Half Day
An Ooey Gooey Task
Fourth-grade teachers are transforming pumpkin seeds into an exciting learning adventure with hands-on inquiry that blends math, science, and English Language Arts. In Kelly Bichkoff and Jami Reed’s classrooms, students rolled up their sleeves to tackle the ooey gooey task of scooping out seeds—and their combined efforts uncovered nearly 7,500 seeds as seen in these photos!
Before diving into the pumpkins, students made thoughtful predictions on how many seeds they’d find, using measurements like height, circumference, and weight to guide their estimates. It was a lesson packed with discovery, numbers, and a little bit of holiday mess!
Upcoming Events
- Early Dismissal Day: Friday, Nov. 15, Afternoon Teacher Institute Day.
- Pro-Kids Family Night Show: Monday, Nov. 18.
- Report Cards Available: After 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20.
No School: Monday, Nov. 25, through Friday, Nov. 29, Thanksgiving Break.
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.
Book Fair Open During Pro-Kids Show
Take time before or after the Pro-Kids Show on Monday, Nov. 18, to pop into the PTO Book Fair to pick up your child's favorite books. The Book Fair is open from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Families can also order books online.The book fair fundraiser is very beneficial for our students, as the funds are used to support our libraries.
Times for the FREE Tim Hannig Pro-Kids Show follow:
- 5:30 p.m. for students whose last name begins with A-K.
- 7:15 p.m. for students whose last name begins with L-Z.
The Pro-Kids Show makes connections to classroom learning through award-winning magic, comedy, music, puppets, and audience involvement. Siblings are welcome to attend the show. Tickets are not necessary.
Register for the Spelling Bee
This year, we will use 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.
This competition is open only to students in grades 4-8. To participate in the spelling bee, your child must register by Friday, Nov. 29, on the online testing platform. Review the words, School Study List 2025 and watch this video tutorial that will walk you through the registration process.
Once you have registered, the spelling bee coordinator will assign the appropriate test to your child. The test will be available only on Wednesday, Dec. 4 and Thursday, Dec. 5. Your child must complete the test by the deadline. The qualifying test will be administered at home. The top five students from each grade with the highest scores will advance to the district-level competition. If needed, a tiebreaker will be used to determine which students move on to the District Bee.
An email will be sent out during the week of December 16 to inform students of those who have qualified for the next round.
How the Law Enforcement Drill Works at Half Day
On Wednesday, we sent out a message about next week's Law Enforcement Drill taking place in each of our schools. Today, we would like to explain how we conduct the drill at Half Day School.
Teachers will educate students about how to respond in a crisis, including a reading of the book, “I’m Not Scared, I’m Prepared.”
A set of common terms are used for consistent understanding throughout the lessons and between buildings in the district.
Similar to our fire and tornado drills, it is important for us to practice what to do if there is a danger in or around our school building. There could be an unknown visitor to the school building or a big accident on a street near Half Day School. If there is a danger, we need to know what to do. If students hear over the announcements that we are in a lockdown, it will be time to remember what we have learned, look and listen for clues, and decide the best course of action. It is important that we use what we know, stay calm, and listen for directions.
On the day of the drill, students at Half Day will ONLY practice/simulate a traditional lockdown. We will not evacuate or counter.
Please fill out the Half Day opt out form by Noon Monday, Nov. 18, if you do not want your student to participate in this drill.
Missing Something? We May Have Found It
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. Please mark lunch boxes, water bottles, and outdoor items of clothing with your child's name to increase the potential for a swift return! Unclaimed items will be donated after Friday, Nov. 22.
School Board Member Appreciation Day
Board Member Appreciation
On Friday, Nov. 15, Lincolnshire-Prairie View School District 103 will join communities across Illinois in celebrating Board Appreciation Day, an opportunity to express gratitude to our local school board members.
District 103 will honor the contributions of its Board members at the upcoming regular board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Please join us in recognizing the dedicated service of our Board of Education members:
Anne van Gerven, President, serving since 2013.
Marissa Grossenbach, Vice President, serving since 2017.
Nana Agyeman, Member, serving since 2023.
Kate Harper, Member, serving since 2013.
Sanjay Keshav, Member, serving since 2023.
Maria Peterson, Member, serving since 2021.
Michael Weaver, Member, serving since 2021.
