you have questions.
Morton School District 709 Directory
Morton 709 Education
and Administration Center
1050 S. Fourth Ave., Morton, IL 61550
263-2581
Superintendent: Lindsey Hall, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent: Craig Smock, Ed.D.
Director of Curriculum and Technology: Troy Teater, Ed.D.
Director of Special Education: Dana Ashby
2015
dents, half day
September
7 Labor Day, no school
October
9 Inservice, no school
12 Columbus Day, no school
22 Parent Teacher conferences, no
school
23 Parent Teacher conferences, no
school
November
11 Veterans Day, no school
25-27 Thanksgiving break, no
school
December
18 Half day, no school in p.m.
21-Jan. 1 Christmas vacation, no
school
2016
January
4 School Improvement Inservice,
no school
5 School resumes
18 Martin Luther King Jr. Day,
no school
February
MARJORIE
JOHNSON
350 N. Illinois, Morton, IL 61550; 266-7182
Principal: Marjorie Johnson
Assistant Principals: Kirk Edwards and Josh Gschwend
Assistant Principal/Athletic Director: Greg Prichard
Reporting absence: 263-0611
Student Services: 263-0611
Guidance: 263-8585
Food Service: 263-7451
15 Presidents Day,
no school
Morton Junior High
225 E. Jackson, Morton, IL 61550
Principal: Lee Hoffman
Assistant Principal: Chris Carter
Main Office: 266-6522
Reporting absence: 284-5000
March
4 Inservice, half day,
no school p.m.
7 Inservice, full day, no school
25-31 Easter Break, no school
April
1 Easter Break continued, no school
LEE HOFFMAN
Grundy School
Lettie Brown School
May
1100 S. Fourth Ave.
Morton, IL 61550
Principal: Michael
Saunders
Main Office: 263-1421
Reporting absence:
284-2000
2550 N. Morton Ave.
Morton, IL 61550
Principal: Faith
Waterfield
Main Office: 266-5309
Reporting absence:
284-1000
15 MHS Graduation, 2 p.m.
25 Last day for students, Inservice
half day
26 Last day of the school term,
Teacher Institute Day, no school
Note: The final day of school for the 201516 school year is subject to change. The
last day of school is determined according
to the number of emergency days used.
Please contact your building principal if
you have questions.
250 W. Courtland,
Morton, IL 61550
263-1086
Director of
Transportation:
Nancy Weigle
Morton High School
Looking ahead to 2015-2016 school year
August
10 Teacher Institute
11 First day of attendance for stu-
Transportation
FAITH
WATERFIELD
MICHAEL
SAUNDERS
Jefferson School
Lincoln School
220 E. Jefferson St.
Morton, IL 61550
Principal: Susan
Grzanich
Main Office: 263-2650
Reporting absence:
284-3025
The school calendars for 2015-16 and
2016-17 are posted on the District 709
website, www.morton709.org, under the
“Parents” tab.
SUSAN GRZANICH
100 S. Nebraska Ave.
Morton, IL 61550
Principal: Julie Albers
Main Office: 266-6989
Reporting absence:
284-4000
JULIE ALBERS
4
709 Communicator
New MCF funds benefit District’s students
M
any schools have their own
foundation, and by building
endowment funds, schools
can secure a permanent source of
revenue.
Locally, the school district does not
have its own foundation. However,
the Morton Community Foundation
(MCF) has several funds that are
specific to Morton schools. In 2014,
new funds were established at the
MCF to specifically benefit the school
district.
“More and more people are seeing
a way they can give back to the
community through the Morton
Community Foundation. Many times
they are seeing the school district as
a way to give back and touch a lot of
lives,” Scott Witzig, executive director
of the MCF, said.
In 2014, District 709 received
$9,682 in grants from the MCF, and
MHS students received $8,000 from
scholarship funds at the MCF.
New funds in 2014
 Performing and Visual Arts
Endowment – Morton CUSD 709
Fund — This fund was established
after District 709 received a donation
from the Drexler Trust. William
Drexler was a 1935 graduate of MHS.
Part of the donation was used to
establish this fund at the MCF. The
purpose of the fund is to award
annual grants to assist in grade
school, junior high and high school
performing and visual arts programs.
 Robert W. Brown Memorial
Morton CUSD 709 Activity Fees
fund — This fund was established
in memory of Robert Brown and
will provide annual grants to fund
extra-curricular fees for students at
Morton Junior High and Morton High
School. Students in financial need that
are enrolled in athletics, academic,
visual arts, performing arts and music
programs may qualify to receive
grants.
 Morton CUSD 709 Youth Golf
An endowment fund was established at the Morton Community Foundation in 2014 to develop and strengthen youth golf at MJHS and MHS. Pictured is the
girls’ and boys’ golf teams the day they both returned from the state tournament. The boys’ team won state this year, and Tommy Kuhl was the individual state
champion.
