Bloomington Public Schools District 87

🎸✨ Rock On, Mustangs! ✨🎸

Today was a fan favorite event at Irving: Rock Your School! 🎤🎶 Students and staff decked out in their best rock star looks and celebrated the end of the week in "rocking" Mustang style- it was a Friday to remember! 🤘💙💛

#RockYourSchool #RockStarFriday #WeAreD87

🚒📚 What an eventful day at Oakland! The kindergartners had the amazing opportunity to learn all about fire safety directly from the experts at the Bloomington Fire Department. 🔥👨‍🚒
Meanwhile, the 3rd-grade Owls received a special gift – their very own dictionaries, thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club! 🦉📘
A big thank you to both the Bloomington Fire Department and the Rotary Club for your commitment and care for our students' education and safety!
#FireSafety #Literacy #CommunitySupport #ThankYou #WeAreD87

🧹✨ Happy School Custodian Appreciation Day! ✨🧹
Today, we celebrate our incredible D87 custodians! Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and care in keeping our schools safe, clean, and welcoming for students, staff, and families. 💜
They are the heart of our buildings, and we are so grateful for everything they do! Take a moment to thank a custodian today—they truly make a difference every day! 👏

#CustodianAppreciationDay #ThankYou #SchoolHeroes #WeAreD87

🌺📖 Hispanic Heritage Exhibits at Bloomington Library! Join us in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a special exhibit at the Bloomington Public Library, featuring the creative projects of BJHS bilingual program students! On display until October 15th, these projects were made by 6th-8th grade students under the guidance of Crystal Miramontes and Ashley Carrasco for their bilingual language arts class. Dive into culture and creativity at the BPL! 🎉
#CelebrateHispanicHeritage #BilingualStudentsShowcase #BloomingtonPublicLibrary #WeAreD87

🚒🔥 Fire Safety Day at Irving! Miss Willette's kindergarten class had an exciting visit from the Bloomington Fire Department! The Mustangs learned about fire safety through hands-on education and fun with our local heroes!
A huge 'Thank You' to the firefighters for teaching our Mustangs how to stay safe! 👨‍🚒🧑‍🚒🎓
#FireSafety #BloomingtonFD #CommunityHeroes #WeAreD87

🎾✨ Tennis Court Celebration ✨🎾

Join us next Tuesday, Oct. 7th, at 4 PM as we celebrate the grand re-opening & re-dedication of BHS tennis courts, honoring legendary coaches Barry Nixon and Ed Rozboril!

🏆 Ceremony at the courts before BHS girls' tennis takes on Normal West!

See you there! 💜💛

#NewBHSTennisCourts #WeAreD87

🎉✨ Bent Ribbon-Cutting for the NEW playground!
It may have been a hot morning, but the excitement was through the roof as Bent School celebrated its brand-new playground! 🙌 Principal Delgado, Superintendent Dr. Mouser, and Illinois State Rep. Sharon Chung joined the Superstars students to cut the ribbon and mark this special day! 🎀✂️ Thank you to everyone who made this new playground and special day possible!
#NewPlayground #BentSchool #CommunityCelebration #WeAreD87

🎉📸 Throwback Photo Reveal! Homecoming Week is coming to a close, and so are our D87 staff throwback photos! Today’s the big reveal—how many did you guess right?
Thanks to everyone who played along and helped make this week so fun!
#ThrowbackReveal #HomecomingFun #WeAreD87

✨🏈 Big night for D87 during Homecoming Week! Two BHS graduates, Colin B. Manahan VI and Michael Neal, were inducted into the BHS Hall of Fame, while two former educators, Kathryn Gillespie and Judy Szabo, were recognized in the District 87 Hall of Fame. Congrats to our 2025 Hall of Fame inductees:
🌟 Dr. Colin B. Manahan VI (BHS Inductee, ‘77): A dedicated leader who served District 87 for 25 years, overseeing 275+ projects & championing arts and music education.
🌟 Michael Neal (BHS Inductee, ‘62): Multi-sport athlete, coach, and teacher who brought BHS football to the state playoffs in 1977. (Michael passed away in 1995, pictured is his wife Judy with this award)
🌟 Kathryn Gillespie (D87 Inductee): Inspiring math educator at BHS (2001-2018) who led with excellence.
🌟 Judy Szabo (D87 Inductee): Taught in D87 for 33 years. Innovator and mentor behind programs like We.Fit.In and "Fast Friends," impacting generations of students while working at Washington School!.
Thank you for your contributions to our D87 schools and community! 🏆
#HallOfFame #HomecomingWeek #WeAreD87

