🔥🏀 GAME DAY IS COMING! 🏀🔥
Catch every bucket, buzzer-beater, and big moment LIVE as OTHS Pantherbeat streams the Bank of O’Fallon Shootout this Saturday!

www.bankofofallonshootout.com

If you can’t be in the stands, we’ve got you covered.
📺🎙️ Tune in. Cheer loud. Wherever you are.

Dear OTHS Families and Students,

The attached newsletter provides important information regarding state-required assessments scheduled for March and April. We encourage you to review this information and mark the testing dates on your calendar to plan accordingly.

The newsletter is two pages in length. Page one outlines testing dates and the impact on the daily schedule at each campus. Page two includes anticipated dismissal times and bus schedules for testing days.

Additional details for each assessment will be shared as we get closer to the testing dates.

Thank you for your continued partnership. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lugge (lugget@oths.us)

Director of School Counseling

Assessment Coordinator

 

Attachment: Assessment Newsletter

💙 It’s School Counselor Appreciation Week! 💙

📣This week we celebrate the incredible school counselors who support, guide, and advocate for our students every single day. From academic planning to career guidance, their impact reaches far beyond the office door. Thank you for all you do for our students and families, we appreciate you more than you know! 💪

🗣️We will officially have an E-Learning day tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27th, 2026.

 

💙They say the sequel is never as good as the original, but let's prove them wrong.

 

💪You all crushed E-Learning today 👏 Let’s keep the momentum going and run it back tomorrow!

 

😎See you on Canvas tomorrow Panthers, same time, same place!

OTHS Students, Families, and Staff, 

Due to weather and road conditions, OTHS will utilize an E-Learning day on Monday, January 26th. Please visit the following link for E-Learning resources: https://www.oths.us/academics/e-learning-information

Student attendance is expected on E-Learning days. The class schedule is posted below. As a reminder, students must log in to Canvas Collaborate Live for each of their classes and remain logged in for the entirety of each class period.

Smiley Students	Milburn Students
Office Hours:                8:00 am	Office Hours:                7:30 am
Early Bird:                     8:25 - 8:55
1st Hour:                        9:00 - 9:30	1st Hour:                        9:00 - 9:30
2nd Hour:                       9:35 - 10:05	2nd Hour:                       9:35 - 10:05
3rd Hour:                       10:10 -10:40	3rd Hour:                       10:10 -10:40
4th Hour:                       10:45 - 11:15	4th Hour:                       10:45 - 11:15
5th Hour:                       11:20 – 11:50	5th Hour:                       11:20 – 11:50
6th Hour:                       11:55 – 12:25	6th Hour:                       11:55 – 12:25
7th Hour:                       12:30 – 1:00	7th Hour:                       12:30 – 1:00
Lunch:                           1:00-1:30	Lunch:                          1:00-1:30
Online Office Hrs:       1:30-2:00	Online Office Hrs:       1:30-2:00
Office Hours:               2:00-3:00	Office Hours:               2:00-2:30

If students have a technical problem, please contact the computer department through emailing computerdepartment@oths.us. 

Information regarding athletics and extra-curricular activities will be communicated through individual coaches and sponsors. 

Thank you, 

Dr. Beth Shackelford, Superintendent

OTHS Students and Families, 

As the winter season nears, so does the potential for inclement weather. In the event that school must be cancelled due to weather conditions, families will be notified through the email and phone number listed in the Skyward student management system. School closings will also be announced through local television networks and on the OTHS website. 

We are also pleased to share that an official E-Learning plan has been approved for OTHS. This plan provides the flexibility to use E-Learning days in place of emergency days that would otherwise require the full closure of school operations. We anticipate utilizing a combination of E-Learning days and traditional emergency days as needed throughout the school year. The plan allows OTHS to use a maximum of five E-Learning days per year.

For additional information about E-Learning, please visit http://www.oths.us/elearning or view the E-Learning Frequently Asked Questions. E-Learning day announcements will be communicated in the same manner as traditional school closings. 

Celebrating the life and legacy of one of a kind today. A trailblazer and man of character.

"The time is always right, to do what is right."

Do the next right thing today, and everyday!

🎉 Congratulations to our Fall 2025 Honor Roll students! 🎉
Your hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence are true to the OTHS way. We are proud of each of you!!! Keep striving, keep growing, and keep leading the way, Panthers! 🐾📚

 

You can find the complete list at www.oths.us/honorroll

We are pleased to announce that our 8th Grade Parent Night will be livestreamed. Visit the following link to view the stream.

https://www.youtube.com/live/882LQrlzK6M?feature=shared

 

🥳Please join us in congratulating the 107 OTHS seniors who have been recognized as Illinois State Scholars for the Class of 2026!