Learn more
u For more information about these funds, please contact Scott Witzig at the MCF by
calling 291-0434 or by email at switzig@mortoncommunityfoundation.org.
Fund — This fund was established to
award annual grants to District 709 to
strengthen and develop youth golf at
Morton Junior High and Morton High
School. Annual grants will be divided
between MJHS and MHS.
 Ethel Gerber Memorial
Scholarship Fund — This existing
scholarship was transferred to the
MCF in 2014. This scholarship is
awarded annually to one or more
graduating MHS seniors that
demonstrate financial need. Special
consideration is given to students
planning a career in education.
Established funds
Funds at the MCF specifically for
District 709 that were established
prior to 2014 are: The Bertha
Frank Performing Arts Center
Capital Improvement Fund, Morton
Community Unit School District
709 Foundation Fund, Morton
Community Unit School District
709 Orchestra Fund, Morton
High School Cross Country Fund,
District 709 Band Endowment
Fund, MHS Science Department
Fund and the Heidi White
Memorial Music Endowment Fund.
There are also seven scholarship
funds at the MCF that benefit
Morton students.
5
709 Communicator
Spirit jug stirs up fond memories
MHS Class of ’64 shares history, seeks more information about the missing relic
“W
e’ve got spirit, yes we do, we’ve got
spirit how ‘bout you?” This well
known chant is often heard at high
school sporting events.
At Morton High School in the 1960s, school
spirit turned into a competition with a traveling
trophy known as the spirit jug.
“Everyone was arguing who had the most school
spirit around Homecoming,” Steve Rapp, Class of
1964, remembers. So he decided to come up with
something that could be awarded to the class with
the most school spirit.
He found a jug in the basement of his family’s
home on Adams Street. It was a common jug,
manufactured by several companies. But since
his father was president of Morton Pottery, the
five-gallon jug was most
likely made in town.
“Since it was in our
basement I think it was
Morton Pottery,” he said.
“I painted the jug and
painted the logo red.”
He took it to school
and a tradition was born.
The spirit jug appears
in photos in the MHS
Cauldron from 1962
through 1965. It was
awarded to the class with
the most school spirit.
Both the Pep Club and
Student Council are pictured with the spirit jug.
Members of the Class of 1964 remember the
spirit jug tradition. At their first class reunion
classmate Darlene Lawrence was asked to make
miniature spirit jugs for souvenirs. For their 25th
reunion she made plates with a logo depicting the
spirit jug. At the 50th class reunion last fall she
made a small replica of the spirit jug.
David Russell also graduated from MHS in 1964
and is part of the reunion committee. He says
classmates have fond memories of the spirit jug
and the friendly rivalry between classes. However,
they would like to know what happened to the
spirit jug. They plan to give the small replica to
Morton High School for display but would like to
collect memories about the spirit jug or possibly
find the spirit jug if it still exists.
Please send memories or information
about the spirit jug to carol.jankowski@
morton709.org or call 284-8046.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Members of the MHS student council
are pictured in the 1962 Cauldron with the spirit jug. ABOVE:
This photo from the 1964 Cauldron shows members of the
MHS Pep Club holding the spirit jug. LEFT: Darlene Lawrence,
MHS Class of 1964, made this miniature spirit jug for the
50th class reunion.
6
709 Communicator
District 709 Aides
T
here are about 150 people that
work throughout District 709 in
roles that meet specific needs of
students. These people fill the many
aide positions throughout the school
district, and their work is vital to the
success of each student. They support
the certified teaching staff, office staff,
broadcasting, music and manage
computer labs and libraries.
The aides for this school year are:
Lettie Brown
Bethany Arneson, Heidi Burchette, Virginia Canopy, Elizabeth Cigelnik, Marie
Collins, Wendy Collins, Sondra Dole,
Jamie Grethey, Brenda Grimm, Sara
Hartzler, Julia Hischke, Janet Hughs,
Staci Loyd, Carol Main, Emily Mooningham, Katie Riddle, Matthew Robison,
Kim Taluc, Judy Taylor and Annette
Urban.
Grundy
Dawn Berg, Shelby Daugherty, Amanda Derrick, Sara Dirks, Brooke Flanigan,
Kelly Friend, Amy Fuiten, Erin Ghidina,
Emily Hauter, Rebecca Hawkins, Leslie
Householter, Nancy LaGrow, Heidi
Lynxwiler, Stephanie Mennenga, Aimee
O’Neal, Ashley Parker, Celeste Paulson,
Staci Petersen, Pam Riddle, Beth Shook,
Lori Simpson, Leanne Sommer, Anita
Stidman, Mikayla Vail, Carol Vance, Jennifer Walsh and Valerie Wilkes.
