Greetings, Urbana Family and Friends,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! It is an exciting time to be part of Urbana School District 116.

Over the past two years, we have accomplished a great deal together, and this year promises to be just as exciting as we continue to strengthen district initiatives, expand special programs, and deepen our partnerships with families and the community.

Our students are the heart of everything we do, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve your children and your family. Every day, we strive not only to provide an excellent education, but also to inspire creativity, foster a love of learning, and build a strong sense of belonging throughout our schools.

As a district, we remain committed to academic excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement. We are intentionally building systems and supports that create safe, welcoming, and nurturing learning environments where every student and staff member can thrive. As your superintendent, I remain committed to working alongside our outstanding staff to advance our mission to "create a supportive community to equip and nurture ALL learners to achieve success."

This Friday, we invite you to join us for our annual Welcome Back Celebration as we officially kick off the new school year and celebrate our amazing school community.

The event will take place on Friday, August 14, from 5:30–7:00 p.m. at Urbana Middle School, 1201 S. Vine Street. It will be an evening filled with fun, food, and opportunities to connect. We look forward to welcoming both returning and new USD116 students and families. You will enjoy free food and treats, family-friendly activities, a preview of our Urbana High School Fall Sports teams, and a community resource fair featuring many of our valued local partners.

Our early childhood and elementary schools also have Back-to-School scheduled this week. These events provide wonderful opportunities for families to meet teachers, drop off school supplies, learn arrival and dismissal procedures, and become familiar with their schools before the first day of classes.

To make preparing for the new school year as easy as possible, we have created the USD116 Back-to-School Hub, where you can find school supply lists, event dates, transportation information, school calendars, bus schedules, and many other helpful resources. While you're there, I also encourage you to explore our newly redesigned district website. We've worked hard to simplify the site, improve navigation, and make it easier than ever to find the information and resources your family needs. The Back-to-School Hub has dates for all of the upcoming beginning-of-the-year events.

Our theme this year is "Gratitude is the Best Attitude." Gratitude reminds us to celebrate our successes, appreciate one another, and recognize the many people who make our schools special. Together, we have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of our students, families, colleagues, and community every single day.

Thank you for choosing Urbana School District 116 and for the trust, partnership, and encouragement you provide throughout the year. We are honored to serve your family.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our Welcome Back Celebration on Friday as we begin what I know will be an incredible 2026–2027 school year.

All my best,

Dr. Ivory-Tatum
Stronger Together, Leading for the Future.

ParentSquare is the official platform for school-to-home communications in Urbana School District. Our district, schools, teachers, and coaches use ParentSquare to communicate directly with families.

We strongly encourage you to download the ParentSquare app and register your account today. The free mobile app allows you to customize notification preferences to fit your needs and schedule, set your preferred language for automatic two-way translation, and so much more.

Download on Apple Store for iphones

Download on Google Play for Android

Promise Healthcare is offering back-to-school and sports physicals, along with dental and behavioral health services.

• Medicaid & most insurance accepted

   

• Same-day and same-week appointments available

   

Urbana Location

• Address: 1002 South Race Street, Urbana 

• Dates: August 14 & August 20 

• Hours: 7:45 AM – 5:30 PM 

• Additional Services: Dental & Behavioral Health Services offered 

How to Schedule & Save Time

• Call to Schedule: (217) 600-7000 

• Save Time Ahead of Your Visit: Complete patient forms online before you arrive at promisehealthcare.org/new-patient-forms. 

• Email Completed Forms: psrs@promisehealth.org

   

• Website: promisehealth.org

Eye exams (by an ophthalmologist or optometrist) are required for: 

• Kindergarten 

• Students entering a State of Illinois school for the first time. 

Eye Exams or waiver must be submitted by November 15 of the school year. 

Dental Examinations are required for students entering: 

•  Kindergarten 

•  2nd grade 

•  6th grade 

•  9th grade 

Dental Exams or waiver must be submitted by May 15 of the current school year and must be completed no more than 18 months prior to the May 15 deadline. Dental examinations must be recorded on the appropriate State of Illinois, Illinois Department of Public Health, Proof of School Dental Examination form. 

When a student will be absent from school, the parent or legal guardian is to call the school's attendance office (main office in schools other than the middle school and high school) on the morning of the first day of the absence. The parent or legal guardian is to indicate the reason for the absence and the estimated duration of the absence. 

