Macomb 185 Schools

Due to construction, all playground areas at MacArthur Early Childhood Center will be closed until August 19th.

We can't wait to meet our new friends and see our returning students!

Back to School Fair is TODAY!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! ✏️🎒

The McDonough County Back To School Fair is returning on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM at Macomb Middle School!

Any student living in McDonough County or attending school at Macomb 185 Schools, Bushnell-Prairie City Schools and West Prairie Community Unit School District 103 are welcomed!

This free event helps students start the school year prepared and ready to succeed. Families will have access to:

📚 School Supplies (while supplies last)
👕 Clothing & Shoes
💇 Haircuts
🩺 Physicals
💉 Immunizations
🦷 Dental Exams
🤝 Community Resource Tables
🎲 Games and Family Activities

Dental exams require an appointment and registration is required. Pre-registration is encouraged for physicals, immunizations, and haircuts to help us plan for services, but walk-ins are welcome.

📍 Macomb Middle School
1531 S. Johnson St., Macomb, IL

Register Now: https://form.fillout.com/t/3viFJ2uGrrus

Questions? Contact Abby Beck at [email protected] or 309-575-3257.

Make plans to attend this free event tomorrow Tuesday, August 11, 2026, from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM at Macomb Middle School! Please remember physicals and immunizations must be up to date on the first day of school.
Students will not be allowed to attend school if the requirements are not met.
📚 School Supplies (while supplies last)
👕 Clothing & Shoes
💇 Haircuts
🩺 Physicals
💉 Immunizations
🦷 Dental Exams
🤝 Community Resource Tables

Dental exams require an appointment and registration is required. Pre-registration is encouraged for physicals, immunizations, and haircuts to help us plan for services, but walk-ins are welcome.
📍 Macomb Middle School
1531 S. Johnson St., Macomb, IL
Register Now: https://form.fillout.com/t/3viFJ2uGrrus

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! ✏️🎒

The McDonough County Back To School Fair is returning on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM at Macomb Middle School!

Any student living in McDonough County or attending school at Macomb 185 Schools, Bushnell-Prairie City Schools and West Prairie Community Unit School District 103 are welcomed!

This free event helps students start the school year prepared and ready to succeed. Families will have access to:

📚 School Supplies (while supplies last)
👕 Clothing & Shoes
💇 Haircuts
🩺 Physicals
💉 Immunizations
🦷 Dental Exams
🤝 Community Resource Tables
🎲 Games and Family Activities

Dental exams require an appointment and registration is required. Pre-registration is encouraged for physicals, immunizations, and haircuts to help us plan for services, but walk-ins are welcome.

📍 Macomb Middle School
1531 S. Johnson St., Macomb, IL

Register Now: https://form.fillout.com/t/3viFJ2uGrrus

Questions? Contact Abby Beck at [email protected] or 309-575-3257.

🏈🐶 DOG HOUSE ASSISTANT COACH SPOTLIGHT 🐶🏈

COACH DAVE WILSON — MACOMB BOMBERS

A LEADER OF THE DEFENSE | A LIFETIME IN THE GAME

Sometimes the Dog House stories have a way of coming full circle.

Today we’re heading back to Macomb, Illinois, to recognize a man who has spent decades coaching, teaching, developing athletes and, most importantly, leading young men — Coach Dave Wilson.

Coach Wilson is the Defensive Coordinator for the Macomb Bombers, working alongside Head Coach Tanner Horrell.

And when I say defensive coordinator, I’m not just talking about somebody holding a play sheet on Friday night.

Coach Wilson is a powerful leader of that defense.

You can see it in the way his players respond to him. There is experience behind what he teaches and confidence behind how he leads.

And there should be.

Before coming to Macomb, Wilson spent 14 years as the Head Football Coach at South Fulton High School.

Fourteen years in the big chair.

That’s 14 years of making the decisions, building relationships, developing players, handling adversity and learning everything that comes with being responsible for a football program.

Now Coach Tanner Horrell gets the benefit of having all that experience coordinating the Bomber defense.

And here’s where this story gets a little more personal for me.

🐶 SMALL-WORLD DOG HOUSE CONNECTION

One of Dave Wilson’s childhood friends just happens to live across the street from me — Mark Connor.

Mark and I have had several conversations about those younger days — growing up, playing ball and what Dave Wilson was like long before anybody was calling him “Coach.”

I love those conversations.

Because sometimes they tell you more about a coach than a record book ever could.

Before the Friday nights.

Before the playoff games.

Before the head-coaching job.

Before becoming a defensive coordinator.

There was just a kid who loved sports, competing and playing with his buddies.

And one of those buddies was Mark Connor.

Years later, that kid became a coach who has spent decades passing those same lessons of competition, toughness and teamwork on to another generation.

That’s pretty doggone cool.

🧠 DEFENSE IS ABOUT LEADERSHIP

Wilson’s impact at Macomb has been significant.

One of the examples that stands out came during Macomb’s playoff victory over Hillcrest, when Wilson received considerable credit for the defensive plan that helped the Bombers advance.

But schemes are only part of being a great defensive coordinator.

Defense requires an attitude.

Eleven guys trusting each other.
Eleven guys running to the football.
Eleven guys doing their job.
Eleven guys willing to sacrifice for the guy beside them.

That takes leadership.

And that’s where Coach Wilson shines.

🏃 BUILDING ATHLETES YEAR-ROUND

His impact at Macomb isn’t limited to Friday nights, either.

Wilson also serves as the Head Boys Track & Field Coach, allowing him to continue developing athletes through speed, competition and discipline outside of football season.

Football coach.

Track coach.

Former 14-year head coach.

Defensive coordinator.

Mentor.

Leader.

That’s a pretty impressive coaching résumé.

🐶 THE DOG HOUSE FINAL WORD

The deeper I get into this Macomb program, the more I understand why I came away so impressed.

There is talent in Macomb.

There are experienced players.

There are expectations.

But there is also something incredibly important standing on that sideline:

Experienced coaches who know how to lead young men.

Dave Wilson is one of them.

And I think it’s pretty special that while I’m traveling around telling these stories through the Dog House, one of the people who can tell me about Dave long before he became Coach Wilson lives right across the street.

Mark Connor knew the kid.

Western Illinois football knows the coach.

And the Macomb Bombers know the leader of their defense.

Today, the Dog House recognizes all three.

🐶🏈 COACH DAVE WILSON — WELCOME TO THE DOG HOUSE ASSISTANT COACH SPOTLIGHT!