Pana CUSD 8

Athletic Handbook Meetings for 2025-2026.
See image for details.

Now Hiring-Special Education Teacher at Pana Elementary School!

Our school district is looking for a dedicated and compassionate 3rd Grade Special Education Teacher to join our team.

Submit your resume, teaching credentials, and a cover letter to jmiller@panaschools.com

CORRECTION: Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is now available in Lumen. Visit our website (www.panaschools.com) and follow the “Registration Information” link for further details. Please complete the TRANSPORTATION FORM before registering your child for school, even if your child does not need transportation. This helps us ensure accurate records for all students. Thank you for your cooperation.

Returning students will be able to register through Lumen. If you have trouble logging in, or have general questions, call the Unit Office at (217) 562-1500. Keep in mind, if you do not get through right away, try again. Calls are very high during this first week.

Returning PreK students: Visit our website and register through Lumen. NEW PreK students: Call PES beginning July 23rd to obtain Lumen login credentials.

If your child is new to the district, please call his/her school for assistance. School offices will be open on July 23rd.

For anyone needing further assistance with registration and/or to pay registration fees, our buildings will be open for in-person registration on July 25th and July 28th from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm.

Now Hiring-Special Education Teacher at Pana Elementary School! Our school district is looking for a dedicated and compassionate 3rd Grade Special Education Teacher to join our team. Submit your resume, teaching credentials, and a cover letter to jmiller@panaschools.com

“German” comes from “Germani,” the name given to the Germans by Roman historian Tacitus. It means (as far as we know) “neighbor.” The Germans became my neighbors years ago when I was the same age as our GAPP students, exploring Germany for the first time, and believe me: There’s no better neighbor to have. On Sunday, we said goodbye to some amazing people, and on Monday, we said goodbye to a country whose culture, traditions, and intellectual history have shaped the USA in more ways than anyone can know. Auf die Freundschaft, auf die Partnerschaft, auf Frau Müller und Frau Kern! To everyone: Danke.

Now Hiring-3rd Grade Special Education Teacher! Do you have a heart for teaching and a passion for helping every student succeed? Our school district is looking for a dedicated and compassionate 3rd Grade Special Education Teacher to join our team. Submit your resume, teaching credentials, and a cover letter sharing your passion for special education to jmiller@panaschools.com

Save The Date- Saturday, August 2 from 10 am-2 pm Back to School Health and Resource Fair Hosted by Taylorville Memorial Hospital. Event will be held at the Christian County YMCA (900 McAdam Drive, Taylorville) This free event is a fantastic opportunity for students and their families to get ready for the school year with services and resources including On-site school physicals and vaccinations (with scheduling available) Free produce giveaway and community cookout Free haircuts provided by Capitol Area Career Center Music kids' activities, giveaways, and much more!

We celebrated our time in Germany today with a 4th of July celebration with our new friends and extended families. There was dancing, grilling, and SO MUCH CAKE. While we are grateful to all the families and students who made these past two weeks possible, a special thanks goes to my German colleague, Mareike Müller of the GFG, whose tireless efforts have given our students something positive to carry with them throughout their lives. We appreciate you, Frau Müller!

Today we visited Mainz, the birthplace of Western civilization’s most significant invention: the printing press. The printing press encouraged and enabled global literacy, the spread of revolutionary ideas, and, most importantly, the democratization of many societies. And the Panthers got to learn today how it all came about. After viewing the press and some of the first books ever printed, we were given the opportunity to create our own prints in the museum’s workshop. It seems everyone enjoyed their time in spite of the heat.

We’re Hiring: Scholastic Bowl Coach! 🏆

Are you passionate about academics, trivia, and teamwork? Our school district is searching for an enthusiastic and knowledgeable Scholastic Bowl Coach to guide our team of bright and curious students to success!
📩 How to Apply:
Submit your resume, any relevant certifications, and a brief statement about your vision for a successful Scholastic Bowl program to gcothern@panaschools.com

We visited the most German city in France today -- Strasbourg -- so that students could learn more about the democratic processes that underpin the European Union. After a tour of the old town, GFG students took the Panthers to try some of the regional (Alsatian) cuisine for lunch and then we set off to the EU Parliament for a guided tour, a lesson on EU civics, and some air conditioning (it was HOT today!).

