And that’s a wrap on day one of Kindergarten Round-Up! 🎉 We had the best time meeting our future little Cogs and celebrating with a special “commitment” signing! ✨💙
We can’t wait for all the fun ahead—welcome to the GK family!
GKHS students in agriculture mechanics classes visited Sauber Manufacturing in Virgil, IL yesterday. They learned all about the welding and manufacturing industry while there. They saw the cutting, welding and assembly of custom trucks and trailers used in various industries.
Congratulations to Emma, GKHS student, who won the PTO spirit wear T-shirt design contest! Emma's design will be available for purchase at a later date!
Homemade ice cream! Last week, GKHS students visited our second graders to teach them about dairy products. They even had a fun activity planned where students got to make their own ice cream!
Save the date for this years Jazz Dance - Saturday, April 12!
The Jazz Dance is an annual event you don’t want to miss. Showcasing our incredible high school and middle school jazz band students, who will take the stage with a guest band for an unforgettable evening of live music and dancing.
Guests will also enjoy a delicious dinner and have the chance to participate in a basket raffle filled with exciting prizes. Whether you're swinging to the music, supporting our student musicians, or just soaking in the lively atmosphere, the Jazz Dance is a fantastic night for all!
Ticketing and more information will be shared at a later date!
GK Schools Welcome New Student Board Member For Upcoming School Year
Genoa-Kingston School District 424 proudly welcomes Quincy James as the new student board member, set to take his seat this fall. At Tuesday evening's board meeting, he was approved as the 25-26 Student Board Member. “I am looking forward to having the opportunity to work with Quincy over the 2025-2026 school year,” said Julie Ratliff, Board Secretary. “ I have no doubt based on his experience and involvement that he is going to continue to evolve the Student Board Member position and prove to be a dedicated advocate for the entire student body. Welcome Quincy!” Passionate about ensuring student voices are heard, James is eager to represent all GK students.
As James steps into this role, he is committed to strengthening the connection between students and the Board of Education. He hopes to see growth in student engagement, particularly in student clubs and aims to improve communication through surveys and direct outreach with students.
The school district's mission is to prepare students to excel and contribute to their community. For James, the mission statement means creating a welcoming environment, socially and academically. “I want every student to feel that they belong and that their experiences matter,” said James.
Students can reach out to Quincy through email, lunch periods and school events. His goal is to remain approachable and accessible, ensuring that every student has a voice. As he prepares for the next school year, he is excited to serve and represent his peers. “This is about making sure every student knows they have a say, and I’m here to help make that happen,” said James.
The 2025-2026 returning student registration is now open through your Skyward Portal! Online registration is a simple process that will take 10-15 minutes.
Register Today ➡️ https://skyward.iscorp.com/GKSchools424ILStuSTS/Session/Signin?area=Home&controller=Home&action=Index
FROM THE PTO: The GK PTO is asking for your help! They had GKMS and GKHS students design the next PTO spirit wear. The PTO has picked the top three and would like your help in voting for the winning design.
Vote - https://form.jotform.com/250554053497056
The student who wins out of the three will receive a $25 gift card along with a t-shirt with their design printed on it.
On Tuesday, February 25, 2025 there will be a Board of Education Meeting. This meeting will begin at 6:30PM in closed session. The regular meeting will begin immediately following the closed session.
📍 Agenda: https://go.boarddocs.com/genoa/Board.nsf/goto?open...
📍 Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/@GenoaKingstonSchoolDistr.../streams
NEW UPDATE: The GK COGS app has an update! Check out these new features - https://youtu.be/zW9d0VzqDFI.
A huge thank you to our amazing PTO for their generous support during conferences! 🌟 We are so grateful for the thoughtful gesture of providing dinner for our staff!
The GKMS drama club students are working on their set for their spring play - Murder on the 518.
Performances will be March 7 at 6:30 PM and March 8 at 2:00 PM.
About the play, "Red-eye travelers on the westbound 518 are in for a surprise when first one passenger, and then another, mysteriously drop dead right before their eyes — and just as the train is halted by a rock slide in an isolated canyon. Because the pair appears to have been poisoned, anyone and everyone in the train dining car is a suspect!
Unable to call for help, the eccentric passengers — including two newlyweds, an astronomy professor, a sports recruiter, a CEO, a movie star, an aspiring musician, and others — try to work together with the waitstaff to find the murderer before they reach their destination and the killer escapes for good! Unfortunately, not everything (or everyone) is as it seems.
This family-friendly mystery is sure to keep the audience guessing right up until the train pulls into the station. Hold on tight — Murder on the 518 is quite the ride!"
💌✨ Students in the Impact Club at GKHS spread some love this Valentine’s Day by creating beautiful cards for senior citizens! This is part of a program through State Representative Tony McCombie's office. It's a great way to connect generations and share kindness with our community! 💖
In addition, high school students invited those waiting for buses after school from KES to join in and make cards as well! Such a lovely way to involve even more of our students in spreading joy.
Students Serve Up Success with Weekly Coffee for Staff!
In an innovative approach to real-world business experiences students are learning how to run and operate a school-based coffee shop. Every Friday morning, the main hallway of GKHS is filled with the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Students are taking on the role of baristas and learning how to manage and operate a coffee shop for school staff. From taking inventory, to pricing products and creating seasonal drinks, students are learning how to operate a small business.
Proceeds raised are part of a fundraiser for the students trip to Cook Around the World at Walt Disney World Resort in the Spring. To read the full article, visit https://www.gkschools.org/article/1933984
This week at Genoa-Kingston Middle School students are learning how to use AEDs and give CPR! They recapped these skills with a visit from the American Heart Association. They played games and learned more about the heart!
Any Middle or High School student interested in taking CPR training can sign up through Mrs. Thurlby, Middle School Physical Education Teacher, for $20 a student.
Students can pick one of the following session dates:
- Wednesday, February 19 | 3:00-6:00 PM
- Monday, March 3 | 3:00-6:00 PM
- Thursday, March 6 | 3:00-6:00 PM
Students can pick up a form with more information from Mrs. Thurlby at GKMS or Ms. D'Amato at GKHS.
Due to the canceled school day we had on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, we will use Thursday, May 29, 2025 as a make up day. Students last attendance day will now be on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
Our Middle School eSports Club crushed their 5-hour Minecraft Marathon fundraiser, raising nearly $800 in pledges! 🏆👏 Thank you to everyone who donated and cheered them on!
New GK COGS app features coming mid-February! Keeping our families and community informed and connected to our schools and our teachers is a top priority. Therefore, your family's experience is about to become even better with a new update to the GK COGS mobile app!
The app updates include:
- one view, one experience
- quick access to recent updates
check out this video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW9d0VzqDFI
🎉💯 Our first and second grade students rocked the 100th day of school last week! From counting milestones to celebrating growth, it’s been 100 days of learning and fun!
🎉 Our last Teachers’ Institute was packed with excitement! Before diving into professional development courses, staff had the opportunity to join sessions where students were the teachers! 📝✨From hands-on activities to fun-filled moments, the day was a perfect mix of learning, wellness and inspiration. A huge shoutout to our amazing students and staff for making it a success!
Thank you to the following:
Christi Volkening - hosting Wellness Event!
GKMS Woven Club - crocheting class
GKMS Tech/eSports Club - 3D printing class
GKMS & GKHS Art Club - clay pinch pots & abstract painting classes
GKHS Floral Design Class - floral mug arrangement class
GKHS Golf Team - golf lesson
GKHS Culinary Arts - flavor combinations class
