Harrisburg Unit 3

Continued....I hope it was memorable for all Seniors as well! Thank all of you that played a role in that event. Fairgrounds, Todd Church , Hayes Motors....so many more! WELL DONE AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR SENIORS AS THEY START THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIFE!

I just wanted to take a moment to give THANKS to High School Staff, Security officers, Janitors, Scott Dewar , John Crabb, and Tony Chrisman for a WILDLY successful High School Graduation Ceremony. I understand it was not a TYPICAL Graduation....but was an unbelievable effort!

Harrisburg Community, We have been notified by the Governor's office that we can move to Phase 3. With that announcement we will open back up Taylor Field for community members who want to walk on the track. Please keep social distancing and groups of 10 or less! Thanks Mike

REMINDER!!!!!! Food bags will be passed out on TUESDAY this week. Same time same place.....just be there on TUESDAY to get your food! Mike

HCUSD #3 and West Side Primary will be holding Kindergarten registration from August 3rd through August 7th. Please make an appointment to ensure a screening for your son/daughter by calling 618-253-7637 extension 5245 (please leave a message if no answer) or by emailing cpopetz@harrisburg3.org. Please keep in mind any student entering Kindergarten must be 5 on or before September 1st. Thank you and have a great weekend !

Click link for IDPH and Illinois State Board of Education Guidance for Graduation Ceremonies: https://5il.co/gbdf

ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING SENIOR GRADUATION The Graduation Ceremony will look similar to a DRIVE - IN Movie. 1. The date of the ceremony is yet to be determined. 2. All spectators will be required to stay in their vehicle the entire ceremony. Anyone that exits their vehicle for any reason will be forced to leave with NO EXCEPTIONS. This is necessary for us to abide by all guidelines. 3. We will be using the Saline County Fairgrounds for the event 4. WEBQ will be broadcasting the ceremony live so you can listen in your car or roll down windows and listen to the sound system 5. Mr.and Mrs. Hart will also live stream the event....those details will be provided at the same time as the date of the scheduled event. 6. All speeches will be given as scheduled 7. Seniors will be lined up in a designated area by staff and will drive their vehicle to the stage, exit their vehicle, walk up on stage and receive their diploma. (we will provide a vehicle for those students who do not have one). 8. They will then get back in their car and follow the route in their vehicle to the pavilion where they will be able to take a picture, get back in their car and exit the pavilion This is NOT a perfect graduation ceremony, it is not what we want, it is not ideal......but it does allow us to honor our Seniors. We ask that you help us KEEP THE FOCUS on them and adhere to all the rules and guidelines we ask be followed. We encourage you to come, sit in your car and listen to the ceremony on WEBQ. Honk when we would normally clap and show these Seniors we care. I will be putting out the IDPH guidelines in another message and will let you know a date for the ceremony as soon as we can get a grip on the weather. Please call the High School if you have any questions. Thank you for your support and SENIORS.....I AM VERY HAPPY WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!!! Mike

Harrisburg Seniors and Parents!!!!!! I am very happy to announce that the Board of Education decided last night to approve our plan for a Graduation ceremony that will meet all IDPH guidelines as well as the Governor's recommendations on gatherings. Details will follow!!!!!!!!!!

Parents, As your children finish the packets that are due on May 26th, Please return them to the school of your child. Each building will have small bins outside their main entrance starting on Monday, May 18. Please turn packets in there....THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!

Just wanted to provide an update on GRADUATION FOR SENIORS! The Board has decided we would like to wait until the middle of June and see if any restrictions are lifted. IF NOT we have 2 alternative plans and will be putting one in place at that time. STAY TUNED!!!!!!!!!

Please tune in Tuesday morning to WSIL TV3 as Natalie Fry will be LIVE at approximately 6:30 to discuss the district's E-LEARNING program. I encourage everyone to tune in to hear what we have done and where we are headed in regards to our E- LEARNING program.

Harrisburg Unit # 3 Family, This is Teacher Appreciation Week and I hope you all appreciate our teachers here in Unit # 3 as much as I do. This year has shown not only the compassion and caring our staff has, but the love for their students and community. I AM PROUD OF MY STAFF!

