February is here and it is a big month at Peoria High School. This week we officially kick off Black History Month, and we are excited for a full month of learning, celebration, and Pride of the City energy. 🖤💚💛❤️ Our 2026 theme is “Celebrating the 100th Year of Black History Together: Honoring the Past and Empowering the Future.”Throughout February, students will participate in daily Name That Black History Tune during announcements, door decorating, lunch trivia, spirit weeks, talent show sign-ups and performances, fine arts programming, assemblies, and cultural celebrations. Black History Month t-shirts will be available for purchase for $5 through Ms. Dailey. 👕 We are grateful to the staff and students who have worked hard to build a meaningful and engaging month.

💙 School Counselor Appreciation Week
This week we celebrate our school counselors and the incredible impact they have on students and families every single day. Our counselors support academic planning, postsecondary readiness, social-emotional needs, and so much more. Please join us in thanking them for all they do to help students succeed.

❄️🍦 Frozen Lions Attendance Challenge
Students who earn 95% attendance for the month of February will receive a frozen treat. Attendance still matters. Every day. Thank you for continuing to support daily attendance and punctuality at home.

📊 Progress Report 3 – Friday
Progress Report 3 (PR3) comes out Friday. This is a great opportunity to sit down with your student, review grades together, and talk about next steps. Please encourage your student to:
✔️ Be in ALL of their classes
✔️ Complete assigned work
✔️ Ask for help when needed

Consistent attendance, engagement, and effort matter.

📝 Survey Season: Panorama & Cognia
Students will be completing the Panorama Survey and the Cognia Student Survey in their classes. These surveys give students a voice and help guide school improvement efforts.

In future messages, I will also be sharing information about completing the Parent Cognia Survey. Your feedback is extremely important, and we appreciate your partnership.

🎬 Freshman Class Movie Buyout – February 26
We will host a Freshman Class Movie Buyout on February 26 during 6th and 7th hour as a reward for freshmen who are staying on track.

To be eligible, students must:
✅ Be passing at least 6 classes for Quarter 3
✅ Have 90% attendance
✅ Have no major disciplinary referrals for Quarter 3

This is about recognizing students who are showing up, doing the work, and making positive choices. 💪

🎯 ACT Countdown + Tutoring Support
February 1 means we are officially in ACT prep season.

📌 Freshmen & Sophomores ACT – April 14
📌 Juniors ACT – April 22

How families can help now:
✔️ Encourage daily attendance
✔️ Make sure students get good sleep
✔️ Talk with students about doing their best work in every class
✔️ Encourage tutoring and asking for help

📚 Free After-School Tutoring
• Tuesdays – Gashaw & Garrett (Room 714)
• Thursdays – Tagabuen & Felix (Room 228)

Tutoring focuses on coursework support, Edgenuity, and ACT skill practice.

🏀 Boys Basketball Update
Peoria High defeated Moline 70–57 and improved to 17–6 on the season with a strong team win. 🔥🦁

🤼 Wrestling Update
Kencey Purdle placed 2nd at regionals and advanced to sectionals. 🥈
Bradley Schwab placed 4th and will attend sectionals as an alternate.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. February is packed with opportunities for students to learn, grow, and be celebrated.

1615: Show Up. Own Everything. Hunt Excellence.

Monday
• Black History Month – Daily News: Name That Black History Tune
• Talent Show Sign-Ups Begin
• Door Decorating Begins
• School Counselor Appreciation Week
• Freshman Basketball @ Normal Community – 6:00 PM

Tuesday
• Black History Month – Daily News: Name That Black History Tune
• Black History Month T-Shirts Go on Sale – $5 (See Ms. Dailey)
• Data Day – Math Classes
• Tutoring w/ Gashaw & Garrett (Double G) – Room 714 – 2:45 PM
• Soph/Varsity Boys & Girls Basketball @ Manual – 4:30 PM

Wednesday
• Department PLC – 2:45 PM
• Black History Month – Daily News: Name That Black History Tune
• Lunch Trivia (2 Winners per Lunch)
• Staff/Student of the Month Nominations Due
• 5th Hour – 7 Mindsets Lesson 5.3: Thank It Forward

Thursday
• Extended 3rd Hour
• Black History Month – Daily News: Name That Black History Tune
• Extended 3rd – Appreciation Cards to Counselors + 7 Mindsets Lesson 5.4
• US Navy Visit – Lunches
• Tutoring w/ Tagabuen & Felix – Room 228 – 2:45 PM
• Freshman Boys & Girls Basketball vs Manual – 5:00 PM

Friday
• Progress Report 3 Ends
• Black History Month – Daily News: Name That Black History Tune
• Black History Shirts on Sale w/ Ms. Dailey
• Staff/Student of the Month Breakfast – 7:45 AM
• Soph/Varsity Boys & Girls Basketball vs Urbana – 5:30 PM

Saturday
• Fresh/Soph Wrestling Regional @ Bloomington – 9:00 AM
• Swimming @ Urbana B12 Tournament – 11:00 AM

• AVID Valentine’s Day Sales – February 9–10 (Lunches)
• PPTO Meeting – February 10
• National Guard Visit – Lunches – February 11
• Peoria Park District Visit – Lunches – February 12
• Presidents Day – No School – February 16
• Freshman Movie Buyout – February 26

Show up at a game or concert this semester. It means more than you know.

🗓️ Athletic schedules: https://schools.snap.app/peoriahs

🎟️ Grab Your Game Tickets Here
All tickets for Peoria High home athletic events can be purchased through GoFan.
Click the link below for quick, easy, cashless entry:
👉 GoFan Link: https://gofan.co/app/school/IL21469

📺 Can’t Make It to the Game?
If you’re unable to attend a Peoria High School athletic event in person, many of our games are streamed live on the NFHS Network. This allows families and community members to support our students from anywhere.
👉 Peoria High School’s NFHS channel https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/peoria-high-school-peoria-il

✅ Reduce Chronic Absenteeism
Every day matters. We can’t teach students who aren’t here.

