BRUSSELS CUSD 42

Awesome Human Award 🥇
Mrs. Kathy Carey is truly a superhuman! Always willing to lend a hand, she goes above and beyond for our students and staff every single day. From driving students to helping wherever she’s needed, Kathy does it all with a giving heart and a positive spirit.
Thank you, Mrs. Carey, for everything you do for Brussels CUSD — you absolutely ROCK! ⭐
#TogetherWeRise 💙

As you wake up this morning and get ready for the day, let these incredible humans be a source of motivation and inspiration for you! They are proud Raiders and Eagles! 💙 #dresslikeaneagle #dresslikearaider

Congratulations to Miss Ava Tepen, our Junior High Student of the Month! 🎉 Ava stands out for her strong intellect, quick sense of humor, and commitment to always doing her best work. Her dedication to learning and high academic achievement make her a wonderful example for her classmates. Ava’s fun, witty personality brightens our school, and we are proud to celebrate her success. Keep up the great work, Ava! 💙

Sending a GREAT BIG SHOUT OUT FOR….the Brussels High School Student of the Month, Miss Alex Friedel! 🎉 Alex is known for her kind spirit, beautiful smile, and helpful disposition. She consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to her academic work while bringing positivity to those around her. We are proud of you, Alex! Keep shining and continuing to make Brussels proud. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! 💙
#TogetherWeRise

Get Ready to RUMBLE!
Alumni Night is almost here, and it’s going to be a great one! 💙
We’ve got a full evening planned, and you can check out the agenda below for a sneak peek.⬇️⬇️⬇️
Come early to grab a seat, check out some memorabilia, and take a stroll down memory lane. You might see a photo of yourself from back in the day… and wonder what in the world you were thinking with that haircut. 😱
Catch up with old friends, swap a few stories (some of which may get better every year) 😉, grab dinner at the concession stand, watch some action, listen to the band, and see the cheerleaders perform the school song.
It’s the perfect night to laugh, reminisce, and realize that while a few things may have changed… some things never do.
We hope to see you there for a true blast from the past!
#togetherwerise #smallbutmighty

LET THE SPIRIT CHALLENGE BEGIN! 💙
Raiders and Eagles… It’s time to show your school pride!
The class with the MOST SCHOOL SPIRIT wins a prize tomorrow!
The SNICKERS SNACK PACK
For the spirited wear that makes everyone SNICKER with excitement!
The STARBURST BAG
For the STAR of SCHOOL SPIRIT!

What to do:
* Wear BLUE & WHITE
* Wear BRUSSELS
* Wear EAGLES
* Wear RAIDERS
Snap a pic, post it, and tag us!
Use the hashtags:

#togetherwerise #smallbutmighty #brussels #raiders #eagles

BIG THANKS TO AWESOME BRUSSELS FAN, Chad Baalman! We can't wait to see your tag! 🤩

Let’s see which class brings the BIGGEST spirit to our small-but-mighty school! 💙

🟦🟨 BCUSD 42 Parents — We Want to Hear From You! 🟨🟦

There are only a few days remaining before the 5Essentials Survey closes on March 13, and we would truly value your feedback. Your voice matters, and your input plays an important role in helping us continue to grow and improve as a district.

Please take a few moments to share your thoughts and let us know how we are doing. Your responses help guide decisions, strengthen our schools, and support our students.

👉 Click here to participate:
http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/

Thank you for partnering with us and for being an essential part of BCUSD 42! 🦅✨

🦅 Inside the Eagle’s Nest 🦅 There is always something exciting happening inside the Eagle’s Nest, and this week was full of hands-on learning, teamwork, and plenty of curiosity! Our young learners in grades K–2 stayed active and focused during indoor recess by participating in yoga, building strong minds and bodies while having fun together. Students also continued practicing important early literacy skills by working on CVC words and building confidence as readers. First grade students worked together during STEM time, collaborating and problem-solving as they explored new challenges and learned the power of teamwork. In third grade, students partnered up to sort subject-verb agreement sentences, strengthening their grammar skills while learning from one another. Fourth grade students dove into creativity and critical thinking as they worked on their end-of-novel projects, bringing their reading to life through thoughtful presentations and activities. Our fifth grade scientists had an exciting week exploring mixtures, solutions, and chemical reactions. Students created their own trail mix, made lemonade, and conducted experiments to observe chemical reactions in action. They even took part in a little unexpected investigation — trying pecans for the very first time! While it may not have been math-related, curiosity led the way as students explored what pecans look like on the inside and discovered a brand-new taste experience. Students also enjoyed collaborating with the high school during a STEAM challenge, showing great teamwork and problem-solving across grade levels. Lila put her engineering skills to the test by experimenting with bridge strength, while classes had fun participating in Winter Olympic–style activities that encouraged movement, cooperation, and school spirit. You never know what learning adventures you’ll find when you step inside the Eagle’s Nest — where curiosity, collaboration, and discovery happen every day! 🦅✨

