1-Room Cronin School Named Historic City Site

The Joliet City Council OK'd the designation, and presented the school's owner -- the Joliet Junior College Foundation -- with a historic preservation award.

The Cronin School, a one-room schoolhouse built in 1863 and tucked away on the Joliet Junior College campus, was officially made a local Joliet landmark by the Joliet City Council Tuesday night. And just minutes later, at the same meeting, the Joliet Historic Preservation Commission's** seventh annual Historic Preservation Award was presented to the JJC Foundation, which preserved the old school and is responsible for maintaining it and making it available to school children and the public. It was a fitting tribute for both the historic building, which is celebrating its 150th year, and the foundation, which relocated the school to JJC and fully restored it. "It's a great project, and we're really very appreciative of what JJC has done …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Minooka Journalism Team Wins State Championship

Minooka Community High School's Journalism Team edged Huntley to bring home the big prize in the IHSA State Championships at Eastern Illinois University.

In the case of journalism at Minooka Community High School, next in line has a tough act to follow. How's that? Well, consider the MCHS Journalism Team won the IHSA Journalism State Championship on Friday, April 26, at Eastern Illinois University, according to a post on the MCHS website. Minooka edged runner-up Huntley 26-25 in scoring at that event. And, consider that Minooka had more students earn all-state honors than ever before, according to the MCHS website. The team is composed of members of the school newspaper—the Peace Pipe Chatter—and the school yearbook—the M-DI-AN. MCHS posted the following individual state results on its website: Also competing at state for the Indians were Brennan Pagel, junior, in Broadcast News Writing; …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Official at Last -- Mihelich, Adams, Markley Elected to JJC Board

The election tally was not complete until the counting of the provisional ballots, but ultimately there was no change in the outcome of the April 9 election.

The votes are finally all in, with the provisional ballot counting now completed, and the outcome of the Joliet Junior College Board race remains the same as on the day of the April 9 election. Incumbent Andrew "Andy" Mihelich remained the top vote-getter, receiving a total of 19,736 votes, followed by Barbara Adams with 18,357 votes and Tina Markley with 17,797, according to a news release issued by the school. Incumbent Daniel O'Connell was unseated, receiving 17,350 votes, putting him fourth place. The other candidate vote tallies were: Diane M. Harris, 16,199; Theresa A. Berkey, 16,135; Brad Baber, 14,136; Douglas Muir, 10,189; and Jesse L. Maggitt, 5,157. Mihelich, Adams and Markley will be sworn in at a special JJC Board meeting at 5…

• Photos (1)

It's a BRAVE New World at Troy Middle School

Students are learning to connect with teachers through a social and emotional outreach program and learning to stand up to bullies, too.

A few B-R-A-V-E students, teachers and staff members are working together to underscore all that is good and right about Troy Middle School. The idea is to promote academic success by building positive relationships in classrooms, computer labs and the walkways in-between through a social and emotional outreach program. B-R-A-V-E. The acronym stands for Building Relationships Among Virtually Everyone. And the program at Troy is taking off in its first year thanks to the hard work of a group of 8-10 core seventh- and eighth-grade students, their teachers and the Troy Middle School administrative team, headed by principal Mike Portwood. Portwood helped launch the program after he and members of the Troy teaching staff looked at data from a …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)

What Do You Think of a Dress Code in a Public School?

Troy Middle School students will be required to wear khaki pants and polo shirts as part of a new dress code plan that takes effect in the 2013-14 school year.

Troy Student Winner in Healthy Lunch Art Contest

Cayla Ringelsten's artwork will appear on trucks promoting "Healthy Lunch for a Healthier Me."

The following article was submitted by Marianne Eisenbrandt, a semi-retired local writer: Not many can say their artwork is on display on a place that’s hard to miss and usually moving.  Cayla Ringelsten, a student at the William B. Orenic Intermediate School, recently learned that she was the winner of the Preferred Meal Systems second annual “Healthy Lunch for a Healthier Me” art contest for fourth- through sixth-graders in 27 states. Students across the country had a chance to learn about healthy eating and artistically express what a healthy school lunch means to them through the art contest sponsored by their local school meal provider, Preferred Meal Systems. Cayla learned that she was the winner at a special presentation and truck …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

New Online Registration at Troy Schools Begins in May

Parents will be allowed to re-enroll their children in a new online registration form on the Troy School District website.

Online registration is coming to the Troy School District for the 2013-14 school year. Parents will be able to re-enroll their children at any of the Troy schools by accessing the district website, according to a spokesperson for the district. "For the past year and a half, we have been developing a system with 'Ed Automate' from Marion, Illinois," Troy superintendent of schools Don White stated in a news release. "Their partnership with us has centered on collaboration with our staff to develop a system that will be simple, efficient and thorough for our families," White stated. "They have been great to work with." A spokesperson said parents will be able to re-enroll children that are currently students in a Troy school from May 1-19 at …

• Photos (1)

Troy School District Dress Code Enrages Some Parents

Under new board of education guidelines, Troy students in grades 5-8 will be required to wear khaki pants and polo shirts.

Stephanie Schuler grew up in an environment where she was taught to express herself. She attended school in the Lincoln-Way district, went on to become an art major and has worked as a hair stylist for the last five years, most recently at Spa, Beauty & Personal Care in Shorewood. She lives in Shorewood with her two young daughters, Mikayla, a first-grader at Troy Shorewood Elementary School, and Riley, 18 months. And she is upset that the Troy School District is moving in a direction she believes could affect the way they grow up. The Troy School board, at its April 17 meeting, approved the implementation of PreK-4 Simplified Dress Code and a Grades 5-8 Standardized Dress Code for the 2013-14 school year. Simply put: No jeans will be …

•  201 Comments
• Photos (4)