Save the dates for our back-to-school events in August! We look forward to welcoming our students and families back!
On July 1st, we welcome two new assistant principals to Mokena SD 159!
Stephanie Levy is joining the district as the Assistant Principal at MES! Mrs. Levy has most recently served as instructional coach and elementary teacher in Flossmoor SD 161. She brings over a decade of experience in education, demonstrating a strong track record in teaching, instructional leadership, and school coordination. Stephanie has two master's degrees, one in elementary education and the other in educational leadership. She replaces Mrs. Pierik, who is moving with her family out of state where she has also accepted a principal role.
Betty (Kiki) Panos is joining the district as the Assistant Principal at MJHS! Mrs. Panos brings six years of assistant principal experience along with additional years of experience as a dean, special education teacher, and general education teacher. Mrs. Panos has two master's degrees, one in special education and the other in educational leadership. She replaces Mr. Munch, who is becoming the principal of MJHS.
The Board of Education recognized our 2025 Galaxy Award Winners at last night's meeting. Congratulations to our award recipients Melissa Chevalier, Brittany Kocher, Lindsay Robbert, Mike Rolinitis, and Sharon Youngblood!
The Will County Regional Office of Education is hosting a Back-to-School event on August 1st in Manhattan. This event will feature free backpacks and school supples, generously donated by local businesses, to help ensure every child starts the year ready to learn!
The MES Carnival was a wonderful end-of-year event for our Stars! Rain or shine, students had so fun together!
MES students decorated hundreds of Kindness Rocks as a end-of-year activity with Mr. Hippleheuser. These rocks will continue to be hidden throughout Mokena over the summer. Head over to the "Mokena Rocks!" Facebook page for clues from Mr. H on where some may be hidden and to share your finds! Have you found any of our MES Kindness Rocks yet?
The MES Carnival was a wonderful end-of-year event for our Stars! Rain or shine, students had so fun together!
Get ready for the 2025-2026 school year!
School may have just gotten out for the summer, but please save the dates for our back-to-school events in August!
The Mokena Chamber of Commerce awarded the Teacher of the Year Awards to three teachers in Mokena School District 159. One award is given to a teacher at Mokena Elementary, Mokena Intermediate, and Mokena Junior High Schools. The awards are voted on by the students. Congratulations to the award recipients!
At our End-of-Year Staff Celebration, we recognized many staff members with Service Awards. Thank you to these recognized individuals for their commitment and dedication to our students and the Mokena SD 159 community!
Happy last day of school! It has been a great year! Enjoy your summer!
⚡ Issue 3 of "Mokena Moments" has been published! You can view the new issue in your email inbox or by visiting our website at: https://www.mokena159.org/page/district-newsletter . ⚡
This week, we surprised the recipients of our district's Galaxy Award! The Galaxy Award is designed to recognize the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of Mokena SD 159 employees, students, parents, and community members. Congratulations to this year's recipients:
⭐ Lindsay Robbert, 2nd Grade Teacher at MES
⭐ Sharon Youngblood, Instructional Coach at MES and MIS
⭐ Mike Rolinitis, Principal at MJHS
⭐ Melissa Chevalier, 7th Grade Teacher at MJHS
⭐ Brittany Kocher, Physical Education Teacher at MJHS and District Parent
Third grade students wrapped up their final ELA module of the year by studying the importance of clean freshwater around the world. Students chose a water issue they had learned about and then make recommendations to solve the problem. They created posters to share and present their learning and ideas! Awesome work, Stars!
It is our last week of school and we are celebrating our nine retirees! Together they have served the district for 182 years! We thank them for the impact they have had on our students and community! From left to right:
⭐Steve Stein, Superintendent
⭐Mike Rolinitis, Principal at MJHS
⭐Mariann Rankovich, Assistant Cook at MJHS
⭐Ann Lewandowski, Food Service Director
⭐Debi Blank, Kindergarten Teacher at MES
⭐Heather Esgar, 3rd GradeTeacher at MES
⭐Sharon Horvath, 5th Grade Teacher at MIS
⭐Karin McCutcheon, Paraprofessional at MES
⭐Stacie Kittler, Social Worker at MES
Mrs. Arduino's 1st graders learned the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. They listened to a story about what the poppy flower stands for and made their own poppy flowers!
Mrs. Arduino's 1st graders learned the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. They listened to a story about what the poppy flower stands for and made their own poppy flowers!
Friendly reminder: No school on Monday!
1st graders didn’t let the cancellation of their outdoor field trip ruin their day! Instead, they turned it into a “stay field trip”! They did everything from listen to stories, make binoculars, went on an indoor scavenger hunt and even learned about animal traits and adaptations. It wasn't the day they expected, but they had a blast!
