The Lady Raiders beat Heyworth 7-6 in a nail biter Thursday evening, advancing them to the regional championship vs. Havana. Pitcher, Lexi Wood held her own on the mound; striking out 12 and only walking two. Aggressive base running and pitch selection at the plate allowed the team to get runners on and advance them to home to secure their seven runs. The regional championship game will be at Havana on Saturday, September 26th at 10:00 AM.

Reminder - Tomorrow is a 1/2 day for students. Dismissal times are: 11:20 MS dismissal, 11:30 HS dismissal, and 11:40 PS dismissal.

The Softball team will host Heyworth in their regional game tonight. Game time is 4:15 PM. Good luck to our Lady Raiders!

The Cross Country team will travel to Illini Central tonight for a 4:00 PM meet. Good luck Raiders!

Hello Raiders, This is a reminder that we need to have health records for all students (remote and in-person) by October 15th. As of today we will have to exclude students from school beginning October 16th if we do not have the appropriate records. This is a state law we have to comply with. If you have questions or need to speak with someone, please call your student's school and ask to speak to the nurse. Primary School 309.968.6464 Middle School 309.352.2300 High School 309.968.6766 Best Regards, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

The Raiders will host Dee-Mack tonight in a regional game starting at 4:15 PM. Good luck Raiders!!!

The MCMS boys baseball team won a nail biter on Saturday against St Joseph’s by the score of 6-5! Griffin Meeker was on base three times and Rex Watts had a monster day at the plate, collecting 4 hits and 3 RBIs. Ashton Sledge also picked up 2 hits and 2 RBIs, including the game winning RBI in the top of the 7th inning! The Raiders look to finish their season strong with regional play this week as they host Dee-Mack on Tuesday at 4:15!

The baseball team will travel to Pekin on Saturday for a game against St. Joseph’s. Game time is 10:00 AM. Good Luck Raiders!

The Cross Country team will travel to Tremont for a 4:15 PM meet. Gooo Raiders!

The Baseball Team will host Illini Bluffs tonight for a double-header starting at 4:15 PM. Good luck Raiders!

Progress Reports will be sent home today.

The softball game tonight against Illini Central has been cancelled. There will be practice until 4:00 PM.

The Mason County Health Department will be at all 3 schools on October 22nd for a flu shot clinic. This will be for students and staff. More details about the clinics will be available closer to the date.

Revised Lunch Menu

The softball team will host Illini Bluffs tonight starting at 4:15 PM for a doubleheader! Good luck Lady Raiders!

Congratulations to the 2020-2021 Student Council Members! 8th grade: Addyson Saunders, Remi Kraft, Zarian Cohenour 7th grade: Lilly Danner, Joslyn Dawe, Camryn Grashoff, Faith Meeks, Lexi Wood, Khloe Tribbett, Kamden Garman, Lily Justus, Kally Richardson 6th grade: Sabrina Martin, Emma Junkin, Amelia Martin, Joshua Dawe, Houston Butler, Addison Friedrich, Hailey Thomas, Ashton Sledge, Grant Rasmussen, Addi Coffey, Audrey Lapsley, Hayden Garman. The first meeting for Student Council will be on September 23 at 7:30 in the gym!

The Raiders defeated the Delavan Panthers by 10 run rule on Friday evening at Lohnes Field. Griffin Meeker fires 6 shutout innings, striking out 6 while allowing only 1 hit. Preston Sledge, Rex Watts, and Griffin Meeker all had 2 hits for the victorious Raiders, and Dalton Johnson chipped in 2 RBIs! The Raiders look to keep their winning ways going this Friday at home against Illini Bluffs!

DID YOU KNOW?...If your child is absent 1 day or 14 days, they can access their work on Google Classroom? Teachers are posting videos of their lessons, assignments, and other resources that may be needed. They have been working in class with our students since day 1 to help them grow accustomed to working from this Google platform. Now, if they are absent they just pick up from home where they left off at school. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need help. We are MORE than happy to assist you and your child so that this process is as easy as possible. Thank you for helping us keep your student up to date on their work! Ms. Kyra Fancher

Ms. Fisher's 7A class had a blast tie-dying a mask today!

On this night 19 years ago 246 people went to sleep in preparation for their morning flights. 2,606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning. 343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift. 60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for morning patrol. 8 paramedics went to sleep in preparation for the morning shift of saving lives. None of them saw past 9:40 AM Sept 11, 2001. In one single moment life may never be the same. Consider taking a moment of silence today to remember and honor the lives we lost 19 years ago.

The Boys Baseball Team will host Delavan for a game tonight starting at 4:15 PM. Goooo Raiders!

Today's MS BB game at Bartonville has been cancelled.

The Baseball team will travel to Limestone to compete against Bartonville Grade School. Game time is 4:15 PM. Good luck Raiders!