✅ Increase Freshman On-Track & Graduation Rate
We’re building stronger foundations and finishing strong.

✅ Increase Student Proficiency on the ACT
We’re sharpening skills and expanding opportunity.

📊 Data Snapshot

• Freshman On Track: 93% (Goal 88%)

• Seniors On Track: 90% (Goal 80%)

• Schoolwide Attendance: 87% (Goal 95%)

• Chronic Absenteeism: 42% (Goal 36% or less)

Attendance is one of the biggest factors in success. Every day matters. Show up, pick up a pencil, and create the best version of you.

• Doors open at 7:00 AM

• Buses will drop off at the foyer doors on North Street.

• Car riders should be dropped off at the back Atrium entrance.

• All students must pass through a security check each morning.

• After 7:30 AM, the Atrium entrance is the only one open for student entry.

All students must now use clear bags on campus.

• Students in extracurriculars can check in their bags each morning with their coach.

• Bags will be secured in the coach’s room or locker room office.

• Non-clear bags must be checked in and picked up after school in the auditorium.

• Clear bags are available for $20 from Ms. Hart in the Main Office.

🔗 Link to Clear Bag Policy

The 2025–26 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is now open, allowing students and parents to apply for financial aid for the upcoming academic year. Completing the FAFSA is essential for accessing federal grants, work-study opportunities, and loans.

How to Get Started:

Create a StudentAid.gov Account: Both students and parents need individual accounts to sign and submit the FAFSA form.

Gather Required Documents: You'll need your 2023 tax returns, W-2s, bank statements, and records of untaxed income.

Complete the FAFSA Form: Visit fafsa.gov to start a new application. Students should initiate the form and invite parents as contributors if necessary.

Submit Before Deadlines: The FAFSA is a graduation requirement in Illinois.

Completing the FAFSA early increases your chances of receiving the maximum financial aid available. For more information and to begin the application, visit fafsa.gov.

Peoria High is a cell phone free school during the day. All students are expected to secure their phones in a Yondr pouch.

• Putting their phone in a Yondr pouch at arrival, or handing it over to be secured for the day.

• If a phone is hidden in their bag or later found at arrival, it will be a parent pick up.

• Any phone seen after arrival will also be a parent pick up.

• Headphones and iPads must stay in bookbags. If they’re seen during the day, they will be collected.

If your student needs a new Yonder Pouch they need to see our Treasurer Ms. GINA.DAILEY@PSD150.ORG to pay $30 for the replacement. Then Ms. AMY.DENSON@PSD150.ORG will then issue them a new pouch.

This is about opportunity. Students have the chance to start the day making the right choice so the focus stays on learning. Every minute in class matters.

🔗Yondr Pouch Info Sheet

Please contact your students counselor:

• Mr. Patrick Klimaszewski → Students with last names A–E

• Miss Tammy Collier → Students with last names F–K

• Miss Paula Webb → Students with last names L–R

• Ms. Casey Stone → Students with last names S–Z

📈 Tutoring & ACT Support
Tutoring is open to all students and takes place after school on Tuesdays in Room 714 and Thursdays in Room 228. Students can attend for help with classwork or to focus on ACT preparation. Practicing for the ACT matters. It builds familiarity with the test, strengthens reading and math skills, and builds confidence. Consistent practice leads to better outcomes and more options after high school.

Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who want to work on ACT skills during tutoring will be enrolled in ACT-focused Edgenuity strands and supported by after-school tutors. We are also working on incentives for students who complete ACT strands. We know the best incentives come from student voice, so students are encouraged to share what motivates them by reaching out to Mr. Laird.

All our policies—from dress code to behavior expectations—are available in the Student Handbook. Please take time to review it with your student. We will also discuss expectations, eligibility and more at our class meetings.
👉 Student Handbook

✅ Eligibility
All-School Eligibility is determined by the following behavior, attendance, and/or grade criteria (BAG):

• Students with Ds or Fs in 2 or more classes on most recent grade report.

• Students with 2 or more unexcused absences within the last 30 days. 

• No more than 20 tardies to class within the last 30 days

• Students suspended for fighting or reckless conduct are ineligible for the remainder of the semester.

😷 Medical Mask
Students should not be wearing medical masks at school without a note from a parent or doctor. If your student has a note, they should see Nurse Maggie so she can notify all of their teachers.

🚫 Disruptions & Fights
Major disruptions, including fights, will be addressed seriously and can lead to significant consequences. We focus on resolving conflicts through restorative conversations and interventions first, but ongoing or severe issues may result in alternative learning settings. We have over 150 adults in the building ready to help students work through conflicts. If your student is having an issue with someone, they must seek out an adult immediately instead of trying to handle it themselves.

Principal, Mr. Shaun McGinnes

Shaun.McGinnes@psd150.org

9th Grade Principal, Dr. Ilethea Suggs

ILETHEA.SUGGS@PSD150.ORG

10th L-Z + 11th Grade Principal, Mr. Trey Laird

TREY.LAIRD@PSD150.ORG

10th A-K + 12th + POP Grade Principal, Dr. Nahreisha Tate

NAHREISHA.TATE@PSD150.ORG

Athletic Director(s), Ben Mahan

BEN.MAHAN@PSD150.ORG

If you have any general academic, attendance, athletic, or other student concerns, please contact the school at 309-672-6630 or at peoriahigh@psd150.org. You can also find answers to general questions in our Student Handbook. Parents, please continue check your email, our Peoria High Website and/or our Facebook for important announcements.