Clay City CUSD #10

Weekly Announcements • February 23-28

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Beginning February 3, 2026, students and teachers across Illinois will have an opportunity to participate in the eleventh annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent/guardian, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school.

On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:

• Effective Leaders
• Collaborative Teachers
• Involved Families
• Supportive Environments
• Ambitious Instruction

Prior research in more than 400 schools has shown that schools that were strong on at least three of these “5Essential” indicators were 10 times more likely to improve student learning gains in math and reading than those that were weak on three or more Essentials.

All teachers and fourth through 12th-grade students will be responding to this survey. 5Essentials Reports will be generated for schools if their teachers and/or students meet the response rate threshold of 50 percent. These reports will be sent to schools and districts in May and will also be included in the State School Report Card.

Additionally, your district has chosen to provide the optional supplement parent survey. If at least 20 percent of Clay City CUSD #10 parents/guardians complete this survey, a parent report will also be generated. The parent data will not be included on the State Report Card.

Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.

The Illinois 5Essentials Survey for students and teachers will be conducted from February 3, 2026, to March 13, 2026. The Parent Survey Supplement will be conducted during that same period. To take the survey, please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin.

For more information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, or to view previous years’ Reports, please visit https://www.5-essentials.org/illinois. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UChicago Impact Survey Support at 1-866-440-1874 or impact-surveys@uchicago.edu.

Sincerely,
John Neubaum
 

REMINDER: It's time for the 5Essentials Survey, please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin.

Clay City will be hosting the WEAA Volleyball Tournament on Thursday, February 26. Both gyms will be bustling with action. Clay City takes the Old Gym court at 5:30pm. Come out and support these girls in tournament play!

Public Schools Week 2026 (#PSW26) is Feb. 23-27! Join us in celebrating the people, partnerships, and practices that make our public schools strong. #PublicSchoolProud

Birthday in a Bag for students K-2 will be this Friday, February 27. Please remember to send your student with a drink and snack (no soda please).

Tomorrow's (Tuesday, February 24) Meyer Art event has been cancelled. Everyone will be refunded and parents may pick up their refund in the unit office. The next scheduled Meyer Art event will be Wednesday, May 6.

SRO Ray Phillips presented both the junior and senior classes with checks for prom and post prom from the Clay County FOP Lodge 603. Accepting on behalf of the junior class for prom is Kynadie Mitchel and Jackson Dye. Accepting on behalf of the senior class for post prom is Kamden Bruner, Cayden Craig, and Johnnie Mooney. Thank you Clay County FOP Lodge 603 for investing in our students.

Next week is Read Across America Week! To celebrate, elementary students will have dress-up days each day! Additionally, they will be able to participate in a read-a-thon, hear guest readers, have coloring sheets, and get to enjoy story walks. Start planning your dress-up days now!

COMING UP:
Grades 3–5 (Elementary): March 17, 18, and 19, 2026
Grades 6–8 (Junior High): March 24, 25, and 26, 2026

The IAR is a statewide assessment that measures student progress in English Language Arts and Mathematics and provides valuable information about academic growth and readiness for the next grade level.

To help your child feel prepared and confident, we encourage the following:
• Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep before each testing day.
• Provide a healthy breakfast.
• Make every effort for your child to arrive at school on time.
• Avoid scheduling appointments during testing days if possible.

Please note that attendance during testing is very important. If your child is absent on one of the scheduled dates, make-up testing will be arranged.

LOOKING AHEAD: CCHS Student Council is holding a blood drive on Monday, March 9 from 1:00pm-5:00pm. CCHS is only 14 units away from a scholarship for one of its senior Student Council members. Please consider donating to help save lives and one of our seniors! Click the link below to schedule your appointment!
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=ClayCityHS

Clay City CUSD #10 has scheduled the 2026 CCHS Graduation and CCJH 8th Grade Promotion. CCHS Graduation will be held on Friday, May 8, 2026 at 7pm. CCJH 8th Grade Promotion will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 7pm .

REMINDER: Clay City CUSD 10 will dismiss at 12:00 PM on Friday, February 20.

Guidance counselor Miss Hall accompanied 20 juniors and seniors to the OCC College and Career Fair held on Wednesday, February 18. Students were able to visit different booths, "connect with 50+ employers and universities, explore career opportunities and transfer options and make real connections — all in one place", (OCC). Afterwards, students stopped at Starbucks to grab a treat on their way back to CCHS.

Forgot to order a yearbook when you were school? Perhaps we can help! Clay City Yearbook is selling surplus yearbooks at a low cost. All proceeds will be put back into the yearbook fund to ensure we can continue to put out a quality book year after year. Yearbooks listed from 1973-2019 will be $10 each while 2020-2024 will be $20, and 2025 is still available for $40. Please contact Mrs. Goodrum at bgoodrum@claycityschools.org or at 618.676.1431 to reserve a copy today.

REMINDER: The Illinois 5Essentials Survey for students and teachers will be conducted from February 3, 2026, to March 13, 2026. The Parent Survey Supplement will be conducted during that same period. To take the survey, please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin.

Our elementary students are steadily gaining AR points this semester! Keep up the good work!

In observance of Presidents' Day, Clay City CUSD #10 will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 17.

Weekly Announcements • February 16-21