Jefferson
Tracy Aghaei, Danielle Anderson, Kelly
Ciocca, Dawn Cole, Amanda Collins,
Lisa Cook, Kathy Funkhouser, Michelle
Gilbert, Terri Hawkins, Brittany Heller,
Terri Keys, Bethany Kleckner, Steve
Klein, Michelle Lyons, Anne Miller,
Megan Necessary, Amanda Nelson,
Julie Peck, Barb Polson, Laura Pribble,
Carrie Shanle, Brittany Spradling, Taylor
Stecher, Monica Taylor, Katie Whalen
and Emily Zehr.
lins, Stephanie Davila, Keri Dodson, Andrea Dutton, Brenda Geiger, Michelle
Gilbert, Virginia Harkless, Michelle
Hauptly, Colleen Keltner, Jenna Leighton, Lynnette Litwiller, Debra Maxwell,
Susan McCallister, Tina McKimmey, Jill
Potts, Lori Rider, Kristi Ruxlow, Anissa
Sauder, Sheila Scheck, Laura Scherbing,
Laura Schmidgall, Ann Skaggs, Laura
Smith, Karen Sommer, Kris Stieglitz,
Sarah Todd, Kristine Yarcho and Dana
Weber.
Morton Junior High
Jacqueline Akers, Jim Alexander, Ginny
Cody, Diane Conklin, Will Funkhouser,
Joel Harper, Larilyn Hill, Theckla
Kryszak, Clara Jo Ogden, Kimberly Serrurier, Wendy Wright and Andy Zuck.
Lincoln
Morton High School
Amanda Andris, Jill Baker-LorenzAngela Carson, Cindy Chambers, Leah Col-
Mary Bennett, Dawn Blunier, Kerry
Brenkman, Susan Blair, Becky Christian-
son, Lynn Coverstone, Rick Everetts, Ben Fickel,
Jennifer Fort,
Kristen Friedrich,
Barbara Goggins, Hayley
Hochstettler,
Brenda Hopkins,
Diane Kirk, Lori
Koenig, Kurt
Lemke, Megan
Necessary, Cody
Pullium, Richard
Schurter and
Lisa Woldow.
Special
Education
Carol Williams.
ABOVE:
Steven Klein
has worked
in public
education for
46 years. He
taught math
at Morton Junior High and
is now an aide
at Jefferson
Elementary.
LEFT: Students
are working
in a small
group on the
smart board
in a kindergarten class
at Jefferson
Elementary
with the help
of aide Terri
Hawkins.
7
709 Communicator
Rodney Schuck a ‘Jack of all trades’
District 709 Director of Operations says every project is an opportunity to learn something new
O
ne of the goals of the
Morton school district is to
graduate life-long learners.
A 1987 graduate of MHS and
current District 709 employee is a
perfect example of that goal.
Rodney Schuck is the Director
of Operations for District 709. He
oversees a staff of about 20 people
that clean, repair and maintain the
six school buildings, the District
Office, the bus facility and the
grounds of those sites.
He has acquired a cumulative
knowledge during his time at
the school district and says he
continues to learn something new
every day. His hands-on experience
would be hard to translate into a
textbook. His coursework has been
learning by doing.
“I have an understanding of a
lot of different things,” he says.
That includes heating and air
conditioning, plumbing, electrical,
carpentry and roofing.
He says every project that comes
across his desk is evaluated with
these questions – Can we do this?
Do we need someone else?
While he has knowledge of
many areas, he knows bringing in
professionals is required, too.
“I know what I can do and what
my staff can do,” he said.
He probably has been in every
nook and cranny of all the school
buildings and his hands have been
on many projects through the years.
He worked on the heating system at
Lettie Brown, helped construct the
concession building with volunteers
at the football stadium, worked on
the project to add air conditioning
through the school buildings in
2007, and his staff did most of the
demolition work at the District
Office after it was purchased from
Pictured is some of the staff that works with Director of Operations Rodney Schuck in the maintenance, grounds and custodial departments. From left, Scott Schoon, Larry Shafer, Rodney Schuck, Greg Murphy, John Brown, Norm Miltenberger and Bob Dollinger.
Grace Church.
He says having four older
brothers, growing up on a farm,
and having a second job working
on construction crews for many
years is how he acquired the
knowledge about so many different
areas of maintenance.
“People gave me a chance and
people spent time with me,” he says.
He says it is important to ask a
lot of questions, and each project is
an opportunity to learn something
new.
“Any kind of mistake that can be
made, I’ve made it. But, you learn
from it,” he said.
In the recent 709Connect
community engagement sessions
about facilities, participants were
asked about their impressions
of our school buildings. Many
responded by saying “the buildings
are clean and well-maintained.”
“We have had good people
across the board – they want to do
good work and work hard,” he said
about the maintenance, custodial
and grounds staff.
Maintenance team
u Rodney Schuck – Director of Operations
u John Brown – Custodial Supervisor
u Bill Schock – Electronics/Security
Coordinator
u Scott Schoon and Steve Young –
Maintenance Supervisors
8
9
709 Communicator
709Connect Facilities Update
I
n October and November of 2014, District 709 hosted
four meetings to gather input from the community
about the future of our school buildings.
