Harper Happenings
September 3rd - September 9th
What's Happening
Monday, September 3rd
- No School -- Labor Day
Wednesday, September 5th
- 1st/2nd Curriculum Night (6:30 1st, 7:15 2nd)
Monday, September 10th
- No School - Rosh Hashanah
Tuesday, September11th
- Picture day!!
- Birthday lunch for 3rd/4th Aug/Sept birthdays
Wednesday, September 12th
- 3rd/4th Curriculum Night (6:30 3rd, 7:15 4th)
Dr. Kick's Corner
- The PTO website is currently "under construction". Thank you for your patience.
- Please remember that dogs are not allowed on school grounds. Please leave your furry friends home when dropping off/picking up your child(ren). This pertains to all sized dogs. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe!
- Don’t forget to go to Harper’s homepage to view/print ALL of the VERY important back-to-school information!! It is located under “parents” and then “back to school”. http://harper.wilmette39.org/
- If you purchased a Harper t-shirt with the gold foil on the front and it is not holding up after washing, please contact Marni at marnihonaker@gmail.com She will be able to replace the shirt or refund your purchase.
- Please read the District 39 Handbook and Harper Handbook addendum! Make note of student discipline guidelines.http://wilmette39.org/for_parents/district_handbook
- Go through the Student Handbook with your child. http://harper.wilmette39.org/cms/one.aspx?portalid=361219&pageid=2857233
Our visitor sign-in practices have slightly changed. All visitors will continue to present a driver’s license, which will be scanned using our Raptor system. The license will then be kept in the office and each visitor will be given a colored lanyard with a visitor badge. The driver’s license will be returned at the conclusion of the visit. Please know that a driver’s license is required for every visit. Thank you for helping us keep our kids safe.
Coming Up/Reminders
Wednesday, September 12th
- 3rd Grade Curriculum Night, 6:30pm
- 4th Grade Curriculum Night, 7:15pm
Thursday, September 13th
- Kindergarten PTO Meet and Greet, 8:30am
- Destination Imagination Presentation in Harper Auditorium, 7pm. Kids are welcome!
Monday, September 17th
- Ice Cream Social for parents hosted by PASS39!, 6pm
(more information noted below within announcements)
Wednesday, September 19th
- No School - Yom Kippur
Thursday, September 20th
- AM/PM Kindergarten Curriculum Night, 6:30pm
Wednesday, September 26th
- PTO General Meeting, 9:00am
Sunday, September 30th
- Harper Hoedown, 11:30-2:30pm
Friday, November 2nd - SAVE THE DATE
- Annual PTO Parent Party; new location and more info coming soon!
Announcements
- Attention Kindergarten Families: The Harper PTO invites ALL Kindergarten parents to a meet and greet coffee, Thursday, September 13th from 8:30 - 10:30am.
1018 Cherokee Road, home of Corey Guenin. Swing by after drop off or at your convenience. Hosted by Corey Guenin, Elizabeth Whittle, Tammy Muse. Email: welcoming@harperpto.com with any questions.
- Chess Club is starting soon! Chess is a sport of the mind that will exercise your child's brain and build life skills. Professional instruction from basics to competitive will be provided. If interested, register through the Wilmette Park District. Fall session runs Mondays, September 17- December 17 from 3:30- 4:30 in the Harper Cafeteria.
-
Harper School Library’s Birthday Book Program
The Birthday Book Program is a great way to celebrate a child’s birthday while donating books to the Harper Library. Each child enrolled in the program will select a book from the “Birthday Bookcase” near his or her birthday month. A special bookplate with the child’s name and birthday will be placed inside the book’s front cover. The birthday child will be the first person to check out and take their Birthday Book home to enjoy for up to three weeks before it is placed in circulation.
Sign up on the Harper PTO website. The cost of enrolling in this program is $20.00. You may sign up at any time throughout the year, even if your child’s birthday month has already past. We will simply add your child to the next selection day.