“Board of Education members are unpaid volunteers who give their time and expertise to support our students, families, and staff. Their commitment helps make District 103 an exceptional environment for learning and growth,” said Dr. Scott Warren, Superintendent of District 103.
The Lincolnshire-Prairie View District 103 Board of Education continues to provide visionary leadership, fostering a positive, high-quality educational experience for our students. We extend our heartfelt appreciation for their unwavering support of our schools and community.
Partnership News
Screen Sanity
D103 and the PTO Parent Education Team are partnering with Screen Sanity to bring their critically acclaimed parent program directly to you! Screen Sanity is an organization that is looking to partner with families to create a world where kids are captivated by life, not by screens. This workshop will give you the tools and strategies that you need to set healthy screen time and tech safety guidelines that fit your parenting values and lifestyle. Leave your parent-guilt at the door -- this judgement-free night of community, education, and discussion will leave you feeling empowered to confidently navigate the ever-changing landscape of technology for your kids (and yourself!). And there will be snacks!
Check out this video to learn more.
Please register in advance for the event on Friday, Nov. 15, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
We need YOU at the annual District 103 PTO BOOK FAIR!!
Parent volunteers help make this event successful. Volunteering at the Book Fair is one of the most fun and rewarding ways to get involved in helping students become better readers.
- Half Day book fair is from Nov. 18-22.
Support our teachers! Purchase books from the Teacher Wish List to surprise your favorite educators. Wish Lists books will be selected by our teachers over the upcoming weeks and will be available for purchase at the fair or online at abcfairs.com.
Let’s celebrate reading together—see you at the Book Fair!
Volunteer today @ bit.ly/D103SignUp
Donate While You Dine
efforts by participating in a refreshing fundraiser with "Buns on
Fire". Any purchase that you make gets you a free refresher and the
LFF receives 20% of the sales. This is a great opportunity to try
something new!
Dine-Outs on November 15!
Mark your calendars for Friday, Nov. 15! D103 PTO is excited to partner with Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill in Lincolnshire and Bibibop Asian Grill in Vernon Hills for a special dine-out event. By dining at either of these restaurants, you’ll be helping our PTO earn a percentage of all sales made that day. Just mention “D103 PTO” when you place your order to ensure your purchase supports our organization. Ordering online? Use code BIBIFUNDRAISER or NAFFUNDRAISER when placing your order. Whether you’re craving Middle Eastern flavors or Asian-inspired dishes, this is a delicious way to make a difference. Let’s come together as a community to support our schools and enjoy some great food!
Wonder Science Shows Were a Big Hit!
The Wonder Science Shows, presented by the Learning Fund Foundation, were a great success last weekend. Over 350 people attended, with children and parents alike enjoying the fun and educational performances. Visit the LFF Website for highlights and a big thank you to everyone for their support!
Community
Mini Comic Con
Give those Halloween costumes another chance to shine and wear them to Mini Comic Con at the Vernon Area Public Library on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Celebrate fandoms and pop culture with free events for all ages. View the full schedule and details on the library's website.
Brad's Bookworm Initiative
Congressman Brad Schneider is launching the sixth annual "Brad's Bookworms" program to encourage reading and learning for elementary school students (grades K-5) and their families!
Children participating in the program are asked to read and log 10 books with help from parents, grandparents, older siblings, or other family members, and track their progress toward this goal. Young people who meet the 10 books goal will be invited with their families to a recognition ceremony with Congressman Schneider to celebrate their achievement. The deadline to complete logs is Sunday, Feb. 2.
Join the Library's Celebration
Please join the Vernon Area Public Library in celebrating its 50th Anniversary on Friday, Nov. 22, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. This after hours, adults-only event is a fundraiser to support the expansion of our MakerSpace and Library of Things, giving us even more opportunities to engage with members of the community. We expect to have Appetizers, Drinks, Desserts, Raffles, Music, Trivia, Games, a Photo Booth and more! To donate or purchase tickets, please visit: VAPLD.info/foundation. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to Samantha Fahndrich at sfahndrich@fvapld.org.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Deerfield Family Theater and Park District present Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the weekends of November 15-17 and November 22-24. Tickets are on sale now.
Half Day Information
- Half Day Calendar
- Archived newsletters
- YouTube Principals
- Principal Jill Mau
- Assistant Principal Laura Delagrange
- 847-634-1484
- Hd_attendance@d103.org