Sheridan Stangle, fourth-grader at Ben-Gil Elementary, placed third in Avery Bourne’s 95th District State Art Contest. Stangle is among several other students in Bourne’s district that will receive a personal tour of the State Capital Building on May 11. Stangle is the daughter of Kevin and Crystal Stangle of Gillespie, and the granddaughter of Lou […]
Elementary school hosts PARCC night for students, parents
Students at Gillespie Community Unit School District #7 are in the midst of taking a standardized test known as the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). The test helps ensure that all students are making academic progress and not being neglected. Ben-Gil Elementary School ramped up this year’s effort to help […]
Gillespie students earn principals awards
One student from each school building at Community Unit School District #7 represented their school and the district on Wednesday, March 15 at the annual recognition breakfast at Greenville College. Earning the honors this year were Seth Hellman of Ben-Gil Elementary School, Sydney Bires of Gillespie Middle School and Zach Carr of Gillespie High School. […]
Elementary students attend Olympiad
Ben-Gil Elementary School students in third and fourth grade attended the Olympiad in Carlinville on Monday, February 6. 4th graders (front): Shane Martin, Leo Li, McKenna Montoro; (back): Gabe Montano, Landen Emelander, Owen Schweppe, Bailee Borror, and Ellie Wilson 3rd graders (front): Sean Roach, Marshall Garwood, Kori Petersen, Carter Sies; (back): Annalee Johns, Kayden Koelker, […]
PHOTOS: Ben-Gil Elementary School celebrated completion of Route 66 literacy journey
Students at Ben-Gil Elementary School celebrated the completion of a yearlong goal as they arrived at the Santa Monica Pier last week after completing a virtual cross country field trip. The school started their “Read for Kicks on Route 66” last year in St. Louis with their destination point as Santa Monica. Each grade traveled […]
Elementary school nets over $16,000 on chocolate sale
The Ben-Gil Elementary School recently wrapped up another chocolate sale fundraiser and organizers said the net profit should be around $16,000 after all the expenses are paid. This year, however, organizers said there was more chocolate than usual left over after the sale ended prompting the school to hold half price sales. “Last year, all […]
Board hears results of school report card, administrators begin plans to address shortfalls
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night reviewed recently released school report cards that assess student performance in key academic areas, and heard strategies school administrators and teachers plan to implement to address some of the shortfalls detailed in the report card document. The state report card is […]
Elementary school virtually visits Springfield, MO on Route 66 journey
Ben-Gil Elementary students just arrived in Missouri this week on their virtual field trip along the historic Route 66. Students celebrated the stop with toasted ravioli for lunch since it’s a signature dish of Missouri. “ This is a first time experience for many of our students,” title teacher Susan Tiburzi said. “The children loved […]
Elementary school receives $2,800 from Box Tops for Education
Ben-Gil Elementary recently received a check for $2,786.70 from Box Tops for Education for box tops collected during the 4th quarter of the last school year through the first quarter of the present year. The elementary students benefit from these funds with special events and guests. Most recently, box top proceeds were able to fund […]
Elementary school kicks off virtual journey of Route 66
Ben-Gil Elementary students began a virtual journey along the world famous “Mother Road” this month entitled “Read for Kicks on Route 66”. This reading adventure will take students from Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier as the two-lane highway tape stretches from the office all the way through the cafeteria with pictures and facts of […]
Elementary Adopt-A-Class seeking donations
The Ben-Gil Elementary Adopt-A-Class program began in the year 2000 and was founded by Kellie Vesper, Elise Schwartz and Barb Smith. For the past 15 years the program has raised funds that are used in the day-to-day teachings of the school district’s children. Adopt-A-Class is designed to supplement instructional programs by involving the educational and […]
School board approves apprenticeship program for high school trades class
Students enrolled in construction trades at Gillespie High School will now be earning credit while they learn to go toward an apprenticeship program after the school board approved an agreement with the Mid-Central Illinois Regional Council of Carpenters-JATC (MCIRCC-JATC) last Monday evening. Board members listed to a 40-minute presentation last week from Robert Swegel, the […]
District 7 reports opening day enrollment of over 1300 students
Gillespie Community Unit School District #7 administrators reported 1,337 students showed up for school on Monday, the first day of the 2014-2015 school year, at the district’s three school buildings. Administrators reported during the school board meeting Monday evening, August 17, that first day attendance is higher than previous years’ and there may be some […]
Partnership donates seven Promethean boards to District 7
The district 7 school board was pleasantly surprised Monday evening, July 27, when John Fassero, Jr., president of The Partnership for Educational Excellence, informed them of The Partnership’s commitment to purchase seven Promethean boards for classrooms in the middle and high school. Fassero explained the purchase was made possible after The Partnership matched a generous […]
Elementary school releases supply lists for fall
Kindergarten 5 boxes CRAYOLA brand crayons (24 count) 1 box CRAYOLA brand broad-line markers (classic) 1 backpack 1 box of water paints 1 pair FISKAR brand scissors (children’s) 6 large glue sticks 1 small plastic school box 4 pocket folders 4 large erasers 20 pencils (#2, lead, plain yellow) 2 boxes of Kleenex 2 […]
Gillespie School District raises school registration fees
The Gillespie Unit 7 School Board approved last month to increase registration fees and food service fees for this year’s elementary, middle and high school students. The fees that were affected were driver’s education, textbooks and food service prices. The textbook fee for grades kindergarten through 12 will rise to $70, up from $60 and driver’s […]
Bilbruck selected as Madison’s “Teacher of the Year”
Jake Bilbruck was selected as one of Madison’s “Teacher of the Year” for the 2014-2015 school year. The announcement came at the end of April on the company’s Facebook page, but the group wasn’t formally honored until last Thursday when representatives from the company treated the class to pizza, cookies, a plaque of recognition and […]
Learning and fun combine at Ben-Gil Elementary’s Literacy Night
Storybooks are extra popular at Ben-Gil Elementary School, but seeing storybook characters lined along the sidewalk during drop-offs are extra special for the elementary students. That’s how the day started off and the day ended with over 475 students attending the school’s annual family literacy night. As busses, vans and cars dropped students off to […]
Three District 7 teachers nominated for Teacher of the Year
Three teachers at Gillespie School District are nominated for Madison’s Teacher of the Year for 2015. Gillespie’s teachers competing for the $500 award are Kelly Bulla, Marcia Johns and Jacob Bilbruck and need your help to win the prize money for the district. The annual contest held by Madison Communications awards $500 to the top […]
BGES and GMS students compete at Olympiad
Fifth grade students from Ben-Gil Elementary School and sixth grade students from Gillespie Middle School competed for medals and prizes on February 27 at the Olympiad at Bunker Hill school. The fifth grade team included Levi Hatlee, Kylee Kasarda, Iris Page and Emmery Pau while the sixth grade team included Morgan Buckner, Gino DeMartini, C.J. […]