
A HUGE Thank You to Schumacher Orthodontics for your continued partnership with the Altamont School District! We greatly appreciate the generosity of your Smiles 4 Schools program.


AGS Boys Basketball for Tues. Jan. 7, 2025 has been rescheduled for Tues. Jan. 14, 2025. We will recognize 8th grade Cheer and Basketball!


Due to poor road conditions there will be no school tomorrow, Tuesday, January 7, 2025, for all Altamont CUSD #10 Schools.


First grade would like to send a BIG thank you to Effingham Starbucks for donating cups for our hot chocolate day! The students absolutely LOVED drinking, as they said, their "coffee" in Starbucks cups!! You made our day extra special with your generous heart! 💚




All Aboard The Polar Express!
Mrs. Miller's students received their own polar express tickets to have while they watched the movie. They enjoyed hot chocolate afterward and were surprised with a package of bells from the North Pole.
"Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."



This month Landon Berg was presented with the Kids Have Talent Award. The award is sponsored by Tingley Insurance of Effingham and recognizes students who excel in music. Landon is a 6th grader with a kind heart and a passion for music who is developing into a versatile musician. Has has taken piano lessons since 2nd grade and has twice earned a superior rating for his piano performances at the Music and Arts Festival hosted by the Musical Arts Association in Effingham IL. He has spent two years in the school band, playing alto saxophone and percussion. His saxophone solo received a 1st rating at the IESA Solo and Ensemble Contest. He also accompanied his classmates at the AGS Spring Concert by playing the drum set with the class’s vocal rendition of Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay. Landon is a first-year choir member at AGS. This year he auditioned and earned a spot in the choir for the ILMEA District 5 Music Festival at EIU Charleston. He is also active in music in the community, singing in the church choir and wowing audiences at the Effingham County Fair Talent Show for his rendition of Don’t Stop Believin’. We eagerly await what he will accomplish next!


Mrs. Cameron's 1st graders are having a blast celebrating the last day before Christmas break!








Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th grade had a behavior celebration dance party and were joined by Buddy the Elf, aka Mr. Kull!
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing (and dancing) loud for all to hear!"






Please note that there will be early dismissals on December 19th and 20th. ACHS will dismiss at 2:05 PM, while AGS will dismiss at 2:10 PM. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. We wish everyone a joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year! 🎄✨


Mr. Leihser’s classes celebrated their hard work with a hot chocolate day in class! They have been working on a poetry unit and were able to enjoy hot chocolate as they shared their poems with one another.



Freshman class will be selling seat cushions at upcoming home varsity games, or stop by the high school office to get yours now.


🏀 Get Ready for the Ultimate 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament! 🏀
Calling all ballers! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just looking for some fun, grab your teammates and join us for an action-packed 3 on 3 basketball tournament! 🏆🔥
📅 Date: March 22, 2025 🕒 Time: 9am 📍 Location: Altamont High School
🔹 Who can join? Everyone! Whether you're a local legend or just want to shoot some hoops with friends, this tournament is for ALL skill levels.
🔹 Registration Fee: $15 per player 🔹 Prizes: Awesome prizes for the top teams, plus bragging rights for life! 🏅💪
✨ What to expect:
Fast-paced, high-energy games
A great chance to meet fellow ballers
Snacks, music, and plenty of excitement!
So round up your squad, lace up those sneakers, and get ready to ball! 🏀💥
Sign up now and let’s see who’s got what it takes to claim the crown! 👑
👉 Email: splum@altamontschools.org to register or to get more information
#BasketballTournament #3on3 #Hoops #GameTime #BallIsLife



The fourth graders went to the movies this week and saw "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."


"Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."
Mrs. Miller's class on Grinch Day.


Good luck to our free throw winners from AGS!!! They will compete in Effingham tomorrow at the next level!! We are proud of you! Go Wildcats!!


