April 28, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Sorority gives grants to teachers

Psi Iota Xi is a National Sorority with local chapters in various midwestern states.  This philanthropic group helps people.  The main focus is on music, art, literature, speech, and hearing but this can branch out in many directions.  Membership is open to women who wish to enrich libraries and local philanthropic events in their area.

Iota Sigma is a chapter of Psi Iota Xi that is chartered in St. Joseph, IL.  Locally we support the Summer Reading Program at the Swearingen Memorial Library in St. Joseph as well as in Homer, IL.  We make donations to Feed the Need at the St. Joseph United Methodist Church.  We have sponsored a music student who has traveled to Florida to present with his school.  

This year we decided to offer grants to teachers at the St. Joseph Grade and Middle Schools to teachers who have special projects that expand their curriculum.  These projects were required to focus on music, art, literature, speech, or hearing.  Teachers were asked to present us with information on their goals and how they would use the money if their project was selected.  

A committee from Iota Sigma read through the materials sent to us and have decided that these three teachers’ projects would each be partially funded:

Allison Schuette Speech and Hearing for grades preK – 8th

Amber Garrison & Stephanie McCall Literature – Grade 8

Maria Wilson, Lady of the Library Literature – Middle School Librarian 

On November 7, 2023 the members of Iota Sigma presented awards to those projects selected at the St. Joseph Middle School.

Left to Right:  Alisyn Franzen (Middle School Principal), Jill Robbins (Iota Sigma Member), Amber Garrison (8th Grade Literature Teacher), Stephanie McCall (8th Grade Literature Teacher), Rita McCannon (Iota Sigma Member), Maria Wilson (Lady of the Library),  Allison Schuette (Speech and Hearing Teacher), Michelle Wagner (Grade School Principal).

Submitted by:  Jill Robbins

in Schools
Banner
Related Posts

Get to know Dan Thompson

March 21, 2025

March 21, 2025

Dan Thompson is running for St. Joseph Grade School Board. What motivated you to run for school board? I was...

Grade school collecting items for food pantry

January 28, 2020

January 28, 2020

The students at St. Joseph Grade School are doing more than celebrating their 100th day of school—they are helping their...

Franzen chosen to lead middle school

March 30, 2021

March 30, 2021

The new St. Joseph Middle School Principal will be a familiar face. The St. Joseph Consolidated Community School Board voted...

PVO Junior High 7th grade honor roll

November 8, 2023

November 8, 2023

7th Grade Highest HonorsSydney AbernathyJebb AdenKolbie BusboomElla GerdesElla MohrAlea RashEaston RayCaylah RobertsRyan Schmitz 7th Grade High HonorsAllie BottAvary BuhrMax BuhrChase...

SJO HIGH HONOR ROLL SECOND QUARTER

January 11, 2021

January 11, 2021

FreshmenAllen, LoganArmstrong, AdenBaltzell, OwenBeetz, SamanthaBurkhalter, ChloeDivan, RachelEricksen, SadieFrasca, JosephFrick, AddisonGetty, GraceHaake, LoganHarper, ChloeHarris, RachelHausman, BrodyHueber, AnnabelleJacob, TannerJolley, KyaJones, HeleneKibler, ToriLewis,...

SJO fourth quarter high honor roll

July 9, 2019

July 9, 2019

High Honor RollFreshmenAllen, Addison Altenbaumer, Tyler Anderson, Kailyn Armstrong, Ella Atwood, Madison Behrens, Abigail Beyers, Andrew Bowln, Brandie Burkhalter, Mara...

‘This role has been an amazing one to take on’

April 1, 2022

April 1, 2022

Wyatt Loghry has loved the Addams Family since he was little. And now, he is playing the patriarch, Gomez Addams....

SJO expected to vote to issue bonds for facility upgrades

June 9, 2021

June 9, 2021

Tonight at 6 p.m., the St. Joseph-Ogden Board of Education will meet to discuss issuing Taxable General Obligation School Bonds...

PVO announces Junior High Honor Roll

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019

Highest Honors– In highest GPA order 7th grade- Miranda Loosa, Caleb Ochs, Talan Miller, Colin Wayland, Brody Hausman, Hayden Williams,...

Live at SJO school board, August 22, 2022

August 22, 2022

August 22, 2022

I am here at school board! Greg Smith has volunteered to drive extracurricular. There’s a super long list of personnel...

SJO still waiting on property tax money

July 16, 2019

July 16, 2019

St. Joseph-Ogden High School has only received roughly $22,000 of the money it is due from Champaign County property taxes....

Live at SJO school board, Dec. 17, 2024

December 17, 2024

December 17, 2024

Now I am here. They were apparently in closed for a while. #idkwhattheywerediscussing #itsalllegal They are discussing facility project updates...

St. Joseph Middle School 7th grade honor roll

November 14, 2023

November 14, 2023

FIRST NAME LAST NAME Ramsay Arnold Henry Beeler Adam Bello Teagan Blacker Bailey Blakley Nora Buckley Grant Clark Logan Crider...

Masks not optional in St. Joseph schools; PVO allows masks to be optional

February 7, 2022

February 7, 2022

St. Joseph-Ogden High School Superintendent Brian Brooks is asking the community for patience.In an email sent to parents Sunday, the...

PVO Junior High 8th grade honor roll

April 27, 2023

April 27, 2023

8th Grade Highest Honors (3.7-4.0)Alec BowlinAnna HammondGarrett LoschenMason RammDennis RinebergJack WearEmerson WilliamsDalton York 8th Grade High Honors (3.4-3.69)Cylas HintonAvrianna LyttleKaden...

Comments
Leave a Reply