WHS Principal Post: Jan./ Feb. 2023

Welcome to the first Principal Post Family Newsletter of 2023!

Dear Parents:

Erin’s Law, House Bill 6193 was signed by Governor Pat Quinn on January 24, 2013. This law requires schools to implement an age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse awareness and prevention curriculum for grades pre-K through 12. It is recommended that four communications a year on Erin’s Law be made available to all students.

Mr. Pacini, a survivor of sexual abuse, author and motivational speaker, along with Ms. Hynes will be presenting this important information to our students during an in person presentation at all of our K - 8 schools. Mr. Pacini’s program is developmentally appropriate, interactive, and aligned with learning standards. The focus of his presentation is to teach children basic skills to keep them safe from dangerous or abusive situations. The concepts that will be discussed are:

• Distinguishing safe from unsafe touches

• Safety rules at home and school

• Saying “NO”

• Safe/Unsafe Secrets

• It’s not the child’s fault if someone touches him or her

• Telling a trusted adult

Mr. Pacini and Ms. Hynes will be presenting this important information to our students during an in-person presentation at all of our K - 8 schools. These presentations will be held during the week of January 23 through January 27. In addition, several follow up videos will be shared through the end of this school year.

Please take the time to watch this 20-minute Be Seen and Heard 2.0 informational video here. Victor also includes his contact information in case parents have questions, he is able to address them personally.

Requests to Opt-Out: After you watch the video and read this information, if you prefer that your child opt-out of this prevention education session, please email your child’s school Principal by Friday, January 20.

Sincerely,

Clodagh Sorrentino, MA Ed.
Director of Special Services and Homeless Liaison
Lombard School District 44

The 4th Grade Band and Orchestra Winter Concert is on Thursday, January 19th at 7:00pm. The concert will be held at GWMS in the Large Gym. We'd love for you to join us!

Save the Date for the virtual parent presentation explaining the Grade 5 student program. A reminder about this presentation will be emailed to you a few days prior to this virtual meeting.

CLICK HERE on Jan. 31st to join online via ZOOM:

Puberty 1 - Parent Overview

Check out the video showcasing the items of meaning for our 2nd Graders!

SAVE THE DATE! – WHS FAMILY SERVICE NIGHT – FEBRUARY 9th, 7:00-8:45 PM

Join WHS Staff and Families at “Feed My Starving Children” in Schaumburg. We will pack food to help those in need! Volunteers must be at least 5 years old. Spaces are limited so please register now at https://www.fmsc.org/join-group?joincode=X8N5BV. The registration deadline is February 1st. We look forward to seeing you there!

District 44 is proud to be in the early planning stages of the first ever district-wide World Expo. The event, which will take place in March, will celebrate the diversity of our students and their families. However, we need your help!

We are currently seeking interested families to showcase a specific cultural tradition during the event. From Henna to dance, music to food, craft making to poem recitals, we know there are so many different ways you can share unique traditions. Our goal through the event is that we are able to better connect with one another and learn about the diversity present in our community.

If you are able to participate, please complete this form.

CLICK HERE for the informational flyer.

Are you missing a jacket, hat, water bottle? Have your student(s) check out the WHS LOST & FOUND. The items are in the hall across from the display cabinet. Unclaimed items will be donated at the end of January. Also, just a friendly reminder to LABEL all of your child’s belongings!

Please have a look at the videos below and see if you recognize anything!

Let the PTA do the cooking this week! This month's dine out will be held at Ellyn's Tap & Grill located at 940 Roosevelt Rd, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137. Be sure to mention Hammerschmidt when ordering! Ellyn's will be donating a percentage back to the PTA for all orders during January 17th - 19th. Dine-in or carryout is available!

Click HERE to Download the flyer!

PTA MOVIE NIGHT - 1/20, 6:15-8:15 PM - THE SANDLOT!

Hammerschmidt students can enjoy a 2 hour drop off event with their friends! Click here to register. Want to volunteer? Email kristinmariebullock@gmail.com

Click here for flyer.

LIFETOUCH YEARBOOK ORDERS ARE DUE:

Click HERE for a link to order the WHS Yearbook.

