Dear Bunker Hill CUSD 8 families —

As we prepare for another exciting academic year, I am filled with so much pride about what our district has accomplished as well as enthusiasm over the direction in which we are heading. Our dedicated maintenance and custodial crews have been hard at work over the summer, preparing the buildings for the return of students on August 14, 2024.

This year will feature some new updates that are quite visible, such as the new secure entrance at BHHS. Not only will this be safer due to the new configuration as well as reinforced glass laminated in multiple layers, it will also control access to the building through a single point of entry in the front. Unfortunately, it seems as if you don’t have to look far to find news of violence in these times. Keeping our students and staff safe is our highest priority at BH8 and this secure entrance only enhances our security protocols.

Even more exciting is the completion of the state-of-the-art middle school wing at Wolf Ridge Education Center! Completed ahead of schedule and under budget, we are extremely proud to host a community ribbon-cutting and open house on Tuesday, August 13 at 5:00 PM. The vast majority of this was funded from the Federal ESSER relief money and the remainder from the increase in the Macoupin County Facilities Sales Tax. Complete with 4 new classrooms, a STEM flex lab, restrooms and meeting space, all Junior High students will once again be under one roof with a single mascot and color scheme.

Something else you will notice this year will be communication. To be honest, it’s one of the most important elements of a high-performing school district and we cannot do enough of it. It is one of the factors that distinguish good schools from great schools. Whether it be via newspaper, social media, texting, our quarterly printed magazine, the website, notifications within the mobile app, or phone calls and personalized letters from staff, expect to hear much more this year about the many positives occurring within our walls daily.

It’s a very exciting time to be a BH Minuteman and Minutemaid as we continue to grow, not just with facilities, but also academic achievement and enrollment numbers. The best-kept secret in Macoupin County is apparently out, and we are thrilled to welcome you back to be a part of the success as we continue in our mission to inspire, empower, and innovate.

Thank you for your continued partnership and dedication to our schools, and here’s to a rewarding 2024-25 school year!

Respectfully yours,

Todd Dugan, Superintendent