Hello Raiders, I just wanted to pass along this information provided by CassComm. Currently, there are free open WiFi access points at the locations listed below on the link. There are 2 in Manito, 2 in Forest City, 1 in Goofy Ridge and 1 at Spring Lake. Please use the link below to find the spot closest to you. Normally these are only available to CassComm customers, but they have generously opened them up for anyone to access the internet during this time of pandemic. We'd like to thank CassComm for their generous donation to our communities. https://home.casscomm.com/wifi-hotspots/ Thank you, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

The Softball team will host Tremont for a double header on Saturday starting at 10:00 AM. Good luck ladies!

Nathan Lapsley and Kamden Garman spruced up the marquee for Ms. Fisher this AM!

We are going to have a menu change for tomorrow's lunch. Choice A: Grilled Chicken Bacon Melt Choice B: Hot Dog

The Baseball game for this evening has been cancelled.

Softball, Cross Country and Baseball team/individual pictures will be taken tomorrow. All will be taken over at the ball diamonds in GV. Softball will be at 2:00; Cross Country at 2:45; and Baseball 3:00. Players NEED to remember to bring their uniforms to school tomorrow!

Softball practice for tonight is cancelled.

The photographer has to do things a little differently this year when it comes to late turn in orders. The cut-off for turning in late orders TO THE SCHOOL will be this Thursday morning, 9/3. AFTER that, parents can still order; they just will need to do so through the online site. www.ppischoolpics.com

Students - Are you wanting to get involved more? Do you have lots of ideas of activities or events we could host? Are you creative and outgoing? If you answered yes to any of these questions student council may be for you! Tell your homeroom teacher today if you would like an application to join. They will be passed out tomorrow. Applications will be due Friday and students will vote Wednesday for who will represent the student body at MCMS.

The baseball team will travel to Shade Park in Pekin tonight for a game against Broadmoor. Game starts at 4:30 PM. Good luck Raiders!

September Breakfast/Lunch Menus

The Lady Raiders were in a close game against St. Mary’s on Saturday until a comeback inning in the 7th lead them to a 15-10 win. Hot bats and discipline at the plate allowed them to score 7 runs and secure the win. Congrats ladies!

It’s Friday....don’t forget to wash your masks this weekend!

The Softball team plays St. Mary's in Metamora tomorrow at 10:00 AM. Good luck ladies!

The Baseball team hosts Rankin tonight for a double header at 4:15 PM. Good luck Raiders!

Good Morning Raiders, I've been contacted by the Census Bureau to get the word out about taking the Census. Currently, our district completion numbers are pretty low compared with other areas. I know these types of things are a pain, but the future funding of the district will be greatly impacted by our responses. Please take a couple of minutes to complete this, so we can continue to provide the many great programs we have for our students. Oh, and tell your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same! https://my2020census.gov/ Thank you, Dr. Todd Hellrigel

We are moving up our yearbook pictures. They will be taken NEXT Tuesday, September 1 and order forms will go home with students tomorrow.

Ms. Fisher’s homeroom tie-dyed masks to get in the COVID spirit!

The Girls Softball team travels to Morton tonight for a 4:15 PM game. Goooo Lady Raiders!

The Boys Baseball team will host Brimfield tonight. Game starts at 4:15 PM. Good luck Raiders!

The Cross Country meet scheduled for tomorrow (8/25) has been cancelled.

The Raiders baseball team swept a pair of games on Saturday against the Delavan Panthers, 2-0 and 9-1, behind strong pitching and defense including a NO HITTER by Griffin Meeker in game 1! Griffin allowed NO hits, struck out four and only walked three in the complete game shutout while the Raiders defense played ERROR FREE baseball throughout the day! In game 1 Rex Watts was 2-3 with the Raiders lone RBI as the Raiders prevailed 2-0. In game 2 the Raider bats got going, pounding out 8 hits with Ashton Sledge and Zach Highland each ripping 2 hits a piece and Josh Dawe, Zach Highland, Kam Merrill and James Parker all collecting at least 1 RBI in the game. Preston Sledge was the winning pitcher in game 2, going 3 and 2/3 innings while only allowing 3 hits and striking out 6 with Owen Schmidt coming in and slamming the door, striking out all four hitters he faced! The Raiders next game is on Tuesday at home against Brimfield.

I can't thank our parents and students enough for their kind cooperation. We're all on edge right now, and the cooperation and kindness shown this morning makes me proud to be a Raider!! I realize our rules are strict on students coming to school presenting any symptoms. Below you will find a link to yesterday's IDPH guidance on how we must treat students and their siblings if they come to school with COVID-like symptoms. Please keep in mind this has changed at least 2 times this week and we expect further changes. Again, it's exciting to have our students back. We've heard from many of you about how happy you are about school being mostly in-person. Our community survey reported 93% of respondents wanted in-person instruction and we're listening. From the Board of Education, Administration, Teachers, and Staff we can't thank you enough for all you do to support our efforts. We'll keep working hard to give our community the best possible experience while trying our best to follow IDPH and CDC guidance. Raider STRONG! Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D. https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/875475/IDPH-School-FAQs.pdf

The Boys Baseball team will travel to Delavan tomorrow (8/22) for a game starting at 10:00 AM. Gooooo Raiders!