The 709Connect Facilities sessions presented the same
information at each meeting, thus providing four different
dates to attend. Participants had group discussions at their
tables and individually completed a worksheet. A total
of 328 people attended the meetings and 119 pages of
verbatim responses were collected.
These community forums followed the work of the
Facilities Advisory Committee. This group of community
members and District 709 personnel met in late 2013
and early 2014. The committee toured all the buildings in
District 709 as well as schools in four area communities.
Extensive information, evidence and data were gathered.
In March of 2014, this group presented their findings and
three long-range facilities recommendations to the Board
of Education. In April of 2014, the Board eliminated one
of the options from the FAC because it did not meet the
needs of the school district. The other two options were
presented at 709Connect Facilities, and other ideas for
addressing facilities needs were also solicited from the
participants in the meetings.
On Nov. 18, 2014, Superintendent Dr. Lindsey Hall
Financing
Broad financial projections were presented at the 709Connect Facilities meetings.
Participants expressed an interest in
learning more about costs as discussions
proceed. The chart that was presented is
also posted on our website. For example,
a home with a market value of $250,000
would have an additional $556 of taxes
annually, if the school district borrowed
$50 million. District 709 will continue to
provide more detailed information about
financing as decisions move forward
regarding facilities.
Thank You
presented a report to the Board of Education about the
findings from the 709Connect Facilities meetings. Of the
300+ participants, those in attendance favored building
a new high school. Dr. Hall recommended further
discussion about long-term facilities plans in January of
2015 and recommended the Board make a decision about
how to proceed by the end of February of this year.
1
Long-Term Facilities Options
Option 1 — Build a new high school. Current MHS becomes a 5-8 grade building, with renovations. Elementary buildings become K-4 buildings. Current
Morton Junior High School is closed.
Her report, as well as all the information from
709Connect Facilities, is posted on the District 709 website
– www.morton709.org, under the “About Us” tab. The
presentation from the meetings is also available on our
website, too, by clicking on the MPTV logo and then
going to the online streaming feature. It is under the “On
Demand” section.
2
Option 2 — Build a new middle-grade attendance center, grades 5-8. MHS stays
at current location. Elementary buildings become K-4 buildings. Current Morton
Junior High School is closed.
Enrollment Forecast Capacity/Utilization Study
Following the recommendations of the Facilities Advisory Committee, District 709 commissioned an enrollment forecast and a capacity and utilization study. This work was
done by CropperGIS from Dublin, Ohio. The complete report is found on the District 709 website. Some of the information is presented here.
It is important to note the
recommended level of utilization is 90 percent for the
elementary level and 80 percent for the junior high and
high school. Also, core areas
must be considered. Core
areas are spaces in schools
that are used by all students,
for example, restrooms,
libraries and cafeterias. The
core areas were not included
in the capacity and utilization study.
Last fall, District 709 hosted four meetings, all with the same content, to provide information about school buildings and to gather input
from the community. A total of 328 people attended. All the information from the meetings is on the District 709 website –
www.morton709.org under the “About Us” tab, 709Connect Facilities.
Needs of District 709
During the 709Connect Facilities sessions, participants learned about the needs of the school district at all
levels.
Elementary schools – classrooms, traffic flow and parking at Jefferson, meeting space for teachers and professionals that serve our students, gyms for physical education, space for music, library and media centers and
additional classrooms if all-day kindergarten is implemented districtwide.
Morton Junior High – parking, core areas (cafeteria, gym and media center) are already at capacity, lack of
athletic facilities, the size of the campus prevents expansion, front entrance very close to street, building does
not have an elevator and minimally meets the needs for students, staff and guests that require handicap accessibility.
Morton High School – Core areas such as the cafeteria and media center are too small. Currently MHS seniors
are allowed to leave campus to help with this space issue. The fine arts programs – band, orchestra, and choir
– have outgrown their spaces. About 25 percent of students at MHS are involved in fine arts. MHS is located on
22 acres. Expansion would cut into athletic spaces and parking. The traffic flow at MHS is problematic with bus
traffic and student traffic in the same location.
District 709 would like to thank the
community members that served on the
Facilities Advisory Committee as well as
Mr. Mike Vlahos for chairing that group.
We would also like to thank Mrs. Angel
Fisher and Mr. Timm Geiger for serving as
facilitators for the 709Connect Facilities
sessions and the 328 people that attended those sessions. We are fortunate
to have community members that value
education and gave us their time and
input.
Website
There is a wealth of information posted
on the District 709 website – www.morton709.org – under the “About Us” tab
regarding 709Connect Facilities. The Board
of Education wants the community to
stay informed about the long-term facilities planning and encourages the community to review that information.
