Miss Watson’s 4th grade class earned a fun celebration for raising the most money during our Tattoo a Teacher fundraiser! 🎉
Yesterday, Mrs. Jacoby surprised them with caffeine free Polar Pops to celebrate their hard work and generosity. They were so excited!
Thank you again to all of our CESD families who donated and supported this fun fundraiser! 💙
CESD Families,
Have a question? Start with our school website! Our website is available 24/7 and is often the fastest way to find the information you need, including lunch menus, bell schedules, sports schedules, forms, policies, announcements, staff information, and more.
You can use the search bar, ask the chatbot, or submit a question through the Contact Us form so your question gets routed to the right person.
We encourage families to start here anytime they need quick information or are not sure who to contact. Thank you for helping us keep communication clear and easy for everyone!
Have a question? Start with our school website! Our website is available 24/7 and is often the fastest way to find the information you need, including lunch menus, bell schedules, sports schedules, forms, policies, announcements, staff information, and more.
You can use the search bar, ask the chatbot, or submit a question through the Contact Us form so your question gets routed to the right person.
We encourage families to start here anytime they need quick information or are not sure who to contact. Thank you for helping us keep communication clear and easy for everyone!
Congratulations to two outstanding CESD #317 staff members!
Mrs. Melissa Johnson, kindergarten teacher at Carthage Primary School, has been named an ROE 26 Finalist for Educator of the Year, and Mrs. Samantha Sparks, paraprofessional at Carthage Middle School, has been named an ROE 26 Finalist for Support Staff of the Year.
Mrs. Jacoby and Mrs. Bockenfeld were proud to nominate these two amazing staff members. Their dedication, heart, and positive impact on students and staff make CESD #317 proud. Congratulations, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Sparks!
Mrs. Melissa Johnson, kindergarten teacher at Carthage Primary School, has been named an ROE 26 Finalist for Educator of the Year, and Mrs. Samantha Sparks, paraprofessional at Carthage Middle School, has been named an ROE 26 Finalist for Support Staff of the Year.
Mrs. Jacoby and Mrs. Bockenfeld were proud to nominate these two amazing staff members. Their dedication, heart, and positive impact on students and staff make CESD #317 proud. Congratulations, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Sparks!
We are SO ready for CMS Field Day tomorrow!! Don’t forget to wear your class colors. Free candy for the best dressed!!
5th Grade- GREEN 💚
6th Grade- BLUE 💙
7th Grade-RED ❤️
8th Grade-YELLOW 💛
Volunteers-PINK 🩷
Just a few reminders:
🔅bring your sunscreen (we will have some available if you forget)
👖extra clothes if you plan to get wet
💰if you want extra items from the drink truck or concession stand. Most items will be $2. You will receive one free drink and one free candy item.
🏓your own activities, if you wish-balls, coloring, easy crafts, etc.
🥪 sack lunch if you don’t want a hot dog
We can’t wait! Parents & volunteers are welcome to join us!
Carthage ESD #317 families,
This is a reminder that there will be no school on Monday in observance of Memorial Day.
We look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday for the last few days of school!
As a reminder, PreK’s last day of school is Wednesday, May 27. Students in Kindergarten through 7th grade will dismiss for summer on Thursday, May 28 at 12:30 PM.
Thank you, and we hope everyone has a safe and meaningful Memorial Day weekend!
We had a great time in Chicago with the 8th graders. We hope it will be a great memory for years to come from their time at CESD #317. We can't wait to see what the future brings for this great group!
End of the Year Schedule Reminder
Preschool students' last day of school will be Wednesday, May 27 for both AM and PM classes.
The last day of school for Kindergarten through 7th grade will be Thursday, May 28. This will be a half day. Dismissal times for Thursday, May 28 are as follows:
Shuttle Bus: 12:20 PM
Primary School: 12:30 PM
Middle School: 12:35 PM
Preschool classes will not be in session on Thursday, May 28.
Thank you for a great school year!
Preschool students' last day of school will be Wednesday, May 27 for both AM and PM classes.
