Dear Unity East Families,
The Unit 7 administration and staff are making arrangements for the 20-21 school year. Your feedback and information would be appreciated as we develop our plans.
Please fill out the Unit 7 Family Survey by following this link https://forms.gle/TaTys5FepjDzGChP7
You only need to fill it out one time per family in the district. Please submit by July 7th
A special thanks to Longview Bank for their donation to the Unity East Rocket Pack program! We are grateful for their support and the support of our community in helping care for our students.
For more information about the Rocket Pack program, visit the East website.
East Families: We hope you can celebrate the end of the school year with us! In just a little bit (3:00-3:30pm) many of the teachers and staff will be lining the bus lane to wave to all our kiddos, cheer for our departing 5th graders, and thank all of you for your part in our school year. Please stay in your vehicle and drive slowly through the bus lane. More information on the school website.
East Families: Our school is open until 12pm today for a final packet pick-up (summer packets) and a final time to turn in completed packets or other materials.
Each student has an individually-labeled bag with his or her name on it. Spring picture orders were received and are included in students' bags.
If you checked out a Chromebook, please return at this time.
We hope that families can celebrate the end of the school year with us today, 3:00-3:30pm. Teachers and staff will be lining the bus lane to wave to all our kiddos!
Our spirit Fridays are continuing this week, with this week's theme of ENCOURAGING WORDS FRIDAY. Students are encouraged to make signs, posters, artwork, etc. that display encouraging messages, words of inspiration, or motivation advice.
If students would like to include a thank you or goodbye message to our long-time volunteer, Mr. Fox instead of (or in addition to), that is highly encouraged.
If you would like to participate, please send a picture of your child and their sign to eastphotos@unitsevenschools.com by Thursday (5/14) at noon.
East Families: Today some of our great teachers and staff are at East to distribute students' belongings that were left in classrooms. If possible, please visit during one of our times today: A-L last names,7:30-10am; M-Z last names,10-12:30pm, and anyone from 4:30-7pm. Curbside pickup only - please stay in your vehicle and pull through the bus lane.
East Families: This Monday our school will have curbside pickup for students' personal belongings, as well as the learning materials for the week. Please see the East website or check you email to see times and procedures.
East Families: Please note that our district is observing our planned Easter Break on Monday. Packet pickup will take place on Tuesday only next week, 7:30am-6pm.
Starting this week, there will be a packet turn-in bin for completed student work to be dropped off on packet pick-up days. More information is available via email and on the East website.
All available resources for next week are currently posted on the school website.
We wish all of our students and families a happy Easter weekend!
It was great to see everyone who could make it out today! If you have some good photos to share, we’d love to see them in the PTO Facebook group, or shared with your kids’ teacher. We miss you all and are here for you! Go Rockets!
It’s a great day for a local parade! East teachers and staff will be driving through Sidney and Philo in a few hours and would love to see our students and families! The routes are posted online. Sidney starts at 4:00 and Philo around 4:45.
We respectfully ask and remind everyone to avoid gathering around others. Please respect social distancing guidelines.
East Families: Teachers and staff are looking forward to seeing our community this Thursday! Attached are the routes we will be driving, starting in Sidney at 4:00 and Philo around 4:45.
We hope to see many of our students and families, but we strongly ask everyone to follow social distancing guidelines. We may be coming by your home, but if not there are many spots along the route to spread out.
Please disregard the announcement about Kindergarten Orientation. It is still postponed until further notice.
East Families: This Thursday Unity East teachers and staff will be driving by to wave hello! We will be parading through town spreading good cheer, starting in Sidney at 4:00 and continuing through Philo around 4:45 (a map of the route will be shared ahead of time). We'll see you soon!
Beginning Monday, March 30, Unity East will be sharing learning materials and activities for students to use while at home.
Materials will be emailed to parents and posted on the school website at 7:30am on Monday. Everything will be available to view online and/or be printed.
Paper packets of all the materials will be available to pick up inside the main entrance of East.
