Unit 4 School District proudly remembers and honors our Veterans today and every day. We thank you for your courage, service, and sacrifice.
Great schools start with great leadership! 🍎📚
This National Principals Month, we celebrate our amazing Unit 4 principals. We thank you for your leadership and dedication to creating environments where every student can thrive. Your commitment to our schools makes a lasting impact on students, families and our community.
#NationalPrincipalsMonth
Building Better Schools: Special Education Improvements & Garden Hills Geothermal System
The proposed Building Better Schools plan includes improvements to special education facilities across the district and upgrades to the aging geothermal heating and cooling system at Garden Hills Academy.
Improving Special Education Facilities
The proposal includes districtwide renovations and potential additions to self-contained special education classrooms.
These improvements would:
Create dedicated, accessible learning environments designed to support students in self-contained special education programs.
Support students across the continuum of services from preschool through age 22.
Address identified needs outlined in the district’s Special Education Audit and Facilities Study.
Upgrading Garden Hills’ Geothermal System
Garden Hills’ legacy geothermal heating and cooling system has aging and failing components that need to be replaced.
The proposed upgrades would:
Improve classroom comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency.
Upgrade system controls.
Simplify system maintenance.
Introduce system redundancy to help improve reliability.
These proposed improvements address important facility needs across Unit 4, supporting accessible learning environments for students and more reliable building systems.
Learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal at champaignschools.org/bbs.
The proposed Building Better Schools plan includes improvements to special education facilities across the district and upgrades to the aging geothermal heating and cooling system at Garden Hills Academy.
Improving Special Education Facilities
The proposal includes districtwide renovations and potential additions to self-contained special education classrooms.
These improvements would:
Create dedicated, accessible learning environments designed to support students in self-contained special education programs.
Support students across the continuum of services from preschool through age 22.
Address identified needs outlined in the district’s Special Education Audit and Facilities Study.
Upgrading Garden Hills’ Geothermal System
Garden Hills’ legacy geothermal heating and cooling system has aging and failing components that need to be replaced.
The proposed upgrades would:
Improve classroom comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency.
Upgrade system controls.
Simplify system maintenance.
Introduce system redundancy to help improve reliability.
These proposed improvements address important facility needs across Unit 4, supporting accessible learning environments for students and more reliable building systems.
Learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal at champaignschools.org/bbs.
Reminder: Join Us at Franklin STEAM Academy This Saturday!
Champaign Unit 4 Schools invites community members to tour Franklin STEAM Academy this Saturday, October 10, from 1–3 p.m. Learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal, explore the facility, ask questions, and get factual information directly from the district.
The proposed referendum would address facility needs affecting middle school and special education students, with zero annual tax rate increase through strategic financial planning and expiring debt.
Franklin STEAM Academy, 817 N. Harris Avenue, Champaign
Learn more: https://www.champaignschools.org/o/cu4sd/page/building-better-schools
Champaign Unit 4 Schools invites community members to tour Franklin STEAM Academy this Saturday, October 10, from 1–3 p.m. Learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal, explore the facility, ask questions, and get factual information directly from the district.
The proposed referendum would address facility needs affecting middle school and special education students, with zero annual tax rate increase through strategic financial planning and expiring debt.
Franklin STEAM Academy, 817 N. Harris Avenue, Champaign
Learn more: https://www.champaignschools.org/o/cu4sd/page/building-better-schools
Thank you to all of the community members who joined us today for our middle school tour at Franklin STEAM Academy.
We appreciate everyone who took the time to visit the school, learn more about the building and ask questions about the proposed improvements.
If you missed today's tour or have additional questions, we invite you to join us next Saturday, October 17, from 1–3 p.m. at Jefferson Middle School.
We look forward to welcoming more members of our community and providing another opportunity to see the school and learn more about the proposed improvements.
We appreciate everyone who took the time to visit the school, learn more about the building and ask questions about the proposed improvements.
If you missed today's tour or have additional questions, we invite you to join us next Saturday, October 17, from 1–3 p.m. at Jefferson Middle School.
We look forward to welcoming more members of our community and providing another opportunity to see the school and learn more about the proposed improvements.
Building Better Schools: Why Do We Need a New Middle School?
What happens when a school runs out of space?
At Franklin and Jefferson, students who need to make up a missed test sometimes have to take it in a locker room because there isn't an appropriate space available. Administrators are working out of closets. Special education teachers are sharing rooms three to a space, with little to no room for one-on-one instruction.
These aren't just building challenges. They affect how students learn, how teachers teach, and how schools provide the support students need.
