Clubs & Activities

Grades: 3-5

Practice Days: 

Intermediate Band (by recommendation only) Tuesdays and Wednesdays after school, 3:00-4:00

Beginning Percussion every Tuesday morning, 7:45-8:15

Beginning Clarinet & Trumpet every Wednesday morning, 7:45-8:15

Beginning Flute every Thursday morning, 7:45-8:15

Cost:  Free to join; parents supply book ($5-10) and instrument (purchase new/used or rent from local music store)

Why Band? Language, reasoning, memorization, persistence, discipline, coordination, confidence, creativity, teamwork, auditory

Registration: 

• • Fall 2025-2026 Registration from early August

  • Spring Registration begins after Winter Break

  • Membership is limited; students may be placed on a waiting list

Band Director: Tracy Langford

Email the Director or contact me on Parent Square!

Grades: 3-5 (limit of 25 students)

Meeting Days: Mondays and Tuesdays from 3:15-4:20 from October to December

Cost:  $0

Mission/Purpose: Our mission is to provide a motivational program designed to increase Positive Behavior and social-emotional learning and growth within the McKendree community. 

Activities: 3 man weave, dribble drills, activities that support basketball 

Registration: Registration will be sent via Parent Square

Faculty Sponsor: Caylon Newby

Email your sponsor

Affiliations: None

Grades: 1-3

Meeting Days: Wednesdays 3:15-4:30 September through Novemeber

Cost:  $0

Mission/Purpose: Give younger students an opportunity to participate in performing arts

Activities: Perform a short musical play

Registration: Hard copy permission slips will be sent home. Students will submit audition online.

Faculty Sponsor: Lesley Ratcliffe, Monica Fox, Sharon Chen, Marilyn Castillo, Kaitlyn Frederick, Melinda Isbell

 lesley.ratcliffe@gcpsk12.org

Affiliations: None

Grades: 3-5

Meeting Days: Tuesdays 7:00-7:45

Cost:  $0

Mission/Purpose: Teaching students coping mechanisms for positive thinking and anxiety relief. We will also be building kids confidence by learning and practicing mindfulness through various activities.

Activities: Positive affirmations, yoga, meditation, mindfulness lesson, discover emotions/feelings.

Registration: online Registration due September 1.

Faculty Sponsors: Natalia Mejia, Kerry O'Rourke, Kimberly Layton

natalia.mejia@gcpsk12.org, kerry.orourke@gcpsk12.org, kimberly.layton@gcpsk12.org

Grades: 2-5 (Maximum of 25 students)

Meeting Days: Practices are on Mondays 3:15-4:40

Cost:  None at this time. 

Mission/Purpose: Happy Feet Run focuses on making connections and teamwork to help build confident and resilient future leaders.

Activities: Happy Feet Run will participate in lessons that promote self growth, complete a community impact project and build stamina to complete a 5K at the end of the season. We are non-competitive and will only set personal running goals with participants.

Registration: Online registration will begin in September

Faculty Sponsor: Truc Dang, Blair Shortland

Email the Sponsor

Grades: 4-5

Meeting Days: Every Tuesday from August-December 3:15-5:00   

Cost:  $0

Mission/Purpose: This program inspires young people to experiment and grow their confidence, critical thinking, and design skills through hands- on learning. FIRST LEGO League was created through an alliance between FIRST® and LEGO® Education. 

Activities: Design thinking of a solution to the challenging problem, building the missions for the robot to run and designing a robot to complete the missions. 

Registration: Applications were sent via ParentSquare in early August.  The team is limited to 10 participants only. (This is a guideline from FIRST.)  Applications are now closed.

Faculty Sponsor: Johanna Disney, Cate Latoni

Email the sponsor

Affiliations: FIRST Lego League 

Grades: 2-5

Meeting Days: TBD

Cost:  TBD

Mission/Purpose: Let Us Learn is a youth soccer program with a curriculum that emphasizes youth development. Our programs focus on teamwork and sportsmanship that give them an appreciation for the game. Soccer engages children in sports while soccer teaching them discipline, basic movements, and skills. Children will be taught the fundamentals of through drills and running and learning how to play as a team.

Activities: Learning the rules of play for soccer, how to dribble, pass, and shoot the ball. They are also learning how to play as a team and work together.

Registration: Students are selected by teachers. 

Faculty Sponsor: Rick Morgan, Alex Bell

rickey.morganii@gcpsk12.org

Affiliations: None

Grades: 3-5

Meeting Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:45-8:10 September 2- May 7 

Cost:  $0

Mission/Purpose: The McKendree Elementary Chorus is dedicated to fostering a love of music, teamwork, and creativity in every student. Through engaging and inclusive performances, we aim to inspire self-expression, build confidence, and encourage a sense of community within our school. Together, we will sing, learn, and grow, sharing the joy of music with others and creating lasting memories.

Activities: Warm-up Exercises, Learning songs, Group Singing, Performance Preparation

Registration: Online registration from August 18-August 29

Faculty Sponsor: Courtni Graham
courtni.graham@gcpsk12.org 

Grades: 4-5

Meeting Days: Wednesday 7:00am-7:45am Sept-March 

Cost: Free

Activities: Reading quiz bowl style competition for students starting in 4th grade. Students read 10 books from the list and answer the questions about the books. The team represents the school at the county Readers Rally Competition. 

Faculty Sponsor:  Nicole Duque, Carla Stewart 

Email the Sponsor

Grades: 3-5

Meeting Days: Every Monday and Wednesday from 3:15-5:00 - Start date TBD

Cost:  $60

Mission/Purpose: The purpose of the SOARing Eagles Step Team is to create an atmosphere of unity and diversification through stepping and group creativity. The group’s primary responsibility is to entertain, give back through community service projects, develop a sense of pride, gain leadership skills, and develop camaraderie between their teammates.

Activities: Exercise (Dancing and stepping) and performances 

Registration: TBD

Faculty Sponsors: Shante Capers, Monica Mance, Zamaria Travis, and Chaney Stratemeyer
shante.capers@gcpsk12.org, Monica.mance@gcpsk12.org and Zamaria.travis@gcpsk12.org 

Grades: 2nd Grade

Meeting Days: Every Tuesdays 3:15-4:15pm for 8 weeks starting in September

Cost:  $0

Mission/Purpose: To promote diversity in STEM, to build interest early so students can continue in upper grades (and into middle and high school)

Activities: Team building, hands on projects, and problem solving. We will read a book and have a STEM based lesson.

Registration: Applications will be sent home August 28th, due August 31st.  Twelve (12) students will be chosen from applicants.

Faculty Sponsors: Amanda Kopicki
amanda.kopicki@gcpsk12.org