We are absolutely thrilled to announce a historic achievement for Monroe Middle School! Our school has been awarded an Exemplary designation on the recently released Illinois Report Card for the 2024-2025 school year. This is a momentous occasion for our students, staff, and community. The Exemplary designation is the highest possible rating a school can receive in the state's accountability system, and we are incredibly proud to share that this is the first time Monroe Middle School has achieved this honor. Even more exciting, Monroe is the first middle school in D200 to ever receive the Exemplary distinction! This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and collaborative spirit of our entire school community—our engaged students, committed teachers and staff, and supportive parents.

What Does "Exemplary" Mean?

The Exemplary distinction is reserved for schools that have achieved the highest performance level according to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Specifically, a school is designated as Exemplary if it:

• Ranks in the top 10% of all schools statewide.
• Has no student demographic group performing at a level that would require targeted support.

This designation is not based on a single measure but on a comprehensive evaluation of several key indicators, including:

• Student academic performance (e.g., test scores)
• Student growth (how much students improve from year to year)
• School climate and student attendance
• English Language Proficiency growth

In short, the Exemplary status means Monroe Middle School is one of the highest-performing schools in Illinois, effectively preparing all students for success. This remarkable achievement reflects our collective commitment to excellence in education. We encourage all parents to view the full Illinois Report Card by clicking here. Please join us in celebrating this incredible milestone for Monroe Middle School! We look forward to continuing this tradition of excellence together. Go Eagles!

Upcoming Events
Nov. 11: Veterans Day Breakfast & Ceremony, Boys Basketball @ Jay Stream, Wrestling Home
Nov. 12-13: SOS Presentations for 8th Grade
Nov. 13: Boys Basketball @ Edison, Wrestling Home
Nov. 18: Boys Basketball @ Glen Crest, Wrestling @ Jackson
Nov. 20: Boys Basketball Home
Nov. 24-28: Thanksgiving Recess

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Golly Gee Whiz!  We have such an incredible performing arts community at Monroe; I am so proud of our students and staff for putting on such a quality production.  Please enjoy the photos below from the show!   

Finally, construction is progressing nicely on our new performing arts center.  For a weekly update including photos of newly poured foundation, please click here.

Looking forward to honoring our veterans tomorrow!  Pictures to come in the next newsletter of our breakfast and ceremony with our honored guests.

Ashley Huettemann
Principal

The PTA's Holiday Spirit Wear sale is going on until November 16th. Check out our new items to keep you cozy this winter! Do you have a child entering Monroe next year? Why not surprise them with a hoodie for the holidays?

We have TWO shipping options: Ship to the school for FREE or ship to your home and pay an additional shipping fee.

Thank you for supporting the PTA!

Monroe Moolah is off to a fantastic start thanks to all the generous donations from our parents! Students have been working hard and earning their Moolah, and now it’s time to celebrate their efforts with some awesome rewards. These prizes can come from our Amazon Wish List or include fun treats like ice cream scoop certificates.

If you happen to have any leftover medium to large-sized Halloween candy, our students would love to pick from that as a reward too! You can also think outside the box and donate other fun items you think middle schoolers would enjoy.

If you know of a local business that would love to support our students by donating a reward, please email Danielle.Pitsenbarger@cusd200.org so she can connect with them. Let’s keep the excitement (and the Moolah) going strong! Amazon list here.

Congratulations to the Monroe Soccer Team who earned a spot in the championship game against Hubble!  While we couldn't quite pull off a three-peat, the boys played hard and they represented Monroe with pride and commitment.  Coach Guy Callipari from WWSHS came to support our athletes, speaking with them about their goals and motivating them to continue as student athletes at the high school level.  The tournament is now a cherished tradition as it is inspired by the passion, sportsmanship, and talent displayed each and every year!

Join us on December 2 at 7 p.m. for our annual Pack the Gym night, where the CUSD 200 Flying Tigers will take on the Waubonsie Warriors! This event gives us an opportunity to cheer for our team and give back to our community by supporting the local Christmas Sharing Program. Everyone is encouraged to come out and make this a memorable night for all!

Abby Austin: Great leader, positive attitude, hard worker and always willing to help
Jude Roy: Studious and stoic. A leader in class and his contributions to class are highly valued.
Khan Tuang: An absolute joy to have in class. Great participation and engagement! Thanks for making your classmates and teachers smile everyday.
Nikky Moreno Olguin: Very hardworking and respectful. Devoted to academic success! A great artist as well!
Ari Jia: Hardworking and inquisitive student. Very kind and compassionate to others.
Gio Cuateco Urue: Awesome student with intellectual curiosity. Participates and has a great attitude.
Sammy Boike: Always so happy and respectful. Willing to help everyone when working in groups.
Oliver O'Mara: Hardworker and cares a lot. Participates and is passionate about his learning.
McKenna Myers: Blooket queen. Steady worker and very intelligent.
Carter Eaton: Brings good energy. He's very responsible. He's a great role model for others. Spreads the most Christmas Cheer.
Santiago Flores: An amazing student who is always on task and willing to help others. Has a positive attitude and perseverance.
Chloe Arvanitakis: Excels at school and extracurriculars. Does quality work and has great time management. Is a leader.
Autumn Palicka: Amazing confidence and class participation. She makes every class a fun place!
Arsema Bayessa: Hard worker and is showing a lot of growth. Gets her work done and works well with others.
Siang Sung: Very helpful to those around her. Is hard working and cares about the quality of work.

Save the Date! The Book Fair is Coming!

Monroe will be hosting a book fair from December 8th-12th. More information to follow. 

PURPOSE
Testing results will be used to qualify students for 7th grade Fast-Paced Language Arts, 7th grade Fast-Paced Mathematics, 8th grade Fast-Paced Language Arts, and 8th grade Fast-Paced Mathematics✪ for the 2026-2027 school year.

ELIGIBILITY
● Any middle school student who lives in the District 200 attendance area is eligible to participate*.
● Students are invited to test based on parent and/or teacher recommendation.

Specific dates and times will be determined at your child’s school for in-person testing.  Results will be made available in May 2026.

PROCESS
Should your student be interested in PACE testing for possible PACE placement for the following year, please complete the online parent referral form by January 30, 2026.  (Should this date be missed, the next possible testing time will be made available in the summer.)

✪ Entering 8th-grade students who qualify for A-Level Geometry in 8th Grade will also need to pass an Algebra 1
summer course with A or B level mastery and the District Algebra I Assessment as prerequisites for this class

*Students who currently attend a private school or are homeschooled, but reside in the District 200 attendance area, are eligible for the PACE Testing. If a student qualifies for the PACE Program under these special circumstances, it becomes the parent’s responsibility to provide transportation to and from classes. The parent must consider scheduling issues when making a decision regarding participation in the PACE Program.

With the winter months upon us, we want to be sure everyone has a link to the District’s E-Learning Plan. This plan includes the schedule and expectations we follow should there be a need to close schools due to extreme weather conditions. We will review this plan with the students prior to winter break.