Quick Links
Menus
The Eagle Eye
Calendar
Parent Portal
Library
Mercer County School District News
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Notice of Public Meeting
Mercer County School District is required to spend a proportionate amount of money to provide services to children with disabilities who are home-schooled or enrolled in private schools within the district boundaries. A Timely and Meaningful Consultation meeting for the aforementioned families will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, 2024 in the district office located at 203 N Washington Street in Joy. The purpose of the meeting is to share information about parental and student rights regarding special education services specified in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and Title One services as specified in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Questions about the meeting should be directed to Mercer County School District Superintendent Scott Petrie (309/582-2238).
Community Forum Survey 2024
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8fspPoOcUHUVdmVLlEGW0LewLJl1fLo_Z2L7YhWPiuOZF5Q/viewform?usp=pp_url
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey
District Information
Welcome to our Website!
If you are a regular visitor to our school webpage, it's best to hit refresh after opening a page to ensure you are getting the most updated information.
MCSD #404 Mission Statement
MCSD #404, in an active partnership with family and community, will empower all students to be engaged learners and decision-makers, enabling them to become respectful, productive, and responsible citizens.
Ask the Board
Community members desiring to ask the Board questions about the District can click on the link below. Questions and answers thought to be of interest to others will be posted publicly (person who asked question will not be identified).
Mercer County Schools will join the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in the statewide
survey of school climate and learning conditions. The survey provides a unique opportunity for students,
teachers and parents to have a voice in improving their schools. From January 30 through March 29,
2024, students and teachers will be asked to take a research-based survey to help identify strengths and
weaknesses in their school’s learning environment. These surveys will serve as an opportunity for
schools to reflect on progress since the last statewide implementation. We encourage all our teachers,
students, and parents to make their voices heard to impact future decisions by the administration and
Board of Education.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey provides a comprehensive picture of a school’s organizational culture in
an individualized report measuring five “essentials” critical for school success:
▪ Effective Leaders
▪ Collaborative Teachers
▪ Involved Families
▪ Supportive Environment
▪ Ambitious Instruction
We guarantee that survey responses will never be connected to the identity of you or your child.
School reports will only present aggregated information of how parents and students responded as a
whole. A parent survey report will only be generated if at least 20 percent of parents respond to the
survey. While the parent data will not be made public, the parent report will be made available to
administration and Board of Education and will enable them to make decisions based on the responses
received Your participation in the parent survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s
school and guide improvement. Again, your identity and individual survey responses will be kept
completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
To participate in the Parent Survey, please click the link below:
https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/?target_name=parent
PRESS RELEASE - September 26, 2023
$110,000 grant funds creative arts grants across Mercer County
QUAD CITIES, Iowa / Illinois—The Looser-Flake Foundation has distributed more than $110,000 in new grants across Mercer County, IL. With a focus on creative arts, these grants are making an immediate impact on communities in the region.
In Aledo, the funds have already supported a student art gala. “It’s been incredibly exciting,” said Mayah Balmer, Mercer County Art Collective organizer. “This event showed the town what our young artists are capable of, and what art can bring to this community.”
Administered by the Quad Cities Community Foundation and dedicated to supporting charitable causes in Mercer County, the Looser-Flake Charitable Foundation was established by the estates of Dorothy Looser-Flake and Roberta Looser, sisters who were born and raised on a family farm near New Boston, Illinois. The foundation’s 2023 Creative Arts Grants distributed $111,700 to 11 arts-focused projects in Mercer County, through a collaborative process facilitated by Mercer County Better Together.
“The entire grant process was energizing,” said Lindsey Dunn, executive director of Aledo Main Street, a nonprofit organization working to foster a center of activity in the community by enhancing downtown vibrancy, preserving historical charm, and helping businesses thrive through partnerships and programming in Aledo. “By making the grant effort collaborative, we had an opportunity to learn with other organizations and even weave some of our projects together. The result is a range of art initiatives that will benefit communities across the county.”
In Aledo, that benefit is being immediately felt. “We did an installation in the park to create some buzz for the gala,” said Balmer. “The grant has allowed us to bring this event to life, promote it, and we have an amazing team that’s already thinking about how to build from this,” added Dunn.
