There will be no school on Monday, September 7, 2026 in observance of Labor Day. Enjoy your long weekend!
There's nothing quite like Friday SMILES :)
Short-Term Peace Can Create Long-Term Chaos
Care U is back for Season 5!
In this episode, we explore how trying to keep the peace in the moment can sometimes prevent children from building essential life skills. From rescuing children from discomfort to over-explaining during meltdowns, we reflect on how caregivers can create age-appropriate opportunities to develop patience, resilience, and healthy coping strategies. As always, the conversation invites caregivers to reflect on our practices and focus on the long game.
We hope you enjoy the episode.
Questions? Want to hear more about something? Did something really hit home? We love feedback at Care U. Find the feedback form here:
Short-Term Peace Can Create Long-Term Chaos
Care U is back for Season 5!
In this episode, we explore how trying to keep the peace in the moment can sometimes prevent children from building essential life skills. From rescuing children from discomfort to over-explaining during meltdowns, we reflect on how caregivers can create age-appropriate opportunities to develop patience, resilience, and healthy coping strategies. As always, the conversation invites caregivers to reflect on our practices and focus on the long game.
We hope you enjoy the episode.
Questions? Want to hear more about something? Did something really hit home? We love feedback at Care U. Find the FEEDBACK FORM here:
Would you like to receive text messages from SchoolMessenger from Morton CUSD 709? If yes, please opt in to receive SMS texts by scanning the QR code or texting Y or YES to 67587.
The full flyer will also be added to the "Documents" section under Parent on the district website.
Any questions? Contact your school office or Kate.wyman@mcusd709.org.
Dear Morton 709 Parents and Caregivers,
Due to police activity in the community, all Morton 709 Schools initiated a brief SECURE at 9:30 am. All students were brought inside, and exterior doors were locked. Morton Police Department notified the district office at 9:34am that the issue had been resolved. Therefore, all schools have returned to normal operations.
We greatly appreciate everyone's prompt response to this matter.
Thank you,
Kate Wyman
Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, Safety & Technology
Due to police activity in the community, all Morton 709 Schools initiated a brief SECURE at 9:30 am. All students were brought inside, and exterior doors were locked. Morton Police Department notified the district office at 9:34am that the issue had been resolved. Therefore, all schools have returned to normal operations.
We greatly appreciate everyone's prompt response to this matter.
Thank you,
Kate Wyman
Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, Safety & Technology
Come join the Morton 709 Business Office Team.
The NEW Morton 709 Website is here! Please read this August 2026 Parent/Caregiver Communication letter. https://docs.google.com/document/d/16z8C9uRnJGyQKagLj0QBG57sEX1yXUpQQHXNVy9jYCE/edit?usp=sharing
Safety first!
Teachers and SSS Staff are always learning. The Back-to-School Professional Development Day is an opportunity for staff to learn from one another. Our Instructional Coaches and Student Support Services team are often certified trainers in many areas of teaching.
One of our favorite ways to learn is when seasoned teachers and newer teachers learn from each other. Great things come out of the collaboration.
On Thursday, August 6, we welcomed our newest Kindergarten students to District 709. Each school held their own Kindergarten Roundup. We are so excited for them to join #onemorton. Kindergarteners, one more sleep!
See you, and all our students, for the start of the 2026-2027 school year on Wednesday, August 12!
Welcome back! Our maintenance and custodial teams did an amazing job getting every building ready for school. It is a big job! The Transportation Team has given the bus fleet extra cleaning and care this summer. Wednesday, August 12th is the big day. It is a half-day for students. Be sure to verify the release times.
We are excited to share that District 709 will be transitioning to a new website platform - Thrillshare/Apptegy on Friday, August 14, 2026. Our district website address will remain - www.morton709.org. The new platform highlights the students and staff who make Morton 709 a great place to be through pictures, news articles, and the livefeed. The website is easy to navigate. We can't wait for you to see it in 1 week!
One of the new features of this platform is the addition of a District 709 app. We will continue to inform our parents/caregivers in the week ahead about the app and the upcoming website transition.
For now, we invite you to scan the QR code to download the app - It's Everything Morton 709 in your pocket!
New Staff Orientation is jam-packed with information and learning. This team is shining bright. They will be fantastic additions to the Morton CUSD 709 educational team.
We are thrilled to announce the new app for Morton 709! It's everything Morton 709, in your pocket.
Download for Android or iPhone from the app store.
Download for Android or iPhone from the app store.
Our staff is happy to help you complete the registration process during In-Person Registration. Happening NOW until 1:00pm!
In-Person Registration is scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, 2026 from 7am-1pm at all elementary buildings and the junior high.
Hooray! A new summer special episode has dropped. Be sure to listen before your next trip to the Morton Public Library or before checking out audiobooks for a summer road trip.
Care <3 U: Sharing Our Favorite Books 2.0:
Don and Stephanie are back by popular demand, sharing some of their most recent favorite books! We hope listeners can unwind, feel inspired, or simply escape into a great story.
Whether you're relaxing in the shade or stealing quiet moments between adulting duties, these reads offer the perfect blend of encouragement, rest, and reflection. We hope you enjoy the episode
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3uY4hJKISAS3KyC3Grsarz?si=sFxDz7NqSYagf94IsLjqJA
Care <3 U: Sharing Our Favorite Books 2.0:
Don and Stephanie are back by popular demand, sharing some of their most recent favorite books! We hope listeners can unwind, feel inspired, or simply escape into a great story.
Whether you're relaxing in the shade or stealing quiet moments between adulting duties, these reads offer the perfect blend of encouragement, rest, and reflection. We hope you enjoy the episode
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3uY4hJKISAS3KyC3Grsarz?si=sFxDz7NqSYagf94IsLjqJA
Reposting and pinning from June 3, 2026:
On June 1st, it was announced that Illinois would not require school districts to observe Election Day in 2026 as a holiday. Therefore, the district is planning to amend the 2026-2027 calendar.
We will move the first day of teachers' institute to Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and the first student attendance day will be an early dismissal on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
Election Day on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, will be a day of student attendance. The board will officially approve the change at the July 14, 2026, board meeting. At this time, the updated calendar will be shared!
Our staff is kicking off summer break with a day full of learning. The instructional coach team organized and led an impressive Always Learning Conference, thanks to the help of the numerous staff presenters! We can all learn from someone and today was a “What can you take and use tomorrow (aka next year)?” day. Thanks for a job well done, coaches. Teachers and staff, thanks for your commitment to learning. Learning never stops!