Our Lady Raiders will travel to Havana tonight for a game starting at 4:00 PM. Good luck ladies!

Welcome back Raiders! Have an awesome 2020-21 school year!!!

Breakfast / Lunch for August 2020

Thursday’s softball game will be our time to dedicate the MCMS Softball scoreboard that was purchased with memorials given in Greg’s honor. Come on out to join us at 4:00 PM at the softball diamond. The game is against Delavan, which is Greg’s hometown. Delavan was gracious enough to allow us to change to a home game for this purpose! We hope to see you there! Remember - New IESA/IDPH guidelines require that spectators wear masks even if outside.

There have been several questions about how the beginning of this school year is going to look for Middle School students. Using the link below, you will find a letter from Ms. Fancher about the start of FY21. https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/868049/2020_Welcome_Letter.pdf

The Raiders took care of business on Tuesday night defeating the South Pekin Tornadoes by the score of 12-4. The Raiders cranked out 11 hits on the afternoon, with Zach Highland contributing three hits and three RBIs for the victorious Raiders, while Preston Sledge, Griffin Meeker and Dalton Johnson all chipped in 2 hits each. Dalton Johnson was the winning pitcher on the afternoon, generating 5 strikeouts and only 1 walk with Owen Schmidt slamming the door in the 7th on the Tornadoes. The Raiders move to 1-1 on the young season with a match up with the Delavan Panthers on Saturday.

MCMS Parents, Ms. Fancher and the staff at MCMS are working hard to make coming back to school a safe AND enjoyable experience. Plans are still being finalized for the first days of school at the Middle School. Information will be coming out within the next few days about what coming back to school will look like, what 6th graders and new students should expect, along with finalized schedules. Thank you for your patience. Ms. Kyra Fancher

Hello Raiders, I know you've been flooded with communication, and I thank you for taking the time to read through all of the information we send. This is just a reminder that our future funding will be tied to the data collected from Census 2020. If you haven't taken the time to fill out your Census, please do so. Here is a link with more information. https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/programs-surveys/sis/resources/2020/sis-take-home-flyer-english.pdf Sincerely, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

It's almost time for a new school year. :-)

The Lady Raiders defeated Peoria Christian Saturday 15-0. Lexi Wood threw a shutout, striking out 7, walking 2, and only allowing 2 hits. WTG Raiders!

Hello Raiders, Since we've moved to an online registration format there have been some questions about how parents will be informed of bus routes and times. Once registration is complete we'll sort through all the relevant information and determine routes and times. All bus riders will get a phone call, email or text before school starts with their bus route information. Very Best, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

Hello, This is just a reminder that online registration is open. The payment portion is now working as well. We've waived all fees for paying online, and we encourage you to do so if possible. If you've already registered and still need to pay fees you can now do so. Thank you, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

The Raider family is grieving an awful loss today!

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Hello Raiders, We've had a huge response to online registration. That's Awesome! Currently our provider is experiencing online payment difficulty. We've shut that feature off for now. You're still able to register, but you'll need to go back in later to pay your fees. We'll get back to you once we know online payments are working again. Sincerely, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

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MS Cross Country starts today at 3:00 at the HS. Any 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grade boy or girl may attend. You must have a physical and be registered online to participate.

Kindergarten Screening Information

MS Babeball tryouts will start TOMORROW, 8/4 from 10:00 AM -12:00 PM at the Green Valley Park. Students interested in participating must have a sports physical and filled out the sports registration at the link below. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=CUMWOcaOy0KxKBgbihjfBXNqZPhcbx1GgitYJByQ8nFUN1k3WEJVV0RLQktFSk5XMVhSTjM4U05NRC4u&fbclid=IwAR3wtxesibW6x4Focr7PQQmnfqCrps0y5b7yfIQKDVEkbBt-85btNPLggf8

MS Softball tryouts will be TOMORROW, 8/4 from 9:00-11:00 AM at the Green Valley Park. Students interested in participating must have a sports physical and filled out the sports registration at the link below. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=CUMWOcaOy0KxKBgbihjfBXNqZPhcbx1GgitYJByQ8nFUN1k3WEJVV0RLQktFSk5XMVhSTjM4U05NRC4u&fbclid=IwAR1fpX3eUlyB0pr3lpx-XYgHXNSqm9foO7n8Cn5XR8QF2Q3praaFdzPke2M

We have received a couple of questions/comments lately about emails from Dr. Hellrigel that are going out to parents regarding school related things. If you are not receiving your emails, please use these tips.

