This week the annual C-U Marching Band Showcase took place featuring Champaign Central Marching Maroons, the Centennial Marching Chargers and the Urbana Tiger Marching Band! Students performed in front of family, friends and community supporters.
Donations collected during the event will go towards supporting fine arts at each school. We thank everyone for coming out to see our talented band programs!
On November 3, 2026, Champaign Unit 4 voters will consider a proposed school building referendum designed to address the district's facility needs impacting Middle School and Special Education students with zero annual tax rate increase through strategic financial planning and the use of expiring debt.
The proposal is based on several years of facility studies, enrollment projections, the district's Facilities Committee, and community input.
Referendum Information & Tours at Franklin, Jefferson, and International Prep Academy will allow community members to see our facilities firsthand, learn more about the Building Better Schools proposal, ask questions, and get factual information directly from the district.
Tours are scheduled on weekends beginning September 20 and continuing through November 1, giving residents multiple opportunities to participate as Election Day approaches.
Our role is to make sure our community has clear, accurate, and accessible information so residents can make an informed decision.
Saturday, September 26 from 1 - 3 PM at Jefferson
Sunday, October 4 from 1 - 3 PM at International Prep Academy
Saturday, October 10 from 1 - 3 PM at Franklin
Saturday, October 17 from 1 - 3 PM at Jefferson
Sunday, October 25 from 1 - 3 PM at International Prep Academy
Sunday, November 1 from 1 - 3 PM at Franklin
Details about the plan can be found at https://www.champaignschools.org/.../building-better-schools
The existing Franklin STEAM Academy building would be torn down, and a new school building constructed on the same site. This replaces the 1953-built facility with a more modern learning environment, eliminates modular trailer classrooms, and upgrades ADA compliance and overall building safety.
For more information, visit: https://www.champaignschools.org/bbs
The proposed Franklin graphic is a concept drawing and is not a final. Design will be fully developed if voters approve funding.
Parents & Families, You’re Invited!
Join us for the College/Career and Life Readiness Parent Academy on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at the I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center.
This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents, learn more about the college and career readiness opportunities available to our students, and explore ways you can continue supporting your child’s growth and success.
8:00 AM–1:00 PM
5:30–7:30 PM
Registration ends September 25, 2026.
All families are welcome to attend these informational sessions!
Click here to register today and join us as we work together to support our students’ futures!
We appreciate everyone who took the time to visit the school, learn more about the building and ask questions about the proposed improvements.
Our next middle school tour will be Saturday, September 26, from 1–3 p.m. at Jefferson Middle School.
We look forward to welcoming more members of our community and providing an opportunity to see the school and learn more about the needs at Jefferson.
There is no school for students while educators and staff focus on professional development.
Since joining Champaign Unit 4 Schools in 2018, Danielle has made a lasting impact on students both inside and outside the classroom. She creates an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, learning from mistakes and building confidence in their mathematical abilities.
Her commitment to students extends beyond the classroom through her work as a mentor and coach. Danielle mentors student teachers and serves as head cross-country coach at Jefferson Middle School and head girls track and field coach at Centennial High School, helping students develop perseverance, teamwork, leadership and self-belief.
We are proud to celebrate Danielle’s dedication to our students and her commitment to helping young people recognize their potential. Congratulations, Danielle, on this well-deserved honor!
Somi is an internationally acclaimed vocalist, composer, actor and playwright, a two-time NAACP Image Award winner and Grammy-nominated artist. A Midwestern daughter of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda, Somi is also a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumna, holding degrees in Cultural Anthropology and African Studies.
Her 2021 Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album made her the first African woman ever nominated in any of the Grammy jazz categories, as well as the first Rwandan or Ugandan ever nominated for a Grammy.
During her visit, Somi hosted a Q&A with Central’s guitar and beginning band students, sharing her experiences as a professional artist and answering questions about music, creativity and her journey.
We appreciate Somi taking the time to return to her hometown and connect with our students while inspiring the next generation of musicians and artists!
