Half Day
Recognizing Native Americans
During the month of November some Half Day teachers take a moment to recognize Native American Heritage Month. Teachers such as Dena Chemers recognized the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans through students’ creation of a dreamcatcher.
The dreamcatcher is associated with Native American culture. It is shaped like a circle, representing the circle of life. The purpose is to protect sleepers, especially children, from bad dreams.
Upcoming Events
- Spelling Bee Contest: Deadline to register is Friday, Dec. 1
- Author Signed Books: Nathan Hale autographed books are available for purchase through Monday, Dec. 4.
- ASA Early Registration: Opens at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6
We encourage you to subscribe to the Half Day calendar so meetings and events can automatically be added to your personal calendar. Copy the calendar. Right click the url to a new tab. Download the calendar to your personal calendar.
School Recognized in Top 25
Half Day School was ranked in the top 25 best elementary schools out of 3,375 schools considered by U.S.News & World Report.
U.S. News & World Report placed Daniel Wright Junior High School in the top 10 best middle schools in Illinois out of 2,542 middle schools considered. The news outlet based its 2024 Best Elementary and Middle School rankings that were released in November from the U.S. Department of Education, focusing on student proficiency in core subject areas. Laura B. Sprague is not eligible to be listed as they do not take the state level testing used for ranking due to the age group of the students.
In the analysis, U.S. News looked closely at state assessments of students who were proficient or above-proficient in mathematics and reading/language arts, while also accounting for student backgrounds, achievement in core subjects, and how well schools are educating their students. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score.
“Congratulations to Daniel Wright and Half Day! We are very proud of our students and staff who work very hard everyday to learn and grow!” Dr. Scott Warren said, Superintendent of D103 Schools.
Spelling Bee Registration
If students in grades 4-5 enjoy spelling, we invite them to register for the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s online testing platform to hold our classroom qualifying spelling bee round via an online spelling and word meaning test. Review this video tutorial to better understand the registration process. Please review the District 103 Scripps information for next steps and how to prepare for the test after you register.
Author Visit Captivates Students
Guess who paid us a visit today? None other than the incredible Nathan Hale, the talented author and illustrator of the Eisner-nominated, New York Times bestselling graphic novel series on American history Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales.
Our students were treated to a captivating session where Nathan shared his creative journey and inspirations while he illustrated and told a story about the Louisiana Purchase right before our students' eyes! From historical adventures to hilarious twists, his work truly brings learning to life! It was fantastic to see our students' faces light up with curiosity and enthusiasm as the assembly went on. Big thanks to Nathan Hale for sparking imaginations and leaving us all inspired!
There are a limited number of signed Nathan Hale books still available for purchase on the RevTrak Web Store.
Missing Something?
Is something missing? Perhaps a jacket, sweatshirt, or lunch box? Send your student to the lost and found near the gym to collect their missing item.
Partnership News
If you missed the live PTO Parent Ed presentation of "The Power of Belonging" by Sabrina Rahman, please take advantage of the recorded version that shares how to create an environment where everyone can thrive and every student feels a sense of belonging.
The Fun Fair is Back!
We are thrilled to announce that D103 PTO is bringing back the Annual Half Day Fun Fair on Friday January 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Half Day School. It was a blast last year, and this year promises to be even better! We're bringing back old favorites and throwing in some new surprises. Get ready for an amazing night of games, activities, snacks, and prizes!
- Get your tickets now! Don't miss out, be sure to purchase your tickets ASAP! This event is for Half Day students only, and tickets cost $10 per student. When purchasing your ticket, you will also have the option to request a slice of pizza for an additional $4.
- Sign up to volunteer ASAP and pick your favorite game or activity! We rely on our awesome parent volunteers to run the games, hand out food/snacks, set up decorations, etc. Our parent volunteers LOVE this event and we anticipate these volunteer spaces filling up quickly, please take a minute to sign up for your preferred activity now.
Community News
Orchestra Auditions
The Chicago Youth Orchestra is accepting auditions for ages 7-18 years-old. Clinics are also available.
Half Day Information
- Half Day Calendar
- Archived newsletters
- YouTube Principals
- Principal Jill Mau
- Assistant Principal Laura Delagrange
- 847-634-1484
- Hd_attendance@d103.org