Reminder - Important Date Changes

Here is a link Mason County Health Department shared with us. We thought our Raider community might find it useful. Stay healthy Raiders! https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/testing-sites

Join our team!

IESA has cancelled the 2020 Softball, Baseball, and Cross Country seasons due to COVID-19. Please read their statement at the link below: https://www.iesa.org/?fbclid=IwAR2UXx2T-POe8tYkb7NnGSVECJv6wpm4xE156RHpaBivTBQKQdB0wHKWsoU

Although no one really likes wearing a mask, we're doing what we can to help keep everyone safe. ;-)

Check this out! Also, here's a big shout out to the Midwest Central High School Cheerleaders for helping unload food today for Saturday’s give away.

Good morning Raiders. Please remember to register for your MS sports online. Click on the following URL link to get to the registration page. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=CUMWOcaOy0KxKBgbihjfBXNqZPhcbx1GgitYJByQ8nFUN1k3WEJVV0RLQktFSk5XMVhSTjM4U05NRC4u

Hello Raiders, I'd like to start by thanking you all for your patience and understanding as we continue to develop our fall plans to return to school. I know you have questions and concerns on many levels. The Board of Education and Administration have been discussing the situation all summer and we continue to be focused on returning 5 days a week to in person instruction. We have the safety of all our students and employees in mind as we look at various options. Naturally, in person learning will look different than it has in the past. We will have to navigate social distancing, face masks, and illness. I learned this morning that the State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health will be holding a meeting this Friday to discuss the return of students to in person learning. We expect further guidance to come from that meeting next week. Our intention is to provide families a plan towards the end of next week. I realize many area districts are already announcing their plans; however, I feel many of these are premature and will ultimately need to be altered. I appreciate all those that completed our survey and we're using that information to develop our plans. Please look for our plan to be published towards the end of next week. It will be emailed to all parents and posted on our website www.midwestcentral.org Thank you again for your support of our district. Very Best Regards, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

It's time to start SOFTBALL!

Wishing all of our Raider families and community a very happy and safe holiday weekend!

Join Our Team

June 30, 2020 Hello Raider Parents, As my previous email stated we do plan to start school in person this fall. This is the time of year that we would normally inform you of school registration details. To that end, we’d like to provide you with registration information so you can mark dates on your calendars. This year we’re transitioning to an online registration format. Midwest Central will roll out the online registration format on August 3rd in the afternoon. For those individuals that have poor internet access or have other technical issues we will hold an in person registration on August 11th at Midwest Central Primary School. During the August 11th registration we will have you use one of the school computers to complete the online registration for your student. We will have onsite help available from 7am to 7pm that day. If you are able to complete the online registration in advance of the 11th you will not need to attend the in person registration. If you choose to attend the in person registration, we ask that only one person per household attend in order to limit the number of people. Please do not bring your children to the in person registration. Although registration is being completed online we will still need to have physical copies of your student’s health documents. Attached to the email is a list of the documents that are needed for individual grade levels. You can drop off necessary documents at any school in the district for your student and they will be routed to the appropriate building. Health records may be dropped off between 8am and 3pm August 3rd through August 11th. Also, if you prefer paying for registration by cash or check, you will be able to drop a check or cash by any building to pay for registration costs. Finally, in order to prepare for the online registration format I have attached a couple guidance documents with some helpful tips of items that can be done in advance of registration. Please take a moment and review the documents attached. We will send out additional registration instructions August 3rd. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we navigate the ever changing state mandates. Our goal is to give you and your students the best possible experience we can this fall. Sincerely, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

June 30, 2020 Dear Raiders, Last week the Illinois State Board of Education released guidance for schools on the 2020-21 school year. This 63-page document has been much anticipated and will go a long way toward answering critical questions all of us share about what the 2020-21 school year will look like in terms of in-person learning, scheduling, transportation, wearing masks, social distancing and other measures intended to keep everyone safe and healthy, while also re-engaging students in the learning process. Several area schools have already released statements about what the 2020-21 school year will look like; however, we believe this may be premature and anticipate changes between now and the time school starts. Right now we don’t have all the answers to provide you, but we’d like to communicate to you what we know now. We plan to return to school this fall for in person instruction 5 days a week following our current published calendar. There will be a couple of calendar changes coming out later this month and we’ll be sure to communicate those changes. Naturally, our instruction days may look different and we’ll most likely have several safety guidelines in place for students, faculty, and staff. Midwest Central is aware of the urgent need to communicate to families about what to expect next school year and anticipate sharing a more detailed plan later this summer. We plan to release our full transition plan the week of July 27th. We will be releasing a survey later this week to collect some information to help us plan for this coming year. It will be short and sweet, and we would appreciate your participation. I’m confident our district can put forth a plan that prioritizes the health and safety of our students while maintaining a dynamic learning environment. Sincerely, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

Preschool Screening Info

Is your Raider ready for FY21?

