Principal Nolan's Notes

🥶Brrrr...winter is here and the temperatures haven't allowed us to get outside for some much needed fresh air lately. Fingers crossed for warmer temps in the days ahead. Thank you for sending your child to school with the appropriate winter gear.

Our 3rd quarter is under way and HES students and staff are busy! The wonderful learning opportunities and activities continue to amaze me while visiting classrooms in each grade level. All students are working hard and applying new skills with the guidance of this amazing staff here at HES. It's a great place to be!

When you ask your student(s), "What did you do at school today?", don't settle for the reply of, "Nothing...". Take the time to ask your child(ren) specific questions about his/her day! Examples include:

• What was the best thing that happened at school today?
• What made you smile today?
• What made you feel proud today?
• Did anything surprise you at school today?
• If you could choose one person to sit by in class, who would it be? Why?

Thank you for partnering with us to support our students' learning through i-Ready. Your willingness to have conversations with your child and stay connected to his/her goals and growth make an impact. Classrooms continue to strive to reach their goals in 'Time-on-Task' and 'Lessons Passed' and earn the Top Banana Award! Way to go, Whip-Purs!

Congratulations to this week's classroom winners in the KG-2nd grade division:

• Reading - Mrs. Bolander's 2nd grade class
• Math - Mrs. Mertogul's KG class

Congratulations to this week's classroom winners in the 3rd-5th grade division:

• Reading - Ms. Nacht's 3rd grade class
• Math - Miss McQuade's 4th grade class

2nd Quarter report cards will come home with your child on Friday, 1/17. Take time to review your child's report card with him/her in order to celebrate growth and make goals for the second half of the school year. Your connection to your child's education is critical. Please sign the report card envelope, indicating that you received the report card, and send it back to school with your child. Thank you!

We love celebrating student birthdays here at HES and parents are incredibly generous to supply a classroom of students with treats such as cupcakes, donuts, or candy. However, as a reminder, we are making an important shift away from edible treats as a way of celebrating birthdays. Instead, we are asking parents/guardians to opt for food-free options. There is an endless supply of alternate ideas, including sending in pencils, pencil toppers, mini toys, stickers, etc. Better yet, please do not feel as though you need to send in anything at all! Teachers do an excellent job of making each child feel special here at school on his/her birthday.

Our amazing social workers, Mrs. DiSanti and Mrs. Nickol, have worked to create a resource page on the HES website titled Social Work Resources for Parents. Included on this page are valuable resources and information about a variety of topics including academic support, mental health support, crisis management, counseling, advocacy, policy development, community involvement, and collaboration.

To access this resource page, you can visit the HES homepage, click on 'Extra-Curricular' in the top right corner to find a drop down of choices. There you will find 'Social Work Resources for Parents'.

Thank you to Mrs. DiSanti and Mrs. Nickol for their hard work!

The HSO is so thankful for all the time and money you all put into our organization to support HES. We truly are an amazing community! As we head closer to Community Bingo, we are in need of a few things.

If you have time to spare during our event, please sign up here. Many hands make light work!

If you haven't already, take a look around the house to see if there's an item you can donate to your child's classroom basket. The kids love seeing their own room represented during the raffle. A sign up was sent from your child's classroom teacher.

Speaking of items lying around the house... we'd be happy to take any new items for our bingo prize stash. This can be for kids or adults. Email hsopresident321@gmail.com if there's anything you can donate.

Come join a special event on Friday, 1/24, when the Hampshire High School boys and girls basketball programs will be hosting a "Pack the Place" against Prairie Ridge. That evening, there will be an ALS Awareness Fundraiser. Raffles and auctions will include gift cards to local establishments, two floor seats for a Chicago Bulls game, two tickets for a 2025 Chicago Cubs game, Chicago Sky tickets and much, much more. Click HERE for more information about the event. Hope to see you there!

If you ever need to contact me, please be sure to email me directly at jennifer.nolan@d300.org. If you respond to this RCS (Rapid Communications System) email, I will not receive it for many days until the District's Director of Communication Services forwards it on. Thank you!

1/15 - HSO meeting 6:30 PM (Resource Center)

1/17 - Report Cards sent home/available on Parent Portal

1/20 - NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King Jr. day)

1/22 - Late Start 10:00 AM

1/22 - HSO Wacky Wednesday ('Future Me Day' - dress like your future career)

2/8 - HSO Bingo Night 4:00-6:00 PM (HMS Main Gym)

Thank you for your continued support of HES. Please reach out if you need anything.

Sincerely,

Jen Nolan

Hampshire Elementary School Principal

jennifer.nolan@d300.org