Sarah Blissett for District 186

09/26/2026

I will be out all day today getting signatures for my next election. I have to have 50 signatures from registered voters to be able to appear on the ballot in April. This does not say you will vote for me, only that I can appear on the ballot.

If you will be home on Saturday (or even Sunday before noon) and are a registered voter who lives in the purple area and you want to sign my petition, please text me at 217-414-4765 and we can arrange a time for me to come by your house. I will gladly come to you! You can also message me on here but sometimes it takes a while for me to get those messages.

09/25/2026

Reminder: No school today due to teacher institute day!

I’ve almost forgotten about ten times and keep having to remind myself not to wake up my teenager

09/12/2026

Wow was it HOT out there today. Congrats to the Spartans for bringing home the win.

Unfortunately, several students (at least 6 that I know of, but possibly more) were overcame by the heat and had to go to the hospital. This is never a situation I like to see—either as a board member or a parent. My own kid was out on that field today as well since he plays the tenor drums in the band. My kid is fine, but a lot of kids had some very scary experiences. It’s hard to see and witness.

A lot of things were done to try and make this game as safe as possible-the start time was moved up, there was extra water and ice, water timeouts, kids went into the shade if they could, a running clock in the 4th. I know the wet bulb indicator was being closely monitored as well, at one point there was a delay because the wet bulb indicator was too high. If you aren’t familiar with the wet bulb indicator, it’s a strict guideline in place by IHSA. There was a wet bulb indicator on the field being checked regularly. In every instance I saw where someone needed assistance, district officials were quick to respond and help students and I’m thankful for that. I’m also thankful for the medics who were definitely working overtime helping these kids out.

Even with all of the safety measures in place, you can never predict when something might happen. My main concern is that the students who weren’t feeling good are okay. Please if one of your students was affected, please reach out to me and let me know that they are okay. Additionally, if you have concerns, you can email me at [email protected] or call or text me at 217-414-4765. I would recommend a text first so I can make sure I’m available if you want to speak over the phone.

09/12/2026

It’s the battle of the East side vs the North side! One of these teams will get the first football win of the year for the district. Game time moved up to 11. Come out and cheer on the Lions or the Spartans!

Game Day Alert: Please note that our game start time for the Lanphier vs. Southeast football game at Memorial Stadium this Saturday, September 12th has been changed to 11:00 a.m. with gates opening 1 hr prior.

We moved the start time due to the heat.

LHS VS SSHS - 11:00 a.m.

09/10/2026

Franklin Parents: please check your email/texts!

NO SCHOOL TODAY 9/10, AT FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL!

ALL OTHER 186 SCHOOLS ARE IN SESSION!

Update 8:28 a.m. :
We wanted to follow up with the next steps for students who ride the bus.

Bus Transportation Update

Bus-riding students will begin returning to their regular bus routes.

If you would like to pick up your student from FMS, a parent/guardian must arrive before 9:00 a.m. The parent/guardian must provide identification and/or be listed as an emergency contact for the student.

Students who are not picked up by 9:00 a.m. will load on their bus and be returned to their regular bus stops.

Please be patient as we work through this unforeseen circumstance and coordinate transportation for all students.

If you have questions, please contact the main office. Students have their phones with them if you need to communicate with your student directly.

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Original Message:
The below message was also sent directly to FMS Families :
Due to an unexpected water main issue, FMS does not have running water and will be unable to operate for the remainder of the day. As a result, school at FMS is cancelled for today.

We understand this is very short notice and sincerely appreciate your patience, understanding and flexibility as we work through this unexpected situation.

Bus riders: Buses will drop students at FMS this morning, continue their regular routes, and then return to FMS later this morning to transport FMS students back to their regular bus stops.

If you would like to pick up your student before the buses return, you may come to FMS to do so. Additional information regarding student pick-up will be shared shortly directly with families.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

09/08/2026

Playing fetch with my new pup Rocky before tonight’s meeting! We have had him about a month now and he’s an energetic 2 yr old.

Meeting starts at 6:30 but sadly Rocky has to stay home. Come out to the District offices or watch on YouTube as we swear in our new student board members!

09/03/2026

Important game time change for tomorrow!

Game Day Alert: Please note that our game start times for our home football games this Friday, September 4th have been changed to 7:30 p.m. with gates opening 1 hr prior.

We moved the start time back due to the heat wave that we are currently experiencing.

SHS VS Jacksonville - 7:30 p.m.
SSHS VS SHG - 7:30 p.m.

08/28/2026

Paws Up Lions!! It’s the first home game for Lanphier and Senior night! Memorial Stadium. Gates open at 6, kick off at 7. Senior recognition starts at 6:45, National Anthem and School Song immediately following.

Who’s ready to cheer cheer for Lanphier???

If you see me, come say hi! I’ll be easy to spot with my Senior Band Mom shirt on!

08/27/2026

It’s been a great first week!!!

08/25/2026

I can’t believe it’s time for me to run for election again but here we are. I am proud to represent the people of SubDistrict 3 on the school board. It is one of the greatest honors of my life and I hope they will continue to support me for my next four year term.

A little about me: I’m a long time North End resident and was appointed to the school board in 2021 to fill a vacancy and then won a four year term in 2023. I am also a proud parent of two amazing boys. My oldest son Josh is a Junior at UIS with a major in Secondary Education-Mathematics. He also helps out with the UIS baseball team. My youngest son Donovan is a Senior at Lanphier. He’s also in the band and is serving as the Drumline Co-Captain this year. He plays the tenor drums.

Some things we’ve accomplished in the last four years:
✅Suggested ASL (American Sign Language) be added to our curriculum. This is offered for the first time this year at two of our high schools!
✅Fought for the safety of North End students to have school start after the fair
✅Advocated for and helped save Project Scope.
✅Successfully interviewed multiple candidates and hired a new superintendent.

Over the next couple months, I will be knocking on doors and asking you to sign my petition to appear on the ballot in April. This doesn’t mean you are obligated to vote for me (although I hope you will) but it says you are fine with me running for office. If you live in this purple area and are a registered voter, I hope you will consider signing my petition.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!