Half Day

​​Fifth-grade students stepped into the role of scientists on an exciting field trip to explore the fascinating world of mixtures and solutions at the Arlington Heights Historical Museum soda pop exhibit. Through engaging, multi-sensory experiments, they investigated the science behind soda pop, discovered how ingredients combine to create fizzy drinks, and how different substances interact. Along the way, students took a guided tour to learn about the history of the Arlington Club Beverage company delving into the rich history of the company and the building where it all began.

“With hands-on activities and real-world connections, this field trip offered a fun, educational experience that brings science to life as seen in these photos!” shared fifth-grade teacher Megan McCafferty.

• Monday, Jan. 20: No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday.
• Friday, Jan. 24: School Fun Fair, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

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.

In the fall, teacher conferences were moved from November to October, providing an earlier opportunity for families and teachers to connect about student progress and goals. While report cards were shared in November, the earlier timing of conferences allows for discussions and strategies to support student success earlier in the year. Please complete this short anonymous survey to provide your feedback on this change and its impact on communication and planning for your student’s success.

PowerSchool has now made additional details available on their website in regards to the data breach. We will continue to provide updates as new information or resources become available.

• Tuesday, Jan. 21: Wear fun footwear
• Wednesday, Jan. 22: Wear comfy clothes
• Thursday, Jan. 23: Wear red
• Friday, Jan. 24: Wear Spirit Wear
• Donate $$ to help California communities affected by the wildfires

Half Day students and staff will celebrate Valentine's Day on Friday, Feb. 14. Students may bring valentine cards to school for all of their classmates. The names of all students in the class will be provided by the classroom teacher. Please do not send edible treats to school with your child’s valentine cards.

Our classroom parties for Valentine's Day focus on friendship and exchanging cards with peers and teachers during the day at school. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

It's that time of year! Time for the Great 2025 Family Math Challenge. All Half Day families are challenged to use the digits in the year 2025 to make the counting numbers from 1-100. Click here to see a fun video that's sure to get you excited! Contact Mrs. Gagamov with any questions at jgagamov@d103.org.

It is important during snow and cold weather months to have children dressed appropriately for outdoor recess with gloves, hat, boots, coat, and snow pants, if needed. Remember to label items so they can be returned if they are misplaced.

If the combination of temperature and/or wind chill is above 5 degrees Fahrenheit, students will go outside for recess. This guideline falls within the "safe" category for being outside for 30 minutes and allows students to go outside more frequently in the winter months. Please see the wind chill chart from the National Weather Service for details.

Mabel's Labels: Is it possible to avoid the "lost and found"? Nobody's perfect, but you can increase your chances of recovering lost items by easily labeling your kid's gear while supporting the D103 PTO. Mabel's Labels offers various customized labeling options, including waterproof labels and stamps.

This cherished event will take place on Friday, Jan. 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Half Day School, for third- through fifth-graders. This event is for Half Day Students only.

Tickets are on sale now. Each child's $15 ticket price includes over 30 different carnival games, inflatables, and activities along with prizes, one serving of popcorn and cotton candy, as well as a souvenir cup and drawstring bag.

All students MUST attend with an adult chaperone. Carpooling is encouraged. Parents/chaperones do not require a ticket to accompany the kids they are with. We need MANY volunteers! You will be there with your kids anyway so please consider volunteering for a shift.

👉 Register for this event here -> dub.sh/mxzagoo
👉 Volunteers needed for this event. Sign up -> dub.sh/D103SignUp

We’re looking for volunteers to make crockpots of chili or soup (your recipe of choice!) with at least 10 servings for our staff luncheon on Friday, Feb. 7.

Details:

• Drop-off: By 9:30 a.m. (in a crockpot with your name and ingredient list.)
• Pick-up: After 1:30 p.m.
• Please use crockpot liners for easy cleanup.

We also need desserts and volunteers for serving and cleanup. Not a chef? Donations are welcome to help with salads, décor, and extras.

Thank you for helping us show appreciation for our amazing D103 staff! ❤️

👉 Volunteers needed for this event. Sign up -> dub.sh/D103SignUp

Please join us for coffee or breakfast at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, as we discuss areas we need support for our children with IEPS and/or 504s receiving accommodations in D103. All are welcome. We are looking to make friendships and to help each other through our unique journey of parenting. Please respond to our invitation and let us know if you can attend.

Join us on Friday, Jan. 24, between 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. at the Vernon Hills Shake Shack, 864 E. Townline Road.

Here’s the deal: Mention “Donation Day” when you order (or use promo code DONATE online, in the app, or at the kiosk), and Shake Shack will donate 25% of your total meal purchase to the District 103 PTO!

Grab a burger, some fries, and your favorite shake, and help support our amazing PTO. It’s a win-win! Spread the word—see you there!

The Run for D103 5K Run/Walk is a family-friendly, annual fundraising event held in the spring that enables the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) to provide District 103 with programs and equipment for the benefit of our children. This race is representative of our district's commitment to foster both healthy minds and healthy bodies in our children and to instill a lifelong passion for education and exercise.

Whether you're an experienced runner or just starting out, this is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself, meet new people, and have fun! We can't wait to see you at the starting line!

👉 Register today @ runford103.org

Join Dr. Aliza Pressman, New York Times bestselling author and host of Raising Good Humans, for an insightful webinar on parenting strategies at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, on Zoom. She’ll share her "5 Principles of Parenting," relationship, reflection, regulation, rules, and repair, to help parents navigate raising resilient, well-rounded children while normalizing imperfection.

This event is free and open to all. Registration is required: Register on Zoom Today The event is presented by District 96, District 102, District 103, and Vernon Area Public Library. Take this opportunity to learn practical strategies and strengthen your parenting approach!

Jordan's Journey Blood Drive

Saturday, Jan. 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Midtown Athletic Club, 2211 Waukegan Rd., Bannockburn

Please sign up in advance to donate blood.

District 103's Transportation Department encourages students in grades k-8 to participate in the "Safety First - Safety Always" Illinois Association for Pupil Transportation Poster Contest. Get all the contest information on the Illinois Association for Pupil Transportation website. The submission deadline is April 18.

Calling all junior entrepreneurs! Do you want to learn real-life business and money management skills? Apply for Kid Market at the Vernon Area Public Library (open to grades 2-8)! Successful applications can sell their wares at a table at the Kid Market on Saturday, April 5, and will receive business coaching from the library's business librarian.

Applications are accepted now through Monday, Jan. 20. Find more details about Kid Market on the library's website.

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.

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Principals

• Principal Jill Mau
• Assistant Principal Laura Delagrange
Reporting an Absence
• 847-634-1484
• Hd_attendance@d103.org