Phone Numbers to Report Absences at Each School: 

• Attendance Office: Urbana Middle School 217-384-3688 
• Attendance Office: Urbana High School 217- 384-3522 
• Urbana Sixth Grade Center: 217-384-3670
• Martin Luther King, Jr. 217-384-3675 
• Leal 217-384-3618
• Dr. Preston L. Williams, Jr. 217-384-3628 
• Thomas Paine 217-384-3572 
• Yankee Ridge Multilingual 217-384-3608 
• Urbana Early Childhood School 217-384-3616

In special cases where absence is over an extended time or is frequent, the principal may request reasons in writing from the parent and/or a statement from a physician.

All absences, regardless of reason that are not reported by phone will be recorded as unexcused. 

When a child is absent and the parent or legal guardian has not reported the absence to the school, the student’s parent or legal guardian will receive an automated call from Skyward at the times listed below, informing them that their child is absent and that they have until 4:00 pm to call the school’s attendance office to clear the absence.

The Sharing Table is a food pantry delivery service offered in partnership with the HOPE Center, Wesley Foundation, First United Methodist Church, and United Way. 

What is Offered?

• Free food pantry items and limited hygiene products delivered directly to your door. 

• Deliveries occur at varying times on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. 

Who is Eligible?

• Community members with limited mobility or transportation who cannot visit traditional food pantries. 

How to Sign Up:

• Deliveries are available every other week. 

• Important: Sign-ups are not automatic—you must contact the organization each time you require a delivery. 

How to Contact & Order:

Reach out via phone or email based on where you live:

• Urbana Residents: Call (217) 384-4144 or email info@ctso.org 

My name is Dr. Jeniece Nance, and I am your District Family Liaison. I am excited about meeting and working with each of you to support our students! 

Supports I may provide include, but are not limited to:

• Assistance with school registration 
• Providing support for families at school meetings and/or conferences 
• Assistance with student-centered, family-oriented events 
• Securing resources to meet basic human needs 
• Collaborating with schools and families to promote family engagement 
• Establishing partnerships between schools and local organizations

Additionally, I am the Executive Director of Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center located at 1401 E. Main Street, Urbana, IL 61801. We provide after-school and summer youth development programming. 

My daytime office is located at Urbana Middle School, Room 1522 (inside the Multipurpose Room). I may also be reached at jdmitchell@usd116.org or (217) 384-3685. I hope to connect soon!

Have a Wonderful School Year, 

Dr. Jeniece Nance aka “Dr. J”

Traditional parent-teacher organizations and family groups have not provided most Black families with the space they need to support themselves or their children due to cultural differences. Our school district's data indicates we need to provide another layer of support for our Black families. The Village Investment Promise (VIP) is a supportive community designed for Black families. It creates a space where families can uplift each other and their children as they navigate the educational system together.

The Village Investment Promise is based on the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” VIPs promise to raise their children together as a united community.

VIP Meetings will be held at the Urbana Sixth Grade Center from 5:30-6:30 on the following dates:

September 8, 2026

November 5, 2026

February 11, 2027

April 20, 2027

For more information about the Village Investment Promise, please read the overview linked below. You can also contact Dionne Webster, The Director of Family Engagement and Student Supports, via email dwebster@usd116.org.

Each month, our entire district will focus on one of the 7 Mindsets. We encourage you to join us by using these monthly themes as talking points with your child during dinner, car rides, or daily check-ins.

These conversations not only reinforce what students are learning in school, but can also inspire personal growth for adults as well. Together, we can help both our students and ourselves develop the mindsets to thrive in school and in life!

This month, we are helping students embrace a positive outlook, dream big, and believe in their own potential. Try using these simple questions to spark a great conversation at home:

• Dreaming Big: "If you knew you couldn't fail, what is one goal or dream you would set for yourself this school year?"

• The Power of "Yet": "When you feel like saying 'I can't do this,' how can we reframe it to 'I can't do this yet'?"

• Trying Something New: "What is one new skill, hobby, or subject you’d love to explore this year?"

Set a great tone for the day with daily quotes from 7 Mindsets. Sharing these quick morning messages with your child is a simple way to spark meaningful conversations and reinforce what they’re learning at school.

Sign up to get daily quotes sent directly to your phone or email: https://7mindsets.com/morning-mindset-quotes/

Partnering with Families to Help Every Student Thrive

Mrs. Dionne Webster

Director of Family Engagement and Student Supports

📧 dwebster@usd116.org | 📞 (217) 384-3565

📍 1101 East University Avenue, Urbana, IL 61802