Pair-Up Perfection

 Bringing our students together across grade levels and throughout the building is one of the most special ways we cultivate belonging.  We kicked off our first round of student pair-ups, and the energy in the building was electric!

From laughter shared over teambuilding activities to new friendships forming between younger and older students, the entire experience was bursting with positive connection.  

Thank you to all of our educators and student leaders for bringing so much enthusiasm and heart to this event, you made our first gathering a truly joyful success!

Dash Day!!!

What an incredible week!  A huge thank you to the PTA for organizing such a fun, festive, and fabulous Panther Dash, and for making sure every student and staff member walked away with a custom tie-dyed t-shirt.

This year’s Panther Dash was a huge success!  A massive thank you to our incredible PTA for planning such an energetic, fun, and positive event for our students.  We are so grateful to everyone who stepped up to support our school - your generosity gives our PTA the resources they need to keep doing amazing work for our kids, staff, and families!

Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our school community, we officially exceeded our $6,000 goal!  If you would still like to contribute, our fundraiser remains open through Sunday.  We are thrilled to put these resources to work in supporting our students, teachers, and families.

And you know what that means, it’s time to celebrate!!!  Get ready for Pajama Day, extra recess, extra lunch, a movie + popcorn party, and our messy Slip ’N Slide finale!  Next week, students will get to vote on the exact toppings Dr. Schmeisser and Mr. Lawry will be sliding through.  Stay tuned for those delicious details.

EPSN News

Lights, camera, action!  Tune in to our very first EPSN newscast and catch a preview of the incredible broadcasting experience available to our students!

A Community of Care

 Clothes, shoes, jackets, coats, food, toiletries, school supplies, and more!  Available to any family for free.  Just stop by the main office and take what you need.  Have a need for something specific? 

Please fill out this Google Form and we will make sure you get what you need.  Our goal is to partner with families to ensure every child has what they need to thrive!

Growing Community!

 Harvest time!  Thanks to the work of Ms. Friedman’s middle school STEM students last year, our community garden is blooming.  You are warmly invited to stop by and harvest fresh herbs and vegetables for your home, please help yourself to whatever you like!  Check out the pictures below to see what’s growing and where to find everything in front of the school.  Enjoy!

Pump the Pep!!!

What a way to wrap up week one! Our first pep rally was packed with pure energy, unstoppable school spirit, and so many smiles. 

We couldn't have asked for a better afternoon celebrating our school, showing our gratitude for one another, and kicking off the new year together!

What A Start!

 What an incredible start to the year! 

It was truly wonderful welcoming our students back, and the energy, excitement, and enthusiasm across our halls was contagious! 

We couldn't have asked for a better opening to the school year!

Believe

 

We're ready to make this our best year yet!

Welcome Back + We've Got This!

 We couldn't be more excited to start the new year!  Here is a welcome back letter for students, thank you for sharing it with your child(ren).

Supporting your child and family is at the heart of everything we do.  We deeply value your perspective, and we are always here to listen, answer questions, and collaborate with you.  Our team is fully committed to cultivating a safe, nurturing environment where every child’s unique strengths are celebrated and their learning thrives.  We look forward to working alongside you to create an extraordinary school year!

We look forward to seeing your child(ren) again very soon! 

Investing In Excellence

 

Our commitment to "ensuring the highest levels of learning" means always pushing ourselves to grow.  Recently, members of our team gathered at Stevenson High School for the annual PLC Institute to collaborate with educational leaders and dive into best practices for student success.

We return humbled, inspired, and more united than ever in our mission. Doing this work at the highest level allows us to build richer educational experiences and stronger support systems for our students, staff, and families.  The future is bright at East Prairie, and we’re ready to lead the way!

Thank you Panthers!

Here is our end-of-year letter to students.  A huge thank you to our Panthers for making this year truly special, memorable, and remarkable in every single way!

Thank You for an AMAZING Year!!!

Thank you for standing by our side, believing in our mission, and truly living the values that define East Prairie.  Reflecting on this school year, we are so proud of how we collectively championed our students - prioritizing their academic success and emotional well-being.  By setting the bar high together, we reached incredible new heights this year.

