🎉 Join us in welcoming Marcellus Polk to BHS as a Special Education Paraprofessional!
Marcellus comes to D87 with experience from the High Road School of Bloomington, where he discovered his love for helping students grow. Inspired by a personal connection to autism, Marcellus is driven to make a difference in the community and support students who need it most.
Marcellus is excited to connect with students at BHS, learn about their diverse backgrounds, and help them overcome any challenges that they may face. His goal is to build relationships and help all his students grow as individuals.
Outside of work, Marcellus enjoys expressing himself through writing poetry 🎤✍️, hitting the gym 💪, and playing chess ♟️. He’s also a diehard Boston Celtics 🏀 and Chicago White Sox ⚾ fan!
Welcome to the BHS and D87 family, Marcellus! 💜
Only 6 days until the IAR testing window opens! 🎉
Here’s today’s top testing tip:
🥗 Healthy Eating! Fuel your brain with nutritious and balanced meals to prepare for success! A well-fed brain is a strong brain. 💡
What are your favorite brain-fueling snacks? Share below! 👇
#ShowWhatYouKnow #ReadySetAchieve #CrushTheTest #WeAreD87
Countdown to the IAR Testing Window!
📣 Attention Families of 3rd-8th Grade Students!
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) test window opens April 6th, and it’s time for our students to show what they’re made of! 🌟
This is their chance to demonstrate all the hard work they’ve put in this year. Let’s make sure they’re rested, confident, and ready to shine on test day! 💪
📝 Reminder: The testing window runs April 6 – April 17 for grades 3-8. Start preparing now with healthy habits like plenty of sleep, a positive mindset, and a great breakfast!
Together, let’s support our students in showing up and giving their best effort!
#ShowWhatYouKnow #ReadySetAchieve #CrushTheTest #WeAreD87
We hope everyone had a relaxing break and look forward to seeing everyone in class tomorrow!
#SpringBreak2026 #SeeYouTomorrow #WeAreD87
The fun didn't stop there – they had guest readers, got creative with crafts, enjoyed a sweet s'mores snack, and completed the amazing challenge of reading 100 books in just one day! Wow!🎉
Way to show up and read!🏆📖
#CampOutAndRead #LiteracyFun #WeAreD87
Here's to "rising" to new heights in the new space next year! 🌟
#RISEProgram #NewBeginnings #EducationForward #WeAreD87
🎼🏅 It's been a busy month for the BJHS band! To close out all the activities, 12 6th-grade band members took an exciting field trip to ISU for an honor band showcase. 🎷🎺
After only 2.5 hours of rehearsal, these young musicians wowed the audience, playing four impressive pieces of music! Kudos to these Knights for representing BJHS with such excellence! 🌟 👏
#BJHSBand #HonorBand #MusicEducation #WeAreD87
Irving art teacher Karen Brinker is featured in an article for an art magazine! The article highlights her incredible talent and how her role as a teacher influences her artwork.
Check out the full article at https://visualartjournal.com/2026/03/03/karen-schaschwary-brinker/ to read all about Mrs. Brinker and her classroom experiences and creative expressions.🎨 Way to go Mrs. Brinker! 👏🏽
#EducatorSpotlight #ArtInEducation #WeAreD87
The classroom was transformed into a sunny beach haven full of educational activities such as fishing for parts of speech, sorting beachy words in ABC order, and matching bucket and shovel contractions, sorting odd and even flip flops, building sand castles with 10's and 1's, and comparing numbers with fish.
🏖️ Plus, enjoy fish-themed snacks, colorful leis, and a creative jellyfish craft! It was all sun and fun today in Mrs. Gunz's class. Get ready to learn and play, beach style!
#BeachDayFun #SpringBreakPrep #WeAreD87
Let's hear it for our BHS students who won the City of Bloomington's Black History Month essay contest! We're excited to announce the winners (one 1st place and two 2nd place winners!)... 🥁 Drumroll, please...
🎉 1st Place: Shayla Prince
🌟 2nd Place: Ameena Gaston
🌟2nd Place: KJ King-Warr
Congratulations to KJ, Ameena, and Shayla for their exceptional essays and for shining a light on the importance of Black History Month!
Let’s give it up for our winners! 👏🎉 Your BHS and D87 families are proud of you!
#BlackHistoryMonth #EssayContest #CelebratingExcellence #WeAreD87
Just a heads-up that Spring Break is right around the corner! Be sure to mark your calendars because tomorrow we will have half-day attendance.
