Clay City CUSD #10

Weekly Announcements • March 9-14

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
 

Thank you to The Clay City Banking Company for coming by and reading with Mrs. Kuenstler's fifth graders. The students were each gifted with a copy of Operation Do-Over by Gordon Korman. It can't be said enough - thank you Clay City Banking for continually investing in our students!

Hey Clay City students! Monday and Tuesday next week is the Book Fair. Bring your money and pick out some great books and/or kits. This will be the last Book Fair Ms. Ginger will be having as she is retiring. Ms. Ginger will be staying until 4pm after school on Monday if your parents want to stop in at the Book Fair when they pick you up.

Hey Clay City students, have you been telling your parents about the Book Fair next week? There will be something for everyone! See you at the Book Fair!

The Clay City Banking Company visited first graders in Miss Fender’s class this week and read The Story of Clifford. In Mrs. Yates’ kindergarten class visit, the bank read Little Bear’s Special Friend. Following the read-aloud, students did a basic math worksheet adding nickels and pennies. The students were so excited to receive the books and bookmarks. Thank you Clay City Banking Company for again supporting our students!

NEXT WEEK:
Grades 3–5 (Elementary): March 17, 18, and 19, 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.

Hey students! Don't forget our Book Fair next week starts on Monday. There will be books about animals, bugs, dinosaurs, unicorns, princesses, searches, wipe-offs, true stories - everything you can think of!

Clay City Yearbooks are available for ordering. Books will be delivered at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year. Forms have been sent home with students but reach out if you need another. Please make checks payable to Clay City CUSD #10.

Tomorrow night - Thursday, March 12 - will be our CCJH Volleyball 8th Grade Recognition Night. Student athletes will be recognized between the JV and varsity matches. JV starts at 4:30pm. Come out and honor these students for all their hard work in the program!

Hey Clay City students! We are having a book fair next week on Monday and Tuesday. There will be fiction, non-fiction, and activity books available; as well as some learning kits - something for everyone! It's going to be awesome! See you at the book fair!

As the weather warms up and you use the playgrounds here at the school, please be sure to clean up after yourselves. We have found trash left behind and would like to keep the area tidy. Thank you for your cooperation!

‼️RSVP BY 3:00 PM TODAY‼️
Over the next few days students 3rd - 8th grade will be sent home with the attached flyer. We will be meeting with parents of 3rd - 8th grade students on Wednesday, March 11 at 6:00 PM in the commons area at Clay City Schools about the upcoming IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness) test. As an added bonus, pizza and salad will be provided. Students are welcome to attend, but are not required. Please RSVP by March 9 via the QR code, paper handout, or click on the link:
https://forms.gle/615ykspGU4ygLwqq6

‼️TODAY‼️
CCHS Student Council is holding a blood drive TODAY - 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

Our Read Across America Week celebration continues! Today, SRO Phillips took time to read to Miss Fender's first graders during their library time. Like Mr. Wattles, he shared a Dr. Seuss book with the students. To wrap up their time, SRO Phillips gave the kids a piece of candy. Thank you SRO Phillips for reading to the kids today!

Thank you to the Clay City Banking Company for coming to read to Mrs. Klein's class for Read Across America Week!
The kids enjoyed reading and receiving the book "The Most Perfect Snowman".

REMINDER: There will be no school for students on Friday, March 6.

Congratulations again to Shyanne W. and Sterling T. for being Clay City's top fundraisers for the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge! They arrived at school in style, each riding in a firetruck! Thank you to the Clay City Fire Department and firefighters Matt Duvall and Brandon Mitchel for making today special for the kids!

CCJH Volleyball vs. Full Armor scheduled for Thursday, March 5 has been cancelled.