Announcements
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Good morning PBL Junior High School
e-Learning Day: With school being canceled today on Tuesday, January 21st due to extreme temperatures, we will utilize an e-Learning Day. A decision will be made later in the day today about afternoon and evening activities.
For our e-Learning Day, students will log into their classes with their Chromebooks to complete work uploaded to the different Google Classroom pages for the classes they take at the junior high.
Teachers will be available by email from 8:00am-1:00pm.
Teachers have been sharing with students the expectations for what to do on an e-Learning Day if we had bad weather conditions and had to cancel school.
Here is a link to our Cool Tool we shared with students to discuss potential e-learning days, expectations, and more: PBL JH e-Learning Expectations
If you have any questions please contact us at 217-379-9202 or you can email me at jdidier@pblpanthers.org.
If you need to contact one of our teachers, you can click on the following link to find all our staff: Staff List
Advisory Cool Tool- Today during advisory students will be doing their grades and attendance checks. Remember when looking at your attendance the goal is to stay under 17.5 absences for the year. Talk to your teachers about how many absences you have currently and if you are on pace to being considered a chronic absentee. If you are, what are some things you could do now to change that trajectory?
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, Indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
At this time, we will now pause for a moment of silence and reflection.
Thought of the Day: Have a great Monday Panthers-
Be Present, Be Powerful
It's important for students to be at school during these cold winter months, but when is too sick to attend school? This Cool Tool will talk to students about the importance of being at school and what they should do if they are too sick to be at school.
New Year, New Goals!
The beginning of the new year is a great time to think about areas in our life we want to improve and set goals to achieve them. During advisory on January 8th, students will setting goals for themselves for 2025! Let's start the year off strong, Panthers!
Holiday Stress
On Wednesday, December 11th during advisory students will be talking about holiday stress and different coping strategies as we approach the holiday season. Holiday stress refers to the emotional, physical, and mental stress people feel during the holiday season.
Be Present, Be Powerful
On Wednesday, December 4th during advisory students will talking about the importance of attending school during the winter months. Coming to school during the cold months of winter can be hard. This cool tool talks to students about strategies to help make coming to school easier in the winter months. We will also discuss eLearning expectations should we have severe weather days this winter.
Jostens All In: Gratitude
More and more of us struggle with mental wellness, but there is a surprising way to increase happiness and to combat stress, low energy, and poor sleep: gratitude. Unfortunately, being grateful can actually be harder than it sounds. During Advisory on Wednesday, November 20th students will talk about gratitude and what it means to show gratitude to those who impact them in positive ways.
Jostens All In: Commitment
During Advisory on Wednesday, November 13th students will talk about what it means to be "All in" in all aspects of life. Being “All In” comes from the idea that you put it all on the table-you know what’s important to you, and you’re willing to go the extra mile to make it happen. Whether you are all in for your friendships, family, school, sports, or personal goal, it starts with small actions and habits. Over time those investments turn into something bigger.
Veteran's Day Ceremony
On Monday, November 11th the high school band will be holding Veterans Day Ceremonies for grade school students at Clara Peterson Elementary (8:30am & 2 Performances) & for high school students, junior high students, and community members at PBL High School. The PBL High School, PBL Junior High School & Community Veterans Day Ceremony will be at 10:30am in the PBL HS Gymnasium. On Thursday, November 7th Advisory classes will be covering a Cool Tool for Veterans Day. Below is the Veterans Day performance schedule and our plan is to have the bell system to ring accordingly. We will call grades levels one-by-one to dismiss to the high school gym starting at 10:15am.
Be Present, Be Powerful
On Wednesday, November 6th during advisory all Ford County schools will be talking about the connection between attendance as a student and how it translates to attendance in the workplace.
School Wide Expectations
On Wednesday, October 30th during advisory, students will be reviewing the school wide expectations. The Cool Tool will review expectations in the lunch room, hallways, bathrooms, bus, extra curricular activities and more.
Red Ribbon Week 2024- "Life is a Movie, Live Drug Free"
October 23rd - October 31st is Red Ribbon Week. We will participate in dress up days and an advisory poster contest. On Wednesday, October 23rd during advisory students will be talking about the purpose of Red Ribbon Week and the activities that they will participate in.
