Regional Alternative School

Learning can happen anywhere, and today, it happened at Milwaukee County Zoo with Mrs. LaCroix and our DLL students! We explored great apes and monkeys, amphibians, fish, reptiles, sea lions, and elephants. We met zookeepers and learned about conservation, habitat loss, animal identification, breeding programs, geography, sign language, poetry from a Navajo member, and how even reading food labels can help protect wildlife. Students also got a behind-the-scenes look at so many cool careers like zookeeper, veterinarian, architect, chef, animal care, landscaping services, and more, while seeing how zoos are designed so animals often have more space than humans. We talked vet care, zoo trading, fun animal facts, and what it really takes to care for animals every day. Final fun fact: elephants are like us and have a preferred side, and the tusk they use most is always shorter, so next time you see one, check their tusks to see if they’re a lefty or a righty! 🐘

It has been a great two days connecting and reconnecting with students and their families. Student-led conferences allow our students to self-reflect, lead the discussion about their learning, and take ownership of their choices and overall academic engagement. We appreciate the time and support our families gave to us to continue to foster the partnership between home and school! 🏠🔁🏫 A future educator from ISU, Mr. Tamayo, volunteered his time and interpreter skills to help us communicate more effectively with families. We were happy to welcome him back into the building! 🙌🗣️ As always, our friends and First Christian Church made sure the staff was well-fed to help us get through the longer days! ❤️

🗣️🗣️🗣️We will be hosting Student Led Conferences tonight from 3:30-7 and tomorrow morning from 7:30-noon. Please call the school if you still need to schedule yours! ☎️309-828-5807☎️

Who says that 🩺 talk needs to be done in a 🏥? Our awesome Illinois Wesleyan University nursing students 👩‍⚕️👩🏻‍⚕️👩🏽‍⚕️👩🏾‍⚕️ are engaging with RAS students with "Ask the Nurse".

Give Kids a 😁. On February 7, 2026 from 9 am to 1 pm Chestnut Health Systems is offering a FREE 🦷🪥services for anyone under 18. No appointment necessary but registration is strongly recommended. Visit chestnut.org for more details.

Due to inclement weather, RAS-Bloomington Campus will have a remote learning day on Monday, January 26th. Students should check their RAS email for further information from their teachers. Please email kquick@rasblm.org if you have any questions or concerns or call 309-828-5807.

Due to inclement weather, RAS-Bloomington Campus will have a remote learning day on Friday, January 23rd. Students should check their RAS email for further information from their teachers. Please email kquick@rasblm.org if you have any questions or concerns or call 309-828-5807.

Trade opportunities ⚡️🛠️🔋🚙. RAS seniors had the chance to learn about Electric Vehicle & Manufacturing Training Programs that are available through a partnership between Heartland Community College & the YWCA.

📣📣JOB FAIR. Please see the flyer regarding the City of Bloomington job fair on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 from 4:30-6:00 pm @ Grossinger Motor Arena.

FREE coats 🧥and a community carnival 🎡🎠. Please see the attached flyer for the event on January 17, 2026.

Phew! Fall semester flew by and felt like a blur, but were we BUSY! 📌240+ students enrolled in our program=240+ student & family orientations 📌23 high school graduates 📌50+ preservice teachers assisted in our classrooms 📌1 Art Ed student teacher 📌1 BSW intern 📌1 Criminal Justice intern 📌 6 VR trade skills activities with 49 student participants 📌5 Guest Speakers from MTI, Lincoln Tech, Navy, YWCA, & A to Z Catering 📌30 students exposed to Botvin Lifeskills 📌1 Senior Trip to Heartland CC 📌4 Trips to FCC for the Helping Shelf Pantry 📌7 trips to MFB 📌Numerous donated items for our classrooms, hygiene closet, and coat and clothes closet 📌1 trip to St Mary's to help with landscaping 📌Multiple staff & student trips to the community garden 📌1 visit from a local politician 📌1 community volunteer provided professional training of our student custodian 📌11 times local agencies, partnerships, and individuals brought in snacks for staff 📌1 Golden Hammer event to mark the beginning of our journey to a new facility 📌10+ opportunities for professional development of RAS staff 📌Countless learning opportunities tor students, in & out of the classrooms 📌20 caring staff members and 2 support animals who showed up to love, serve, & care for our students and families