The Firecrackers went undefeated at the state tournament in Springfield, competing against teams from Chicago and Mundelein and bringing home another state championship trophy.
We are incredibly proud to celebrate this outstanding achievement and the dedication, teamwork, and determination that made it possible. Congratulations to the entire team on going back-to-back!
Today, we remember and honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001. We are forever grateful for the bravery of the first responders, service members, and countless others who answered the call that day, 25 years later.
The Building Referendum could address immediate facility needs while making strategic investments in the future of Champaign Unit 4 Schools.
What do these facility needs look like in real life?
Join Champaign Unit 4 Schools for a community tour and see the challenges firsthand.
Walk through our schools, see the spaces students and staff use every day, and learn more about the facility needs addressed by the Building Better Schools plan.
For more information, visit: https://www.champaignschools.org/bbs
Through their partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org and Subaru Loves Learning, Serra Subaru has donated more than $50,000 to support Franklin classrooms. That investment provides teachers with the resources and supplies they need to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences for our students.
Thank you, Serra Subaru Champaign, for investing in Franklin STEAM Academy and in the future of our students!
‘It really makes their day’: CU One-to-One mentors build lasting relationships
The program is looking for more adults willing to make that commitment.
Upcoming mentor training dates are:
Thursday, September 24, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Mellon
Wednesday, September 30, 11:30 - 1:30 at Mellon
Wednesday, October 7 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Urbana Middle School
Go to the CU 1:1 website to learn more and sign up for training: www.cu1to1.org
https://www.wandtv.com/2026/09/02/it-really-makes-their-day-cu-one-to-one-mentors-build-lasting-relationships/
Champaign Unit 4 Schools was well represented at this week’s CU Schools Foundation Kick-Off Breakfast, where educators and students shared how community partnerships and innovative teaching are making a difference for students.
Centennial Choir Members under the direction of Stefanie Eustice opened the event with a beautiful song.
Daneye Carter and Danielle Mallett of Stratton Academy of the Arts highlighted the impact of her First Grade Exchange grant, which gives young learners the opportunity to build important financial literacy skills.
Katie Flugge and Central High School student Jaydon Sibley shared how the Webber & Thies Adopt a School program connects Central social studies classes with professionals in the legal field. Jaydon spoke about how the experience strengthened his interest in the law and further inspired his dream of one day becoming a judge.
The breakfast also celebrated Kayla Leitschuh, librarian at Franklin STEAM Academy, as the recipient of the Mann-Hankel Teaching Excellence Award. Kayla shared how her work in the school library uses literacy to create a place where every student can see themselves, their experiences and their possibilities reflected in the books they read.
We are proud of these Unit 4 educators and students for representing our District and grateful to the CU Schools Foundation and its community partners for investing in experiences that expand learning and opportunity for our students.
U4Connect Community Celebration!
Shoutout to Centennial High School math teacher Mr. Hamed Kadiani! Thank you for your leadership and mentorship in supporting our Golden Apple volunteers and inspiring future educators. 💙
Got someone you want to celebrate? Share your story with us at champaignschools.org/u4connect
Friday 9/4 from 4 - 7 p.m. and Saturday, 9/5 from 9 am -noon
Central High School Commons
Join our team and help empower every learner to thrive is a diverse and changing world!
Champaign Unit 4 Schools is inviting parents and caregivers to apply for the Superintendent’s Family Advisory Council.
The Council will bring together parents and caregivers from across Unit 4 to share ideas, provide feedback, identify needs, and help Superintendent Dr. Geovanny Ponce better understand the experiences of students and families. Two parents/caregivers from each Unit 4 campus will be selected.
Learn more and apply here: https://forms.gle/G281kqcedcvmf3Sa6
Time for another U4Connect Community Celebration!
Huge shoutout to our Operations and Maintenance teams! Thank you for jumping into action so quickly at Westview Elementary to clean up and get students safely back into their classrooms. 💙
Got someone you want to celebrate? Share your story with us at champaignschools.org/u4connect