Tony Hann, ACHS English Teacher/NHS Sponsor (interviewed by Will Reardon)
Where did you grow up?
- “Ironton, Ohio until first grade. I moved to Harrisburg, Illinois and that is where I grew up until I graduated. When I turned 18, my parents and I moved to Germany. “
What would you be doing if you did not pursue a career in education?
- “I would try to find something that involved sports. Either that or something involving the law because I like rules”
What made education a better choice as a career than law or sports?
- “I always enjoyed school, I like the atmosphere and I like learning things. I was always involved in sports and have always wanted to be a coach. I think I do a pretty good job of explaining concepts to people. Coaching is like that, just like teaching.”
What do you find as the most enjoyable part about education?
- “The most enjoyable aspect is of course the interaction with the students and the teachers. It is not the same job every day. The material that I teach may be the same but the reactions, questions and interactions from the students are always different.”
What was one of the things that took you the longest to learn while working in education?
- “Don’t take anything the students say or do personally. It is usually not anything that has to do with you as a person, but it is their reaction to something going on in their own life. Or it could be the fact they maybe don’t like what you are doing that day. You have to not take things personally and don’t let bad comments or bad situations stick with you.”
Describe yourself in high school only using three words and describe high school students today using three words.
- “Athletic, funny, and friendly. “High schoolers are the same as they have always been. Clueless, they don’t think about things because they are self centered thinking about their own situation, not thinking about the big picture. A little selfish, and smart but not motivated. Most kids just don’t put the effort into school because they expect it to be easy. They have to be prepared for the work that life takes.”
What accomplishment are you the most proud of?
“My family. My children are doing well. I have a good job and a good family.”
What was the first job you had?
- “I would mow lawns. I mowed five or six lawns with my little rider. I would use the mower to help haul my push mower behind from yard to yard. I liked it because I didn’t have to deal with people. I just had to pick up my money.”
How did this job prepare you for your future?
- “It taught me that even if things come up, things still have to get done. It taught me lots about responsibility and it gave me the feeling of getting things accomplished. It helped me pay attention to details.”
If you could go back to high school, what would he do differently?
- “I would have paid more attention to friends and others.”
What do you bring to Altamont schools as a teacher?
- “I bring fun to the classroom. Even though I don’t teach a “fun” class like PE, I still try to bring fun to the class. I do this by dressing up and showing school spirit. I bring personality to the school.”
What three words would students use to describe him?
- “Strict, because I am a rule follower, funny, and confident.
What advice he would give to students?
- “Try to be a good person and be nice. Try not to worry about things that you can’t control. While you cannot control those things, you can control the things you say and do.”


🎶✨ Exciting news! The AGS/ACHS Band and Choir Concert is happening this Saturday, December 14th at 6 PM in the ACHS gym! 🎉🎵
Come out and enjoy an amazing evening of music performed by our talented students. It’s going to be a night full of fantastic performances you won’t want to miss! 🎶👏
Seating Info:
Black seats front row is reserved for handicapped and elderly guests.
Black seats second row is reserved for our performers.
We kindly ask that all other guests sit in the bleachers for the best viewing experience!
We can’t wait to see you there and enjoy the music together! Let’s fill the gym with support and cheers! 🎺🎷 #AGSACHSBandConcert #SupportTheArts


Nikki Tedrick, ACHS Secretary (Interviewed by Trent Tedrick)
What does a run down of her day look like?
- “I do a wide range of things such as taking attendance of students to answering phone calls, filling papers, and helping out wherever it is needed. Anything to help ACHS run more smoothly I’ll help.”
What is a benefit of working at a school like ACHS?
- “Working at a small town school, it is important to fit into the culture of that small town. I feel accepted by the Altamont community and love the small town feeling.”
What do you bring to ACHS?
- “I hope to bring to ACHS some reality. I mean that I am real with students and what you see is what you get. I will be kind to the students but they’re going get the truth. I am not going to be sugarcoating anything.
What goals with working at ACHS?
- “The goals I have for the school are the same ones I have in life. I want to work hard and help others as much as possible. That’ll get you anywhere you need in life.”
What advice would you give to students?
- “I would tell them, always work hard and do the best you can. Working hard and trying your best is something you will always have with you. Being honest and doing your best is the best thing for you and one of the best things you can do for others. Staying in school and going to college is a very good thing but I understand that college isn’t for everyone and that's okay. Doing what you love and are passionate about will help you be happy and successful.”


ACHS Student Council is hosting a Christmas spirit week! See the dress up days below!


Steve Long, ACHS Social Studies Teacher (Interviewed by Alex Walker)
What would you be doing if he were not working in education?
- “I would probably be working at a tech company. I enjoy tech products a lot because of the possibilities of what they can do”
Why was education the best option for a career?
- “I love teaching people and learning along the way and helping other people understand subjects. Getting people to think of things in a critical way is one of the best feelings in teaching”
Why did you choose to work in Altamont?
- “Ever since my wife and I moved here; we have loved the community, loved being in this area, and being able to work here was always one of my goals.”
What is the part of education that you find the most enjoyable?
- “I call it the ‘Ah Ha moment’ which is the moment whenever you have a kid who is having trouble understanding something. Then it clicks and you can just see it on their face where they’re like ‘oh, I’ve got this now.’”
What is something that took you the longest to realize in education?
- “It took me a while to realize that every kid is different from what I grew up thinking. I have to adjust to help them find success.
What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of school?
- “I love reading, politics and news.”
What would you change if you could go back to school?
- “I would take college more seriously when I first started. It was the first time being away from home and I was not prepared for all of the responsibilities that I was facing. Luckily, I figured out what I needed to do pretty quickly”
What is one goal that you have achieved in your life?
- “I got hired here at Altamont. It has been something I was working towards for a while. All of my previous teaching experience helped me become the teacher I am today but I had been wanting to work at ACHS for over a decade.”
What is one thing you could tell people to help them get to know you better?
- “The most important thing to me is being respectful to others.”
What genre of music do you like to listen to when working on classwork?
- “My favorite music to play while working is smooth jazz. It is the finest of all jazzes.”
What would be three words that students would use to describe you?
- “Ducks, crazy, and even crazier.” (Interviewer’s note: This refers to the many, many rubber ducks which he has displayed throughout his classroom.)
