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!
Tomorrow is the DAY!!!! We are so excited for our 3rd annual Fun Run and Field Day!! A special thank you to all of our volunteers for making this day a success!! We can’t wait to celebrate and have fun with you all tomorrow! See you soon!!
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! 💛
CESD Families,
Please review the attached pest control treatment notices for Carthage Elementary School District #317.
In accordance with the Illinois Structural Pest Control Act, we are providing advance notice that pest control treatment is scheduled for April 25, 2026, at both of our school locations. The treatment will address general pests and will be completed by Pointe Pest Solutions using an approved product (OneGuard Multi MoA, EPA Reg. #1021-2807)
If you have any questions or would like additional information regarding this treatment, please contact our school representative, Kody Horn, at 217-491-1737.
At CESD, we follow an Integrated Pest Management approach, which prioritizes prevention and the use of the least hazardous methods to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for all students and staff.
Thank you for your attention to this notice.
Please review the attached pest control treatment notices for Carthage Elementary School District #317.
In accordance with the Illinois Structural Pest Control Act, we are providing advance notice that pest control treatment is scheduled for April 25, 2026, at both of our school locations. The treatment will address general pests and will be completed by Pointe Pest Solutions using an approved product (OneGuard Multi MoA, EPA Reg. #1021-2807)
If you have any questions or would like additional information regarding this treatment, please contact our school representative, Kody Horn, at 217-491-1737.
At CESD, we follow an Integrated Pest Management approach, which prioritizes prevention and the use of the least hazardous methods to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for all students and staff.
Thank you for your attention to this notice.
Happy Secretary’s Day to the one who keeps everything running smoothly at Carthage Primary School! 💙
Mrs. Jennie, we truly could not do it without you. Thank you for your kindness, organization, and the care you show to our students, staff, and families each and every day. You are the heart of our front office, and we are so lucky to have you.
We appreciate you more than words can say!
Mrs. Jennie, we truly could not do it without you. Thank you for your kindness, organization, and the care you show to our students, staff, and families each and every day. You are the heart of our front office, and we are so lucky to have you.
We appreciate you more than words can say!
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and at Carthage Primary School we are proud to help raise awareness and support our students in understanding how to stay safe and speak up.
Our K through 2nd grade students participated in a coloring contest, and our 3rd and 4th grade students created pinwheels as a symbol of hope and prevention. Today, we had the opportunity to recognize our winners with the help of some special guests who joined us to announce winners and present prizes.
Congratulations to Kalita Bliss (Kindergarten), Olivia Orris (1st Grade), Emme McAndrew (2nd Grade), Liam Haley (3rd Grade), and KallieAnn Kelly (4th Grade).
We are so proud of all of our students for their participation and thoughtful work. The most important message we want every child to remember is simple and powerful: if you see something, say something.
Thank you to our Mrs. Briggs our school social worker and our special guests who represent several organizations of Hancock County for helping make this a meaningful experience for our students. 💙
Our K through 2nd grade students participated in a coloring contest, and our 3rd and 4th grade students created pinwheels as a symbol of hope and prevention. Today, we had the opportunity to recognize our winners with the help of some special guests who joined us to announce winners and present prizes.
Congratulations to Kalita Bliss (Kindergarten), Olivia Orris (1st Grade), Emme McAndrew (2nd Grade), Liam Haley (3rd Grade), and KallieAnn Kelly (4th Grade).
We are so proud of all of our students for their participation and thoughtful work. The most important message we want every child to remember is simple and powerful: if you see something, say something.
Thank you to our Mrs. Briggs our school social worker and our special guests who represent several organizations of Hancock County for helping make this a meaningful experience for our students. 💙
Dear CPS Families,
This is a reminder to please have your student check the lost and found, which is currently displayed in the windows of the entry hallway.
I have attached photos of the items we currently have. If you see something that belongs to your child, please stop in or have your student pick it up.
Any unclaimed items will be donated this Friday, April 24.
Thank you for your help with this!
This is a reminder to please have your student check the lost and found, which is currently displayed in the windows of the entry hallway.
I have attached photos of the items we currently have. If you see something that belongs to your child, please stop in or have your student pick it up.
Any unclaimed items will be donated this Friday, April 24.
Thank you for your help with this!
