Proud Hawk Community Update

Dear Families and Community Members,

As the year comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve shared throughout 2024 and I am incredibly grateful for our community. I am enjoying every minute as your superintendent and seeing individuals support one another. We truly have the very best students, staff, and families.

The holiday season is a time to celebrate traditions, embrace loved ones, and take a well-deserved break to recharge. Whether you’re staying close to home or traveling, I encourage everyone to pause, reflect, and enjoy the beauty of the season.

As we prepare for the year ahead, I am excited about the opportunities 2025 will bring for our district. Together, we will continue to nurture an environment where every student can thrive and reach their fullest potential.

On behalf of the entire Heritage Team, I wish you a joyful holiday season filled with warmth, peace, and happiness. Thank you for being such an integral part of our Proud Hawk Community!

Happy Holidays!

Dr. Kimberly Norton
Superintendent
Heritage CUSD #8

On Monday, December 16th, the district held its Truth in Taxation Hearing. The tax levy had been posted for over 30 days on the school website and in the local Today: Southern Champaign County News. A levy hearing is required when a tax increase exceeding 5% is anticipated. This year, the increase is projected at 5.7%, primarily due to the equalized assessed value of homes.

During the regular board meeting, the tax levy was officially approved. Additionally, the board adopted the Illinois Vision 2030 Plan, which focuses on three strategic pillars: Future-Focused Learning, Shared Accountability, and Predictable Funding.

The board also approved the intent to apply for a transportation grant to support the district’s exploration of a replacement cycle for buses and activity vans. Lastly, the Illinois Maintenance Grant was approved, which will contribute to completing the final phase of roofing repairs across the district.

We will be holding listening sessions for our Strategic Planning on January 8th from 5:00-6:00 at both Heritage Elementary/Junior High and at Heritage High School. Feel free to drop by anytime to share your hopes, wishes, and dreams for our district! Please email Dr. Norton at norton.kimberly@heritage8.org if you have any questions.

The Booster Club will continue the "Chuck a Duck" fundraiser at winter basketball games at the high school.

We want to welcome any parent/guardian that would be interested in helping out! You can email heritagehawks.booster@gmail.com to be put on the email list.

Thank you to all of our Secret Santa volunteers this year! You make these experiences possible for our students and we love you for it!

If you are looking for ways to get involved, email heritageptc@gmail.com to join our email list or for help finding our FB page!

Future Events:

PTC Meeting 1/15 6:30-Homer school, all welcome!

2/24-3/1 Missoula Children's Theater Week for K-8, Helpers needed!

Current Hawk Wear inventory for sale https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScubxWYdRX2DeIatE9l0_WFCc0C8vC1JYIHdYBkB9DQ5bfOng/viewform

Thank you all who participated in Secret Santa!

Email HeritagePTC@gmail.com or follow us on FB @HeritagePTC

We believe we may have set a record at the elementary and junior high winter concert on Friday, December 13th! It was truly heartwarming to witness the incredible love and support from our community for our students.

The high school winter band concert was also a tremendous success, and we wrapped up the season with a beautiful choral performance that featured community members joining our students for the final piece.

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported these events, and a special thanks to Mr. Lee for his leadership and to accompanist Angie Ruwe for her contributions.

Hello Heritage Elementary and JH Families!

As December comes to an end, I am so excited to share with you the variety of activities and events our students have been a part of over the past several weeks. This month has been filled with holiday spirit, educational opportunities and creative performances.

The holiday season is the perfect time to spread cheer and kindness! Our PTC started off the month by hosting their annual Secret Santa Event. This event provides an opportunity for students to shop for that special someone in their life such as, a friend, teacher, or beloved family member. This event is a wonderful opportunity to have our students engage in the spirit of giving and create special moments for them over the holidays.

Speaking of special moments, our 8th graders were thrilled to attend the 8th grade career conference at the I-Hotel. This event provided our students with valuable insights into various career paths through guest speakers and interactive sessions, helping them to navigate their future with confidence. After the conference the 8th class was treated to pizza and fun at Jupiters. It is a great time of bonding and fun both for the kids and myself.

Many of our families enjoyed an enchanting evening as our talented High School and Junior High students showcased their hard work and dedication for their annual Christmas concerts. Both the band and choral performances were delightful performances, showcasing the amazing talents we have here at Heritage.

In addition to the concerts, we had several Junior High students show their talents in the High School play, “Christmas Shorts”. This array of short plays and skits brought holiday cheer and laughter to all that attended.

