Dear Middle North Families,
The first half of the school year is officially over, and as we look forward to the next two weeks of break, we hope you have time to reflect on the growth, tenacity, and achievement of the students in your family and the MSN community as a whole. We wish you a bright and peaceful holiday season and have many opportunities to share in the joy of others as we get ready to welcome in 2025.
When students return back to school on January 6th, we will be engaging in a whole-school SOAR reboot to refresh, review, and reinstate SOAR expectations for a safer and successful second half of the school year. We want to encourage our students to take ownership of their actions and their learning, but we also know this is a team effort that takes universal commitment from the entire MSN community. We know that this school year has the potential to be one of our strongest yet!
We look forward to seeing you in the new year! Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Ms. Waggoner & Ms. Porzel
December 23-January 3rd- Winter break ⛄
January 6th- School Resumes 🎆
January 15th- Beginning of ACCESS testing
January 20th- Non-Attendance Day
Math Masters
6th graders are busy piloting a new program called Amplify Desmos to extend their knowledge and challenge their current understanding of math concepts.
Inflatable Fun!
To pump up our school for Friday's pep assembly, students paraded around the cafeteria in fun costumes and silly inflatables.
Creative Writing Magazine
The Connection Corner
District 73 prioritizes the Whole Child, and that is why understanding our work with SEL is so important in helping your child grow. The Connections Corner newsletter offers tips, activities to do over winter break, spotlight on great moments happening around the district, and opportunities to learn more about social and emotional development. Be sure to check it out!
MSN Athletics
Check out our Middle School North Weekly Athletic Update! We are so happy to see so many of our students involved in after school sports and are proud of all of their celebrations so far. Mark your calendar for upcoming events and competitions.
Healthy Hawthorn
Cold and Flu season is upon us. If you are reporting an absence for your student, please indicate the reason why. If your student begins to feel unwell during the school day, they must visit the nurse to be checked out. It is important that we track symptoms to ensure that our students and staff are healthy and available to do their best. Finally, if there are any updates to your students' health or medications, please make sure you indicate that to our nursing staff. Let's work together for a healthier Hawthorn!
Pickup and Dropoff Procedures
In an effort to keep our students safe at arrival and dismissal, please make sure you are dropping your students off and picking them up in the car line rather than dropping off or picking up your student from the parking lot. In addition, students may not be dropped off along Hawthorn Parkway, as busses and other vehicles are continuously in motion. Finally, our crosswalks are begin monitored by staff members to ensure students can cross streets safely. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students enter and leave our building safely each day.
Athletic Spectators and After-School Events
We love welcoming our students and families into the school to support our athletics and events! If you are attending a game or concert in the "old" gym, please use the athletic door on the west side of the school which will be unlocked 30 minutes before the beginning of the event. If a student is planning on staying for the event, they must be supervised in the library until the gym doors open or they must leave the building at dismissal and come back through the athletic doors 30 minutes before the game. We look forward to packing the stands with our MSN fans!
Summer Programs 🌻
Please mark your calendar for next summer’s program dates!
Hawthorn Summer Program offerings include Hawthorn Enrichment Institute (HEI), Hawthorn Music Camp, Extended School Year (ESY), Summer Scholars, and Early Start Kindergarten. More information about program offerings and registration will be shared after winter break.
Summer Program Dates: Monday, June 9 - Tuesday, July 2.
Session 1: June 9 - June 18 (HEI, ESY, Summer Scholars, and Early Start Kindergarten)
Session 2: June 23-July 2 (HEI, Music Camp, ESY, Summer Scholars, and Early Start Kindergarten)
No School: Thursday 6/19, Thursday 7/3, all Fridays
Lincoln Early Learning Center ESY Dates: Wed, June 4th - Tues, July 1st
No School: Thursday, June 19, all Fridays
*If all of Hawthorn’s Emergency Days are used dates will shift to June 5th - July 2nd*
Making Up Missed Assignments & Assessments
Students who miss school due to a valid absence, such as a religious observance, have the opportunity to make up any assessments, homework, or classwork. If your child needs time to complete assignments due to a religious holiday, please connect with their teacher to develop a plan. For any questions, please contact your school principal.
No Phones
Please remind your child, no phones at school. According to our Student Handbook, phones must be powered off and out of sight throughout the entire school day. They can be turned back on once school is over.
If students need to contact parents, office phones are available. Phones seen during the school day may be confiscated by a staff member and kept in the office until the end of the day. These expectations also apply to smartwatches.