Dear Unit 3 Parents/Guardians: Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic the State of Illinois is giving extra benefits to the families who currently receive SNAP benefits. BUT Since the Harrisburg School District is considered CEP, due to the poverty levels in our town there is a benefit to the families that do not currently receive SNAP benefits. ALL FAMILIES CAN RECEIVE THIS BENEFIT! Click these links for the explanation of benefits: https://5il.co/fpti https://5il.co/fpth Click this link for the application: https://5il.co/fptg

Unit 3 Parents/Guardians/Students: Please fill out this three question survey to help us plan for future e-learning. https://forms.gle/iAenjNvY7oymVRr69 Thank you!

Harrisburg High School lights up Taylor Field, Jay Thompson Field and Center Field tonight to honor our 2020 senior class and all of our students. We love you and miss you. Go Dogs!

ATTENTION............REMOTE LEARNING INFORMATION HARRISBURG, Due to the Governor's announcement today that he has suspended all in person learning for the remainder of the 19-20 school year. Harrisburg Unit 3 has changed some dates regarding our remote learning and want to make you aware. The packet your child currently has can be dropped off at your child's school on April 28th. You will be able to pick up the next packet at that time. We have set two times for the drop off old packet and pick up a new packet. These times will be from 10a.m. - 1p.m. and also from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. on April 28th. The packet you pick up on the 28th will be a month long packet and will carry us through the end of our school year. This final packet must be submitted to your child's building by May 26th. This message will be updated as questions arise or as situations change. Now I would like to address our students. You all need to know that your teachers and staff as well as your Principal, Superintendent and School Board care about each and every one of you. This decision is something that makes us very sad for all of you and us. We look forward to seeing each and every one of you back in August. Please stay safe and healthy. Seniors, this is unimaginable. You have had a portion of this year taken from you and now you are being told that it is just over. I know it is unfair, but you will overcome this and move on to greater things, because you are BULLDOG STRONG!!!! The School Board has assured me that when the ban is lifted we will have some form of Commencement ceremony for you Seniors to be honored for your accomplishments in your High School career. We will announce when the ban is lifted and we can plan a date. Mike Gauch Superintendent

Attention Unit 3 Family: Please click link for more information about remaining school closure. https://5il.co/f8fy

Harrisburg, During these days when NOTHING seems normal anymore.....I wanted to show you something that has always been constant in the HARRISBURG community! HARRISBURG UNIT # 3 LOVES AND CARES FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. I am unsure what many of you will see when you look at this video.....Let me tell you what I see.....I see COMPASSION, EMPATHY, VOLUNTEERISM, KINDNESS, TENDER, CONCERNED, THOUGHTFUL AND LOVING INDIVIDUALS. These individuals that come together every week and spend hours preparing, bagging and delivering a LITTLE bag of food overflowing with a LOT OF LOVE! The team all agree we have FUN doing it, it brings us closer together and provides essential nutrition for our kids. During these times, we worry about our kids LOSING or REGRESSING WITH THEIR LEARNING........... I think if our students and community watch my team and what they are doing during this time, any small regression pales in comparison to the MONUMENTAL LIFE LESSON that is an unintentional consequence of my team being what they are .......GREAT PEOPLE! #THEYTHINKWE'REJUSTTEACHING #PROUDSUPERINTENDENT #LOVEMYUNIT3FAMILY #DOINGWHATISRIGHTFORKIDS Mike Gauch https://youtu.be/qEtGj4Ij24M

HARRISBURG UNIT # 3 FAMILY - We wanted to make you aware of a TIME CHANGE !!!!!!! Starting Monday April 13th - FOOD SITES WILL BEGIN PASSING OUT MEALS AT 10:30 a.m. AND STAY UNTIL 12:30 OR UNTIL THEY RUN OUT OF FOOD. TIME NOTED ABOVE IS THE ONLY CHANGE, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL CONTINUE AS IN PRIOR WEEKS. Thanks Mike Gauch

Unit 3 Family, We would like to take a moment to clarify some information with the packets and the calendar. The packets that were handed out yesterday and the e-learning will start today, this will take us through spring break and convene the week after spring break. As recommended to HCUSD #3, we are still following our school calendar through the remaining year. Students will not be expected to complete remote learning over spring break. Therefore, this packet or e-learning will extend past spring break and get us to the next packet which will be distributed the week of April 27th. With regard to the April 27 packet, we were advised to plan for remote learning through the rest of the school calendar in case we are not able to get back into school or have in person instruction. This is why as a district we have set April 27th for remote learning to continue. If we receive further communication contradicting this and expect in person instruction to begin on May 1, we will adjust our plans. This is strictly for planning purposes at this time. As always, we will communicate information as soon as we receive it.