Tomorrow's dismissal times:
BHS at 11:05 AM
BJHS at 11:35 AM
Elementary Schools at 12:05 PM
Sarah Raymond at 11:15 AM (Please note: no afternoon session tomorrow)
All buildings will be closed for Spring Break from Monday, March 23, to Friday, March 27.
Make the most of your break, relax, have fun, and recharge! ☀️ We're excited to welcome our students back to class on Monday, March 30th.
Enjoy your Spring Break! 🌷
#D87SpringBreak #HalfDayReminder #SeeYouSoon #WeAreD87
They crushed their Quarter 3 goals by:
📖 Reading over 700 pages
✅ Turning in all their homework
🌟 Meeting their behavior goal
To celebrate their hard work, they "traveled" to Japan 🌏, embracing the motto: "Reading takes you places!"
🎊 Highlights of their day included:
🍜 Enjoying a delicious ramen lunch (and mastering chopsticks!)
🎨 Creating origami Pokémon crafts
🍬 Tasting yummy Japanese treats
What an incredible way to celebrate learning, effort, and exploration! 🚀 Congratulations, Bent Superstars—you're unstoppable!
#ReadingTakesYouPlaces #HardWorkPaysOff #WeAreD87
We’re excited to bring back the UKNIGHTED Program this summer for all incoming 6th-graders! This program is designed to help incoming sixth-grade students feel confident and ready for their new adventure at BJHS. Here's what students can look forward to:
✅ Exploring the building.
✅ Practicing their daily schedule.
✅ Meeting teachers, staff, and new friends.
✅ Participating in fun activities!
📅 Dates: August 5th, 6th, or 7th (students will be assigned ONE date).
🕗 Time: 8:00 AM – 2:45 PM.
📍 Location: Bloomington Junior High School.
Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to get ready for life at BJHS!
📝 RSVP Deadline: June 22. RSVP at: https://forms.gle/fbEoNzPLoo2mz4t68
📌 Students must be registered and have their required vaccinations completed before attending. (Registration opens July 1st).
We can't wait to welcome our future 6th graders to BJHS! 🙌
#UKNIGHTEDProgram #BJHSFamily #FutureSixthGraders #WeAreD87
And guess what? Their creativity paid off! Dr. Mouser, disguised as a friendly neighborhood leprechaun, made a special appearance with gold! ✨ And that's not all, the day was capped off with a special St. Patrick's Day party! 🎈🍀
#StPatricksDay #STEMEducation #LeprechaunTraps #WeAreD87
Mrs. Gaffney's students got into the spirit by creating their very own leprechaun trap! Not only did they build the trap, but they also used their persuasive writing skills to convince a leprechaun to follow the gold! 💰✨
I wonder if any leprechauns took the bait? 😉🌈🍀
#StPatricksDay #LeprechaunTrap #CreativeWriting #WeAreD87
🦉✨ Positive Behavior = Cozy Reward for the 3rd Grade Owls!
Ms. Bunton's 3rd-grade Owls at Oakland earned an illuminating positive behavior reward! 🌟 The class spent a cozy day in their pajamas while doing all their work by flashlight. 🔦💤
Great job, Owls—you are shining bright! 🦉🔦
#OaklandOwls #PositiveBehavior #CozyClassroom #WeAreD87
Thank you to the museum for hosting and giving our Mustangs such a memorable experience! 💛💙
#IrvingMustangs #LearningThroughHistory #FieldTripFun #WeAreD87
Mark your calendars to come out and celebrate the artistic talent of D87's 5th graders at the BPL! Whether you browse the exhibit or attend the artist reception, don't miss the chance to support and admire the creativity of our young artists in D87!
🗓️ Exhibit: April 26 - May 9
👩🎨 Artist Reception: May 3, 12-2 PM
#D87ArtShow #5thGradeArtists #BloomingtonLibrary #WeAreD87
Join us April 25th-26th for the magical 2026 Princess Tea! 👑🍰 Spend an unforgettable afternoon with your favorite princesses—desserts, dancing, and fun await! 💃
👑 Priority Tickets: Use the link below and access code to grab your spot before public sales start!
👉 Ticket Link: https://bloom.booktix.com/
🎟️ Reminder: Every guest needs a ticket (all ages)! Reservations are final, but remember- every seat = princess magic! 🪄
Don’t miss the fun—reserve now ! 🌟
#PrincessTea #MagicalDay #WeAreD87