As you know, East Prairie's mission - our fundamental purpose - is to "value the uniqueness of all and ensure the highest levels of learning."  This success, measured in many ways, is truly about the journey. Here's an overview of the successes we wanted to highlight as we begin to wrap up the year:

• A Model of Excellence: East Prairie has been recognized as an "Exemplary" school by the Illinois State Board of Education, alongside ongoing top rankings from U.S. News + World Report and Niche.  As an International Model PLC District, East Prairie proudly hosts educators to share our successful collaborative strategies and student-centered culture.

• Student Growth + Achievement: Our students continue to reach new heights in their learning.  Even as the needs within our community grow, our staff and families have united to ensure every child has the support they need.  Thanks to this incredible team effort, we are helping our students achieve at remarkably high levels.

• A Culture of Care: We believe that an inspired staff creates inspired students.  With 93% of our team deeply engaged and satisfied, and 93% sharing a unified commitment to pursuing excellence every day, our school fosters a genuinely caring, dedicated environment where everyone can thrive.

• Expanded Community Partnerships: It takes a community to support a child, and we are grateful to have expanded our collaborations this year.  Through vital partnerships with the Niles Township Government, Niles North High School, the Early Childhood Alliance, the NT Food Pantry & Clothing Closet, our wonderful PTA and Foundation, and many others, we provide holistic support for our families.  Together, we are ensuring our students thrive academically, emotionally, and physically.

• Mentoring Matters: Our mentoring programs have grown tremendously, now connecting over 100 students in 3rd through 8th grade!  The heart of this program is all about building meaningful connections between peers.  By learning and growing together, our students are lifting each other up and enhancing their academic, social, and emotional well-being every single day.

• Enhanced STEAM Curriculum: Our state-of-the-art STEAM curriculum continues to evolve to give students the tools they need for tomorrow.  This year, we added a cutting-edge podcasting studio and a hands-on hydroponic garden!  These new spaces open up even more doors for our students to create, explore, design, and build critical skills for the future.

• Robust Support: We are dedicated to meeting every student right where they are.  This year, we strengthened our intensive math and reading programs to ensure all K-8 students have the tools to meet grade-level standards.  Alongside academic help, we expanded our Check-in/Check-out system and social-emotional (SEL) skills groups, providing vital behavioral and emotional support whenever students need it.

• Strengthened Multilingual + IEP Support: We are committed to ensuring every student at East Prairie thrives.  Through continuous educator training, we’ve enhanced our support systems for our multilingual learners and students with IEPs.  By focusing on collaborative co-planning, co-teaching, and assessment, our educators are working closer than ever to deliver personalized, high-quality instruction that meets the unique needs of every child.

• Preschool For All Program: We further developed our research-backed, play-based curriculum tailored specifically for our youngest learners.  This amazing program allows us to provide high-quality, foundational early childhood education to our community at minimal or no cost to most families.

• K-8 Writing Focus: We deepened our focus on strengthening the writing process across all grade levels.  By leaning into highly effective teaching practices and providing meaningful, personalized feedback, our educators are helping every student find their voice and build strong communication skills for the future.

• Continuous Social-Emotional Learning Growth: We know that emotional well-being is the foundation for academic success.  This year, we deepened our commitment to SEL by expanding our school-day resources and training.  Through five core anchor tools and dedicated daily SEL time, our staff ensures that positive habits and behavioral supports are seamlessly woven into everything our students do.

• Panther Pantry: To better serve our families, we’ve moved and expanded our community pantry right into the front office.  This new, convenient location ensures that all students and families have quick, easy, and discreet access to essential food items, clothing, school supplies, and toiletries whenever they need them.

The end of a school year is a natural time for reflection, and as we look back on things, we want to send a heartfelt thank you to our East Prairie families.  Quite simply, we couldn't do what we do without you.  Thank you for entrusting us with your children every day and allowing us to guide them in becoming thoughtful, compassionate young people.  Thank you for building a caring community that extends far beyond our school walls, for always pushing us to reach new heights, and for consistently putting our children's needs first.  We look forward to our continued partnership and to all the exciting possibilities the next school year will bring! We hope you and your family have a relaxing, fun-filled, and memorable summer!  Thank you for all that you do to make East Prairie  the truly special community it is.

