Monroe News

Happy Summer Friday to the Monroe Community!

I hope everyone is having the best summer and is balancing fun and relaxation. It is hard to believe we are four weeks out from the start of the 2025-2026 school year! While there's still plenty of time to check those remaining items off of the summer bucket list, we are fast and furiously preparing our building for the start of another incredible year in new and improved classroom spaces!

Construction crews have been working all summer long on the renovation of 30 classrooms at Monroe, along with a number of other projects enabling continued work that will progress over the course of the next couple of years. Classrooms are currently being prepared for new flooring, paint, ceilings, and technology with an expected furniture delivery date of August 6-9. For a glimpse into this week's work at Monroe and Franklin, please click here. Please also check out the photos below!

Schedule Pickup Day
Because we are progressing on schedule, I am pleased to announce that we will be able to host Schedule Pickup Day as planned on Tuesday, August 12th. Please mark your calendars! We will welcome 6th graders into the building from 8am-11am, and 7th/8th graders into the building from 12:00pm-3:00pm. We will be closed from 11:00am-12:00pm for lunch and a building reset prior to welcoming in the 7th and 8th grade students.

Schedule Pickup allows the opportunity for students to have early access to the building to bring their materials, set up their lockers, practice those locker combinations, and walk around the building to familiarize themselves with their schedule and locate their classrooms. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for parents to drop off medical forms, learn about ParentVUE, and purchase spirit wear! We are thankful to be able to provide this day and work collaboratively with our construction crews so that our building is safe and ready to go! Looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday, August 12.

We continue to be so thankful to our community for supporting these much needed improvements to Monroe. Our students will have access to modernized learning environments and we are turning this building into a place our community will be proud of for many years to come.

Please continue reading for an introduction from our new assistant principal, an important cell phone/smart device update, back to school resources, and more!

Wishing you a fabulous end of summer,

Ashley Huettemann
Principal
Monroe Middle School

Hello Eagle Families!

It is with great excitement that I am writing to you! I am honored to serve the students, staff, and the Monroe Middle School community, it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. 

This year will be my eighth year as an educator and third year as a middle school assistant principal. I am originally from Indiana (Go Hoosiers!), went to Indiana University - Bloomington, and began my career teaching high school social studies in Indiana. I then moved to the Chicago suburbs and taught middle school social studies for three years at Leman Middle School in West Chicago School District 33. In 2022, my husband's job moved us to Kansas City, KS, and I took a position as a middle school social studies teacher at Westridge Middle School in the Shawnee Mission School District. After teaching there for a year, I took a position at Indian Hills Middle School, also in the Shawnee Mission School District, as an assistant principal for two years. I am so grateful for all of these experiences and the various communities that I have had the pleasure of serving along the way; all of which have brought me to where I am today!

My family (husband, Patrick, and son, Jameson) moved back to the Chicago suburbs this summer to be closer to family and friends. We are excited for this opportunity and change in our lives!

My core values and educational philosophy are rooted in integrity, loyalty, and community. It is my goal to adhere to student-first decision-making while supporting a safe and effective learning environment for all students and staff. I am eager to bring my values and practices to Monroe Middle School! Throughout the year, if you have any questions or if there is anything we can do to support your student(s), please do not hesitate to reach out. Go Eagles!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Gorniak

At the June 11 Board of Education meeting, a revised cell phone policy was approved for the 2025-26 school year. The revised policy was developed with collaborative input from staff, students, and members of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee. The goal of the policy exploration was to develop a plan that would create a learning environment with fewer distractions for students and staff across all grade levels, while still providing the flexibility and responsibility of cell phone possession where appropriate. 

While the entire revised cell phone policy can be viewed by clicking on this link, below is a high-level overview of some of the changes at the middle school level that will impact Monroe.

Middle School Expectations

• Complete Ban: On cellular telephones and wearable devices including, but not limited to smartwatches that have the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication between two or more parties.

• Storage Requirements: Any devices brought to school must remain powered off and stored in lockers throughout the day. Power Off means it is not in “vibrate” or “silent” mode.

• Special Circumstances: Students with documented medical needs requiring smart devices may use them with prior approval from the school administration. Documentation from a medical provider may be required. Recommendations must be documented on a student’s health care plan, 504 Plan, and/or within the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The principal may approve emergency exceptions.

• Enforcement and Consequences: School administrators and educators must implement interventions/actions on a case-by-case basis to determine what is appropriate based on the individual circumstances. The list of possible interventions/actions listed below is not exhaustive. Interventions/Actions will be determined by a review of the severity, nature, and circumstances of the incident on a case-by-case basis and may include, without limitation, any of the following interventions/actions pursuant to Board Policy 7:190, Student Behavior, and the middle school student handbook.

  • Verbal warning

  • Parent Notification/Conference

  • The Main Office will hold the device for the remainder of the school day.

  • The device will be held, and parents are required to pick it up from the Main Office.

  • Revocation of device privileges on campus

• Focus on Development Middle school is an important time to learn that digital citizenship means using technology responsibly, ethically, and effectively. Students will learn about responsible and appropriate use of technology, social media/internet safety, and media literacy. Middle schools will prioritize social interaction and academic engagement by minimizing distractions from smart devices.

Thank you in advance for your partnership and we implement the revised cell phone policy at the start of the 2025-26 school year.