The front doors of our school will be unlocked from 7:30am - 6pm, Monday and Tuesday, for packet pickup.
Unity East families, please go to https://www.unityeastelementary.com/article/213691?org=unity-east-elementary if you would like to order lunch while school is not in session. This will help in food preparation. Lunches are free and available to any Unit 7 student.
Unity East families, please read the following message from Superintendent Larson https://5il.co/dvyf
Notice from Mr. Larson - Unit Seven Schools/IL Dept of Public Health Effective March 13, 5:45 pm, ALL classes and school events, practices, and activities (on or off campus) have been suspended until March 30.
A friendly reminder that tomorrow (Thursday, March 12) is Spring Picture Day at East
Spring Picture Day at Unity East is tomorrow, Thursday, March 12.
Order forms and payment are due on picture day, Thursday, March 12.
To order online, visit www.my.lifetouch.com and enter code EVT7XF4MT
If you do not order online, please fill out the form that was sent home with exact payment and return to school on picture day.
Last call for yearbook orders - All yearbook orders are due Friday, March 13.
Orders for yearbooks are online only and can be placed at www.ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter the Yearbook ID Code 13565620.
Please Note: The office will not have any extra copies for sale, you must order online by March 13 to guarantee a copy of the yearbook.
Unity East & West yearbook orders are open from February 13 until March 13. Orders for yearbooks are online only and can be placed at www.ybpay.lifetouch.com with the Yearbook ID Code 13565620.
The East PTO meets tomorrow evening (Tuesday, March 3) at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome to help plan and discuss the upcoming events at our school!
We have been celebrating FFA week at Unity East this week. Tomorrow, (Friday, Feb.28), students are encouraged to WEAR BLUE to show support for the Future Farmers of America and agriculture!
The East PTO will meet next week on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:30pm. Fundraising for next school year will be discussed and input from families is desired. All are welcome to attend the meeting to help plan and discuss fundraising and other upcoming events at our school!
Unity East & West yearbook orders are open from February 13 until March 13. Fliers were sent home last week with more information.
Orders for yearbooks are online only and can be placed at www.ybpay.lifetouch.com with the Yearbook ID Code 13565620.
The reading portion of the Read-a-thon has wrapped up, with East students reading 118,530 minutes! Great job readers!
Donations can still be made to students' accounts for the next 5 days.
Thank you to all our supporters! We have been thrilled to see the great response and truly appreciate your support of our family and student activities!
It's a great day for kids to curl up with a book inside! This is the last day for our read-a-thon. East has read for over 115,000 minutes so far!
Last chance for readers to enter their reading online - all reading minutes must be entered before 9:00pm tonight!
A friendly reminder that tomorrow is early dismissal at 11:15am. Parent-teacher conferences will follow from 3:00-9:30pm.
No school on Friday, Feb.14 or Monday, Feb.17.
Two days left for our Read-a-thon! Students have read over 91,000 minutes since we began! Thursday will be the last day for students to enter their minutes to earn reading rewards. Thank you families and supporters for your donations!
After the first week of our Read-a-thon, students at East have read over 60,000 minutes! Be sure to encourage your reader to track their time spent reading - we are on pace to get to 100,000 minutes together. Thank you families and supporters for your donations!
The East PTO meets tomorrow evening (Tuesday, February 4) at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome to help plan and discuss the upcoming events at our school!
Students in 1R made high school friends this week! Mrs. Roberts' class drew monsters on paper and UHS students in Mrs. Seidlitz's sewing class used their skills to create stuffed animals for the first graders to take home! Thank you Mrs. Seidlitz's class for the great gifts!
East: 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade After-School Art begins tomorrow (Friday, Jan.24). Students who returned a signed permission slip will be sent to After-School Art and will need picked up at 4:00pm inside the main doors. Contact the office in advance if there are changes.
East: Kindergarten, 1st, & 2nd grade After-School Art begins tomorrow (Friday, Jan.10). Students who returned a signed permission slip will be sent to After-School Art and will need picked up at 4:00pm inside the main doors. Contact the office in advance if there are changes.