 

🎯This honor is awarded by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) and is one of the state’s highest academic distinctions. Selection is based on a combination of ACT scores and sixth-semester class performance, placing honorees roughly in the top 10% of Illinois students.

 

💙We are incredibly proud of their hard work, dedication, and academic excellence.

 

Visit www.oths.us/honorroll for the complete list of students

OTHS Students, Staff, and Families, 

Final exams are right around the corner and will be held on December 17, 18, and 19. Please see the Final Exam Schedule on our website calendar.

Earlier this week, OTHS hosted a community meeting to discuss future facility needs and planning. If you were unable to attend the meeting, you can view a video of the presentation here: OTHS Facilities Planning Presentation. We are asking parents and community members to complete a brief survey after viewing the presentation. The link to the survey can be found here: OTHS Facility Improvement Community Feedback Survey Our community is an integral part of the planning process, and we appreciate your feedback!

Finally, winter break begins December 22nd. Students will return for second semester on January 6. 

Wishing you a happy holiday season from all of us at OTHS, 

Dr. Beth Shackelford, Superintendent

We see many comments about moving sophomores out to the Milburn Campus. This option is on the table, but we also wanted to share some considerations.

Things to Consider About a Freshman–Sophomore Campus (Just a few of the many)

Access to electives & specialized programs - Many upper-level courses and CTE/Art courses are now only available at the Smiley campus.

Increased transportation needs - More students may need to be transferred between campuses during the school day.

Split staffing & resources - Additional staff may need to travel between campuses.

A significant addition to the building and facilities would be needed to house another class at our Milburn Campus. The Milburn campus was designed for growth, and we do have space to expand.

We’re focused on the future. While it’s easy to look back and say, ‘We should have done this,’ our responsibility now is to work with what we have and continue building OTHS into the best environment for our students to learn and thrive.

This information and much more will be available tomorrow evening as we discuss our many options with the public at our PTAC Meeting. 6:30pm start time at the Smiley Panther Center

🏫 Our space is stretched to the limit. 😠

📣OTHS Smiley Campus is currently at 95% space utilization, far above the 80% standard recommended by ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education). This impacts everything from classroom size to daily scheduling and even teacher/faculty workspace.

🤯Many teachers don't even have their own classrooms. OTHS has some rooms that are shared among 3 or more teachers.

💙We’re committed to being transparent with our community as we explore solutions to ensure our students and staff have the space they deserve. You have a great opportunity to join us on December 8th to have your voice heard.

PTAC Meeting - December 8th - 6:30pm - Smiley Panther Center

 

Our hallways tell the story.

OTHS was built for a different time, a different enrollment, and a different community size. These photos show the strain on our current space, hallways packed shoulder-to-shoulder during passing periods.

Our students number 1 complaint about our facilities, navigating our hallways. If you have ever tried to navigate from one classroom to another during passing periods, you know their struggle.

We are actively exploring facility solutions, and community input will be essential as we move forward. Come join us on December 8th as we seek community input on our facility needs.

FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE – FALL SEMESTER 2025

FINAL EXAM DAY 1: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17

 

HOUR	MILBURN	SMILEY
1ST	7:30 – 9:00	8:00 – 9:30
2ND	9:10 –10:40	9:40 – 11:10
3RD	10:50-12:20	11:20 – 12:50

Students with unscheduled time, study hall, PE and/or lunch/advisory during 1^st or 3^rd hour need not be present. All students present during unscheduled time should report to the cafeteria.

FINAL EXAM DAY 2: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18

 

HOUR	MILBURN	SMILEY
7th	7:30 – 9:00	8:00-9:30
6th	9:10-10:40	9:40-11:10
EARLY BIRD	NA	11:20-12:50

Students with unscheduled time, study hall, or PE during 7^th hour need not be present. All students present during unscheduled time should report to the cafeteria.

FINAL EXAM DAY 3: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19

 

HOUR	MILBURN	SMILEY
4TH	7:30-9:00	8:00-9:30
5TH	9:10-10:40	9:40-11:10

Students with unscheduled time, study hall, PE and/or lunch/advisory during 4^th or 5^th hour need not be present. All students present during unscheduled time should report to the cafeteria.

NOTE: If there is an emergency day on any of the three scheduled exam days, further instructions will be provided.