On Wednesday, October 9th all Ford County Schools will be learning about the difference between chronic absenteeism and truancy. This presentation will talk about the importance of attending school regularly.
On Thursday, October 3, 2024 during advisory students will work on organization! They will be provided strategies they can use to stay organized and then spend some time organizing their school materials and their lockers.
October is "Bullying Prevention Month." On Wednesday, October 2nd during advisory, students will be discussing Bullying Prevention at PBL Junior High School. They will be watching videos of high school students explaining their experience with bullying how they handled it while they were in junior high school. As an advisory students will engage in a discussion about how we can eliminate bullying at PBL Junior High School.
Down Syndrome Awareness Walk
he Cool Tool for today in Advisory is about the upcoming 2024 Down Syndrome Awareness Walk that will take place at the PBL High School Track and the back parking lot on Sunday, September 29th from 12:00-2:00pm. Everyone is welcome to attend and here is more information:
From 12:00-1:15pm Old Salty’s Food Truck, Hot Dog Meal provided, Games & Activities
We will walk one lap starting at 1:15pm
Wear Blue & Yellow or your Down Syndrome T-Shirt
Gold Rush Student Section Expectations
Our first home girls basketball game is Wednesday, September 25th! In preparation for this, students will be reviewing a Cool Tool on the expectations of our student section the, "Gold Rush," at PBL JH athletic events during advisory.
Be Present, Be Powerful
This week during advisory students will reflect on their attendance so far this school year. Students will understand that missing just 3 days already this school year can lead them to be considered a chronic absentee for the 2024-2025 school.
Panther Pals
Panther Pals are important to our Junior High community because Panther Pals help model good behavior, responsibility, academic skills and social skills. Panther Pals are also important because it creates friendships across all settings in our school with classes, lunch, recess, sporting events, and much more.
Initial School Climate Survey
On Wednesday, September 11th during advisory students will take the PBL Junior High Initial School Climate Survey. This survey will help the school in getting a baseline for our 2024-2025 School Improvement goals.
Student Council Representatives
A Student Council Representative is when you help out with help with school-wide activities such as fundraising, social events, and community service. Join student council today!
Your job will be to come to weekly meetings during lunch in the art room, helping with concession stands for indoor games, and helping with projects that make the school a better place.
Creating a Positive Legacy
On Wednesday, September 4th and Thursday, September 5th during advisory students will be learning about the term "legacy." Students will be reflecting on what kind of legacy they want to leave PBL Junior High School and beyond. Advisories will be creating a visual to hang in their advisories about what it means to leave an impactful and positive legacy.
Getting involved at PBL Junior High
On Thursday, August 29th during advisory students will learn about the sports, clubs, and activities PBL JH has to offer. Students will also discuss the importance of turning homework in on time to ensure they are eligible as a spectator and as a participant in these activities.
Be Present, Be Powerful!
On Wednesday, August 28th during advisory students will be learning about the importance of attending school regularly. Students will discuss how they can set up routines in their every day life to make sure they attend school on a regular basis. Students will be tracking their attendance during the school year to help them see the number of absences that occur each month. A student that misses 2 days a month will be on track to be a chronic absentee.
Lego League
The PBL JH LEGO League Team is getting ready to kickoff their season and student applications are available in the main office. Here is a link to the Link to the 2024-2025 Application and student applications are due in the main office by Friday, August 30th. Coach Pippin also created a slideshow about our LEGO League Team so students can learn more about our team in Advisory when teachers cover the daily announcements - LEGO League Information 2024-2025.
Advisory Overview
On Monday, August 19, 2024 PBL Junior High School students will be learning about advisory. They will be learning about the purpose of advisory, the structure of advisory, and reflecting on what they may want to learn during advisory. Advisory is place where teachers and students can connect on social emotional topics and learn more about how to navigate junior high school.
ALICE Emergency Drill Cool Tool
On Wednesday, August 21, 2024 PBL Junior High students will review the processes and procedures of our ALICE Emergency Drill during their advisory class. On Thursday, August 22, 2024 the 6th grade students will practice walking to the rally point during PE class. On Friday, August 23, 2024 we will have our ALICE Drill where students and staff will evacuate the building and practice our emergency drill.