We’re Hiring: 6th Grade Boys Basketball Coach & 8th Grade Girls Basketball Coach! 🏀 Are you passionate about basketball and helping young athletes grow? Our school district is looking for two dynamic coaches to lead our 6th Grade Boys and 8th Grade Girls Basketball teams! If you’re ready to inspire, mentor, and make a difference, we want YOU to join our team! 📩 How to Apply: Submit your coaching resume, any relevant certifications, and a brief statement of your coaching philosophy to gcothern@panaschools.com

We’re Hiring: Junior High Girls Track Coach! 🏃‍♀️ Are you passionate about athletics and empowering young athletes? Our school district is looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic Junior High Girls Track Coach to inspire, guide, and help our students reach their full potential—on the track and in life! How to Apply Submit your coaching resume, any relevant certifications, and a brief statement of your coaching philosophy to gcother@panaschools.com

🏀 We’re Hiring: Freshman Boys Basketball Coach! 🏀 Do you have a passion for basketball and a drive to inspire young athletes? Our school district is looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated Freshman Boys Basketball Coach to lead our team to success—on and off the court! 📩 How to Apply:Submit your coaching resume, any relevant certifications, and a statement of your coaching philosophy to gcothern@panaschools.com

If you have a child that is planning on participating in athletics at Pana Junior High School and/or Pana High School this coming school year (2025-2026), please plan on attending ONE of the following athletic handbook meetings. Attending one of these meetings fulfills one of the requirements for participation in sports at PHS/PJHS.

Meeting Dates and Times:
Wednesday 7/16 @ 6:00
Sunday 7/20 @ 3:00
Wednesday 7/23 @ 6:00
Sunday 7/26 @ 3:00

All meetings will be held in the PHS Commons

We’re Hiring: High School Family and Consumer Science Teacher! 🥼🍳 Are you passionate about equipping students with life skills for success? Our school district is seeking an enthusiastic and creative Family and Consumer Science Teacher to inspire and prepare the next generation for their futures! How to Apply: Submit your resume, teaching credentials, and a cover letter detailing your passion for Family and Consumer Science education to jmiller@panaschools.com

Now Hiring: High School English Teacher Our school district is on the hunt for an passionate, and innovative High School English Teacher to join our team!📚 📩 How to Apply: Ready to inspire? Send your resume, teaching credentials, and a cover letter sharing your passion for English education to jmiller@panaschools.com Your classroom awaits. Apply today and help shape the future, one student at a time!

After a weekend seeing sights with their host families, the Panthers and their German classmates reconnected this morning in our meeting room to debrief. After that, we were treated to a tour of a few of the world-renowned vineyards and wine estates of the Rhine-Hesse region, many of which are still family-owned. Viticulture is the economic life blood of this region, just as corn, soy, and other crops are critical to our own. Part of our tour involved sampling an assortment of grape juices while being pulled around behind tractors by two incredibly friendly college students — brothers whose family owns a number of the vineyards we toured. Of course, we didn’t sample any of the wines, but I imagine the students will be able to do that during their college study abroad experiences. Clearly, they’ll want to come back to Germany very soon.

We wrapped up our first week in Germany today in a pretty low-key way. The Panthers spent time in our partner school’s classes, sharing their cultural expertise. The school also celebrated its graduation ceremony today. This weekend, everyone has different plans with their hosts. Some are going to Paris, some are doing some shopping, and some are just bonding with their new extended family members. Whatever they’re up to, we’re sure they’ll be building bridges for future PHS students to cross as we continue our partnership exchange in future years.

Today we took a short trip down the Fairy Tale Road via ship on the Rhine. We made friends with some deer, hiked up some challenging hills, took in the views of the Rhine Valley, endured an impressive wind storm on top of a mountain, and had a close encounter with a part of the world from which endless aspects of our Midwestern cultural heritage are derived. As the PHS German teacher, I can’t think of a better way to give meaning to what we do in class.