USE YEARBOOK ID: 14466023.

All are welcome to join the WHS PTA meeting on Monday, 1/23 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the LRC.

CHICAGO WOLVES NIGHT: 1/28 | 7:00 PM

The 2nd Annual Hammerschmidt Night at the Wolves Games, January 28, 2023. Please join us for a night of fun at a Chicago Wolves game (Super Hero Night)! All attendees will receive a FREE Chicago Wolves knit hat and will be seated in the same section.

Tickets are $20 each, and available NOW!!! Our PTA gets a percentage of ticket sales!!! Order tickets here. Please see the link below for more information about the event. Invite your friends and family, the more the merrier!

Click here for flyer

Calling all 3rd, 4th and 5th grade chess enthusiasts and those wanting to learn! WHS Chess Club will be hosting an engaging after-school experience for those interested in learning about and playing the game of chess. No experience or supplies are necessary. Chess club will be held in a 7-part series on Thursdays, starting in February. Look for more information and a sign-up opportunity after Winter Break! Please contact Sara Amara: skdashner@yahoo.com with any questions.

Mark your calendars and get your team ready! More details coming soon…

The PTA is looking for a chairperson for the Science Fair for the 2023/2024 school year. We would like to have the new chairperson shadow during the science fair this spring. If you have any interest at all, please email Cara Tiltges; cvantiltges@gmail.com. She can answer any questions and let you know what tasks are involved with this position.

Support WHS PTA by signing up for Givebacks here. You securely link your credit/debit cards under the Hammerschmidt PTA and then every time you use that card at a participating business, you earn cashback and Givebacks will also automatically give a percentage back to WHS PTA. SO EASY!! Plus, the first time you spend at a participating business they give WHS PTA $5. For more details click here.

Attention: ALL Amazon Shoppers! We have partnered with Amazon for another great fundraising opportunity for the PTA. How does it work? Go to www.smile.amazon.com from your app or desktop. You use the exact same account login as Amazon.com. When prompted to select a charity, simply search for Hammerschmidt PTA and begin shopping. All of your account settings are the same as through the regular Amazon.com site. You will find the exact same prices, selection and shopping experience as the traditional Amazon site, but when you use www.smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase price back to the PTA. It is that easy!!!

Click Here for flyer.

JOIN THE WHS PTA!:

You can still join the PTA! We are off to an exciting start and we need your continued support for a successful and fun school year! Be sure to sign up to become a member of an organization that benefits your children! Dues are $10.00 per adult or $15 per family of which $4.50 goes to the Illinois/National PTA & the remaining portion helps fund our activities and programs at WHS. We encourage at least one parent to join and/or you (or grandparents, family members etc.) can donate which 100% goes directly to WHS PTA to help support the many amazing programs and clubs, field trips and teacher/staff appreciation efforts that WHS PTA offers throughout the school year. You will receive a copy of the WHS school directory as a benefit of your WHS PTA membership. The school directory comes in handy for play dates, car pools, homework help, group projects and more! Join here today! Donate here today!

How Can I Get Involved in WHS PTA.

Did you know you can Subscribe to the digital PTA and school calendar? Visit Events and then click subscribe. You can choose iCal, outlook or Google calendar and it will automatically add the events to your calendar.

Join the WHS PTA Facebook Page so you will always have the most up-to-date information for all the PTA events happening throughout the school year.

Join other parents, high school and middle school students, and professionals to learn about issues facing today’s youth. The Glenbard Parent Series engages top experts, parents and school staff to become proactive and informed in pursuit of the mutual goal to strengthen our communities. Programs are free and open to the public. Click on the link below to see the 2022-2023 lineup of speakers.

GPS-- Glenbard Parent Series - 2022-2023

The D44 school calendar for 2022-2023 has now been updated on our school and district websites. Click on the link below to access printable versions:

2022-2023 D44 School Calendar

Email: ddanielski@sd44.org
Location: Wm Hammerschmidt Elementary School, Hammerschmidt Avenue, Lombard, IL, United States
Phone: 630-827-4207
Twitter: @ddanielski