A new middle school would help address these challenges across the district.
Here's how:
Eliminate portable classrooms: Bring students at Franklin and Jefferson into permanent classrooms inside their school buildings, rather than requiring them to travel to separate trailers.
Create more room for learning: Reduce enrollment pressure across Franklin, Jefferson and Edison by redistributing students into a new middle school.
Expand special education space: As classroom capacity opens up across the existing middle schools, the district can create additional special education classrooms, giving teachers and students more appropriate space for instruction and individualized support.
Give staff the space they need: Help ensure administrators, teachers and students have appropriate spaces to do their jobs, make up missed work and receive additional support.
This is about more than constructing a new building. It's about making better use of space across our middle schools so students and staff have the environments they need to succeed.
Learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal at champaignschools.org/bbs.
What happens when a school runs out of space?
At Franklin and Jefferson, students who need to make up a missed test sometimes have to take it in a locker room because there isn't an appropriate space available. Administrators are working out of closets. Special education teachers are sharing rooms three to a space, with little to no room for one-on-one instruction.
These aren't just building challenges. They affect how students learn, how teachers teach, and how schools provide the support students need.
A new middle school would help address these challenges across the district.
Here's how:
Eliminate portable classrooms: Bring students at Franklin and Jefferson into permanent classrooms inside their school buildings, rather than requiring them to travel to separate trailers.
Create more room for learning: Reduce enrollment pressure across Franklin, Jefferson and Edison by redistributing students into a new middle school.
Expand special education space: As classroom capacity opens up across the existing middle schools, the district can create additional special education classrooms, giving teachers and students more appropriate space for instruction and individualized support.
Give staff the space they need: Help ensure administrators, teachers and students have appropriate spaces to do their jobs, make up missed work and receive additional support.
This is about more than constructing a new building. It's about making better use of space across our middle schools so students and staff have the environments they need to succeed.
Learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal at champaignschools.org/bbs.
Reminder: Join Us at Jefferson Middle School This Saturday!
Champaign Unit 4 Schools invites community members to tour Jefferson Middle School this Saturday, October 17, from 1–3 p.m. Learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal, explore the facility, ask questions, and get factual information directly from the district.
You don’t need to arrive right at 1 p.m.! Tours will continue throughout the two-hour window and last approximately 20 minutes. Stop by anytime between 1 and 3 p.m. that works for you.
Jefferson Middle School
Learn more: https://www.champaignschools.org/o/cu4sd/page/building-better-schools
Champaign Unit 4 Schools invites community members to tour Jefferson Middle School this Saturday, October 17, from 1–3 p.m. Learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal, explore the facility, ask questions, and get factual information directly from the district.
You don’t need to arrive right at 1 p.m.! Tours will continue throughout the two-hour window and last approximately 20 minutes. Stop by anytime between 1 and 3 p.m. that works for you.
Jefferson Middle School
Learn more: https://www.champaignschools.org/o/cu4sd/page/building-better-schools
Thank you to all of the community members who joined us today for our middle school tour at Jefferson Middle School.
We appreciate everyone who took the time to visit the school, learn more about the building and ask questions about the proposed improvements.
If you missed today's tour or have additional questions, we invite you to join us next Sunday, October 25, from 1–3 p.m. at International Prep Academy.
We look forward to welcoming more community members, answering your questions and providing another opportunity to learn more about the proposed facilities improvements.
We appreciate everyone who took the time to visit the school, learn more about the building and ask questions about the proposed improvements.
If you missed today's tour or have additional questions, we invite you to join us next Sunday, October 25, from 1–3 p.m. at International Prep Academy.
We look forward to welcoming more community members, answering your questions and providing another opportunity to learn more about the proposed facilities improvements.
🍂 Fall Break is almost here! 🍂
Here is a quick look at our upcoming schedule:
📋 Thursday, October 8 & Friday, October 9: Parent-Teacher Conferences (No school for students).
🏫 Monday, October 12: All school and administrative buildings will be CLOSED for Fall Holiday.
🍁 October 12–16: FALL BREAK! Enjoy a restful and safe week off.
We look forward to connecting with families during conferences and hope everyone has a wonderful break! See you back in class soon.
Here is a quick look at our upcoming schedule:
📋 Thursday, October 8 & Friday, October 9: Parent-Teacher Conferences (No school for students).
🏫 Monday, October 12: All school and administrative buildings will be CLOSED for Fall Holiday.
🍁 October 12–16: FALL BREAK! Enjoy a restful and safe week off.
We look forward to connecting with families during conferences and hope everyone has a wonderful break! See you back in class soon.