Contact Us
Do you have a group that would like to
learn more about facilities or other topics
related to our schools? Please contact us
to schedule a session. We wish to confirm
facts and address misconceptions. Please
contact Dr. Lindsey Hall at the District Office at 263-2581 or by email at lindsey.hall@
morton709.org.
10
709 Communicator
Renovations planned at outdoor space at MHS
O
ver the next several months, our community will
notice that the outdoor athletic/extracurricular
facilities at Morton High School will be
undergoing some renovations and repairs. Why is
District 709 taking on this project now?
 The outdoor athletic facilities are in disrepair.
The Board of Education has spent the last 12 months
discussing a common sense approach to addressing
maintenance that has been deferred for many years
and repairing aspects of the facility that are run
down, dangerous or broken. The proposals are not
extravagant; they are a sound investment in the future
of our schools. District 709 plans to use this location
for many years.
 The bleachers at Carper Field are original
equipment—they have never been replaced. In
addition, these same bleachers were used in the old
football stadium, and then moved to this stadium in
the mid-1970s. The bleachers are not accessible for
all of our spectators, and several years ago a guest fell
through the bleachers on the visitors’ side. They have
been repaired numerous times.
 The light poles are currently in front of the
bleachers, obscuring the view of the events on the
field. New technology allows the light poles to be
moved to the corners of the stadium and increase
visibility of spectators.
 The press box was “reinforced” in the summer of
2014 to get through one more football/track season.
A new stairwell was built as well. This work was
done by a District 709 employee. However, this was a
temporary fix to reinforce the floor and the supports
holding up the press box. It is also unsightly and
rundown.
 The field surface is currently natural grass and
must be replaced - no matter what other work would
be done on the athletic facilities. It has been “nursed”
along for years due to the gracious work of volunteers
and our grounds people. The field does not drain
well, is not crowned, and is full of ruts. A rainy
August of 2014 caused further damage. Estimates
place this surface at minimally, 30 years old.
 Natural grass or artificial turf? The Board
of Education and Administration have made the
decision to move ahead with artificial turf, with an
alternate bid for natural grass. Artificial turn may
seem extravagant but the cost estimates for both
options have been studied. To appropriately care
for and maintain a natural grass field, the school
district should budget between $30,000-$40,000 per
year. This investment has not been made in the past
and the condition of the field is the result. Also, the
natural grass field is reserved solely for our football
program. They play about 4-5 times per year on the
home field. The marching band utilizes this surface
one time per week for practice and then during their
invitational. The field is not currently used by any
other groups of students or community members.
This means it costs the district about $4,000 per use.
While the upfront costs of artificial turf are more, due
to the drainage and infrastructure improvements that
are necessary in addition to the surface itself, artificial
turf means the field could be used throughout the
school day for physical education. Also, the field
could be used year-round, no matter the weather
condition.
 The current location of the tennis courts is
dangerous for our spectators. For a large high school
and community the size of Morton, there are not
enough courts.
 The long jump is in a drainage area between the
tennis courts and home-side bleachers.
 Keeping the east-west configuration of the
football field was discussed at length by the Board
of Education, and in the end, it was decided that
the current orientation was more considerate of our
neighbors on Missouri Street, as opposed to turning
the stadium to a north-south orientation.
This exciting project has a very ambitious timeline,
and the outcome will be a multifaceted, multi-use
facility that better serves the needs of all of our
students -not just athletes - and our community.
Attention Potter Fans: Watch sports & events streaming online
H
ey Potter fan:
MPTV – Morton Potter TV – is proud to
continue online streaming of athletic contests
and other school district events. This year, NFHS
Network, our online streaming affiliate, has moved
to a subscription format. Non-sporting events will
remain free for all viewers.
District 709 has some complimentary subscriptions
available, and below you will find instructions on
how to create an account and receive your free
subscription. Once you create an account, you
will have 365 days of access to all live sporting
events nation-wide, all postseason playoffs and
championships. Also, up to three people can view
an event on the same account at the same time from
separate computers.
Thank you for your support of Potter athletics.
Get a free subscription
Simple redemption instructions:
1. Go to nfhsnetwork.com/redeem
2. Type in the complimentary code –
Morton15 – and click ‘redeem’
3. Create a user profile
4. Enjoy!
GO POTTERS!
11
709 Communicator
‘I will miss everything about it’
MHS Athletics/Activities Director Greg Prichard retiring after 28 years in Morton schools
G
reg Prichard has probably watched
thousands of hours of athletic contests.
He will retire at the end of this school
year after 28 years in the Morton school system.
He has been the athletic/activities director and
assistant principal since 1987.
He isn’t sure what he is going to do with his
free time, but he leaves with a lot of memories.
“It’s with mixed emotions,
because I like what I do. I will
miss it, I will miss everything
about it,” he said.
Before he was an
administrator, Mr. Prichard
taught Spanish and through
the years has coached, too –
wrestling, football, golf and
GREG PRICHARD bass fishing.
