Suggestion Box Ideas Comes to Fruition

Dan Schoonhoven joined the Belleville custodial crew in the spring of 2021. He was originally hired to help spray down desks and tabletops with Vital Oxide at the end of each school day during the pandemic.

As his colleagues learned more about Dan, they found out that he was a retired firefighter and EMT, with years of experience in First Aid/CPR and seatbelt safety. Dan quickly joined the school district's Safety Committee and assisted with the Mock Crash in May.

When the district considered installing an additional door security system, Dan analyzed the system and suggested a "homemade" version that would have the same effect for a fraction of the cost. Dan did his own research, put together several options, presented those to the Safety Committee, and then priced out the final version.

Dan started installing the new system on doors in middle school classrooms today. As an A.L.I.C.E. (Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate) school district, Dan's system could provide teachers and students additional, critical time in the event of an emergency. AND his system saved the school district over $9,000 in parts and installation fees.

Thanks to Dan for his ingenuity and his desire to keep our Wildcats safe!

2022 School District of Belleville Retirees

It was a sensational setting to honor the School District of Belleville's four retirees for 2022. A large crowd gathered at Bailey's Run on a warm, sunshine-filled late afternoon to thank Ian Campbell, Gary Hageman, Bruce Hotchkin, and Cheri O'Connor for their service to the district.

Between the four of them, they have dedicated more than 80 years to the district. Consistency and dependability help to make a school district successful, and these four individuals have been a constant over the last few decades in Belleville.

We will miss you!

Movie Night at the Pool

On Thursday, August 18th, the Belleville Aquatic Center hosted a Movie Night at the Pool, featuring the water-themed movie "Luca." Over 100 kids, parents, and community members joined on the hillside outside of the pool to watch the movie on a beautiful August night.

Pool Director Jean Tretow and Brian Stracke (from Commercial Recreation Specialists) spoke beforehand about the plans for fall construction of the splash pad opening next May. You can still donate for shade and seating structures at this site.

A big thanks goes to Dave Edge for setting up the system to allow movie's images and sound to come through so clearly last night!

The pool closes today after a very successful season, with big changes coming for next year!

Before

During

Back-to-School Dance

On Wednesday, August 17th, the Belleville Area Cares Coalition hosted a Back-to-School Dance in coordination with the school district. One of the goals of Belleville Cares is to put on family-friendly events and provide options for students that are fun and entertaining- without the alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.

At its peak last night, over 200 participants were on-site. The district, thanks to Mr. Gentilli and DJ Aidan Cook, provided music. Belleville Cares donated approximately $1,000 in free Udder Brothers ice cream and JonnyO's pizza to the families and students that came.

Belleville Cares and the School District of Belleville were also proud to work with Hometown Pharmacy and Badger Talks. The pharmacy had a informational table with Sean Casey at the helm. Belleville's Jackie Gehin, along with two other speakers, also spoke to the crowd about healthy eating habits.

We have already taken notes to improve the event for next year and are looking forward to having our students back in the buildings in two weeks!

School District of Belleville Welcomes New Staff

Entering a school year in which so many area school districts are struggling to find staff, it was a pleasure to spend time with the newest Belleville Wildcat staff members in the last two days. Our district is fortunate to be able to post positions early and draw quality candidates. It is a tribute to the district's principals and hiring committees that they were able to bring in such outstanding educators.

As part of the district's mentor program, the new staff met their veteran mentors today. Our mentors are experienced teachers from the district in similar roles as the new hires. The mentors receive training to help staff feel comfortable, improve their instructional practices, and hopefully increase their longevity with the district.

The mentors and new staff shared why they chose to teach in Belleville, along with "getting to know you" activities. This included creating a playlist of songs that will greet all staff back next Tuesday to our opening district inservice.

Welcome to our newest Wildcats!

From left to right: Amanda Schewe, Katie Worple, Erin Treder, Corinna Anderson, Amara Tang, Katelyn Schade, James Pickett, and Nicholas Kositske