Meet KyLee Behm. KyLee is a Du Quoin High School Indian and SIU Saluki, and Golden Apple Scholar teaching 2nd grade special education at DES. She loves working with her students and making her classroom a welcoming and comfortable environment where students can succeed. If she could live anywhere in the world, it would be a Country Life. She is married to Hunter, has a son and daughter and three cats, Glitz, Glam and Diamond, sparkle on!  She’s proudest of achieving her master’s degree and is working toward a doctorate in special education. We cannot wait to celebrate this awesome accomplishment with you, future Dr. Behm! Oh and for a superhero power, KyLee’s is reading minds, specifically kids to see what they have learned or are thinking . . . but be aware!

Pass the Marker is a strategy designed to embed collaboration among students, offer ways to students to feel supported to try hard things and develop positive peer relationships. The idea involved creating a big question or problem for students to solve. Then group students and give them collaborative time to reach a solution. Throughout the working time, the facilitator (teacher) announces to Pass the Marker, forcing another student in the group to pick up the solution progress from the previous students. The strategy leads to improved collaboration and discussions.  Check out this video to watch it in action with math.

We were recently awarded a $50,000 School Maintenance Project Grant from the Illinois State Board of Education that will allow us to continue our school security improvements. We plan to use the funding to further the hardening of our entrances by installing security film on exterior doors and windows.

We are also glad to announce that our student transportation contractor has hired a new manager for the Du Quoin operation. Mr. Steve Adams will be managing the bus service for First Student and we welcome Steve to our District. In addition, the District was able to use grant funds to add two more Multifunction School Activity Buses (small, white, 14 passenger buses) brining our total fleet to four buses that our teachers and coaches can use to transport smaller groups of students.

We are excited to be able to perform several projects this summer to continue the improvements to our school buildings and outdoor facilities. Over the next several months we will be performing the following projects with the goal of having them all completed before next school year:

-Playground renovation at the Elementary and Middle School

-Central clock and bell system installation at the Elementary and Middle School

-Replacement of turf at High School Baseball field

-Boiler replacement at the High School

-Concrete and asphalt repairs at Elementary, Middle and High Schools