“I’ve been involved in
athletics my whole life,” he said.
His job also includes tasks such as teacher
evaluations, other activities such as scholastic
bowl and math team, and creating schedules,
working with the transportation department
and organizing volunteers.
“We’re very fortunate that we have a lot of
parent volunteers to take tickets, announce
games and run clocks. A lot of schools have to
pay for that,” Mr. Prichard said.
He says his wife, Lori, has always been
understanding of his schedule and the
amount of hours required for his position.
She also teaches at MHS. “She has been very
supportive,” he said.
Throughout his career he has worked for
five superintendents, was part of adding bass
fishing and a swimming co-op, and watched
many teams compete at the state level. He says
working with young people in the classroom as
a teacher and watching them compete has been
worth every hour required of the job.
“It’s not about me, it’s about the kids,” he said.
Last fall, when he was the grand marshal for
the homecoming parade, he realized as he rode
down Jefferson Street how many people he has
met through the years.
“We have a great school system and
community. It is a great place to raise a family
and educate your kids,” he said.
Greg Prichard is retiring in July after 28 years with the Morton School District. He says he appreciates
the support from wife, Lori, because the position of athletic/activities director and assistant principal
required a lot of hours. TOP LEFT: He is pictured with his son, Josh, the current varsity wrestling coach
at MHS. TOP RIGHT: Mr. Prichard is pictured with son, Eric, now a civil engineer. ABOVE: Mr. Prichard also
coached during his tenure at MHS. He was head wrestling coach for several years.
Meet the
new AD
Mr. Scott Jones will be
the new Athletics/Activities Director/ Assistant
Principal at Morton
High School, effective
July 1, 2015. Mr. Jones
is currently an assistant
principal at Dunlap High
School.
Mr. Jones started
his career as a music
educator in District
150 at Woodruff High
School and was named
the Director of Bands in
the Brimfield schools in
2001, a position he held
for 12 years. He was
also the varsity softball
coach for Brimfield
High School, accruing
a record of 227-89 over
11 seasons, including
three regional titles. He
was named ICA Softball
Coach of the Year in
2007. Additionally, he
has been an assistant
football and baseball
coach, as well as serving
as an adjudicator for
numerous IMEA and
IHSA music contests.
Mr. Jones has been an
assistant principal at
Dunlap High School
since 2013. He holds a
Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from
the American College of
Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music
Education from Western
Illinois University.
Mr. Jones and his
wife Jeanie, a 3rd-grade
teacher and coach in
Brimfield, have five children, ages 15-25.
12
709 Communicator
Parents get involved in District 709 schools
STOP & SMELL THE POPCORN AT LETTIE BROWN
The Lettie Brown PTO hosts popcorn Fridays to raise money for the school. Pictured, from left,
are parent volunteers Keith Johnson, Jennifer Ellison, John Crawford and Roz Johnson.
PTO meeting dates
Potter Parent Power (PPP)
Morton High School
1 p.m., Bertha Frank Performing Arts Center
Upcoming meetings are: Feb. 10, March 10,
April 14, and May 12
Lettie Brown
7 p.m., Conference Room
Upcoming meetings are: Jan. 26,
Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. (note time change),
March 30, and April 27
Jefferson
6:30 p.m., Teacher Work Room
Jan. 26, Feb. 23, March 16, April 20
and May TBA
Red and White Club
Morton Junior High School
7 p.m., Library/Media Center
Upcoming meetings are: Feb. 19,
March 19, and April 16
Grundy
6:30 p.m., Library
Upcoming meetings are: Jan. 26,
Feb. 23, March 30, April 27, and
May 18
Lincoln
7 p.m., Music Room
Upcoming meetings are: Feb. 9,
March 2, April 13, and May 4
Morton Potter Cards
Potter Parent Power (the parent
organization at Morton High School)
has partnered with local businesses to
offer the Morton Potter Card.
The Potter Card costs $10 and offers discounts to local businesses. All
proceeds go to MHS Potter Parent Power for the benefit of the high school
youth.
The Pride Cards can be used over and over throughout 2015.
The Potter Card is valid Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2015, and is available at
J & J Cleaners and Morton High School.
The following businesses are on the 2015
Potter Card:
Basta’s Italian Kitchen — 10 percent off
carry-out only
Carius Dairy Queen — Buy one OJ or OJ
Smoothie, get half off second OJ or OJ
Smoothie of lesser or equal value. Limit
1 half-price drink per customer per
order.
Eli’s — Buy 1 drink, get half off second
drink of lesser or equal value. Limit one
half-price drink per customer, per order
FJT Office Supplies — $2 off all HP ink
cartridges
Floral Design, Ltd. — $5 off a dozen roses.
