In Mr. Glabinski’s Social Studies class at BJHS, students got hands-on with history as they channeled their inner archaeologists! 🏺🦴 Carefully digging through small layers of sand, they uncovered ancient artifacts - and even a few fossils! 🙌
#D87United #UnitedInCulture #HandsOnLearning#ArchaeologistsInTheMaking
We love seeing our D87 community learning about and experiencing cultures around the world! Shay Simmons, mom of Bent Elementary’s therapy dog Baldur, was recently featured in a BBC article while visiting Scotland’s Shetland Islands for a week-long festival celebrating traditional knitting and fiber arts.
Shay joined hundreds of knitters from around the world to learn about traditions such as Fair Isle knitting, meet local makers and experience Shetland’s music, history and culture. She even made a red-and-white knitted headband that she plans to wear at school when she returns! 🧶❤️
What a fun example of how traditions bring people together across cultures and across the world!
#D87UnitedInCulture #D87United #WeAreD87 #BentElementary
Check out the BBC story featuring Shay:
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62kp9nn487o
The Tiger scientists investigated some important questions:
🌱 Will a worm choose a dry place or a moist place?
🌑 Will a worm prefer a dark place or a light place?
🪱 What happens when worms are together without dirt or other elements around them?
The students made observations, watched the worms’ behaviors, and even discovered that the worms appeared to work together to get warm when they were without the soil and other elements they normally rely on.
And of course… every worm needed a name. 😂 We had some very creative worm names floating around the classroom!
And if you know Ms. Bauer, you know she is NOT exactly known for loving chaos, messes, or experimental surprises. So the fact that they had a room full of fifth graders, dirt, water, and WIGGLY WORMS is proof that science can push us all outside our comfort zones! 😉
🪱 Bauer’s Worms: Small Scientists. BIG Investigation. 🪱
#D87UnitedInAchievement #D87United #WormsWithMsBauer #WeAreD87
🎉 BHS Homecoming Week Recap!
What a week it’s been for Bloomington High School Homecoming! 🥳
✅ Raider Rally brought the spirit!
✅ The Homecoming Assembly was filled with energy, and congratulations to our 2026 Homecoming Royalty—Makenzie and Finn! 👑
✅ Friday’s Homecoming Game was down to the wire. The Raiders gave their all but came up just short. 💜🏈
✅ And tonight? It’s time for the Homecoming Dance! 💃🕺
If you know someone headed to the HOCO dance tonight, drop a pic in the comments—we love seeing our Raiders all dressed up for the occasion! ✨
#BHSHomecoming #Hoco2026 #BHSRaiders #D87United
🎉Celebrating the 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees!
D87 and BHS proudly celebrated four exceptional individuals whose careers, service, and dedication have left a lasting impact on our schools and community.
✨ Congratulations to this year's inductees:
BHS Hall of Fame:
Deanna (Yurieci) Frautschi (Class of 1966)
Emily Bell (Class of 1976)
District 87 Hall of Fame:
Andrew (Andy) Jones
Rod Parker
From inspiring education and community leadership to decades of service in BHS athletics, each inductee has helped shape the D87 community in meaningful ways. We're proud to celebrate their legacy and officially welcome them into the Hall of Fame! 👏
📣 Don’t miss the celebration! These outstanding inductees will be introduced during tonight's Homecoming football game. 🎶🏈
#D87United #WeAreD87 #BHSRaiders #HallOfFame #Homecoming2026
Today we celebrate the incredible custodians who work hard every day to keep our D87 schools clean, safe and welcoming for our students and staff. 💜
To all the custodians who put in long hours and hard work to keep everything running smoothly: We couldn’t do it without you! 💜Thank you for everything you do behind the scenes to keep our schools running smoothly. We appreciate you today and every day! 👏🧹
#CustodianAppreciationDay #D87United #WeAreD87
Retired McLean County Judge Don Bernardi visited BHS to speak with eight sophomore English classes about his experiences during his career as a judge.
Students had the opportunity to hear his stories, ask plenty of great questions, and learn more about the judicial system from someone who experienced it firsthand.
A big thank you to Judge Bernardi for spending the day with our students and sharing his knowledge and experiences! 👏
#D87United #UnitedInBelonging #WeAreD87
There’s no school for students tomorrow, Friday, September 25.
Enjoy the long weekend, and we’ll see our students back in class on Monday, September 28! 💜💛
#D87United #WeAreD87
Throughout September, we’ve been celebrating #D87UnitedInBelonging, and Mrs. Cocallas’s 4th-grade class at Sheridan is a perfect example of what belonging looks like!