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If your 8th grader participated in the Transition Ceremony, their complimentary photos are ready to be picked up at the MS office. We are open Monday through Friday from 8 to 2 until the end of June.

Each year, two 8th grade students are recognized by the Illinois Principals' Association for representing the ideal Midwest Central Raider. Honored students and their parents are treated to breakfast and an awards ceremony alongside the other recipients in the Central Illinois Valley Region. Sadly, the annual event was cancelled for this year. Either way, we are still honored to announce the MCMS recipients of the Illinois Principals' Association Recognition Award - Courtney Maslana and Hunter Van Orman! We are proud to call you Raiders!

Midwest Central Middle School is starting a NEW CROSS COUNTRY program this fall coached by Dr. Bowden! Our track and cross country coaches requested the program earlier this year and we're excited to announce that the school board has approved this new athletic program for our students. We will also be allowing 5th graders to participate! Registration for fall athletics will begin soon. We don't yet know what the season may look like (or if we are allowed to have one) but we're going to get ready anyhow. We hope to see you out for a run!!

Once again we encourage everyone in our school district to please complete your 2020 Census. The future of our district funding and programs depends on you taking the time to fill this out. Thank you for your help!

MCHS is looking for the 2020-2021 Cheer Team! Coach Hamblin will be conducting informational zoom meetings to talk about the process. If interested, email coach hamblin at (hamblin@midwestcentral.org) to obtain zoom meeting link information for meetings on May 22nd at 4 PM or May 26th at 12 PM.

It truly was the teamwork and flexibility of the Midwest Central community that made our 8th Grade Transition ceremony memorable. Heartfelt thanks to everyone that contributed to bringing us all together during this time of isolation: 8th Grade Students and Families Mr. and Mrs. Coile Green Valley Police Department Green Valley Fire Department Forman Fire Department Manito Police Department Midwest Central Middle School Staff Mr. Blair, Mr. Lazarz, and Mr. Norris If any of these pieces had been missing, tonight would not have been as successful as it was. What an amazing team!

New 8th Grade Link https://youtu.be/5GaMw5qAJIY

We had a technical difficulty so here is the NEW link https://youtu.be/5GaMw5qAJIY

Ok 8th Graders! Tonight is your night! We have been watching the weather apps and things look much more promising than they did yesterday! The link for the live feed is the same as it was. We'll see you in Green Valley between 5:30 and 6:00! https://youtu.be/nLwOSLVakAE

Our faculty and staff are in route for our end of the school year town drive by!! We have rows of cars and smiles! Step outside and wave hello!

It was so good to see everyone yesterday at packet turn-in. Some of you asked about yearbooks while you were here. They have not arrived yet, but we will notify you when they are ready to be picked up.

Don't forget to turn in your final packet and pick up any leftover belongings tomorrow (Wednesday) from 6 to 6. Enter through the Middle School gym foyer doors. Social distancing practices are required by all parties.

FINAL MCMS PICK-UP/DROP OFF INFORMATION: Wednesday, May 13th is the last day for everyone to drop off their completed packets and library books as well as pick up any personal items that were left in the building. 8th grade also has their class T-shirts to pick up. We are extending our hours that day to 6am through 6pm. Please enter the school at the Gym doors and follow the directions given upon entry. Since we have nearly 200 students and most items will be set up in the gym, please be aware that there will be some waiting time while we retrieve your locker contents, etc. We can't wait to see you!

Join our Team - 2nd Grade Teacher Vacancy

Happy National Nurses Day! To all the nurses out there on the front line, we appreciate you! Nurse Denise and Nurse Shyla, you ladies are top notch and we are blessed to have you as part of our Raider family!

8th Grade Parents - Clink on this link for information on the 8th Grade Transition Procession/Ceremony https://5il.co/fw9q

Hello Raiders, We have received the following correspondence from the State Board of Education that they are releasing additional food benefits for all Midwest Central families. Since Midwest Central is a Community Eligible school every student enrolled in Midwest Central is eligible for this benefit whether they qualify for free lunches or not. In order to receive the additional benefit you must apply (information is below) unless you are currently a SNAP recipient. We have been asked to communicate this to our parents. I have also attached a flyer for more assistance. Thank you, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D. Pandemic EBT Application Available The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) launched the Pandemic EBT application for families on May 1 at https://abe.illinois.gov/abe/access/. P-EBT is a new special benefit that can help families buy food for their school age children who would normally receive National School Lunch Program (NSLP) free or reduced-priced meals when schools are in session. All families with school age children who attend schools approved for Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) are eligible for the benefits as they receive NSLP meals at no charge. Families that currently receive SNAP benefits do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits. These additional P-EBT benefits will be loaded into Illinois LINK EBT accounts along with regular SNAP benefits. Families who do not currently receive SNAP benefits but do have children who receive NSLP free or reduced-priced meals will need to apply directly with IDHS. The fastest way for families to receive benefits is to complete the application for P-EBT available online (Click “Apply for Benefits” at the link.) A paper application in English and Spanish is also available and can be submitted by email to DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov. IDHS created a flyer to help families with the application process. We are asking NSLP sponsors to share this flyer with their families. ISBE is working in partnership with IDHS to ensure that this validation is available for all NSLP sponsors, both public and non-public. Thank you to all the schools that participate in the NSLP for submitting data by the April 17 deadline. We are asking that you please continue to verify that count, so that all families who are eligible can access the additional financial support provided by P-EBT. Instructions for this crucial verification can be found online. If NSLP sponsors need assistance with the data submission/update, please email the ISBE Nutrition Department at cnp@isbe.net. If families need technical assistance with the application, please direct them to email IDHS at DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov. Nutrition Department, Illinois State Board of Education 100 N. First St., Springfield, IL 62777 cnp@isbe.net, www.isbe.net/nutrition