🎓👏🥳 We had 2️⃣3️⃣ amazing youngsters complete their graduation requirements with us during the fall semester! We wish them well as they enter the workforce, pursue certification in the trades, and/or take courses for college credit. Congratulations! 🥳👏🎓

The RAS Sweatsuit Set wants to remind you that we are on Thanksgiving Break from Monday, November 24-Friday, November 28. We will see you all back in school on Monday, December 1! We wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving! 🧡🦃🍁🥔🍗🍠🥧🤎

RAS Staff wore 💚GREEN💚 today to support Project Oz's Youth Hope Month. Project Oz describes Youth Hope Month as "a powerful opportunity to shine light on youth homelessness, spark conversations, and take meaningful action to support youth in crisis." We work alongside this amazing agency every day to support youth in crisis in McLean and Livingston Counties. #youthHOPEmonth

Chestnut Health Systems’ Lighthouse Institute is recruiting Emerging Adults (18-26 years old) who are facing challenges related to substance use, along with their parents, for a paid research study seeking feedback for a new recovery program called Launch. Participating families will receive Launch services at no-cost, be compensated for virtual research visits, and there is no waitlist! Call or Text Alice today at (541-251-8507) or fill out the form on the Launch Website for more information.

Please find the attached newsletter for November. We value the partnerships we have with our students and families. As we settle into the cold months, please let us know if you are in need of cold-weather items. Also, our School Market is available for students to sign up for each week. Please email Miss Cave (jcave@rasblm.org) if your family is in need of additional food. We are running low on dress code clothing for students to borrow. PLEASE make sure your child is dressed in the correct attire every day. As always, please let us know if you have any questions.

💀 Honoring Día de los Muertos at RAS! 🧡

A big shout-out to our fantastic ISU social work intern, Alex, who has created a beautiful ofrenda (altar/table) to help us observe Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)!

This traditional Mexican holiday is a beautiful celebration of life and memory, honoring loved ones who have passed away. Alex's ofrenda is a respectful and vibrant display featuring classic elements like:
Marigold flowers (cempasúchil) 🌼
Calaveras (sugar skulls) 💀
Favorite foods and drinks ☕

Many students/staff have placed pictures of their loved ones on the table, making it a truly personal and meaningful tribute.
Happy Día de los Muertos!

RAS was fortunate to have a new internship partnership this semester with ISU's Department of Criminal Justice Sciences. We hosted Morgan T for her internship hours and she did a phenomenal job working with our middle school students. She partnered with our middle school staff to support learning in many ways, including planning and teaching lessons on the juvenile justice system and current laws, while also providing intervention and instructional support in all classrooms. Staff and students are sad to see her time with RAS come to an end (for now!), but we wish her nothing but the best as she works towards her Master of Social Work degree! Thank you for "picking" us! ⚖️🍎🍏🍯

The Salvation Army of McLean County will begin taking calls for the 2025 Winter and Holiday Assistance Programs on October 1st.

New winter coats are available to McLean County residents 18 and older or under 5 years old who did not receive a coat in 2024. Requests for coats for school-age children should be directed to the school the child attends. Interested clients should call (309) 829-9476 ext 289 to leave a message including name and contact telephone number. A staff member will return the call to conduct the intake interview and schedule the pick up.

Requests for registration appointments for the 2025 Christmas Food Box and Toys for Tots will also be accepted beginning October 1. Clients looking for assistance should call (309) 829-9476 ext 299 and leave a message with name and contact telephone number. Our scheduler will return the call as soon as possible to schedule the in-person registration in November.

Volunteer Opportunities with our winter and Christmas programs will be available for sign up beginning October 1.

One of our most valued partnerships is with ISU's School of Teaching and Learning. We had the pleasure of hosting our fourth student teacher this semester. Morgan joined us for the first part of her K-12 student teaching requirement as an Art Education major. Morgan was very familiar with RAS, as she had completed a number of her clinical hours with us throughout her teacher education journey. She is finishing up her student teaching down the road from RAS at Washington Elementary School. We have loved hosting Morgan over the past couple of years and we wish her the best of luck! Fun Fact: Morgan almost chose to be an entomologist before becoming an Art educator!