Rocking matching Sharkwear, these Sheridan Sharks are learning together, growing together, and belonging together!
Looking good, Sharks! 💙🦈
#D87UnitedInBelonging #D87United #WeAreD87
Mrs. Benjamin's American History class at BHS brought the concept of monopolies to life by playing Monopoly!
Students put their math skills, negotiation tactics, and patience to the test, and learned a valuable lesson about the importance of reading directions and how understanding the rules is key to success!
🎲After the game, students connected their experiences back to industrialists and monopolies in American history, helping bring the lesson full circle- plus, they had fun playing the game together! 🎉
#LearningByDoing #MonopolyFun #D87United
#OaklandOwls #ISUBasketball #GoodTimes #D87United #WeAreD87
#BHSCollegeFair #FutureReady #D87United
We’re happy to introduce Brailyn Zimmerman, who is joining the Stevenson Tigers as a special education paraprofessional for the 2026-27 school year! A recent graduate of Eureka College, Brailyn majored in Education and Psychology. She was drawn to D87 because of its welcoming environment and the positive experiences shared by other D87 employees.
Brailyn is excited to join the Stevenson family this year and looks forward to working with her colleagues and students. Looking ahead, she plans to continue her education and work toward becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist!
Welcome to the D87 family, Brailyn! 🐯❤️
#WelcomeToD87 #WeAreD87 #D87United
🎉🔢 BINGO Night at Oakland was a hit! Families came together for an evening full of fun, laughter, games, and prizes.💚🦉 A huge thank-you to the amazing Oakland PTO for organizing the fun evening for the Oakland Owl community! 👏
#D87United #BINGOSuccess #OaklandOwlsFun
We are happy to have Kaitlyn join the D87 family as a paraprofessional at Bent this year! A true District 87 alum, Kaitlyn grew up right here in Bloomington and attended D87 schools from kindergarten (Bent and Stevenson) all the way through high school at BHS (class of 2017!). She has a passion for helping children reach their full potential and is excited to give back to the community that shaped her.
This year, Kaitlyn is looking forward to seeing the progress students make toward their education goals and working alongside some of the teachers who taught her in elementary school!
Fun facts: Kaitlyn loves creating art with friends, spending time with her family, and playing video games in her free time.
Welcome home, Kaitlyn; we’re so happy to have you back with us! 🌟
#WelcomeToD87 #WeAreD87 #D87United
Today, students got moving with WERQ Dance Fitness, led by D87 Assistant Superintendent Dr. Sherri Thomas! Even Superintendent Dr. Mouser stopped by and joined in on the fun! 🎉
🐺Washington's “We Fit In” invites special guests to introduce fitness activities in PE—it’s about coming together, trying something new, and creating a sense of connection and belonging, and of course, "fitting in"! Now that’s #D87UnitedInBelonging in action!
#WeFitIn #D87United #D87UnitedInBelonging #WeAreD87
SAVE THE DATE for D87 Family Game Night on Tuesday, October 27, from 5:30–7:30 p.m.!
✨ Stay tuned for more details!
#D87FamilyGameNight #D87United #WeAreD87 #UnitedInPossibility
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated September 15–October 15, and the BJHS Library Media Center is kicking things off with a colorful display celebrating Hispanic history, culture, traditions, and the many people and stories that have shaped our world. 📚 Students can explore books, learn about influential Hispanic figures, and discover more about the rich diversity of Hispanic heritage.
And this is just the beginning! Stay tuned throughout the month as we share more stories, celebrations, and learning from across District 87.
#HispanicHeritageMonth #D87United #WeAreD87 #D87UnitedInBelonging
🧩✨ United in Belonging at Oakland!
In honor of September's United in Belonging theme, Oakland staff created personalized puzzle pieces and connected them to show that every piece matters. What an awesome way to celebrate connection, teamwork, and belonging! 💚🦉
#D87United #UnitedInBelonging #StrongerTogether #WeAreD87
Meet our D87 family facilitators! 🌟
Our family facilitators work alongside students and families in several D87 schools, providing support, building relationships and helping families feel connected to their school community.
📍 Amanda Bittner — Sarah Raymond
📍 Nancy Sanchez Rios — Bent
📍 Sara Montgomery — Sheridan
📍 Tracy Wapp — BJHS
📍 Kristin Nafziger — BHS
📍 Claudia Calvo Pineda — D87 Interpreter
From supporting attendance to building strong connections with students and families, our family facilitators make a difference every day. We’re so grateful for all they do- let's give a big round of applause for their hard work and dedication! 👏
#FamilyFacilitatorsRock #D87United #UnitedInBelonging