Spelling Success at Brussels CUSD 42! The Regional Office of Education is excited to announce the return of the regional spelling bee! This year, all fourteen school districts within ROE40 sent their top spellers in grades 4 through 8 to compete for the title of Regional Champion. After first competing in spelling bees held within their own school buildings, the area is best spellers advanced to the regional competition and Brussels CUSD 42 is proud to share that our very own Oliver Bishop, a fourth grader at Brussels Grade School, earned an impressive sixth place finish out of 14 schools. We are incredibly proud of Oliver's hard work, courage and dedication. Representing our school at the regional level is a wonderful accomplishment! Way to go Oliver - your Eagle family is cheering you on! Together We Rise

Woo hoo! 👏🏻 We are excited to share that Jaxon Smith and Audrina Pohlman, along with the rest of the Scholastic Bowl team, competed in the Pike County Conference Scholastic Bowl Tournament on 2/17 in Pittsfield. Jaxon and Audrina made the all-conference team, each among the top 6 scores for the evening. Congratulations! We are proud! 💙
#togetherwerise #smallbutmighty

Dearest Parents and Guardians of Brussels CUSD No. 42 Students,

At Brussels CUSD No. 42, we are proud to serve not only our students, but our entire community. Your voice matters deeply to us, and we are asking for your help.

Each year, families are invited to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey. While the state only requires a 20% participation rate, our goal is 100%. Why? Because the only way we truly know what you want for your community schools — and most importantly, for your children — is for you to share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas.

Your feedback helps us:
* Understand what we are doing well
* Identify areas where we can grow
* Make informed decisions that directly impact your child’s education
* Strengthen our schools and our community

This survey is confidential and takes only a few minutes to complete, but the impact of your input is lasting.

Please help us by taking the survey today.
You can participate by scanning the QR code or by clicking the link below:
http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/

We genuinely value your partnership and appreciate the time you take to support Brussels CUSD No. 42. Together, we can ensure our schools continue to grow and thrive for every child.

Thank you for being an essential part of our school community. 💙

Truly,
Dr. Lori Hopkins

The GOOD STUFF… 💙
The beauty of being back and working in God’s country is something truly special — the kind of blessing that’s easy to overlook until you pause long enough to feel it. Monday night was one of those gentle reminders.
While supervising the 5th–6th grade boys’ game, I stepped over to the scorer’s table to grab the lineups and left the money box at the door. Without hesitation, childhood friend John Willman said he’d keep an eye on it. Folks paid their entry fee, and some even simply laid their money on the table.
Where else does that happen?
That simple moment spoke volumes about trust, character, and community.
I also had the chance to catch up with my old buddy, Donny Breden — just a few minutes of easy conversation that felt like no time had passed at all. Before heading out, I glanced at the bleachers and snapped a photo: every bit of trash picked up and placed in the receptacles. No fanfare. Just people quietly doing the right thing.
And then there was the game itself.
Watching the Brussels Eagles and the Calhoun Warriors boys compete with heart, hustle, and sportsmanship was pure joy. The boys played hard and clean. Coaches coached with purpose. Families cheered with pride. The energy in the gym was spirited but respectful — the kind of basketball that reminds us all of the purpose of small-town sports in the first place. Having two sophomore boys with the help of a mom (Thanks Vicki!) working the concession stand as class volunteers - setting up, selling, cleaning up - did my heart a whole lot of good, too! 🏀
Monday night wasn’t just a game. It was community. It was character. It was connection.
There is so much good happening in this world. When we choose to zoom in on it — on the trust, the kindness, the shared pride, the simple joys — we’re reminded of what really matters.
This is the GOOD STUFF. 🌟💙❤️

How fortunate we are to share part of our day — classes and lunch — with our neighbors from St. Mary’s School. Moments like these remind us that we are one community, growing and learning together. 💙 As we begin preparing for next year, it’s exciting to know that these wonderful students will soon become Raiders. We cannot wait to welcome them officially to Brussels High School! The future is bright, and it’s moving to see the next group of leaders, learners, and friends already finding their place here. We are thrilled to have you join the Raider family! 💙🤍
#togetherwerise #smallbutmighty

Walked out of Brussels High School and found… a limousine. 😊
I’ve only seen a limo outside a school twice in my life. The first time, it wasn’t for me.
And this day? Also not for me. 🤷🏼‍♀️
At this point, I’m starting to think the limo company just circles schools to keep me humble. In case you wonder, I’ll be inside the school with all the cool peeps!! 😜

We feel fortunate to have two wonderful young women stepping in to fill their moms’ roles in the kitchen, preparing breakfast and lunch for our fantastic students and staff. This is a perfect example of teamwork, filled with Eagle and Raider pride! We are genuinely grateful for families who step up, lend support, and ensure everything runs seamlessly. Your eagerness to help is deeply appreciated. Thank you both for filling in and serving our school community with smiles and spirit! 💙🤍
#togetherwerise #smallbutmighty

Warriors JV Volleyball was bringing it at The Pit today! 💙 Had to pop in and grab a pic of this powerhouse crew in action! What an incredible group of young ladies — hustle, heart, and Warrior pride all the way!
Let’s gooooo, Warriors!!! ❤️🏐🖤