
The Morrison Elementary PTO’s 38th Annual Craft Fair will be held on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Morrison Junior High School, 300 Academic Drive, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Over 40 vendors and crafters will offer a wide variety of items for sale in the gym. A bake sale will be held in the lobby, and Decor and More will hold a Paint and Peel event from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be served by the Cottonwood 4-H Club.

The fire department picked up all of the toy donations from the schools yesterday for the toys for tots drive. Thanks to Ms Robinson and the Kindness Club at Southside for all of their hard work!






🎄 Dress-Up Days for the Last Week of School! 🎄
Northside families, the holiday spirit is in full swing, and we're wrapping up December with some festive fun!
Here's a look at our Dress-Up Days for the last week of school before Christmas break.


Join us tonight at the annual concert and bake sale. The bake sale will begin at 5pm and the concert will begin at 6pm


This is the last call for all Toys for Tots flyers. Please turn in by tomorrow, December 5th. Thank you!


Congratulations to our December Staff Spotlight staff members from Southside: Lindsey Andersen, Lydia Ohlsen, Andy Riggen, and Kim Straight! Here are some fun facts about our staff.






Congratulations to the Southside Elementary Students of the Month for December: Elijah Ferguson, Isla McBride, Kinslea Benson, Wyatt Wickes, Viola Vandermyde, Hailie Vanzuiden, Emilia Arroyo-Miller, Bobby Belha, and Drake Mills!!!










The MCUSD 6 Caring Closet will be doing grocery boxes before winter break. If you have a student in the district and are in need of a grocery box, please fill out the form using the link below by Wednesday, December 11. Pick for the boxes will be Wednesday, December 18th in the high school cafeteria from 3:00-5:00 pm.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTPpm-6UFxHUzYq0I4ZwTCu7eOay9IcWFj65K0oXM8tf1oeA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0
Please complete this form if your family is in need of a food box prior to Christmas break. Pick up will be on December 18th from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm.

Monday night members of MHS Student Council shopped to help brighten Christmas morning for over 30 students from our community. StuCo members look forward to this night each year and enjoy being able to give back to their community. Tomorrow they will start wrapping all of their purchases!


The week before Thanksgiving Break, Southside staff participated in an "under cover spirit week" where the students didn't know the dress up days. The students had so much fun trying to figure out what was going on. Monday was everyone wear black, Tuesday was everyone wear sunglasses, Wednesday was wear plaid day, Thursday was dress like a holiday, and Friday was pajama day. Thanks to all who participated and congratulations to the few students who figured it out!






Morrison High School’s Key Club chapter would like to recognize the work of City of Morrison Recreation Services Director Nathan Jacobs and the Morrison Food Pantry’s volunteers in planning and implementing the Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk event on Saturday, Nov. 30. Many thanks to the community members who braved 17-degree weather to run and walk for a worthwhile cause on Thanksgiving weekend! Thank you also to the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Morrison, and the Morrison Police Department for their help with logistics-related planning and traffic control, and to the local businesses that made financial contributions and in-kind donations to the event.
Morrison High School’s volunteers consisted of Jett Decker, Naomi Kershaw, Abbie Weston, Lillie Baima, and Shawn Simpson. Shawn and Abbie serve as co-presidents of the Morrison High School Key Club. Thank you also to Mr. Joe Robbins for his work as DJ, and to the Thanksgiving Turkey for contributing to the festive atmosphere!


The City of Morrison’s Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk is right around the corner on Saturday, Nov. 30! Proceeds from the event will benefit the Morrison Food Pantry, NFP.
Registration for the event will be held at Morrison High School starting at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Run/Walk itself will begin at 9:00 a.m.
Members of the Morrison HS Key Club will be present to assist with water distribution and traffic direction, as well. We hope to see you there!
More information about the event is available online at https://www.morrisonil.org/article/1838094 and at https://www.quickscores.com/morrisonsports

Morrison High School Key Club Co-Presidents Abbie Weston and Shawn Simpson were among the Key Club members who participated in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF on Thursday, Oct. 31. Generous contributions from dozens of households during an evening of trick-or-treating resulted in a total of $183.44 raised for UNICEF’s youth-focused relief efforts. The check was sent by mail to UNICEF’s New York offices earlier this week. As Thanksgiving approaches, Key Club would like to thank all those who contributed on Oct. 31 as well as those who support the Kiwanis Club/Key Club Sandwich Sales (typically held on selected Saturdays at the corner of Rt. 30 & Rt. 78). We would also like to thank Community State Bank for allowing us to use their lot for the Sandwich Sale events. Without the support of Morrison’s residents, the charitable work of Key Club and the Morrison Kiwanis Club would not be possible.


The Morrison Kiwanis Club hosted a Key Club Membership Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 21 at Odell Public Library for students who have been especially active in the Kiwanis Club's Sandwich Sale events during the past year. Proceeds from the sales benefit youth-focused groups in Morrison, including WHOA, Odell Public Library, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, April House, the United Way's Literacy Is For Everyone (LIFE) program, and related initiatives. Many thanks to the students and parents who were able to attend last Thursday's event!


The Morrison Board of Education voted to hire Dr. Matthew DeBaene at a special meeting held on November 20th. Dr. DeBaene is currently an assistant superintendent at Moline-Coal Valley School District and will begin his duties on July 1, 2025.
Dr. Matt DeBaene grew up and currently lives in the Quad City region. He is a seasoned educator with a passion for fostering learning and growth. He's excited to take on the role of Superintendent of the Morrison School District and is excited to work with our schools and community. Prior to joining the Moline-Coal Valley School District, Dr. DeBaene was the principal of Geneseo Middle School. He has also served public schools as assistant principal, English language arts teacher, coach, teacher leader, and athletic director. He has earned his bachelors and graduate degrees from Western Illinois University and has received the Arnold W. Salisbury Award for educational leadership. Dr. DeBaene enjoys spending quality time with his family, staying active through running, immersing himself in good books, and learning. He is excited to be a part of the Morrison team and looks forward to working with everyone.


Southside Kindness Club collected toys and money for Toys for Tots. The students did such a wonderful job collecting donations. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this great cause!


Congratulations to our MHS November MVPs! This year we are choosing one student from each grade level, decided by a team of teachers, each month. Each student received a candy bar, soda, an exclusive Morrison gear t-shirt and they also got to choose $20 worth of prizes. The team of teachers felt that each student was: A student who selflessly helps others A student who is kind & caring with their words, actions, social media posts, etc. A student who is respectful of other people & their belongings A student who is responsible for themselves & their belongings A student who is honest & a good role model to their peers & younger students Freshman: Maddy Huizenga Sophomores: Elle Milnes Juniors: Emily Arias Seniors: Blake Huizenga Great job everyone!





Congratulations to our 2nd MHS November Athlete of the Month, Olivia Dauphin! Olivia participates in pons. She received a $25 Urban Eats-Morrison gift card.


Reminder: We will still be going out for recess at Northside and Southside. Please dress students appropriately for the weather. Thank you!

AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK!
This year, American Education Week is being celebrated from November 18th to November 22nd. The purpose is for schools, families, and communities to come together and support education. On Monday, the District joined the celebration by publicly recognizing the Board of Education at its monthly meeting and providing cookies and punch to those in attendance. Cakes from Sweetheart Bakery in Clinton were provided to the staff in all of the buildings on Wednesday. In the photo to the right is Mr. Mills, (HS Principal) left is Mr. Hendricks (HS Agriculture Teacher).