The future for the arts in Mercer County is bright. The Looser-Flake Grant will fund student performance and music education, allow upgrades to AV equipment, bring musicians into Mercer County for performances, support film projects, and create new performance spaces.
One of those new spaces will appear in Keithsburg, which received a $30,000 grant to build a riverfront performance stage. “We have a vision for our downtown area,” said Keithsburg city representative Kayla Hillman. “It involves music, art, and other events that bring communities together around the riverfront. This stage—The Keithsburg Landing—is a big part of that vision.”
The Keithsburg Landing will provide a performance venue but also be available for weddings and other special occasions. “Art and music are vital for any community,” Hillman said. “This new venue is going to bring people to Keithsburg and encourage more community involvement from area businesses and vendors. We’re excited to get the project started!”
The Looser-Flake Foundation and projects like the performance space in Keithsburg are creating a bright future for creative arts in the region. “All of these grantees are going to make a long-lasting impact on Mercer County,” said Kelly Thompson, vice president of grantmaking and community initiatives at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. “By investing in the arts, we’re investing in children, supporting tourism, and building culture in these communities. We’re excited to see how these programs continue to develop in the years to come.”
Complete list of grant recipients:
-
Mercer County Community Band - $2,000 to upgrade performance music
-
Quad City Symphony Orchestra - $3,000 to bring education programs to Mercer County
-
Mercer County School District #404 - $4,500 to upgrade streaming equipment
-
Aledo Rhubarb Festival - $5,000 to book local entertainment
-
Aledo Main Street, Inc. - $6,700 to hold Mercer County art collective, art gala
-
Mercer County School District #404 - $7,136 to add pitched instruments to K-5 music
-
Aledo Central Park Band Shell - $10,000 to update light and sound systems
-
Mercer County School District #404 - $10,000 to add 3-D art program to HS curriculum
-
Golden Eagle Music Boosters - $13,364 to upgrade marching band uniforms
-
Gertrude Movie LLC - $20,000 to produce film about Aledo artist
-
City of Keithsburg - $30,000 to build riverfront performance stage
AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM
**HELPING HOUSEHOLDS CONNECT**
Mercer County School District 404 Goals
Mercer County School District 404 is happy to present an update on our district goals for the 2022-2023 school year.
Crime Stopper App - P3 Campus
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As part of Mercer County School District's commitment to students' safety and mental health, beginning today we are launching an anonymous reporting program, which will allow students and parents to make anonymous reports about concerns of safety or student wellness. Our program is student-focused, as opposed to crime focused, meaning it is a tool for alerting caring adults about students who need help-not snitching. This is part of our continuous effort to increase campus and student safety, and provide students with a safe, completely anonymous outlet to share concerns.
Students can use our new P3 Campus app to report: bullying, suicide concerns, depression, sexting, stealing, threats, cutting, abuse, dating and domestic violence, fights, drugs, alcohol, weapons or other types of dangerous situations that threaten their safety or the safety of others. Their reports will be addressed by a trained team of school officials and law enforcement, when necessary.
When you or your student have a concern, you can go to P3Campus.com on your computer, tablet, or laptop- or you can download the free P3 Campus mobile app-- and make a 100% anonymous report in less than five minutes.
The use of anonymous reporting apps in state programs like Safe2Tell Colorado have proven to be successful in providing the tools and information needed for school officials and to proactively address concerning behaviors, potential incidents of violence, and other harmful situations on campus before they develop. We look forward to working with you and your student to continue making the Mercer County Schools safe.
Substitute Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Custodians, and Cooks Needed!!
Mercer County School District is in need of Substitute Teachers. Please click the link below or call the ROE at 309-734-6822 for further information.
How can I obtain a substitute teaching license?
Mercer County School District is in need of Substitute Paraprofessionals. Please click the link below or call the ROE at 309-734-6822 for further information.
How can I obtain an ELS endorsement as a paraprofessional educator?
Mercer County School District is in need of Substitute Cooks and Custodians. Please call the district office for additional information. We will guide you through the process!!
309-582-2238