The East PTO meets this evening (Tuesday, Jan.7) at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome to help plan and discuss the upcoming events at our school!
A friendly reminder that tomorrow is early dismissal at 2:05pm. Have a happy Winter Break!
The penguins saved Christmas! Great performance 2nd & 3rd grade!
Great job Kindergarten & 1st Grade singers! You put on a great concert!
Thank you Philo 4-H Friends club for your donation to the Unity East RocketPack program!
The East PTO meets tomorrow evening (Tuesday, December 3) at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome to help plan and discuss the upcoming events at our school!
A friendly reminder that tomorrow is early dismissal at 2:05pm. Have a happy Thanksgiving Break!
East: If you park in the back parking lot this evening, the doors by the playground are unlocked (entrance D, music room hallway). Looking forward to a great turnout for our family night and book fair!
East: Fall picture retake day tomorrow (Tuesday, Nov.19). Any student absent on picture day or who ordered pictures and is not happy with their order may have their picture retaken. To have your child's picture retaken, you must bring back your pictures you received.
Unity East is celebrating Illinois Family Reading Night next week on Thursday, Nov.21, with a special evening featuring local guest readers, choir performances, family activities, & book fair from 5-8pm. Check our website or your email for details & please RSVP if attending.
Thank you to the many parent volunteers, community members, and staff who helped make our Thanksgiving Luncheon and Veterans Day Program a sucess today! It is always a pleasure to honor the veterans and senior citizens who are able to join us each year. Happy Veterans Day!
East is glad to hose our annual Thanksgiving Luncheon and Veterans Day Program tomorrow afternoon to honor local veterans, active duty service members, and senior citizens. Students are encouraged to wear red, white, & blue tomorrow.
The East PTO meets tomorrow evening (Tuesday, November 5) at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome to help plan and discuss the upcoming events at our school!
It was great to see everyone who braved the weather to visit our parade and classroom parties today. Congratulations to the classroom contest winners! Enjoy your Halloween!
A few reminders for the Halloween Parade & classroom parties this afternoon: Doors open at 1:20; Parade begins at 1:45. All visitors must sign in & out in the office. Students leaving early (before 2:45) must also be signed out in the office.
On Thursday, East will host our annual Halloween Parade and classroom parties. If you plan to visit or have questions, please review the information emailed out and posted on the school website. Different after-school arrangements? Please notify the office in advance.
East is celebrating Unity Day tomorrow by wearing ORANGE to show support for bullying prevention. There is also a Unity Day event at East Side Park in Tolono, 4-6pm, with many games & activities for the whole family. Our schools are united for kindness, acceptance, & inclusion!
The East PTO meets tomorrow evening (Tuesday, October 1) at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome to help plan and discuss the upcoming events at our school!
East Families: This afternoon students & staff participated in our annual law enforcement drill with our school resource officer to practice responding to an intruder or other threat. This message is simply to make you aware in case your child has a concern.
A friendly reminder that tomorrow (Friday, September 20) is early dismissal at 11:15am.
Picture Day at Unity East is tomorrow! To order online, visit www.my.lifetouch.com and enter code EVTDWBH2R. If you do not order online, please fill out the order form that was sent home with exact payment and return to school tomorrow.
The East PTO meets tomorrow evening (Tuesday, September 3) at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome to help plan and discuss the upcoming events at our school!
East Families: This morning students & staff took shelter in response to the storm that passed through the area. Students did a great job following directions and waiting patiently for the storm to pass. This message is simply to make you aware in case your child has a concern.
Today every class was busy learning about their new room, meeting new classmates, practicing routines, and getting started with the next chapter in their education. Great first day at East!
Unit 7 Schools is hiring a special education aide at Unity West Elementary School for the 2019-20 school year.