🎉📸 It’s our final throwback of the week! Have you been playing detective? 🔍👓
Be sure to come back tomorrow for the exciting reveal! We’ll uncover who is who in our throwback gallery.
#HomecomingWeek #StaffThrowbacks #GuessWho #WeAreD87

🎊💫 Homecoming Week Finale: Raiders Style!
As we bring Homecoming Week to a grand close, yesterday's assembly captured the essence of Raider pride perfectly! 🎈
The Homecoming court celebrated together over a special lunch, while the Raiders cheered on every fall sports team with true Raider enthusiasm. A big congratulations to our Homecoming Royalty: Layla Lee and Ky'veon Chestnut! 🎉🏆
And we’re not done yet! Gear up for tonight's HOCO football game, where the Raider spirit will soar! Tomorrow is the time for our Raiders to hit the dance floor at tomorrow's homecoming dance. 🏈💃
#RaiderSpirit #Homecoming2025 #GoRaiders #WeAreD87

🎤✨ Talk about a homecoming! Today, BHS students had the privilege of hosting a truly inspiring guest speaker, Dorothy Stewart, a BHS alum and Hall of Famer! Graduating from BHS in 1951, Dorothy went on to make significant strides in the housing sector. As the first Black woman Executive Director for multiple housing authorities, Dorothy shared her inspiring journey—from growing up in Bloomington to her impactful career and even skydiving at age 91!
Thank you, Dorothy, for motivating the Raiders with your incredible story! 💼✈️
#BHSAlumni #GuestSpeaker #Inspiration #WeAreD87

🎉✨ Family Learning Night at Bent was a blast!
The Superstars and their loved ones enjoyed an activity-packed evening filled with laughter, connection, and memorable moments. The perfect ending? Story time with Mr. Bussan 📚⭐️!
Thanks to everyone who helped make the night so special! 💖

#FamilyFunNight #BentSuperstars #WeAreD87

🌟 Throwback photos continue of D87 staff in honor of homecoming week! Do these young faces look familiar? Take a guess in the comments and see if you can match the flashback to the faculty member!
Check in again tomorrow for more staff glimpses from the past! 🎬📷
#HomecomingWeek #StaffThrowbacks #GuessWho #WeAreD87

🚌🌟 Adventure Alert! Transition students in the RISE program at BHS enjoyed a community outing using Public Transportation, marking the first time for many of them on this mode of travel! Here's to more firsts and fearless exploration! 🚎💼

#StudentAdventures #CommunityOuting #WeAreD87

🌟 Attendance Awareness Month Spotlight! 🌟
Helping students become Attendance H.E.R.O.s (Here. Everyday. Ready. On-Time)
Say hello to our BHS Family Facilitator, Kristin Nafziger! 🎉
💬 What she loves about her role:
“Connecting with students and families and building up the Raider community.” ❤️
🏡 Favorite way to connect: Kristin enjoys fostering relationships through home visits or family meetings. 🤝
📢 Message to Families:
“I am looking forward to connecting with the Raiders and their families this school year! Together we can work to create a positive school atmosphere and welcoming community.” 🏫💙
📚 Fun Fact: Kristin is a huge SpongeBob fan! She also loves reading—especially science fiction and anything by Stephen King. 🧽📖
Let’s cheer Kristin on as she helps the Raiders thrive as Attendance H.E.R.O.s this year! 🎉
#AttendanceHERO #FamilyFacilitator #LevelUP #WeAreD87

📸 Flashback Feature: Here are today's D87 staff throwback photos in honor of Homecoming Week! Do you recognize anyone from these snapshots? Place your guesses in the comments section! 🌟 (all names from this week's throwbacks will be shared on Saturday!
#HomecomingWeek #StaffThrowbacks #GuessWho #WeAreD87

🎒✨ A BHS theme day student favorite for Homecoming Week - "Anything But a Backpack" Day! The creativity is off the charts! Check out some of the innovative ways the Raiders are carrying their books today. Which one is your favorite? 👜😂
#BHSHomecoming2025 #AnythingButABackpack #WeAreD87