Haven't switched over to Midwest Central's new app yet? Get the most current information and notifications by downloading our updated app. For ANDROID: http://bit.ly/3005X4y or iPHONE: https://apple.co/35BmKfD.

Hello Raider Parents, We have been diligently working on high school graduation and 8th grade transition plans for the past couple of weeks. We were trying to develop alternate plans while also staying in the guidelines of social distancing. We received approval yesterday from the Mason County Health Department to move forward with our plans, and we had planned to email out tomorrow what those plans were going to be. However, as of last night the State Board has banned any kind of graduation ceremony except virtual (online). They have banned any in person type of ceremony including drive up or drive by ceremonies. This is incredibly disheartening for Midwest Central, our seniors, and our 8th grade students. We do not feel a virtual ceremony is appropriate to commemorate these events. We've had this happen to us multiple times already where we've made plans only to have them taken out of our control by the State Board of Education or the Governor. Midwest Central has the desire to do something special for our seniors and 8th grade students; therefore, we're again putting high school graduation and 8th grade transition on hold until we have some better guidance. Our hope is that by waiting we'll be able to do something in June or July although we can't anticipate to what extent at this point. We realize none of this is ideal, and we're also frustrated with the Chicago machine dictating downstate plans. Unfortunately our hands are legally tied right now. As we receive more information, rest assured we'll update you on how we can honor our senior and 8th grade students. I've attached the State Board's email for your information. I'm sorry I have to keep sending you unfortunate news. This will eventually pass, and we'll eventually go back to normal. Sunny days are ahead. Sincerely, Todd Hellrigel, Ed.D.

Join our team! We have an opening for Reading Interventionist.

Join our team! We have an opening for a 1:1 Paraprofessional.

If you have not already signed up, please contact Coach Brittany at richmond@midwestcentral.org to get the link to the online meeting.

Happy Administrative Professional's Day! MC is lucky to have an amazing group ladies in this category! Thank you all for your hard work, allowing the students to have a better educational experience and making the day to day operations of the the District run as smoothly as possible. You are truly the best! Raider Nation - If you get a chance, make sure to thank an Administrative Professional today.

Dear Raider Parents and Community Members: I hope this message finds you and your families safe and well. Friday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced that remote learning in Illinois will be extended through the end of the 2019-20 school year. Although in-person learning has been suspended for the remainder of the year, at Midwest Central, I assure you our entire staff remains committed to learning and engaging with all students through remote learning, as well as continuing with our food distribution program. Like you, we are saddened by the reality that our school community will not be able to reconvene in person this school year due to this public health crisis. So many of you have worked so hard to learn and grow in both the classroom and in extracurricular activities that today’s announcement may feel like a step back. I wanted to update you with the current plans for the remainder of the year: 1. We will provide a 3rd learning packet to students next week. We will have a pick up on Wednesday, April 29th from 6am - noon and Thursday from noon - 6pm. These will be due May 13th. We’d ask you to drop off your 2nd learning packet April 29th. 2. We will be using a pass/incomplete grade for the 2nd semester grades. We again ask that you work with your student to do the best they can in completing these packets. I have asked our building principals and teachers to work with those students that were failing 3rd quarter as this is an opportunity for them to bring up their grades. 3. Lockers will be cleaned out by the custodial staff and student items will be bagged for a pick up on the 13th of May. Student items in classrooms will also be bagged up for a pick up on the 13th of May. 4. We ask that you bring both class texts and library books to return when you pick up your packet on the 29th or 30th or when you drop off your packets on May 13th. These are expensive items so we ask that you work hard to get them returned to us. 5. High School Graduation and Middle School Transition are currently on hold. As we get further guidance on social distancing our hope is we can perhaps hold some sort of recognition for these in May. (thinking positive). Unfortunately, we’re at the mercy of our Governor on this. We are committed to trying to do something to recognize the hard work of both our 8th grade students and our seniors who have been robbed of these special moments. 6. We will continue to serve meals through the 22nd of May. Don’t forget to pick up meals M, W, and F if you’re not on a delivery route. 7. Last official day for seniors is May 8th and for all other students it will be May 15th. Sincerely, Dr. Todd Hellrigel