Growth Happens Here!

Growth happens here!  From preschool through eighth grade, our students continue to learn, thrive, and achieve at the highest levels.

  

We are proud of the powerful impact our shared collaborative mindset has on our students, families, and community every single day!

EPS Mentoring

The East Prairie Mentoring Program has officially wrapped up its first full year!  We are beyond proud to have supported 40 of our third through eighth-grade students through this relationship-driven initiative, which focuses on building interpersonal skills, leadership, and overall well-being across our school community.

It has been an absolute pleasure to watch these connections flourish over the past six months.  We officially concluded the program yesterday with a celebratory final meeting featuring a lively "Keepy Uppy" team-building activity, a pizza and wing party, meaningful reflections from our mentors, and a certificate ceremony.

We truly believe that every child both thoroughly enjoyed and grew from this experience!  Thank you for partnering with us to make this inaugural year such a resounding success.

Our Year In Review

Our annual "Year in Review" is officially here!  We invite you to dive into this year's publication, which celebrates the incredible achievements of our students, staff, and families.  Inside, you’ll see exactly how your collective support has made East Prairie a safe, caring, and inclusive environment where every student can thrive.  Thank you for bringing this vibrant spirit of care to life in our school and neighborhood every single day!

PLC Video

East Prairie is proud to be recognized as an International Model Professional Learning Community (PLC).  Each and every day that means that our educators are collaborating, analyzing data, and learning from one another to ensure your child receives the best possible instruction, alongside an abundance of care.  We’ve put together this short video to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the teamwork that makes our school so extraordinary.  Thank you for your continued partnership in making this work possible!

Teacher Appreciation Week!!!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!!! A time to pause and truly honor the excellence of our East Prairie teaching team.  The care, creativity, and heartfelt commitment our educators bring to the classroom are simply unmatched; their impact on our students’ lives is profound.  This team works with such thoughtfulness and gratitude every day to serve your children and our community.  We invite you to join us this week in celebrating these incredible individuals who make our school a second home.

 

In addition to Teacher Appreciation Week, Wednesday is School Nurse Appreciation Day!  Throughout each day, Nurse Hannah provides extraordinary care and support to our students, staff, and families.  She navigates an incredibly complex role with a blend of grace and expertise.  We are beyond fortunate to have such a compassionate, kind, and talented professional in this essential position.  Please join us in thanking Nurse Hannah for her tireless dedication to the health, safety, and well-being of our entire school community.

Financial + Community Resources

We understand the financial strain that comes with SNAP benefits becoming less accessible.  Please know that our school is a place of unconditional support for all your family’s basic needs.  We are prepared to help with access to daily school meals, local food pantry referrals, and connections to utility assistance.  Please reach out directly to any member of our team so we can ensure your family's basic needs are being met.  

Through our strong community partnerships, we can readily connect families to a wealth of essential support and help you navigate the process.

• The Niles Township Food Pantry, Community Clothing Closet, and more.

• Skokie Health and Human Services.

• Utility and housing assistance programs through the Niles Township Government.

• Legal aid and "Know Your Rights" resources available through our community partners.

• East Prairie Supports.

• Please contact Mr. Boule, Dr. Schmeisser, or our main office for a confidential referral.

We also want to remind all families that our district is dedicated to ensuring every student has access to nutritious meals.  Your child is eligible to receive a free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch meal through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) on every school day if your household qualifies.  Students who receive SNAP benefits are generally automatically certified for free school meals.  For those who are not currently receiving benefits but believe they may qualify, we urge you to complete a free and reduced-price meal application today at nslpapp.com.  Please reach out to our business manager, Tim Gavin (tgavin@eps73.net) for any help and support with this process.

Dash Day!

A huge thank you to our PTA for orchestrating a festive, high-energy, and incredibly colorful Panther Dash! From the upbeat music and games to the personalized tie-dying, this year’s event was a true celebration of community. 

We are so grateful to our students, families, and staff for coming together to prioritize wellness, have fun, and support a great cause. 

Today was a vibrant reminder of the "East Prairie Heart" that makes our community so uniquely special!