🌟 PBL Junior High Staff Spotlight 🌟

This week, we’re celebrating more members of our teaching team at PBL Junior High!

Every day, our staff brings dedication, creative ideas, and genuine care to their classrooms. They support and guide our students both academically and personally, making a difference in our school every day.

3 days ago, Josh Didier
Jamie Young - Staff Spotlight
Mary Hastings - Staff Spotlight
Michael Callahan - Staff Spotlight
⚾Way to go, PBL JH Baseball! We are incredibly proud of our team for being named Twin County Conference Champions! Your hard work, dedication, and commitment throughout the season truly paid off. Congratulations to our players and coaches on an outstanding season.
3 days ago, Lindsey Alred
bsb
Congratulations to the PBL Junior High School Students of the Week for September 21st - September 25th. Great job, Panthers!
4 days ago, Josh Didier
6th Grade Students of the Week
7th Grade Students of the Week
8th Grade Students of the Week
Our 8th grade PLTW Medical Detectives students have brains ... sheep brains — students are working in teams to identify brain structures and systems in real sheep brains!

Thank you to Ms. Manley for building a lesson that lets students learn by doing. Project Lead The Way gives our students a real taste of careers in medicine and science.

Thank you to PBL Education Foundation for funding our PLTW classes!

Great work, Panthers!
4 days ago, Jeff Condis
Three students around a table looking at an object
Three students around a lab table leaning over to investigate
A teacher and three students around a lab table
four students around a lab table
🏀 PBL JH Boys Basketball is under way! Open gym dates and sign ups are now available. Please make sure your student-athlete has a current sports physical as well as an insurance waiver if they are planning to try out. If you have questions, email lmutchmore@pblpanthers.org. Go Panthers!
4 days ago, Lindsey Alred
open gym
tryout
Weekly Perfect Attendance Drawing! It's hard to be perfect for a whole year, but everyone can have a perfect week. Every student with perfect attendance for the week is entered into a drawing for a reward. At PBL Junior High we celebrate accomplishments big and small. Congratulations to this week's winners for showing up every day!
5 days ago, Jeff Condis
Three students standing holding orange cards
Three students holding orange cards
Three students holding orange cards

📸 Picture Day Reminder: PBL High School & Junior High

Mark your calendars! School pictures are happening this week:

• PBL High School: Wednesday, September 23rd

• PBL Junior High: Thursday, September 24th

Order Online Ahead of Time:

Skip the paper forms and order your photo packages directly at https://inter-state.com/FlyerEntry

• High School Order Code: 0519GJ

• Junior High Order Code: 0694KJ

8 days ago, Josh Didier
School Picture Day Reminder - PBL HS & JH
🌟 Staff Spotlight: Our Amazing Teachers! 🍎📚

Today, we’re shining the spotlight on the dedicated teachers of PBL Junior High School! 💙

Our teachers bring passion, creativity, and care into their classrooms each day, helping our students learn, grow, and feel supported. From inspiring lessons to encouraging smiles, they make a difference in the lives of our students every day.

Join us in celebrating and thanking our incredible teachers for all they do! 👏✨
10 days ago, Josh Didier
Kimberly Wagoner - Staff Spotlight
Jessie Marquis-Bruns - Staff Spotlight
Cecilia Soto - Staff Spotlight

PBL Junior High Baseball Advances to IESA Regional Championship!

The PBL Junior High School baseball team delivered a dominant performance in their IESA Regional semifinal game, defeating Danville North Ridge 9-1 to secure their spot in the championship!

With the victory, the Panthers advance to the IESA Class 3A Regional Final. Here are the game details for the championship match:

Date: Wednesday, September 23rd

Time: 4:30 PM

Location: Spalding Park (900 N. Harris Ave., Champaign, IL)

Opponent: Winner of Edison Middle School vs. Franklin Middle School semifinal game.

Come out to Spalding Park on Wednesday to support the team as they play for the Regional title! Go Panthers!