Finally, as we end our first semester of the 2024-25 school year, our student council hosted fun dress-up days, inviting everyone to show their holiday spirit through creative outfits and activities. We have had the pleasure of having guest readers and the Grinch visit during this festive week. In addition, our K-5 and JH students have been able to participate in many special activities throughout the week.

As we prepare for our Winter break, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season. Together, let’s create lasting memories and celebrate the season as a school community.

Mrs. Sanders and the Faculty and Staff of Heritage Elem./JH school

Empathy has been our focus in Character Strong this month. One way to think about empathy is "understanding and connecting with other people's feelings". Our classes continued exploring emotions and the different ways humans show and process them. Lower elementary students practiced what it means to "share the spotlight" as opposed to "stealing the spotlight", to show empathetic listening.

Upper elementary students focused on how to be empathetic leaders. Junior High students learned about the 3 steps to effectively show empathy: 1. noticing (which takes more effort than simply looking), 2. choosing to care, and 3. showing empathy with our actions. The traits of empathy and kindness go hand in hand; both are skills that require hard work and continuous effort, but reap huge rewards for the givers and the receivers.

Our older students were inspired by the story of a real life superhero, a 4 year old named Austin, who showed empathy to people in his community by using his allowance and money for gifts to buy chicken sandwiches for homeless people who lived near him. Our students are leaving for Winter Break with the reminder that empathy requires connection. They've been challenged to find ways to truly connect with friends and family as they gather during the holiday season.

Our Character Strong celebration for December is a hot cocoa bar on Friday, the 20th! For their hard work and dedication to positive behavior, students will get to enjoy Mrs. Sanders's homemade recipe, topped with whip cream and sprinkles!

The day before Thanksgiving Break students were treated to a movie and activity day as a reward for their hard work and donations toward our Hurricane Helene disaster relief drive. Students were first challenged to bring in 250 items in order to receive an afternoon of a movie. We reached the goal in 2 days and still had a week and a half of the drive left. We created a new challenge of 500 items in order to have a day full of activities and a movie as well as if they brought in 1000 items, we would purchase pizza for lunch. Our students stepped up to the challenge once again and we exceeded the 1000 item goal. Students participated in activities and games as classes challenged each other in the morning. Pizza from Little Caesars was brought in for lunch as students watched "Home Alone." During the movie, students were also treated to an ice cream bar. Thank you to all that donated.

Plumbers and Pipefitters held an open house for students to attend to learn about possible apprenticeships.

The National Honor Society held a "Jingle and Mingle" luncheon for the staff. This time was used for students to eat with staff members and get to know each other in a different way. The food was great too.

"Christmas Shorts" was performed the first weekend of December. The play was a collection of short skits and was performed to a full house both nights.

Band and Chorus both held their Winter concerts in front of big crowds. The Chorus concert included audience participation as well as community members joining the Choir for a song. The Band concert introduced us to the second song in the story of Santa the Barbarian with some narration from Mr. White.

Scholastic Bowl, Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball and Cheerleading have all started their seasons with much success. Colby Schrock earned all tournament honors at a tournament in Blue Ridge. The Boys and Girls Basketball teams have already matched their win totals from last year and are showing much improvement.

Our Student of the Month for December was Bree McGarigle as our topic for the month was "Santa's Helper."

We are currently finishing up our semester with Final Exams before we dismiss for Winter Break. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season.

-Mr. White

Please scan the QR code to access our January events and menus.

January Health Reminders for Families

As we start the new year, here are a few important health reminders to help keep our students and school community healthy:

1. Stay Home When Sick:

   • If your child has a fever, persistent cough, or other flu-like symptoms, please keep them home until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours without medication.

2. Practice Good Hygiene:

   • Encourage regular handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
   • Remind children to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their elbow.

3. Update Immunizations and Health Records:

   • Ensure your child’s immunizations are current and submit any updated health records to the school nurse.

4. Dress for Winter Weather:

   • Make sure your child is prepared for outdoor activities with appropriate winter clothing, including coats, hats, gloves, and boots.

5. Prioritize Nutrition and Hydration:

   • Start the day with a healthy breakfast and pack balanced lunches.
   • Remind your child to drink water throughout the day, even in cooler months.

6. Monitor Mental Health:

   • The post-holiday season can be stressful for children. Keep an open dialogue about how they’re feeling, and reach out to school counselors if needed.

By working together, we can ensure a safe, healthy, and happy start to the new year for everyone!