District Brochure

About Our District || Administrators, Buildings, Phone Numbers

Programs and Services || School/Community Collaboration

About Our District

Flora Community Unit #35 School Dsitrict is a Pre-K/K-12 district which serves 1450 students residing in a 171 square mile area of south-western portion of Clay County and small parts of Wayne and Marion Counties.

The district maintains six attendance centers:

Flora High School 9-12

Floyd Henson Jr. High School 6-8

Lincoln School 4-5

Xenia School K-4

McEndree School Pre-K-3

Washington School Pre-K/K

The Office of the Superintendent is located in the Administrative Office at 444 South Locust Street.

Flora CUSD #35 is a progressive district which provides many diverse educational opportunities that reach far beyond academic progarams . Students throughout the district are exposed to computer technology daily. Networked computers are in place in every regular classroom from Kindergarten through grade 12. In addition, the High School has three 25-station labs, a 20-station portable lab, and a ten-station Cisco Training Lab, while the Junior High has a 25-station lab. Students also have Internet accessibility.

The district also provides a gifted program for students in grades three through twelve who meet an establised eligibility criteria. These students meet on a weekly basis to develop creative and leadership abilities.

Vocational education extends beyong the school and into the community through the co-op program, building trades class, and the state and nationally recognized ACCESS (school-to-work) program. The JOBS FOR ILLINOIS GRADUATES Program emphasizes skills related to personal and professional development.

Extra-curricular activites are provided for boys and girls throughou the district in both academics and athletics.

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Admistrators, Buildings, Phone Numbers

Name
Title
Building
Phone #

 

Gary May Superintendent Unit Office 662-2412
Bob Pierson Asst. Superintendent Unit Office 662-2412
Darrell Gummert Principal Flora High School 662-8316
Rick Batchelor Principal Floyd Henson Jr. High 662-8394
Leslie Carder Principal Lincoln School 662-2226
Julie Pearce Principal McEndree School/Washington School 662-2014/662-8118
Ellen Erwin Principal Xenia School 662-2205
Mark Smith Transportation Director Bus Barn 662-4272
Jennifer Hettiger Special Education Coordinator Unit Office 662-8894
Jill Weems Southeastern Special Education Director   455-3396

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Programs and Services

Flora CUSD #35 operates and maintains the following Programs and services for district students:

Special Education:

The district is a member of Southeastern Special Education Cooperative which provides services to special needs students. Services available include psychological testing, social services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, LD/BD/EMH classrooms. The district also provides speech and language services.

Cafeteria/Lunchroom:

The district makes cafeteria services available to all campuses. Breakfast programs are available at the elementary levels. The distric participates in the federally funded free and reduced lunch programs for qualifying families. Information about the programs can be obtained in the building offices.

Nursing Services:

The district makes nursing services available to all buildings. The Nurse's office is located at McEndree School and can be contacted at 662-2014.

Pre-School Screening:

Screening of three and four year-old children is done each spring. Information regarding this special program is published in teh local newpaper prior to the screening dates.

Guidance Services:

Guidance services are available to students in grades K-12. The elementary guidance counselor is at McEndree School and can be reached at 662-2014. The High School counselor is at the high schoola nd can be contacted at 662-8316. The Junior High counselor can be reached at 662-8394.

Testing Program:

Students in grades 1-11 participate in a standardized achievement testing program. The program covers basic skills and cognitive skills. In addition, students in grades 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 are involved in the Illinois Standards Achievement Test which is administered annually. Eleventh grade studetns are tested by the Prairie State Achievement test (which includes ACT and Work Keys). Results of the programs are used to develop and annually update the district's School Improvement Plans.

Testing results are supplied to parents either directly or through the district's annual School Report Cards.

Juniors and Seniors are permitted to participate in the ACT and SAT tests which are required by many colleges for admittance.

Music Programs:

Students in grades K-5 participate in a general music program on a weekly basis.

Students in grades 6-12 may participate in a vocal music program that includes performing choirs at both the junior and senior high levels. Instrumental music is available for students in grade 4-12. Performing bands are developed and maintained at grades 4-5, 6/7-8, and 9-12. The high school also operates a jazz band and pep band for ball games. Musical/theatrical productions are performed annually.

Interscholastic Competitivie Programs:

District interscholastic programs provide opportunities for competition for boys and girls for grades 6-12.

Junior high programs include scholastic bowl, cheerleading, baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball, and track. In addition, football is offered through a community-based program. High school programs include scholastic bowl, cheerleading, football, volleyball, tennis, basketball, track, baseball, softball, and golf.

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School/Community Collaboration

Communication between school and community is a priority for the Flora CUSD #35. The district uses many means to establish and maintain an open exchange of information and ideas.

Parent Newletter:

Each fall a parent newletter is mailed to every household that has children enrolled in Flora Schools. The newletter ocntains information regarding enrolling or withdrawing students, procedures for the opening of schook, schedules for registrations at the buildings, committees/activities that parents can choose to participate in, and other information pertinent to parents and students.

Student Report Cards:

Report cards are distributed on all campuses at the conclusion of each nine weeks of instruction. The report cards inform parents about grades, attendance, and behavior.

Parent/Teacher Conferences:

Conferences are scheduled each year for two days (one morning, one evening) in November. Parents are encouraged to meet with their child's teacher to discuss the child's progress and learn more about the child's academic program. If a parent cannot attend the regularly scheduled conferences, arrangements can be made at a more convenient time. Additional conferences can be scheduled whenever a parent feels a need to meet with the teachers.

School/Community Committees:

Flora CUSD #35 maintains several standing commities to allow parents more opportunities to be involved in the school. The Curriculum Advisory Committee is made up of administrators, teachers, parents, community memebers, and students. It meets four times a year to discuss/review current national, state, and local educational issues. The Technology Committee meets four to six times a year to oversee the district technology plan. The committee is made up of Board members, administrators, teachers, parents, community members, and students. The Policy Revision Committee, consisting of Board members, administrators, teachers, and parents, meets annually to review and revise the policies of the Board of Education. The Behavioral Intervention Committee, representd by an administrator, Special Educaiton Coordinator, Special Education teacher, and a parent of a special needs student, also meets annually to review and revise the behavioral management plan for special needs students. The Food Service Advisory Committee meets at each building annually to advice the Sodexho Coordinator. Many community members and school personnel serve on the Crisis Management Committee which strives to provide a secure learning environment. Parents are also urged to participate in the annual School Improvement Plan process that takes plance in each building throughout the year.

Finally, parents are always encouraged to attend the many activites that involve their children and to participate in some capacity when possible.

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