Qualifications: Associates degree or 60 hours college credit
Contact Janah Sudduth-Mottola, Special Education Coordinator, at 217-485-6510 / sudduthj@unity.k12.il.us if interested
Unity East's Back-to-School Open House this Thursday evening, 5:30-7:15pm. Meet the teacher, attend class meetings, drop off school supplies, & enjoy the evening at the school. Hot dogs, chips, & drinks at no cost; Kona Ice for sale. We are looking forward to seeing everyone!
Welcome to the start of our new school year! Registration will be held next week on Monday, August 5, 12:00 - 7:00pm at Unity Junior High or Tuesday, August 6, 7:30am - 2:00pm at Unity East. You may register on either of these dates and we ask you make every effort to attend.
The East Library is open tomorrow (Thursday) 8-10am and 6-8pm. This is our last day this summer. Students can check out books and take AR tests on what they've read. Come on by!
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” -
Frederick Douglass
The East Library is open tomorrow (Thursday) 8-10am and 6-8pm. Students can check out books and take AR tests on what they've read. Come on by!
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body" – Joseph Addison
The East Library is open tomorrow (Thursday) 8-10am and 6-8pm. Students can check out books and take AR tests on what they've read.
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” – Walt Disney
The East Library is open tomorrow (Thursday) 8-10am and 6-8pm. Students can check out books and take AR tests on what they've read.
The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go! -Dr.Seuss
On Tuesday, May 28, Unity East will be hosting our annual Awards Assembly to recognize students for achievement in academics, art, music, and character.
A program with the full list of awards was emailed out and is available to view on the school website.
A reminder that we will have After School Art for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders this afternoon. Contact the office if there are any changes for students who regularly attend.
To all who are able to chaperone field trips today, thank you for helping - it's appreciated!
East Update: We are excited to be hosting our Family Night and Book Fair tomorrow evening from 4-8pm. We have several exciting presentations, the buy-one-get-one book fair, and the Sidney Dairy Barn. Details on the school website and the flyer sent home. We hope to see you there!
Tomorrow is Crazy Hair Day at Unity East! Come with your best hairdo to celebrate our Fun Friday!
We also have the Cubs/Cards All for Books fundraiser going until Tuesday. Right now Cubs are in the lead with $87.92 and the Cardinals are right behind with $81.37.
4th & 5th grade music concert at East this evening at 7pm. 4th grade students report to the library at 6:45; 5th grade students report to the music room at 6:45pm. Looking forward to a great show tonight!
Family Volunteer Morning 2019
Great turnout and great results this morning! Thank you to everyone who came out to volunteer this morning - students, families, community, & teachers. Your support and involvement make a difference and are appreciated!
East is excited to host our Family Volunteer Morning from 9-11am tomorrow. Come help clean up the front of the school and enjoy some time volunteering together! Coffee, doughnuts, and water provided. We hope you can join us!
PS: Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week!
Students had a great Field Day this afternoon! Thank you volunteers and teachers for helping with games! Also, congratulations to our students for reaching their school-wide goal of 12,000 Accelerated Reader points. The prize for their hard work was a visit from Kona Ice!
2nd & 3rd grade music concert at East this evening at 7pm. 2nd grade students report to the library at 6:45; 3rd grade students report to the music room at 6:45pm. Looking forward to a great show tonight!
Due to today's weather and tomorrow's forecast, the Elementary Track Meet scheduled for Wednesday has been cancelled. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Striegel at striegelp@unity.k12.il.us
Volunteers needed: Three events are coming up at East - Field Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, & Fun Day, with volunteers and donations needed for each. If you are able, sign up by visiting the links on the school website or the email sent this afternoon. Thank you!
Kindergarten & 1st grade music concert at East this evening at 7pm. K/1 students should report to the music room at 6:45pm. Looking forward to a great show tonight!
Favorite Team Day tomorrow at Unity East! Students are encouraged to choose a shirt or gear from their favorite team to wear for our Fun Friday. Go Rockets!
