Hunting Ridge Hawk Happenings

As we approach Thanksgiving this week, we are thankful and grateful at Hunting Ridge for all of our amazing students, staff, and families. We hope that you are able to enjoy the holiday this week, and we are looking forward to the remaining weeks of 2024!

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the annual summative designations at the end of October, and we are thrilled to share that Hunting Ridge received an Exemplary rating! This puts Hunting Ridge School in the top 10% of schools across Illinois! This recognition is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and families. We’re proud of this achievement and excited to continue building on this success! For more information about the summative designations, please refer to the following ISBE website: Summative Designations from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

Thank you to everyone who participated in Parent/Teacher conferences this week. We value strong partnerships with our parents, and if you have any additional questions or concerns about your child's progress, please reach out to your child's teacher. We are also happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have in the school office.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly,

Kate Arenberg, Principal

Alison Friedman, Assistant Principal

Kimberly Johnson, Student Services Coordinator

Did you know? Being in school every day helps students feel more connected to their community.
Tip: Discuss the importance of school attendance with your child regularly. Keep absences to 9 days or less!

The Related Services Team at Hunting Ridge School supports the needs of students in the areas of: speech and language, occupational therapy (fine motor and sensory), physical therapy, hearing, vision, and social emotional. The related services team works with students who have IEPs, 504 plans, or are being supported through the MTSS process. They also help support classroom needs by providing push-in lessons targeted on a specific skill.

Related Services Team:

Tracey Schiferl & Maggie Hindmand - Speech/Language Pathologists

Cory Anderson & Lineya Andrews- Occupational Therapists

Georgie Holst & Julia Saleski- School Social Workers

Jen Whitman- School Psychologist

Deb Erdmann- Physical Therapist

Tina Guryn- Deaf and Hard of Hearing Itinerant

Additionally, school psychologists are uniquely qualified members of school teams that support students' ability to learn and teachers' ability to teach. They apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. School psychologists partner with families, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community.

Thank you to our PTA for hosting the Book Fair with Mrs. Lebata this year! There were hundreds of amazing books available for purchase, and we appreciate your support. The book fair would not have been successful without all of the volunteers who helped run the event. Thank you for your time and energy to make sure that the Book Fair was organized, engaging, and successful!

The next Dine and Donate is today, at Photos in Palatine- all day!

We've got some big goals to reach, and you can help us! We're on the road to 338 members so we can match our membership count from last year. We're still at only 283 members, which puts us at about 84% of the way there. Not sure you're a member yet? (There are STILL over 500 of you reading this email who belong in this category.) Reach out and ask! Been meaning to join? Get it done! Have a neighbor, friend, or fellow teacher who has mentioned us? Spread the word! We've got so much planned for this school year, but we need YOU to make it happen. Join us and be a part of the amazing community behind Hunting Ridge Elementary School!

Save the Date for December's Breakfast Buddies: Tuesday, December 17- December 19, 2024. More information to follow! Lastly, the December PTA meeting will be for the executive board and committee leaders on Thursday, December 19, 2024.

JOIN TODAY!

As winter approaches, we want to ensure our District 15 families and staff are fully prepared for potential inclement weather closures and e-Learning Days. Here’s everything you need to know about our processes, expectations, and resources available to support you during these days:

Cold Weather Recess Guidelines:

Please make sure that students are dressed appropriately for the weather. If you need support with winter gear, please reach out to the school office. Here is the cold weather recess plan we will follow:

• If the temperature outside, together with the wind chill, is below 0°F, all students will remain inside for the entire lunch hour.

• If the temperature outside, together with the wind chill, is between 0°–10°F, the preferred procedure is a rotation of 20 minutes for lunch, a 20-minute outdoor recess, and a 20-minute indoor recess. However, at the principal’s discretion, the students may be kept inside for the entire lunch hour.

• If the temperature outside, together with the wind chill, is above 10°F, students will have regular outdoor recess

School Closure Decisions:

As you know, this school year began later than usual to allow time for summer construction projects related to Moving 15 Forward. To keep the school year on track for an on-time finish, District 15 will implement e-Learning in cases of severe weather that impact travel safety or other emergencies. When severe weather is forecasted, materials will be sent home with your child the day prior in anticipation of a possible e-Learning day.

How You’ll Be Notified:

To inform you of school closures due to inclement weather, District 15 will send notifications through multiple channels:

• Email, text message, and phone call notifications via our mass notification system.
• Website updates on the District 15 and individual school websites.
• Social media posts on the District’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
• Mobile app notifications via the CCSD15 mobile app.

Please ensure your contact information is current in Infinite Campus to avoid missing critical updates. For assistance updating your contact information, please contact your child’s school.

What to Expect on an E-Learning Day:

On e-Learning Days, students and staff will transition to virtual learning from home, following their regular school schedule. This means:

• Students should sign in to Google Classroom following their normal school schedule and join live sessions or access assignments as directed by their teachers.
• Live virtual instruction will be provided, mirroring the structure of a typical school day, to ensure continuity of learning.

For comprehensive answers and additional resources, visit our D15 e-Learning Plan page. Key topics covered include:

• Attendance & Schedule: Expectations around student attendance and virtual learning schedules on e-Learning days.
• Device Support: Guidance for connecting district-issued Chromebooks to home Wi-Fi, logging into Google Classroom, and accessing online resources.
• Assignment Submission & Teacher Support: Information on how assignments are shared and submitted, as well as ways for students to get help from their teachers throughout the day.
• Technical Troubleshooting: Tips on common technical issues, such as accessing Google Meet, adjusting Chromebook settings, and resolving Wi-Fi connectivity challenges.

Visit the page for more details to help prepare for e-Learning and address any potential issues that may arise.

Affordable Connectivity Options:

We understand that some families may face challenges with reliable internet access.District 15 offers resources to support internet access for all families, ensuring students can fully participate in e-Learning. Below are some available options:

• District-Provided Hotspots: District 15 offers limited hotspots for families in need. Contact your school’s main office to inquire about availability.

• EveryoneOn: This program helps eligible families connect with low-cost internet services and devices. Visit EveryoneOn for more information.

• Comcast Internet Essentials: Comcast provides affordable internet plans to qualifying families. To see if you’re eligible, visit Comcast Internet Essentials.

• AT&T Access: AT&T offers low-cost internet service for qualifying households. Visit AT&T Access for more details.

For more information or additional support, please visit our Internet Options for Families page or reach out to your school’s main office.

Hunting Ridge School is partnering with the Palatine Police & Fire Benevolent Association for the annual Toys for Tots donations. We have two collection boxes located in our main office vestibule, and are accepting donations of new and unwrapped toys until December 9, 2024. Thank you for your support!

D15 e-Flyers: https://www.ccsd15.net/e-flyer

Learn 15 Information: https://www.ccsd15.net/families/learn15

Wednesday, December 4: Hearing/Vision Rescreening

Wednesday, December 11: 5th Grade Chorus Concert @ 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, December 11: Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00 p.m.- Walter R. Sundling Middle School

Tuesday, December 17- Thursday, December 19: PTA Breakfast Buddies @ 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday, December 18: HR Spelling Bee @ 9:00 a.m.

Thursday, December 19: Monthly PTA Meeting for the Executive Board and Committees @ 7:00 p.m.- Library

Monday, December 23- Friday, January 3, 2025: WINTER BREAK! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Monday, January 6, 2025: School resumes

Hunting Ridge Elementary School

1105 W. Illinois Avenue

Palatine, IL 60067

847-963-5305

arenberk@ccsd15.net