This is the most wonderful time of the year! As I have told District 1 staff and families, my favorite day is the first day of school when the children return to our buildings. The excitement and energy they have is just incredible.

At the beginning of each school year, our students and their families are invited to participate in “Meet the Teacher Night.” There was great excitement as our youngest students visited their school buildings to meet their teachers, building administrators and staff. The smiles on the students’ faces showed how much they couldn’t wait to get back to school. The same excitement was felt in the middle and high schools as students arrived for their first day of school.

The start of the academic year brings opportunities for new adventures and new beginnings. This year we welcome 14 new faculty members to the district, two administrators, and several support staff to serve our growing enrollment of over 2,100 students.

Our most important job is to educate our students and support their learning and overall well-being. I am proud of the work our teachers, classroom assistants, support staff and administrators do every day, always keeping their focus on the students.

A highlight of the first day at Coal City High School was students being recognized for their performance in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. AP courses are college-level coursework, and with a passing test score, students earn college credit. In the 2023-2024 school year, 159 students were enrolled in the 12 available AP courses. Of the 159 students enrolled, the school administered 230 AP exams last spring, with 30 receiving recognition from the College Board, the organization that administers the AP program. There are three levels of AP recognition, and 16 students were named AP Scholars after earning a score of 3 or higher on three or more exams. Five students received AP Scholar with Honor recognition for earning an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams and a score of 3 or higher on four or more exams. The most prestigious award is the AP Scholar with Distinction. These are students who have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.5 on all AP exams and a grade of 3 or higher on five or more of those exams. Nine Coalers received this award based on their participation in the program in 2023-2024. In addition, 12 current Coalers were honored for achieving a 5 (the highest attainable grade) on at least one exam. This is a very challenging course and we are extremely proud of their academic achievements.

To further support the development and interests of our students, our district offers numerous extracurricular and co-curricular activities. We are excited to see what the year holds for our students who are involved in academic clubs and organizations, the fine arts, and athletics.