A few East Reminders - Early Dismissal tomorrow at 11:15am; Parent-Teacher Conferences 3:00-5:30pm & 7:00-9:30pm; and Portfolio Night from 5:30-7:00pm. There is no school on Friday, March 22.
The East PTO meets tomorrow evening (Wednesday, March 6) at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome!
Thank you East & West PTOs for another fun Skate Night and thank you families for the donations to our Rocket Pack program! It’s good to be a Unity Rocket!
Favorite Color Day at Unity East - Go Rockets!
Favorite Color Day tomorrow at East - Our student senate is hosting the first of our themed Fun Fridays, so choose your favorite color to represent! Go Rockets!
A special thank-you to the Unity FFA group members who came to East to share their experience with FFA and read aloud books on agriculture topics. Thanks also to Mrs. Walden and Mr. McCabe for coordinating. Students enjoyed the visit!
Blue Friday - Everyone at East is encouraged to wear the color blue tomorrow in honor of FFA Week. We are also excited to welcome high school FFA members to our classrooms tomorrow afternoon to talk about FFA and agriculture topics.
Menu change for Thursday, Feb.21 - lunch tomorrow will be corn dog, corn chips, green beans, & peaches.
A few East Reminders: Early Dismissal tomorrow at 11:15am; 3-5 After-School Art from 11:15-12:00pm; Last call for Box Tops!; And, it's a Rocket Friday, so show some school spirit by wearing your Rockets gear tomorrow. Go Rockets!
The East PTO meets this evening at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome!
Order forms and payment for 18-19 Yearbooks are due this Friday, Feb. 1. To order online, visit www.ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter code 13565619 or return order forms with exact paymentl to school by Friday; extra paper copies are available in the office.
Unit 7 Schools will be closed tomorrow due to cold weather. East families, if you did not receive a phone call from our alert system at 1:30, you can notify the East office to have your contact information checked. Stay warm, everyone!
2nd-5th students have enjoyed skating in PE the past two weeks. Special thanks to our PTO for making this unit free to students! Save the date for the 2nd annual East & West Skate Night at Skateland, 5-7pm on Sunday, March 3. Admission is free, skate rentals are $3/person.
Early Dismissal tomorrow at 11:15am. It's also a Rocket Friday, so show some school spirit by wearing your Rockets gear. Go Rockets!
Shout out to our student senate officers for a terrific presentation to our school board this evening! Proud of our student leaders and the work they do for the school.
Tomorrow is our first Rocket Friday! Everyone is encouraged to show their school spirit by wearing their Rockets gear. Look for more Rocket Fridays and the occasional fun-theme Friday in the future. Go Rockets!
The East PTO meets this evening at 6:30 in the school library. All are welcome!
A friendly reminder the After-School Art club begins today, for K-2 students, 2:45-3:30pm. More information is available on the school website. Contact the school office if another permission slip is needed.
It's time to order yearbooks for the 18-19 school year! Order forms are going home with your child today and are due by Feb. 1. To order online, visit www.ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter code 13565619
or fill out the form sent home with exact payment and return to school.
First grade at East has been learning about different ways the Christmas season is celebrated around the world. Today they dresed up and celebrated the Swedish tradition of St. Lucia Day, complete with a parade around the school, cinnamon rolls, & hot chocolate!
Great job performing today, choir! Remember that you can support the music boosters shopping online or in store today.
Tomorrow (Saturday) at 2:30pm, our 4th & 5th choir will perform holiday music at Barnes & Noble in Champaign. This is also a music booster fundraiser, with a percentage of sales going to our programs. Use the attached flyer to purchase in store or online. Hope to see you there!
Great family night at Unity East, learning about computer science and coding. If you enjoyed coding, check out more at @code.org #hourofcode
Did you know that 5th grade students in Unit 7 are now learning to play ukulele? Our 5th graders at East started their lessons earlier this month and are making good progress!
At East, we are thankful for our students, dedicated staff, and supportive community! Enjoy the break and time together everyone. Happy Thanksgiving!