Hello Raiders, I hope you're all staying home and staying safe. These are certainly strange times, and I'm sure cabin fever is getting old at this point. We appreciate all you're doing to help your students. We had a great packet pick up turn out and I wanted to thank you all for your efforts. We've also been asked to share with you food bank locations. Here is a link to area food bank locations. https://tazewellcounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Nearby/index.html?appid=bcaaa73edb8043febd79c83b70c94c26 Thank you for your support in these troubling times. Keep smiling! Dr. Todd Hellrigel

Choir parents, if you can and have yet to do so, please join the music Facebook page “Music with Mr. Forbes”. I will be posting resources and you can post your students’ work and/or musical experiences they are having while at home! https://www.facebook.com/groups/2577650239221353/?ref=share

To improve access to technology at home and assist remote learning, Midwest Central will be selling our older Chromebooks (with soft case) to district families for $15 each. These Chromebooks were purchased by the district approximately 5-6 years ago and are no longer supported by Google; however, they all have been reset to factory settings and work very well. Students will need to use their gmail account to log into them. We will be organizing the sale based on demand and need. Midwest Central will not providing service or support for devices after sale. INTERESTED? Please fill out this form OR call your school between 8-2 on Wednesday. https://forms.gle/d8ToRbtasTxzMadW8

Ms. Ranallo would like to share the following information from IDHS: The Illinois Department of Human Services’ Mental Health Division has launched a free-of-charge emotional support text line, Call4Calm, for Illinois residents experiencing stress and mental health issues related to COVID-19. Individuals who would like to speak with a mental health professional can text “TALK” to 5-5-2-0-2-0, or for Spanish, “HABLAR” to the same number: 5-5-2-0-2-0. Call4Calm is free to use, and individuals will remain anonymous. Once a resident sends a text to the hotline, within 24 hours they will receive a call from a counselor employed by a local community mental health center to provide support. Individuals can also text 5-5-2-0-2-0, with key words such as “unemployment” or “food” or “shelter” and will receive information on how navigate and access supports and services. https://files.constantcontact.com/f1e178eb701/52334ca1-10cc-4c16-99c3-3ed1099d9f5a.pdf

Calling all nerds!!!

April 3, 2020 Parents and Students, On March 27th, the Illinois State Board of Education communicated information to all school districts pertaining to the development of Remote Learning plans. Midwest Central values all students as learners. After reviewing the details of this document, please contact your child’s principal if you have any questions. Remote Learning Rationale Remote Learning is designed to: • Maximize student learning in a challenging situation. • Promote instruction focused on Core Content • Communicate a commitment to our high educational standards through regular and meaningful contact with each student and/or family. • Promote independence and responsibility for our students as learners. • Promote flexible learning in a family-friendly manner. • Model technology use in the digital age. Core Content For the purposes of this document, Core Content refers to the standards that are most significant for student success in subsequent years. Core Content must be aligned to state standards. Teachers will work in collaboration to determine Core Content. Family-Friendly Instruction For the purposes of this document, Family-Friendly Instruction means: • Flexible due dates. • Flexible ways for students to work on mastering and demonstrating mastery of Core Content . • Clear, consistent and reliable ways for students and parents to receive support from teachers. Process Starting April 13 and continuing through the end of the remote learning period, Midwest Central weekly schedule will be: • Every two weeks students will be provided learning packets to complete. The first packet pick up will be Monday, April 13th. • Packets will need to be picked up at your student’s respective school. • Packets will be available for pick up from 6am – Noon Monday, April 13th and Noon – 6pm on Tuesday, April 14th. • Please return the 1st packet with completed work when you pick up the 2nd packet. • Monday, Wednesday, and Friday meals will continue to be provided either by pick up or delivery by bus. Student Attendance No formal reporting of attendance is required during this time, but teachers will keep track of which students are engaged in the process and how often each student is involved, based on student responses. Grading Teachers will continue to grade student work that is turned in and will assign grades to work as normal. Regards, Dr. Todd Hellrigel

Midwest Central has transitioned to a NEW website and app! It provides better access to content and enables us to keep you more informed. Download the app on Android: http://bit.ly/3005X4y or iPhone: https://apple.co/35BmKfD.

UPDATED BUS ROUTES for next week! The new schedules reflect additions and subtractions from this week's routes so that we can make deliveries and times more accurate! Phone calls are being made to inform every student/family requesting meals.

