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Parent Email, Counseling Connection, Oct. 29, 2026

Each week the counseling department will send out an article, podcast, or video designed to connect you with insights about technology, emotional health, or career pathways related to your teen.  Click here to learn more about the MJHS counseling team .   Raising Leaders Without Raising Pressure In today’s achievement-driven culture, many parents and educators are in a tight spot. We want young people to lead. We want them to be responsible and resilient and confident. We want them to find out how much they are capable of. But somewhere along the way, leadership development has gotten tangled with pressure. Students feel it in class. They feel it on the athletic fields. They feel it at home. The unspoken message can be: Do well. Don’t fall behind. Be exceptional. But leadership is not best cultivated in anxiety-inducing environments. It flourishes in trusted environments If we want to raise great leaders without pushing them to pressure, then growth and comparison need to be c...
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Parent Email: IAR and Potter Pride, Oct. 27, 2026

Parents/Guardians, IAR testing results from the Spring were handed out during parent/teacher conferences. Remaining results are being given to students this week. Please ask your student for the envelope addressed “To the Parents of…” Next Monday is our annual Potter Pride Night. The night “tips off” with the Limited Edition jazz choir singing the National Anthem for the girls’ basketball games versus Canton’s Ingersoll Middle School at 4:30. Following the girls games at approximately 7:00 will feature the boys basketball inter-squad scrimmages. Cheer, dance, and pep band will also be performing.  A full concession stand (including Chick-fil-A) will be available.    Our school store, the Potter Premium Outlet, will be open with all new inventory. We encourage you to come out, catch some ball games, and do a little shopping.  Don’t miss out on the new Potter swag!  We are in need of a little help with the store during Potter Pride Night. Please consider help...
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Parent Email, Counseling Connection, Oct. 21

  Each week the counseling department will send out an article, podcast, or video designed to connect you with insights about technology, emotional health, or career pathways related to your teen. Click here to learn more about the MJHS counseling team .   Overscheduled Kids: How Much Is Too Much? Baseball practice. Football games. Travel tournaments. Guitar lessons. Chess club. Piano lessons. These activities can help keep kids active, learn to be part of a team and build confidence. And the memories made at a weekend tournament or spring recital can last a lifetime. But when does it become too much? Click here for tips to help you discern the right activity load for your child. 
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Parent Email, Evacuation & Reunification Drill; Oct. 18, 2026

 Parent & Guardians,  We are still looking for a few more volunteers for Tuesday’s evacuation and reunification drill.  The evacuation is scheduled to begin at approximately 8:15-8:30.  The reunification drill will commence at approximately 9:15 once all students have been evacuated to Grace Church. We are in need of five or six more parents to participate in the process in order for the reunification team to adequately train and prepare.  If you are interested in participating, please contact me ASAP at either chris.carter@mcusd709.org or 309-284-5010.  Participants can plan to arrive at Grace Church between 9:15-9:30. The process should only take a few minutes, but this is a critical aspect of our crisis preparation.   We expect our drill to be completed by 10:00 with all students back in class. Chris Carter Principal   Original Email from last week: Dear Morton Junior High School Families, Illinois School Code (School Safety Drill Act)...
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Parent Email - Picture retakes, Panorama password

Paretns and Guardians, Since we’ve already inundated you with emails today (report cards, Panorama results, Career Spark info-8th Grade, and Counseling Connections) I am hoping you won’t mind one more! Next Wednesday, October 28 is picture re-take day during lunch.  We will also take club and music yearbook pictures throughout the day.    Additionally, the password for the Panorama results is the same as the report cards, your student’s DOB: MM/DD/YYYY.    I hope you have a relaxing weekend!  Good luck to the boys cross country team at the IESA state meet tomorrow in Normal. Chris Carter Principal
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Parent Email, Panorama Results, 10/16/26

Paretns and Guardians, We recently surveyed students, using Panorama, to learn more about our learning environment and encourage self-reflection regarding their social-emotional well being.  Morton Junior High School values input from our community, and students are important partners as we work to improve our communication, programming, and overall experience.  Enclosed are your student’s results and we hope this data will provide you with more information to support his/her growth and development. Engaging families in learning is critically important for successful student outcomes. Also, we know parents are eager to learn more about how they can support their children's learning. ( The password is his/her birthdate in this format:    MM/DD/YYYY). As a school, we utilize the survey’s aggregate data to help us identify and reflect on our strengths and areas for growth. This will assist in informing programs, making plans, and adjusting practices.  This data ...
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Parent Email, 1Q Report Cards, Oct. 16

Parents and Guardians,  First quarter always seems to just fly by, and we are off to a great year!     I wanted to share how impressed I continue to be with our students.  They continue to handle situations so well.  Students “rolled with the punches” when we flip-flopped help-a-thon and leadership academy. I am continually amazed when we bring 480+ students back from the help-a-thon for an ice cream treat and our students proceed to calmly and maturely hang out outside patiently enjoying their treats and waiting to be dismissed.  I can’t help thinking this wouldn’t be possible in many schools.  I am routinely reminded to not take our students for granted. Thank you for sending us your students.     Attached is your student’s report card.  The password is his/her birthdate in this format:   MM/DD/YYYY (This report card PDF will be accessible for one year.)    Chris Carter Principal
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