Garner’s Pizza & Wings — Buy one x-large
pizza, get one free pound of wings
Great Harvest Bread Co. — Buy a medium
coffee get half off a sweet
Grimm’s Inc. — 10 percent off originalpriced items, in-stock only
Hacienda Fuentes — Buy one combination
#1-#20 at full price, get second combination #1-#20 of same or lesser value
for half price
J & J Cleaners — 10 percent off all services
La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant — Buy one
combination #1-#30 only at full price,
get second combination #1-#30 only of
same or lesser value for half price
Merle Norman Cosmetics — 10 percent off
purchase of 2 or more products
Miller Paint Shop — 10 percent of regularpriced items
The Morton Cinemas — 50 percent off any
combo, limit 2 combos per coupon
Morton Culvers — $1 off value basket
Morton Firehouse Pizza — $2 off lunch
buffet, $4 off pickup or delivery order
($20 minimum)
Morton La Gondola — 10 percent off
purchase
Morton Leaves ‘N Beans — 10 percent off
purchase
Morton Papa Murphy’s — $2 off any
regular-priced pizza any size, excludes
Mini Murphs and Faves, not valid with
any other offer, Morton location only
Morton Pizza Ranch — 10 percent off
purchase
Pegasus Pizza — $3 off any 16-inch pizza
or pizza pair; $2 off any 12-inch pizza or
pizza pair; pick-up only
Safari Bowl — Buy one game of bowling, get one free, does not include shoe
rental
Savory House — Buy one entrée, get
one of equal or lesser value at half off,
Monday through Thursday only
Schooner’s — 20 percent off total bill,
dine-in only, excludes weekends and
banquets
So Chic Boutique & Events — 10 percent off
entire boutique purchase
Square Nest — 20 percent off 1 regularpriced item of $20 or more
The Confectionary Inc. — 10 percent off
all purchases, not valid with any other
coupons or discounts
Wines ‘N More — 10 percent off chocolate
truffles
709 Communicator
Art class gives outlet for creativity
New MHS/MJHS art teacher excited for students to explore different mediums
W
hen Tiffany Wyse-Fisher was
growing up she wanted to be
a teacher and she wanted to
be an artist. Now she is both.
She was hired as a full-time art
teacher for District 709 and started last
fall. She spends part of each school day
at Morton Junior High and the other
part of the day at Morton High School.
Her experience is broad and diverse.
She has taught art to students in
kindergarten up to adults, developed
art programs for therapy when
she lived overseas, was the gallery
coordinator for Illinois Central College
for a year, taught at Washington High
School for seven years and also does
metal-working and photography.
She teaches Introduction to Art to
eighth-grade
students
at Morton
Junior High
and then goes
to Morton
High School
to teach 2D
and 3D Art,
as well as
photography.
“The
students seem
receptive and
they are so
creative, so I think they are excited to
have this outlet,” Mrs. Wyse-Fisher said.
At the junior high, her class covers
elements of art, art forms and art
mediums.
“It’s a chance for them to explore a lot
of different things and experiences,” she
said. “Junior high students are willing
to try anything.”
At MHS, she would like to see the
photography classes grow as well
as expand class offerings in art. In
December, the board of education
approved Art 1 and Art 2 classes to be
part of the curriculum at MHS.
INSET: Students at Morton Junior High explore
many art forms, elements of art, and art mediums in the Introduction to Art class.
ABOVE: Mrs. Tiffany Wyse-Fisher teaches art at
Morton Junior High and Morton High School.
She started with Morton District in the fall.
RIGHT: Artwork from students at Morton High
School is displayed at the District Office.
“I have a lot of interest in building a
program and that is exciting to me,” she
said about adding more art classes to
the curriculum.
As a practicing artist she shares
her struggles and successes with her
students. “It is a process for me, too.
They can see me make a mistake and
see how I fix it.”
13
14
709 Communicator
150
District 709 by the numbers
3,036
The forecasted enrollment
for grades K-12 for Morton
School District 709 in the
2018-19 school year.
100
The number of students in
5th and 6th grades that participate in elementary choir.
$9.5
15
The number of
students in the
Lincoln Chess
Club.
1
2
7
445 –
The numbers
of Jefferson
students who
attended a
math night
with at least
one parent in
October.
This is the
ranking Morton
High School
received on the
Newsweek –
America’s Top
High Schools
2014.
M I L L I O N
This represents the new
non-farm Equalized Assessed
Valuation that was placed on
the assessment roles for 2014.
Coach Matt Yarcho posted his 500th
career win in December as a
boys’ basketball coach at
Morton Junior High.
Way to go Coach Yarcho!
The number of students at Morton
High School that participated in a fall activity. This
includes football; boys’ soccer; girls’ tennis; volleyball;
boys’ and girls’ cross country; boys’ and girls’ golf;
cheerleading; dance team; marching band; and girls’
swimming.
100%
of students at Lettie Brown had a
parent participate in Parent Teacher
Conferences in October.
$20,000
This was the amount raised at the
Grundy Walk-a-thon in fall 2014.
