An Update from Hough Elementary

We are very excited to host our Meet the Teacher for all students tomorrow, August 16th from 2:00-2:40 PM. This event will give our students and families the opportunity to drop off school supplies, meet our amazing staff, and see our beautiful building. If your family pre-ordered school supplies through the PTO, they will be in the classroom.

It is bittersweet to share the news that Eric Rife will be leaving Hough to take on the role of Assistant Principal at Rose School. Although we will miss Mr. Rife, we wish him all the best in his new assignment. We will keep you updated as we make progress hiring our new AP.

We are thrilled to have the following staff join the Hough family:

1. Claudia Lis ("Nurse Claudia")-School Nurse
2. Paige Heiden ("Mrs. Heiden")-Kindergarten Assistant

We are excited to kick-off the new school year next week, as we welcome our 240 Hough Hawks! We will have supervision on our big playground beginning at 7:40 AM. In order to ensure a safe drop off procedure, we want to remind families that Lincoln Avenue is reserved for our buses from 7:40 - 7:55 AM. Our friends at Salem Preschool kindly ask that Hough parents refrain from using their parking lot for drop off or "cut through," to ensure the safety for their preschool families and staff. If you are driving your student to school between 7:40 - 7:55 AM, we ask that you drop your child off on Lill Street, so your child can cross at Lincoln Avenue with the crossing guard. Families are also welcome to drop-off students further west on Lincoln Avenue, past the playground or along Lake Street, where students can enter the playground just west of the main office, adjacent to the flag pole. We also have a crossing guard at Memorial Park, along Hough Street. You will also see me outside ensuring that our walkers remain safe along this busy street. Students are brought inside at 7:55 AM, as instruction begins promptly at 8:00 AM. As a mom of two elementary students, I understand the chaos that is often involved in getting kiddos ready for school. Thank you very much for ensuring that your student arrives to school on-time (no later than 7:55 AM). If you have a situation where your child arrives after 7:55 AM, please bring them to the front office (entrance one), along Lake Street, so we can check them into school.

Students are dismissed at 2:40 PM (2:10 PM on Wednesdays) onto the big playground so they can board buses, walk home, ride bikes or be picked up. Buses will utilize Lincoln Avenue during this time, so again, we ask drivers to park along Lill or west of the playground along Lincoln. The Salem parking lot is not a pick-up location. If you need to change your child's after school transportation/pick-up situation, please contact the Hough Office as early as possible so we can be sure to relay the message to your child's teacher prior to dismissal. Teachers are not able to check their email throughout the day, so please contact the main Hough number at 847-381-1108.

Thank you so much for your understanding and cooperation.

Bus route information is now available through the My Ride K-12 (formerly Ride 360) app. Parents should only rely on information from My Ride K-12 for up-to-date bus information in the 2024-25 school year. PLEASE NOTE - kindergarteners who ride the bus home in the afternoon will need to be met by a parent/caregiver at the bus stop, unless they are riding the bus with an older sibling. If you have forgotten your parent portal log-in or wish to set up a new account, please call the Infinite Campus Help Desk at 847-842-3580.

As we prepare to start the school year, it is important that students and families establish regular routines to maximize student attendance to school. For younger learners, sometimes this means helping students feel more comfortable about a transition away from home and caregivers.

Please note that for students who struggle to maintain regular attendance, parents/families will receive additional communication, conference requests, and other interventions to support regular school attendance, in accordance with state law.

Click on this tip sheet from Barrington Youth and Family Services for some Back to School Tips.

Students are scheduled 20 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for recess each day. This time is a very important part of the day. Students have an opportunity to socialize, refuel, and decompress. Students are also encouraged to bring a healthy snack for snack time, which will be designated by each classroom teacher. We have a new food service provider this year. Quest has been providing food for the high school and will now be serving meals at all of the elementary schools. The monthly lunch menu is found on the Hough Website. Students can bring a water bottle each day to school; please make sure your child’s first and last name is on the water bottle so it can be returned if lost.

Please click on this link for the District 220 school year calendar and make note of the days there are no student attendance. Also, please note there are three early release days spread throughout this school year. The first early release day is Friday, August 30th. Elementary students are released at 10:45 AM on these early release days.

Picture day is Friday, September 6th and make-ups are scheduled for October 16th. Please click here if you are interested in ordering school pictures. The "school event code" necessary for online ordering is: 10043101 Pictures may be ordered prior to picture day or after (there is a shipping fee associated with orders placed after picture day and they will be mailed directly to the student's home). Check your child's backpack for more information.

We are partnering with Chess without Borders again to offer Chess Club this year at Hough. There are three separate sessions; fall, winter and spring. Chess Club meets on Tuesdays from 2:45-3:45 PM and is open to all Hough students, regardless of their chess ability. Please click here for further details. The online registration will open the week of August 18th. Fall Chess Club begins on Tuesday, August 27th and runs every Tuesday, through November 19th (there is no school/Chess Club on Election Day).

Family BBQ - The Back To School BBQ will take place on Thursday, August 22nd from 6:00-7:30 PM on the big playground. We invite new families to arrive at 5:30 PM so we can say a special hello. Hotdogs, watermelon, chips and cookies will be served on the big playground. Be sure to bring your own water bottles. Hough Spiritwear will be available for purchase.

Kindergarten woo-hoo boo-hoo - Kindergarten Parents/Caregivers (and younger siblings) are invited to a "woo-hoo boo-hoo" on Wednesday, August 21st at 8:15 AM immediately following the start of the first day of kindergarten. Fellow kindergarten parent, Stephanie Duffy (Kyle's mom), will host at her home at 555 S. Summit Street in Barrington. This is a fun Hough tradition where we can be together after the start of their first day to celebrate, cry or both! Coffee and donuts will be served. No need to RSVP, just show up.

-Friday, August 16th: Meet the Teacher- all Hough students are welcome to attend from 2:00 PM - 2:40 PM

-Monday, August 19th: First day of school for students grades 1-5 (8:00 AM - 2:40 PM)

-Wednesday, August 21st: First day of school for kindergarten students (8:00 AM - 2:10 PM). REMINDER - EVERY WEDNESDAY DISMISSAL IS AT 2:10 PM FOR ALL K-5 STUDENTS.

-Thursday, August 22nd: PTO Back to School BBQ- 5:30 PM (New Families) and 6:00-7:30 PM (All Families)

-Monday, September 2nd: Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)

-Wednesday, September 4th: Back to School Night 6:30-8:00 PM (Parent/Guardian event)

-Friday, September 6th: Picture Day (retakes October 16th)