10 days ago, Josh Didier
8th Grade Boys Baseball
8th Grade Boys Baseball
8th Grade Boys Baseball
Luke Niewold (8th Grade) Pitching
8th Grade Boys Baseball
Congratulations to the PBL Junior High School Students of the Week for September 14th - September 18th. Great job, Panthers!
11 days ago, Josh Didier
6th Grade Students of the Week
7th Grade Students of the Week
8th Grade Students of the Week
🌡️ WBGT Update 9/17/26
⚾ The start time of the JH Baseball Regional contest has been pushed back to 5 pm
12 days ago, Lindsey Alred
Paxton-Buckley-Loda Jr. High is proud to announce that 8th grader Elli Hubner was honored at the Parkland Voice/Craft Celebration and Recognition Ceremony on September 14, 2026, for her exceptional story, “Blooming Pride.” Sponsored by Parkland College's Division of Arts & Sciences, the Voice/Craft initiative celebrates and nurtures outstanding writing talent among district middle school students. Elli’s piece-submitted last spring by ELA teacher Jamie Young-was selected by a committee of Parkland faculty members as 1 of only 18 stories featured in the inaugural commemorative anthology. Along with personalized feedback from the editorial committee, Elli received a certificate, a copy of the published collection, and special recognition for her remarkable creativity and insight. Congratulations to Elli on this prestigious achievement and for representing PBL with excellence!
14 days ago, Josh Didier
Elli Hubner - Voice Craft 2026 Author
Elli Hubner with her mother
Elli Hubner with Editorial Committee
PBL Junior High invites you to celebrate our 8th grade baseball players!
📅 Monday, September 14
⚾ PBL vs Milford
⏰ First pitch 4:30 pm
📍 Memorial Field
16 days ago, Lindsey Alred
bob
🌟 PBL Junior High School Staff Spotlight 🌟

Each week, we are honored to recognize the amazing members of our PBL Junior High School staff! 💙

We are incredibly thankful for the dedication, compassion, and service our staff provides to our community each and every day. Their commitment makes a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.

Please join us each week as we celebrate and recognize the wonderful people who make PBL Junior High School such a special place! 👏

Thank you for all that you do!
17 days ago, Josh Didier
Casey Knoll - Staff Spotlight
Samantha Greiff - Staff Spotlight
Tiffany Howard - Staff Spotlight
Congratulations to the PBL Junior High School Students of the Week for September 8th - September 11th. Great job, Panthers!
18 days ago, Josh Didier
6th Grade Students of the Week
7th Grade Students of the Week
8th Grade Students of the Week

Our 8th grade PLTW Medical Detectives students put their diagnostic skills to work today — and the patients were familiar faces. Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Didier, and I each came in with a set of symptoms and a script, and the students took it from there: asking questions, gathering evidence, and reasoning their way to a diagnosis.

Thank you to Ms. Manley for building a lesson that lets students learn by doing. Project Lead The Way gives our students a real taste of careers in medicine and science.

Thank you to PBL Education Foundation for funding our PLTW classes!

Great work, Panthers!

18 days ago, Jeff Condis
Mr. Didier and Ms. Manley smiling with students around a table
Students in Mr. Harper's social studies class have been busy building worlds. Every map is their own design — invented countries, coastlines, mountain ranges, rivers, borders, and place names, all pulled straight from their imaginations.

Some took inspiration from the great fantasy maps like Middle-earth and Mordor, others started from scratch, but all of them had to think like geographers: where would people settle, where would the borders fall, what would the land actually look like.

Thank you to these students for their hard work, and to Mr. Harper for a project that brings social studies to life.
20 days ago, Jeff Condis
Teacher and Student looking at a map
Student drawing on a map
Students drawing on a map
Student drawing on a map
Student drawing on a map
The Paxton-Buckley-Loda Junior High School 7th and 8th Grade Band is kicking off an exciting new school year under the direction of Mrs. Dayna Breen. With an impressive roster of over 60 talented student musicians, the band is already sounding strong and full of energy.

To wrap up today's rehearsal, the students played the School Fight Song, perfecting their performance to build school spirit for the Homecoming Week festivities. Go Panthers!
20 days ago, Josh Didier
PBL JH - 7th & 8th Grade Band
PBL JH - 7th & 8th Grade Band
PBL JH - 7th & 8th Grade Band
PBL JH - 7th & 8th Grade Band
Today, Mrs. Toohill and Mr. Graham’s PE classes at PBL Junior High School are participating in Backyard Games. Students are playing cornhole and ladder golf. It is a beautiful day to be outside learning games that can be enjoyed for a lifetime!
21 days ago, Josh Didier
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole
PBL JH - PE Ladder Golf & Cornhole

📸 Picture Day is Coming to PBL High School & Junior High! 📸

PBL High School: Wednesday, September 23rd

PBL Junior High: Thursday, September 24th

How to Order Photos Online: Skip the paper forms and order your photo packages directly online before Picture Day!

Visit: inter-state.com/FlyerEntry

Enter Your School Code:

High School Code: 0519GJ

Junior High Code: 0694KJ

22 days ago, Josh Didier
School Picture Day - High School & Junior High