The last day of school for Kindergarten through 7th grade will be Thursday, May 28. This will be a half day. Dismissal times for Thursday, May 28 are as follows:
Shuttle Bus: 12:20 PM
Primary School: 12:30 PM
Middle School: 12:35 PM
Preschool classes will not be in session on Thursday, May 28.
Thank you for a great school year!
CPS Families,
I wanted to clarify the lunch information for tomorrow’s Fun Run/Field Day. Every student will be provided a sack lunch by the school tomorrow.
The sack lunch will include a hot dog, chips, celery with peanut butter, and apple slices.
So if your child gets a school lunch tomorrow, this is what they will receive.
Thank you!
I wanted to clarify the lunch information for tomorrow’s Fun Run/Field Day. Every student will be provided a sack lunch by the school tomorrow.
The sack lunch will include a hot dog, chips, celery with peanut butter, and apple slices.
So if your child gets a school lunch tomorrow, this is what they will receive.
Thank you!
Today we are celebrating our amazing Speech-Language Pathologist, Mrs. Michelle Hitz, on National Speech-Language Pathologist Day! Thank you, Mrs. Hitz, for all you do for our students and school! 🗣️💜
CPS Preschool families, please join us for our final Preschool Family Night of the 2025-2026 school year!
Oh Snap! Preschool Is a Wrap! will be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 5:30-6:30 PM in the Carthage Primary School gym.
Families will have the opportunity to have a family picture taken by a photographer. Snack will be provided, and parents and siblings are invited. We hope to celebrate with you!
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Burling (217-357-9202 or jburling@cesd317.org).
Oh Snap! Preschool Is a Wrap! will be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 5:30-6:30 PM in the Carthage Primary School gym.
Families will have the opportunity to have a family picture taken by a photographer. Snack will be provided, and parents and siblings are invited. We hope to celebrate with you!
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Burling (217-357-9202 or jburling@cesd317.org).
This message is to inform families that the tree on the northeast side of the school property has fallen on our Internet lines which affects our phone and email. All students and staff are safe and no injuries occurred. The building is not affected otherwise but if you need to come to school before it is cleaned up, please use the alley. You may park in the alley if needed thank you.
Tattoo a Teacher Leaderboard Update!
Our current Top 5 staff members are:
Mr. Burling (PE Teacher), Mrs. Bagwell (2nd Grade Teacher), Miss Watson (4th Grade Teacher), Mrs. Maag (2nd Grade Teacher), Mrs. Wear (1st Grade Teacher). Right now, Mr. Burling is in 1st place! Since he is our PE teacher, he may be on track to win the prize himself instead of one classroom taking it home. So… who wants to make a last-minute run for 1st place? If your class is on the leaderboard, now is the time to rally! Let’s see if a classroom can sneak into the top spot before the fundraiser ends!
Small tattoos are $1, medium tattoos are $3, and large tattoos are $5. Thank you to everyone who has participated and helped make this fundraiser fun for our students! The fundraiser closes tomorrow, Friday, May 15!
Our current Top 5 staff members are:
Mr. Burling (PE Teacher), Mrs. Bagwell (2nd Grade Teacher), Miss Watson (4th Grade Teacher), Mrs. Maag (2nd Grade Teacher), Mrs. Wear (1st Grade Teacher). Right now, Mr. Burling is in 1st place! Since he is our PE teacher, he may be on track to win the prize himself instead of one classroom taking it home. So… who wants to make a last-minute run for 1st place? If your class is on the leaderboard, now is the time to rally! Let’s see if a classroom can sneak into the top spot before the fundraiser ends!
Small tattoos are $1, medium tattoos are $3, and large tattoos are $5. Thank you to everyone who has participated and helped make this fundraiser fun for our students! The fundraiser closes tomorrow, Friday, May 15!
CPS yearbooks are now on sale in the office for $18.00 each.
Please contact Mrs. Jennie with any questions at 217-357-9202 or jsnodgrass@cesd317.org.