Students in 2nd Grade enjoyed a visit from ISP Trooper Tracy, aka Mama Bear, for a car safety lesson. Top takeaways: buckle up, use the proper car seat, and encourage safe driving. If you're traveling for Thanksgiving, stay safe on the road!
With snow having arrived, a few reminders for recess. Everyone goes outside, weather permitting (a "feels like" temp above 20, reasonable wind). Must have boots to walk in the snow, gloves to touch the snow, and snow pants to roll or kneel. Warm and dry is our goal!
Save the Date: In three weeks (Tuesday, Dec. 4) East is hosting a family night from 5-8pm. Come check out the book fair, grab some pizza, & participate in the computer-science activity, the Hour of Code. Please RSVP by returning the letter sent home or calling the school.
Unity East Student Senate is hosting a small fundraiser this week, our annual Top Turkey contest. Students can vote for a favorite staff member by buying a feather for 25 cents. The teacher with the most feathers wins a lovely turkey crown and sash to wear the day before break!
Thank you to everyone who helped make our luncheon and Veterans Day Program a success today! We enjoyed hosting our senior citizen and veteran guests and wish all of our local veterans and active duty service members a happy Veterans Day. We thank you for your service!
Tomorrow, Unity East will host senior citizens and veterans for our annual luncheon and Veterans Day Program. Students are encouraged to wear RED, WHITE, and/or BLUE to honor veterans at our program.
The East PTO meets this evening at 6:30 in the school library. School topics for discussion tonight include our Thanksgiving Luncheon, Family Night: Hour of Code event, a school-wide survey, and a spending proposal for classroom computers and family events. All are welcome!
All senior citizens and veterans are invited to Unity East this Friday, Nov. 9, for our annual Thanksgiving Luncheon & Veterans Day Program. Doors open at 12:05, lunch begins at 12:20, and our program will start at 1:00. Please reserve a spot by calling the school at 684-5218.
Too much Halloween candy? The Unity FFA Chapter is partnering with Operation Gratitude to collect candy (and other small items) for troops overseas. We are accepting donations now through Nov. 5 at all Unit 7 schools. A complete list of items is posted on the school website.
Unity East enjoyed our Halloween celebrations and had many great costumes today. Congratulations to the classroom costume contest winners (shown in the picture) as well as our overall winner, Zachary Ruhter, shown in his airplane costume. Have a happy and safe Halloween!
Unity East held our annual law enforcement drill this afternoon with our school resource officer. We practiced our emergency response plan, including lockdown and a building evacuation. Student safety is always a priority. Proud of our students and staff!
Unity East is looking forward to the Halloween fun planned for tomorrow, and we are glad to have many family and community members join us. Please review the details emailed out and posted on the website to help our day go smooth. After-school changes? Please contact the office.
Too much Halloween candy? The Unity FFA Chapter is partnering with Operation Gratitude to collect candy (and other small items) for troops overseas. We are accepting donations now through Nov. 5 at all Unit 7 schools. A complete list of items is posted on the school website.
Students at Unity East have spent the past several weeks learning what it means to practice respect by Being Ready. Congratulations to our students of character, who were chosen by their teachers and classmates for doing an excellent job demonstrating Respect!
On Wednesday afternoon, East is hosting our annual Halloween parade and classroom parties. Please notify the office in advance of after-school changes by calling 684-5218, emailing Mrs. Fitch at fitcht@unity.k12.il.us, or sending a note to school with your child.
Remember to wear and share ORANGE tomorrow for Unity Day! #UnityDay2018
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Together we can create communities that are kinder, more inclusive and accepting for all students. Wear and share ORANGE on Unity Day, (tomorrow) Wed., Oct. 24, 2018 to show your support of bullying prevention. #UnityDay2018
A friendly reminder that tomorrow is early dismissal at 11:15am, followed by Parent-Teacher Conferences, 3:00-9:30pm.
Unity East Elementary is excited to begin a new chapter in communication with our families and community through a new district app, new school website, and an emerging social media presence. Stay tuned!