Thanks to everyone for being patient as we completed distribution of food and learning packets Wednesday! We will continue meal deliveries/pickup using bus routes and buildings on Friday -20th, Monday - 23rd, Wednesday -25th, Friday-27th, and Monday -30th. ROUTES: Buses were running 30-40 minutes faster than the time we distributed. Please be on the lookout for an early arrival, as we expect this trend to continue, and note the arrival time the next drop off. PICKUP: Buildings will operate pickup from 10 AM to 12 PM (with exceptions as necessary).

Staff volunteers getting ready for deliveries today!

On specified days, students can receive MEALS and LEARNING PACKETS either by pick up at each of the buildings or by bus route. The amended bus routes (attached) reflect an adjustment for all bus routes to start at 9 AM and conclude by 1:15 PM. For MEALS, routes will run on March 18th, 20th, 23rd, 25th, 27th, & 30th, and for LEARNING PACKETS, routes will run on March 18th and 23rd (includes a pickup of completed learning). The Transportation department will be calling home to confirm times with families on March 17th. If you are unsure about your arrangement for meals and learning packets, contact the appropriate school before NOON on Tuesday, March 17th.

Midwest Central is planning to provide meals to students during the closure. We need YOU to let us know if we should prepare meals for your student! Please complete the survey link below by NOON on MONDAY. Please share with others. https://forms.gle/ENMZg6gXfoAEYmfS6

The dance scheduled from 6 to 8 PM will continue as scheduled this evening. There will be more information to follow regarding school closure.

Tuesday is St. Patrick’s Day. Students - wear green!! In order to be counted, green must be a piece of clothing, not a small circle on a shirt. The family with the best percentage of participation wins snack cakes for their prize!

Join our team! Opening for Primary School Principal.

The Scholastic Bowl team will travel to Edison tonight. The meet starts at 4:00 PM. Good luck Raiders!

Notice regarding an upcoming asbestos abatement project at the High School.

Tomorrow is Colon/Colorectal Awareness Day. There have been employees of our district directly affected by this! Raider Nation - Please consider showing your support by wearing BLUE tomorrow. This would be encouraging AND help raise awareness! Thank you!

Students - Beta Club is hosting a book drive. We are collecting books that are in good condition. You can drop the book off at the library. Thanks!

The Scholastic Bowl team will travel to DeeMack for a 4:00 PM match. Good luck Raiders!

Reminder - Tomorrow, March 6th, is a 1/2 day for students.

Students - Student Council is sponsoring a Spring Fling Dance on March 13. There will be flowers hidden and if you find one, you will receive a prize! Remember to wear bright colors! Admission is $2.00 and the dance is 6:00-8:00 PM. Can’t wait to see you all there!

Students - Mark your calendars!!! Student Council will be hosting a talent show on April 24th. We can't wait to see the show because we know how talented you all are!

After another very close first game, the Scholastic Bowl team won their second match against St. Joseph’s with a score of 180 - 60!

Track practice is tonight at the Middle School 3:00-4:30 PM.

Track practice starts tonight here at the Middle School 3:00-4:30 PM. There is also a parent meeting tonight that will start at 4:30 PM.

The Scholastic Bowl team will travel to St. Joe’s for a meet tonight starting at 3:30 PM. Good luck Raiders!

Ms. Fisher’s 7th grade ELA classes recently finished reading the classic, The Call of the Wild by Jack London. To wrap up the unit, they went to the newly released movie! The kids gave it two thumbs up!

No school on Monday, March 2 in observance of Casimir Pulaski Day. Enjoy your long weekend!

7th grade girls’ volleyball team will compete tomorrow in the regional games. They will travel to Farmington – game is 11:00 AM against Illini Bluffs. Good luck Lady Raiders!

After a very close first match, the Scholastic Bowl team won their second game against South Pekin with a score of 190-125! YAY RAIDERS!!!!

Check out 2 Special Education openings in the District for next school year.

Save the Date - Freshman Orientation

Tonight is 8th grade recognition night for Volleyball. We host Edison and games start at 6:00 PM. Good luck Lady Raiders!!!

The Scholastic Bowl team will travel to South Pekin for a meet tonight at 3:30 PM. Good luck!

Job Vacancy - Reading Interventionist

The volleyball team will travel to Illini Central for a 5:00 p.m. start time. Gooooo Raiders!!

March Breakfast/Lunch Menus

You won't want to miss our District Band & Chorus Concert!

Good Luck to Taylor Smith and Mady Harper - they begin their Sectional 3 Point Showdown at any moment!

Raider families - Help us help our community by donating to the FFA sponsored canned food drive.

It's yearbook time! All order forms are due back this Friday. Cost is $13.

Hope to see you there!

There is no school today due to weather conditions. A reminder, there is also no school on Monday for president’s day. Stay warm!

Congratulations to the Scholastic Bowl team for winning both of their games against Georgetowne MS last night! Keep up the great work!

Beta Club Teddy Bear/stuffed animal drive

Good morning, students!