Please contact Mrs. Jennie with any questions at 217-357-9202 or jsnodgrass@cesd317.org.
CPS families,
We are excited to kick off our Tattoo a Teacher fundraiser! Students may purchase temporary tattoos, and participating staff members will wear the tattoos as a fun way to support our school.
Order forms are being sent home with students. Please return order forms and money to your child’s teacher by Friday, May 15.
Thank you for supporting this fun CPS fundraiser!
We are excited to kick off our Tattoo a Teacher fundraiser! Students may purchase temporary tattoos, and participating staff members will wear the tattoos as a fun way to support our school.
Order forms are being sent home with students. Please return order forms and money to your child’s teacher by Friday, May 15.
Thank you for supporting this fun CPS fundraiser!
Hello Carthage Primary School Families! If you would like to place an order for a 2026 Fun Run Tshirt- please use the link below! Just a reminder- ALL students will receive a t-shirt at school- so you DO NOT have to order them one! This order is strictly for family and friends who would like a shirt to wear that day! Thanks so much!
https://ruralbliss.net/products/Fun-Run-Friends-and-Family-Shirt-2026-p83314588
We take bullying concerns seriously and want to address them right away. If you or your child has a concern, please contact the school directly so we can look into it and help.
The Illini West CEO Mock Trade Show visited CMS this morning and 7th & 8th grade students had a chance to interact with each booth. If your student comes home excited about the booths and you would like to see them too, they will be set up at the Catholic Church in the Parish Room on Tuesday, May 5th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. It is amazing to see our young people taking on these professional roles!
6th graders will attend the Ride Right Rally at the Adams County Fairgrounds on Friday, May 1st. A permission slip was sent home with permission to be photographed by the presenters, which needs to be returned to Mr. Klein. Students will be walking on dirt ground, so I highly recommend wearing shoes and clothes appropriate for dirt and mud.
Here is a tentative overview of the schedule for the day:
8:15 AM - Leave CMS by bus
9:00 AM – Arrival and welcome on the buses
9:15 AM – Rotations begin (20-minute stations, 10-minute transitions)
11:45 AM – Lunch & hands-on learning stations
12:15 PM – Safety Simulation Begins (Adams Co. Sheriff’s Dept., EMS, and AirEvac)
1:30 PM – Closing remarks and bus loading
Additional information from the Ride Right Rally coordinators:
Please remind your students that this will be an outdoor field trip day, so they should dress accordingly. Dressing in layers is recommended, as it can be cool in the morning and warm up throughout the day. Students are welcome to bring hats, bug spray, and sunscreen, which can be used at their teacher's discretion. Each school will have a designated table/area in the Quonset building where these items may be left.
Lunch will be provided for students and teachers by our county Farm Bureaus. Meals will be prepared by Sly Fox Catering, and will consist of hot dog, chips, and applesauce. Bottled water will also be provided. If you have students with food allergies or special dietary requirements, please plan to have those students bring their own lunch so they can be assured their restrictions are met.
Upon arrival, please enter the Adams County fairgrounds (2010 E 1250th St, Mendon, IL) by turning left at the round barn. You will then enter at the first open gate on the right side, where you will be greeted by a volunteer and receive further parking instructions. Once parked, an Extension staff person will come aboard your bus to welcome your students and give a brief overview of the day.
In the event of inclement weather, Adams County EMS will help us make the decision by
6:30 am on whether or not to proceed with the event. If you wish, please email khuls@illinois.edu with a cell phone number you would like to receive notification on in case plans change for the day.
Finally, we trust that you know your students and their life experiences better than we do. That said, we recognize that many topics that will be covered at Ride Right Rally, including the mock accident scenario, could be sensitive in nature for some students. If, during the day, any of your students become uncomfortable or troubled by the topics discussed, they will be able to come to the Quonset building on the fairgrounds to take a break if necessary. Staff and volunteers at Ride Right Rally will be easily identifiable and can help as needed.
