Alton School District Welcomes Staff for Back-to-School Breakfast
Alton Community Unit School District #11 kicked off the 26–27 school year with its second annual Welcome Back Staff Breakfast, bringing teachers, staff and administrators together at Alton High School.
ALTON - Over 800 Alton Community Unit School District #11 staff members came together for a back-to-school breakfast.
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On Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, teachers, staff members and administrators connected at Alton High School for the second annual Welcome Back Staff Breakfast. Attendees chatted about their summer and the upcoming school year, and the group celebrated retiring educators and new teachers. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Wendy Adams-Watkins highlighted the breakfast as an exciting way to start the year.
“We couldn’t do anything that we do without our staff,” she said. “This just provides an opportunity for people to see people that they may have worked with in other buildings and just to reconnect and get excited and ready to greet all of our students as they come on Thursday.”
The Alton School District will welcome teachers and students for the first day of school on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. In the final few days of summer, Adams-Watkins hopes the breakfast served as a way to “get things pumped up and excited for the 26–27 school year.”
She added that the district made a point to support local businesses with the food they served. After the staff mingled and ate, there was an hourlong program to recognize retirees, introduce new staff members, thank long-term substitutes, and honor those who have reached different milestones of service.
Some of the staff members have been at the Alton School District for over 30 years, and they received standing ovations from their colleagues. Adams-Watkins believes this dedication speaks to the district’s culture. She hopes the retirees and long-term staff members can serve as mentors to first-year teachers who are entering the district.
“It was quite impressive, the number of people who have committed and dedicated their time and talent to the district for that many years,” she said. “I think it just shows that it is a great place to work. People can see that, and then they also know who they can lean on if they need help when they are starting out in their careers.”
Above all, the breakfast is “a good, fun time for [staff members] to be with their friends and really kick off the year in a positive way.” It means a lot to Adams-Watkins to connect with the district’s staff and celebrate the start of the school year.
As families gear up for that first day of school, Adams-Watkins emphasized the importance of attending. She urged parents and caregivers to send their students, and she expressed her excitement to welcome the kids back. She added that the staff has missed seeing students and they’re eager to have kids back in the classrooms.
“The only thing that I want our families to know is that our staff are ready to welcome their babies, and I hope that we have all of our students in attendance on the first day,” she said. “Our buildings are ready. The classrooms are ready. The teachers are ready. We’ve missed kids for months. I’m excited to hear the chatter of kids. It doesn’t feel right over the summer when there are no students present. We’re just ready and excited. It’s going to be a great year, and we’re looking for great things and for our students to just keep achieving at high levels.”
This featured article is sponsored by Alton Community Unit School District #11. To get your business or organization featured on www.RiverBender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
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