The administration, staff and Board at Pekin Community High School worked toward a new vision and mission for PCHS during the 2016-2017 school year. As we did so, we knew we wanted to use these statements as a jumping off point for a rebranding/marketing plan for our high school. You will see more and more schools and districts prioritizing time and resources toward marketing themselves with their public, and while some may view these efforts as frivolous, many Superintendents and school leaders recognize the necessity of this in the new age of social media. Even though we live in a country where all students have to attend school and our “clients” could be viewed as a given, what we have realized is that our communities can be our biggest allies, but they can only be so if they know what is happening inside the schools they are financially supporting through property taxes. But, who is telling our stories? Who is sharing the magical moments happening day in and day out?

Our proudest moments aren’t just about the championships or the Friday night wins. At Pekin Community High School, they are about one hundred and twenty teachers making an impact on close to 1900 students each and every day. It is about young people who are learning who they are, what they believe in, and gaining experiences that teach them how they can make an impact and change the world. Those magical moments happen each and every day in classrooms at PCHS and in every school across America. Those are not the moments; however, you read about in the paper or hear about on the nightly news. But, those are exactly the moments that change students’ lives forever and reinforce for teachers why they work so hard at a profession that continually is under fire – it is always about the kids, and it always has been.

“The opportunity is here. The fire is within.” Our new motto epitomizes Pekin Community High School. While the number of opportunities at PCHS is endless, it is the fire within our students that will garnish results. As we look to better share our stories, we are really looking to share the pride that we have in a school that we believe in. But no school can market itself without the help of its community. It takes a village! So as much as I challenged our staff to be the leaders of this charge, so too I challenge our community to be a part of our school’s story. Continue to show your support by coming to school events, participating in communal activities, or even sharing the positive stories you hear about a particular student, graduate or program at the school. Follow our Facebook (Pekin Community High School District 303), our twitter (@PCHSDragons), and our new website (www.pekinhigh.net) to stay connected to our school. We will even be launching a new app that will allow everyone easy access to what we hope is an endless stream of stories about people making an impact both within our school community as well as in our community as a whole. Rest assured that the teachers who are making an impact on the students are doing so because they live to know they are making a difference. And, if there is a question that you have or even an issue that you need resolved, pick up the phone and call us. We want to be able to have conversations, build relationships, and work together for the benefit of our students. Most of all, we want to convey the fact that we love what we do, have pride in our school, and, most of all, care about the students we engage with in support of their success. We are going to flood our own social media with our stories – the stories of students making a difference, of teachers having an impact, and the stories that reinforce why everyone should have #dragonpride.

We look forward to seeing you at our Open House on Tuesday, August 22 from 6pm until 8pm. It is a great chance to connect with your student’s first semester teachers to hear about what your student will be learning and what the expectations for each course are. In addition, we are excited to show off our wonderful new Learning Commons (the old Library) which has had a major facelift and will be a great place for students to work, collaborate and study – come check it out!

Sincerely,

Danielle Owens

Pekin District 303 redefines mission, vision and motto

Welcome to the 2017-2018 School Year