
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monroe Center Grade School Recognized with GreatSchools Thrive Award
Monroe Center, IL — Monroe Center Grade School, part of Meridian Community Unit School District 223, has been honored with the prestigious GreatSchools Thrive Award. This recognition places Monroe Center among the top 532 schools in Illinois, celebrated for creating a positive and supportive learning environment for both students and staff.
The Thrive Award is a first-of-its-kind, data-driven accolade that highlights schools fostering an environment where students can thrive academically and emotionally. This recognition is particularly significant as it is based on the results of the Illinois State Board of Education’s annual 5Essentials Survey—a key indicator of school climate and culture.
The 5Essentials Survey is an annual assessment taken by students and staff across Illinois public schools. It measures five critical areas of school effectiveness: Effective Leaders, Collaborative Teachers, Involved Families, Supportive Environment, and Ambitious Instruction. The survey results provide invaluable insights into a school's climate, offering a comprehensive overview that is often difficult for families to access otherwise.
Monroe Center Grade School’s strong performance on this survey underscores the school's commitment to fostering an environment where all students feel supported, safe, and encouraged to succeed. This latest recognition builds on the school's past achievements, including being named a Lighthouse School by Franklin Covey. This honor highlighted Monroe Center’s excellence in leadership and its dedication to developing a culture of student empowerment and accountability.
"We are incredibly honored to receive the GreatSchools Thrive Award," said Principal Deana Simpson. "This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire school community—teachers, students, and families. At Monroe Center, we believe that a supportive and positive environment is the foundation of a successful educational experience, and we are thrilled that our efforts have been recognized. Being named both a Lighthouse School and a recipient of the Thrive Award reflects our incredible commitment to the success and well-being of our students. It speaks volumes when you are honored with an award that is based on the input of the community, your staff family, and your students. I could not be prouder of those that created this environment."
GreatSchools, the nation's leading nonprofit school information site, developed the Thrive Award to meet the growing demand from parents for insights into school culture, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. By providing this information alongside data on advanced course offerings, STEM programs, and more, GreatSchools aims to empower parents with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their children's education.
For more information about Monroe Center Grade School and its programs, please visit the school's website or contact the school office at 815-645-2230.
About Monroe Center Grade School: Monroe Center Elementary School is a proud member of the Meridian CUSD 223, serving students in Monroe Center, Illinois. The school is committed to providing a nurturing and challenging educational environment, where every child is encouraged to reach their full potential.
About GreatSchools: GreatSchools is the leading national nonprofit empowering parents to unlock educational opportunities for their children. We provide school information and parenting resources to help millions of American families choose the right school, support their child's education, and improve schools in their communities.


Today, 09/03/2024, is Picture Day! Shipping and handling charges may apply to orders placed after Picture Day. Order now at https://inter-state.com/FlyerEntry/87192SF.

🚨 Parents and Guardians, we need your help!
Staying informed about your child's education has never been easier – but we need YOU to take action! 💪
Download and USE the Rooms app today to get updates on everything happening at school. Be the first to know and stay engaged in your child’s success, from assignments to events. Rooms is also available on a web browser: https://id.edurooms.com/
Your involvement makes a huge difference. Let’s work together to support our students – one notification at a time! 🙌


Our Health Services Department is wishing everyone a safe and healthy school year ahead!
Important forms and contact information may be found here at the Health Services tab of our district website: https://www.meridian223.org/page/health-services


Message from the Meridian 223 Health Services Dept: Health requirements are now due! Please view the link below to see which requirements pertain to your student. Contact your student's school nurse if you have any questions!
https://bit.ly/4dxR0f3

Our Meridian School District app keeps getting better and
better! Parents/guardians who have already created a
Rooms account can now access new app features like chat
and class streams via web and in the app.
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Say “hello” to two-way messaging and classroom
announcements in the Meridian School District app! With the
addition of Rooms, our district app keeps getting better.
Parents/guardians check your email/texts for instructions to sign
up and access new features.


Say “hello” to two-way messaging in the Meridian
School District app! The same district app now offers
class streams, class announcements, and parent-
teacher chat. Look for your personalized invitation to
begin using this feature in our app after June 17th.
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Field Day at MC was so much fun!!
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Leadership Day at MC was great! Our students did an amazing job showing their parents our school and their displays of leadership around the building.
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Yesterday, MC celebrated our MILLION WORD readers!
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Thank you to all the teachers and coaches who work tirelessly to ensure students are successful! The work you put in is greatly appreciated!


The paraprofessionals and interventionists are amazing staff members who work to ensure students are successful! A huge amount of gratitude is owned to them for everything they do!


Our students and staff are fortunate to have great support from our buildings and grounds, athletics, and activities staff, who help create opportunities for extracurricular events for the students! Meridian CUSD is lucky to have heroes working here!


Where would Meridian CUSD 223 be without our amazing transportation staff and health service staff? They are instrumental in ensuring our students are here at school and able to do their best! Thank you for everything you do!


Meridian CUSD 223 is a successful district due to the many staff members who work here to make it that way! Thank you to the food service staff, the technology department, and the library staff! Your impact on student achievement does not go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated!


We are currently experiencing issues with Frontier that are preventing our calls from going through. Frontier is currently looking into the issue. - MCUSD Technology Department

4V got books today for being excellent readers!
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Learning Supply and Demand in Mrs. Lagerhausen's 5th grade class
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Our Staff Wellness Committee is excited to host our 4th Annual Meridian Wellness 5K! It is open to our entire Meridian 223 community! 5K sign up link: https://forms.gle/gGiJiKCuwFUBikWGA
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