District 301 News
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2026 Scholarship Central
Scholarship Opportunities and Resources During the spring semester, students ramp up their efforts to seek scholarship money for higher education. Our hope is to support Central 301 students in their quest after graduation. Here is a list of scholarship opportunities that might be of interest to our Central 301 students. This is an ongoing list.
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Friday Focus – January 16, 2026
FRIDAY FOCUS Here’s a look at the happenings across Central 301 this week: Best in the BusinessWednesday morning’s sudden snow squall and Friday’s early snow burst reminded us just how incredible our bus drivers and building and grounds teams are. Navigating challenging conditions with care and professionalism, they kept our schools running safely. Thank you
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CT Cougars participate in the Winter Olympics
Congratulations to the Red House for earning 1st place and the Gold Medal at the 2025-2026 Winter Olympics! The House Colors showed their best sportsmanship while cheering on their teams and celebrating all of the winners. Our PTO Raffle winner co-MC did an amazing job keeping the crowd pumped up!
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HBT Parent University
HBT Parent University Hub COMING SOON: iReady Mathematics Winter of 2026 – SEL – Zones of Regulation Click HERE Fall of 2025 – School Technology Click HERE Spring of 2025 – Extra Curricular Offerings for Elementary Students Click HERE
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6th Grade Winter Dance
On Friday, January 16th, Prairie Knolls Student Council will be hosting the 6th Grade “Winter in Hawaii Dance”. The dance will begin after school and take place from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM. Ticket Pre-Sale Food Drive Bonus!
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Parent University #3: Soaring Through Civics: Constitution Unit and Test Prep
Our next Parent University is quickly approaching! We are excited to invite families to an informational evening focused on the 7th Grade Constitution Unit and Test, which students will take on March 27. The evening will begin at 5:30 PM and we will have you out the door by 6:45 PM. Date: Wednesday, January 14Time: 5:30 PM
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Puerto Rican Culture Comes to Life at CMS
Students learn through stories, history, and family connections Central Middle School Spanish students recently experienced a meaningful cultural learning opportunity through a special guest presentation connected to their Puerto Rico cultural project. Bryan Alemán, a Dual Biology Teacher at Elgin High School, visited CMS to share insights on Puerto Rican history, traditions, and family values.
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HBT House Assembly
HBT Winter TURBO House Assembly Today, January 9th, HBT Staff and Students competed in our 2nd annual winter TURBO House Assembly. Games were played, fun was had, and excitement filled the gym. In the end, the House of Teamwork came out the winner but all teams played hard and cheered eachother on. Check out some
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ML Students at Work
Laying the Foundation for WIDA ACCESS This week, students in our Multilingual Learner (ML) program are preparing for the WIDA ACCESS assessment through an engaging construction-themed unit. The WIDA ACCESS test measures students’ growth in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. As part of their preparation, students are strengthening their writing and speaking skills. In writing,
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Friday Focus – January 9, 2026
FRIDAY FOCUS Here’s a look at the happenings across Central 301 this week: HBT Is Back and RollingAfter a two week break, students and staff at Howard B. Thomas Grade School are back in action and settling into the second half of the school year. It has been great to see the energy, focus, and
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CT students win adventures with staff at the PTO Raffle
1st Grade invited former students to come back to read a story to their current class! 3rd Grade raffled off an opportunity to have Starbucks with the teachers. Have breakfast with 4th Grade teachers. Enjoy a visit and Starbucks with Mrs. Campoli. Secret Shenanigans with 5th grade teachers! Boy was Mr. Speiden surprised when he