15
709 Communicator
District 709 Board of Education
President: Michelle Bernier
First Elected: 2011; Term Expires: 2015
michelle.bernier@morton709.org
Vice President: Tim Taylor
First Elected: 2011; Term Expires: 2015
tim.taylor@morton709.org
Secretary: Shaun Bill
First Elected: 2013; Term Expires: 2017
shaun.bill@morton709.org
John Applen
First Elected: 2007; Term Expires: 2015
john.applen@morton709.org
Clint Heinold
First Elected: 2009; Term Expires: 2017
clint.heinold@morton709.org
Tom Neeley
First Elected: 1989; Term Expires: 2017
thomas.neeley@morton709.org
Kelly Scarfe
First Elected: 2013; Term Expires: 2017
kelly.scarfe@morton709.org
District 709 Board of Education: Front row, left to right, Michelle Bernier, Tom Neeley and Kelly Scarfe. Back row, left to right, Shaun Bill,
John Applen, Tim Taylor and Clint Heinold.
Board of Education Mission and Goals
Mission
The Mission of the Morton District 709 Board of Education is to be a provider of and an advocate for the education of all children.
Goals
Achievement: In order to ensure all students have
opportunities to achieve their potential, our academic
programs will maintain the highest standards and expectations for learning.
Communication: Provide open and meaningful twoway communication with all members of our community.
Climate: Maintain a cohesive organizational system
which facilitates/fosters a productive and trusting climate
with a highly qualified staff.
Facilities: Provide facilities conducive to student learning and growth, based on evolving needs, with the support of the community.
Finance: Support student learning (which includes
achievement, climate, facilities, communication) in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Upcoming meetings
The School Board is scheduled to meet on
the following dates:
2014
Feb. 3 – 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 17 – 7:15 p.m.
March 3 – 6:30 p.m.
March 17 – 7:15 p.m.
March 31 – 6:30 p.m.
April 21 – 7 p.m.
May 5 – 6:30 p.m.
May 19 – 6:30 p.m.
June 2 – 6:30 p.m.
July 7 – 6:30 p.m.
The meetings are held at the Morton Education and Administration Center,
1050 S. Fourth Ave.
Candidates Night
The Morton Chamber of Commerce will host a candidates night from 6:30 – 8 p.m. March 24 at the Bertha Frank
Performing Arts Center at Morton High School. This event
allows the community to meet the candidates that will be
on the April 7 ballot.
More information
More information about the Board of Education is available on our website –www.morton709.org. Board meetings
are streamed live on the Internet and posted on Comcast
Channel 20 and iTV3 Channel 21. Click on the MPTV logo on
our website for a broadcast schedule and to go to the online
streaming feature.
Contacting the board
Stakeholders in District 709 are encouraged to contact
school board members at any time with questions, comments and concerns. Board members can be contacted by
email through their individual email addresses listed on this
page or as a group at board@morton709.org.
16
709 Communicator
3 r d
A N N U A L
G A M E B A L L
R U N
All about kids helping kids
Communitywide event has raised $52,000+ over the last two years for Children’s Hospital of Illinois
Gameball Run
Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015
The MHS boys Basketball team along with several
Morton District 709 Administrators and faculty members will take off from the high school and run to the
front doors of Children’s Hospital of Illinois. They will
run in honor of the infants and children from Morton
schools cared for by Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
Morton is fortunate to have the world-class facility of
Children’s Hospital just 12 miles away.
Game Night in Morton
Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
Come out to the Potterdome on Friday night as
the Potters take on Limestone. Show your support
by wearing your 2015 Gameball Run T-shirt. Prior
to tipoff, we will celebrate the success of this year’s
Gameball Run with our Children’s Hospital Miracle
Families and sponsors in a special ceremony.
T-shirts
Gameball Run T-shirts will serve as admittance into
the game on Feb. 6. Shirts will be $10 each prior to
Jan. 31 and will be sold at home boys basketball
games and at District 709 schools. T-shirts will be sold
for $13 each in February.
The MHS boys’ basketball team toured Children’s Hospital as part of their Gameball Run event that raises money and awareness for
the hospital.
2015 Miracle Families
Thanks to our sponsors!
A Perfect Promotion
Better Banks
Cloyd Plumbing
Friends of Morton Basketball ~MP~
Fort Transfer
Home Instead Senior Care
MHS Basketball Team
Morton Rotary & MHS Interact
Morton Unit 709 School District
Re/Max - Michelle Bennett
Player and runner sponsors
Each school in District 709 selected a Miracle Family.
These families have received services at Children’s
Hospital of Illinois.
The Sauder family — Lettie Brown
The Walters family — Grundy
The Cook family — Jefferson
Total Raised
The 2013 and 2014 Gameball Run events raised a total of
$52,000+ for Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
The Snyder family — Lincoln
The Janssen family — Morton Junior High
The Ripka family — Morton High School