Submitted by Dr. Ethan Sickels

Happy Spring (I think)! I am fairly certain we had some warmer days in January and February than we have had lately, but it always could be worse. We have reached that point of the school year where we have around 25 days of school left; and the learning in our classrooms, athletic events, and activities at both ends of the building are occurring fast and furious. If you need something to keep you busy during the evening over this last stretch, I am positive you can find a school event to keep you entertained!

The last five weeks of school signifies testing season in our school district as well. MAP (Grades 3-8) and EOC (Grades 9-11) assessments begin April 21. As always, if you can, ensure your student(s) is/are getting a good night’s rest and come ready to dominate their test! If you aren’t sure when your student(s) is/are testing, don’t hesitate to reach out to their classroom teacher.

Our first ever Blue Jay High School baseball team has taken the field recently. Currently we have 19 athletes out for the team, and the support from our community has been fantastic. Thank you to everyone who has donated time, energy, and financial support to help start our program. A special thanks to the City of Rock Port, Park Board, and the Rock Port Youth Baseball Association for allowing us to utilize their facilities. We are excited our student athletes have one more avenue in which to participate and represent our school.

Finally, some disappointing news for the upcoming school year. We were notified that the USDA and federal government will not provide free meals for every student during the 2022-23 school year. Please keep that in mind as you budget family expenses beginning in August. This has been a huge benefit to our families during the pandemic, and I am bummed to see it discontinued.

As we head into spring break, I hope you can spend and enjoy some much needed time with family and friends. As always, I leave you with three important words . . . GO BIG BLUE!