As we enter the final stages of the 2026–2027 school year, I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for a terrific year. We began this month by recognizing our 1,508 employees on Staff Appreciation Day - each of whom plays an important role in the education of our students.
Thank you as well to our parents and guardians for your dedication in ensuring your children attend school each day. We are proud to have a 92% average student attendance rate.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Gompers and Hufford Community Open Houses last month. Several hundred people came out at each school to take a final tour before the buildings close in June. We invite you to join us on Wednesday, May 27, from 4:30–6:00 p.m. for the A.O. Marshall Elementary School Open House.
Please join us for our annual District 86 Student Art Show on Friday, May 15th. Over 1,500 pieces of student artwork will be on display at Dirksen Junior High and Lynne Thigpen Elementary Schools from 4:30–7:30 p.m. The evening will also feature special musical performances by some talented junior high students.
The May Board of School Inspectors Meeting is always a favorite meeting of mine, as we recognize many of our outstanding students. This year, 19 students have been selected as recipients of the 2026 Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce Education Scholarship. These students will each receive a trophy, medal, and yard sign at the meeting, along with a $1,000 scholarship upon enrollment in a college, university, or trade school after high school graduation.
We will also recognize 15 junior high students who competed in the Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Exposition at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and 20 students will be honored for having their artwork selected to be featured on District 86 notecards.
Congratulations to our eighth-grade students and their families on their upcoming graduation. More than 1,000 students will take the stage on June 1, 2026. The Dirksen, Gompers, Hufford, and Washington Graduation Ceremonies will be livestreamed. Please visit our website at www.joliet86.org for the viewing links.
Thank you again for a successful school year! If you have a question, comment, concern, or compliment about one of our schools or the District, please send a Let’s Talk message at https://www.joliet86.org/o/jps/page/joliet-public-schools-district-86-lets-talk or click on “Let’s Talk” at the top of the website https://www.joliet86.org/.