Here is a tentative overview of the schedule for the day:
8:15 AM - Leave CMS by bus
9:00 AM – Arrival and welcome on the buses
9:15 AM – Rotations begin (20-minute stations, 10-minute transitions)
11:45 AM – Lunch & hands-on learning stations
12:15 PM – Safety Simulation Begins (Adams Co. Sheriff’s Dept., EMS, and AirEvac)
1:30 PM – Closing remarks and bus loading
Additional information from the Ride Right Rally coordinators:
Please remind your students that this will be an outdoor field trip day, so they should dress accordingly. Dressing in layers is recommended, as it can be cool in the morning and warm up throughout the day. Students are welcome to bring hats, bug spray, and sunscreen, which can be used at their teacher's discretion. Each school will have a designated table/area in the Quonset building where these items may be left.
Lunch will be provided for students and teachers by our county Farm Bureaus. Meals will be prepared by Sly Fox Catering, and will consist of hot dog, chips, and applesauce. Bottled water will also be provided. If you have students with food allergies or special dietary requirements, please plan to have those students bring their own lunch so they can be assured their restrictions are met.
Upon arrival, please enter the Adams County fairgrounds (2010 E 1250th St, Mendon, IL) by turning left at the round barn. You will then enter at the first open gate on the right side, where you will be greeted by a volunteer and receive further parking instructions. Once parked, an Extension staff person will come aboard your bus to welcome your students and give a brief overview of the day.
In the event of inclement weather, Adams County EMS will help us make the decision by
6:30 am on whether or not to proceed with the event. If you wish, please email khuls@illinois.edu with a cell phone number you would like to receive notification on in case plans change for the day.
Finally, we trust that you know your students and their life experiences better than we do. That said, we recognize that many topics that will be covered at Ride Right Rally, including the mock accident scenario, could be sensitive in nature for some students. If, during the day, any of your students become uncomfortable or troubled by the topics discussed, they will be able to come to the Quonset building on the fairgrounds to take a break if necessary. Staff and volunteers at Ride Right Rally will be easily identifiable and can help as needed.
🌟 Incoming Kindergarten Families – You’re Invited! 🌟
We are excited to welcome our future Kindergarten students and families to Kindergarten Orientation at Carthage Primary School!
📅 Friday, May 1
⏰ 9:00 – 9:45 AM
This is a great opportunity for your child to visit the school, meet our Kindergarten teachers, and start getting comfortable in their new environment for the upcoming school year.
What to expect:
-Welcome and introductions in the gym
-Meet our Kindergarten teachers, Ms. Twaddle and Mrs. Johnson
-Students will visit classrooms and begin getting to know their teachers
-Parents will hear from our support staff about how we help all learners succeed
-A fun school bus tour
-Time to play on the playground with current students
We are looking forward to meeting our newest Bluegirls/Blueboys and helping make this transition exciting and positive for everyone!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the school office (217-357-9202).
💙 We can’t wait to see you there! 💙
We are excited to welcome our future Kindergarten students and families to Kindergarten Orientation at Carthage Primary School!
📅 Friday, May 1
⏰ 9:00 – 9:45 AM
This is a great opportunity for your child to visit the school, meet our Kindergarten teachers, and start getting comfortable in their new environment for the upcoming school year.
What to expect:
-Welcome and introductions in the gym
-Meet our Kindergarten teachers, Ms. Twaddle and Mrs. Johnson
-Students will visit classrooms and begin getting to know their teachers
-Parents will hear from our support staff about how we help all learners succeed
-A fun school bus tour
-Time to play on the playground with current students
We are looking forward to meeting our newest Bluegirls/Blueboys and helping make this transition exciting and positive for everyone!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the school office (217-357-9202).
💙 We can’t wait to see you there! 💙
Today we celebrate our incredible bus drivers! 🚌
Thank you to Mr. Edis, Mr. Castlebury, Mr. Ufkes, and Mr. Hartweg for safely transporting our students each day with care, patience, and dedication. You are often the first smile our students see in the morning and the last one they see in the afternoon.
We appreciate all that you do to keep our school community moving! 💛