 

BUSING INFORMATION

·         Buses will run at the conclusion of finals on December 17 and December 19. Buses will run after 6^th hour on December 18. Buses will NOT run after the early bird final on December 18.

·         The Milburn Activity bus will run at the conclusion of all Milburn finals.

 

ATTENDANCE AND OTHER INFORMATION

·         Lunches are not served on final exam days.

·         It is mandatory to give semester exams to all classes on the days that they are scheduled. Under no circumstances will final exams be given in advance of the first regularly scheduled day of finals.

·         A doctor's excuse or other third-party documentation, as approved in advance by the administration, may be required for students to miss final exams.

·         If a student misses 1st Semester final exams, they will be expected to make up these exams no later than the first school day of the second semester.

·         It is mandatory that students not be dismissed early from any final exam period.

 

ATHLETICS

·         Sports practices on exam days will be determined by individual coaches.

You’re Invited: Community Conversation on the Future of OTHS Facilities
Monday, December 8 • 6:30–8:00 p.m. • Panther Center, Smiley Campus

We invite all OTHS parents and families to join us for an important community meeting to discuss the future of our school facilities. Your voice plays a key role in shaping long-term improvements that will support our students, staff, and community for years to come.

Over the past year, OTHS has been conducting a large-scale facilities assessment to better understand current needs across our campuses. Last spring, we gathered input from faculty and staff through interviews and surveys, and staff members visited other area high schools to learn from their spaces. At the start of the 2025–2026 school year, we also collected feedback from parents and students.

What We’ve Learned So Far
OTHS has partnered with FGM Architects to conduct a comprehensive assessment of our current facilities. Key findings for the Smiley campus include:

• Overcrowding in corridors
• Lack of storage space for all departments
• Insufficient classroom and office spaces
• Academic departments are spread throughout the building, making collaboration challenging
• 75% of instructional spaces do not have access to daylight
• General education classrooms average 749 sq. ft., compared to the ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education) recommendation of 840 sq. ft.
• Science labs average 1,054 sq. ft., below the ISBE recommendation of 1,440 sq. ft.

Staff interviews and surveys identified several priority areas, including:

• Right-sized classrooms and better department consolidation
• Additional storage
• More gymnasium and large meeting spaces
• Increased natural daylight
• A larger cafeteria
• Additional parking
• Expanded spaces for Special Education, Alternative Education, CTE, IMC, Student Services, Security, and Office Spaces

Student feedback has also been valuable. Over 1,000 completed the student facilities survey.

• Milburn students rated their facilities 4.17 out of 5
• Smiley students rated their facilities 3.45 out of 5
• Across both campuses, building safety received the highest ratings. Smiley students identified hallways, restrooms, and parking/traffic flow as the lowest-rated areas.

Join the Conversation
On Monday, December 8, we will host a joint Parent Teacher Advisory Committee and Conversations Over Coffee meeting in the Panther Center on the Smiley Campus from 6:30–8:00 p.m. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the assessment, ask questions, and share your perspectives as we plan for the future of OTHS.

We hope to see you there and look forward to hearing your ideas!

We are proud to share that a new City of O’Fallon flag is now flying proudly in front of the OTHS Milburn Campus!

Thank you to Mayor Van Hook and the City of O’Fallon for being such strong and supportive partners to our school community. Your continued collaboration helps us create a campus environment where students feel connected, supported, and proud to call O’Fallon home.

 

OTHS Students and Families, 

O'Fallon Township High School District 203 is aware that families in our community are currently facing financial challenges. Please know that OTHS is committed to ensuring that all students have access to nutritious breakfast and lunch each school day.

If your family’s financial situation has changed recently, you may wish to consider completing the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application. At this time, the District is not aware of any disruptions to the National School Lunch Program. Breakfast and lunch will continue to be served as usual.

Additionally, we have attached a list of local food resources compiled by the OTHS Social Work staff and the O’Fallon Police Department. These resources include food pantries, community meal programs, and other local supports available to families in need.

We would also like to highlight that the OTHS National Honor Society (NHS) will be holding a Food Drive  next week to support local families. Please see the flyer below for additional details on how you can participate or contribute.

 

Reminder that tonight's Board of Education meeting will be hosted at the Milburn Campus. This is a great opportunity to have your voice heard and be a part of positive change at OTHS. See you at 7pm at the Milburn Campus.

 

The meeting can also be viewed by visiting - https://www.youtube.com/live/VPVtNT2TIg8