Sixth grade scientists applied their unit learning about energy, forces, and motion to design and optimize a roller coaster that met a specific design challenge. After reading about criteria, constraints, and requirements in engineering, they built a basic coaster and conducted investigations. Using their test results, they developed and refined a prototype. Finally, they modeled the potential and kinetic energy of a marble on their final coaster!
24 days ago, Mokena School District 159
It is National Substitute Appreciation Day! Thank you to our dedicated substitutes who ensure our students' learning and health needs are met when our teaches, paraprofessionals, and nurses cannot be at school. We couldn't do what we do without you!
24 days ago, Mokena School District 159
Don't forget that students are not in session all of next week!
25 days ago, Mokena School District 159
🚌 ⚠️ Starting Monday, December 1st, the district will once again have 10 bus routes for each school! With the addition of 2 routes, bus numbers and/or pick-up and drop-off times will change for most bus riders. Please check Skyward for this updated bus information. We look forward to shorter bus rides and waits come December 1st! ⚠️ 🚌
25 days ago, Mokena School District 159
At last night’s Board of Education meeting, seven students presented projects from our Advanced Learners ELA Program. Second graders Tink, Grace, Josie, Nour, and Cora performed the readers’ theater script they wrote about a cave school in China, created after researching a school somewhere in the world that faced a challenge and found a solution. Sixth graders Lorenzo and Liam then shared their TED Talks, in which they synthesized the skills and themes from their unit novels and connected them to a broader issue or message relevant to our world today. Thank you to Ms. Matt and Mr. Vroom for all of the hard work you have put into growing this program for our students!
25 days ago, Mokena School District 159
Congratulations to the MJHS Speech and Drama Team for all first and second place finishes at the IESA Speech Contest! We are very proud of you!
26 days ago, Mokena School District 159
📏✨ Future Designers, Engineers and Architects at Work! ✨📏
Our 8th-grade Tech & Design students took over the classroom—literally, as part of their architecture course! After measuring every inch of the room, they moved into full redesign mode using 3D modeling software.
Their challenge:
🪑 Seating for 24
👩🏫 A functional teacher station
📦 Closets for STEM materials
🖨️ Dedicated space for 3D printers
🛠️ Room to showcase student projects
Everything else? Totally up to their creativity.
From flexible seating layouts to innovative storage solutions, these students are thinking like real architects and engineers. We can’t wait to see their final designs come to life!
26 days ago, Mokena School District 159
Today is National Education Support Professionals Day! This day honors the dedicated individuals working to create a safe, supportive, and effective learning environment including our paraprofessionals, aides, administrative assistants, cafeteria workers, nurses, maintenance workers, technology assistants, and bus drivers. Thank you for the vital support you provide to our students, educators, and leadership team!
26 days ago, Mokena School District 159
🔬 7th grade scientists are exploring how salt water affects elodea plants through a hands-on investigation. Keep up the great work, Meteors! 🔬
27 days ago, Mokena School District 159
Arabic Club is the newest club at MJHS! This student-driven club meets twice a month to learn about the Arabic language together and even includes a staff member participant. Thanks to Mrs. Khraiwish, one of our speech/language pathologists, for sponsoring the club!
28 days ago, Mokena School District 159
Today, November 15, is about saying "Thank You" to the Mokena School District 159 Board of Education. Our board members spend multiple hours each month on district work, attending meetings, reviewing reports, and taking on other responsibilities most will never hear or read about. We want to personally thank all seven members of the board for their service to the district, our students, and the community. You truly are the heart of local education! #ThankABoardMember
30 days ago, Mokena School District 159
Our district received an Award of Merit today from the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA)! The honor recognizes our "District Strategic Plan Social Media Campaign", launched at the midpoint of our strategic plan to highlight progress and accomplishments across many of our strategic goals. Our work was evaluated by school communicators from across the country and will be added to the INSPRA library for other school public relations professionals to explore for ideas and inspiration.
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
The MJHS Poms Team did a great job with their dance at the basketball game!
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
MES students enjoyed a read aloud of "The Leaf Thief" in the library today! Did squirrel ever find out who took his leaves?!
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
Each of our schools honored our country's Veterans with special programs today:
❤️ MES invited Veterans of our students to school. Students shared letters of appreciation and sang songs to celebrate those in attendance.
🤍 MIS students attended an all school assembly where they learned about the history of Veterans Day, why we celebrate it, the branches of the military, and celebrated Veterans connected to our students and staff.
💙 MJHS was visited by the Lincoln-Way JROTC for a morning assembly and had local Veterans as guest speakers during history classes throughout the day.
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
Today, we celebrate our veterans, including our very own Mr. Hipplehauser (MES), Mr. Scott (MIS), Mrs. Storino (MJHS), Mr. Fred (Transportation), and Mr. Jimmie (Transportation), who served our country. Thank you for your service! We look forward to our Veterans Day programs at each school today.
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
Congratulations to MJHS ELA teacher and Department Head, Mr. Craig Martinus, for presenting at the Association for Middle Level Education's (AMLE) National Annual Conference. He presented strategies for writing at the middle school level. Thank you for representing our district so well and sharing your expertise with other educators from across the country!
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
Our district-wide spirit week in honor of Veterans Day continues Monday and Tuesday!
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
Congratulations to all three Mokena SD 159 schools for being named among the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Schools in Illinois! We’re so proud of our students, staff, and families for continuing to make Mokena one of the best places to learn and grow!
According to the U.S. News website, "“For each state, schools were assessed on their pupils’ proficiencies in mathematics and reading, as measured by state assessment tests. Half of the ranking formula was the results themselves; the other half was the results in the context of socioeconomic demographics. In other words, the top-ranked schools are high achieving ones that succeeded in educating all of their students.“
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
MJHS ELA students used the HUNT annotation strategy to dig deeper into poetry. Using metacognitive skills, they analyzed a poem looking for emotional shifts, literary devices, word connotations, and thematic ideas. This work ties directly to their school improvement plan goal of building self-monitoring and independent thinking through consistent annotation strategies across all subjects. It’s incredible to see how much meaning students can uncover when they learn to slow down, think about their thinking, and truly HUNT for understanding.
about 1 month ago, Mokena School District 159