-
Ready, set, GROW…with the Harper Garden Club! Garden Club is an 8-week club beginning the week of September 17th and continuing until the week of November 5th. The Garden Club meets from 3:15-4:30pm. The sign up opens on the Harper PTO website on Tuesday, September 11th at 9am and costs $80. Space is limited to the first 12 students. For more info, contact Ali Straitiff at alistraitiff@gmail.com.
- Purchase your 2019 Harper Yearbook now at the lowest prices of the year! Click here to order your yearbook. Or use your ReplayIt app and order it from your phone. From now through 10/31, yearbooks are $23. Add customization for $6. Make sure you receive a confirmation email from Josten’s so you know you completed your order.
Community News:
Wilmette Food Pantry is open every Tuesday 10:30 - 11:30 am at Trinity United Methodist Church; WilmetteFoodPantry@gmail.com or 847-251-7333
- Attention 4th Graders! Submit your artwork for the 2019 Yearbook Cover Contest! Download the attached rules PDF, print out the template and follow the rules closely. Turn in your cover art to the front office by 10/5/18. The winner not only gets their design featured on the cover, he or she also wins a free yearbook! Second place gets to be on the back cover.
- Download the ReplayIt app for Yearbook access! Use ReplayIt to upload your photos to the yearbook gallery and/or to order your 2019 Yearbook. Learn more at www.replayit.com, or use the handy Replay It instructions in the attached PDF. The first time you log in the password is HarperRocks. After that you’ll set your own password. Your login remains the same year-to-year. Please send us your First Day of School photos! If you’re not a tech person, you can email photos to Yearbook@HarperPTO.com
-
Attention shutterbugs, we’re looking for volunteers to be classroom photographers! We’d like to have two photographers per classroom to be sure your child’s classroom is properly featured in the yearbook. It’s easy and fun and you get to attend the best events. You’ll share the duties with another photographer and other parents. Sign up by emailing us at Yearbook@HarperPTO.com
Harper Hoedown Tickets On Sale Now!
Gather your friends and family for the 15th Annual Harper Hoedown, Sunday 9/30/18, 11:30AM–2:30PM at Harper. All are welcome so spread the word to your non-Harper friends. Come hungry—there’ll be tasty treats for sale. SAVE $5 PER TICKET with our new lower pre-sale prices when you purchase by 9/21. For more information or to purchase tickets, see order form PDF below or visit the HoedownPage. Look for the Hoedown table after school on Friday. Yeehaw!
- Wanted: Deputies & Donations for the Hoedown. We’re in need of some kind-hearted parents to help out at the Hoedown. This year parent volunteers get in free! Click here to register for a time slot. We’re also looking to hire 12 teens at $10/hr to work on the games. If you have a teen/alumni interested in working a 3-hr game shift, please contact Hoedown@HarperPTO.com. We also need new/gently-used stuffed animals (no rips or stains, please) and goody bag-type items for our prize tent. Please place them in the donation bin in the Harper lobby.
New This Year at the Hoedown!
We’ve switched things up with new rides, games and attractions. Challenge your friends to a race on the Zip Line or Obstacle Course. Or get even with them with the Big Kahuna “dunk tank.” The younger ones can hop aboard the Choo-choo Train Play House. Earn prize tent tickets with all new games like Pig Races or Tip-a-Troll. Don’t forget to wear your Hoedown shirt! It earns you 5 prize tent tickets at the door.
iGNITE!
Give Your Child a Unique Enrichment Experience
iGNITE! is an initiative led by Harper’s PTO that is dedicated to finding and bringing our students exciting, multi-sensory programs and activities. It is the main PTO fundraiser, suggesting a donation of $125 per student at Harper, as the contributions go right back to the children. Activities have included but are not limited to, visits to a variety of museums including Adler’s Planetarium, Chicago Botanic Gardens and Shedd Aquarium, visits from from leading edge speakers including Ruby Bridges (first African American to attend an all-white school) and Mike Byster (a mathematical genius featured on 20/20), and visits from authors each year. Programs and activities are developed by grade level. There are three ways to donate:
- Donate Online Here
- Drop off a check in the iGNITE! folder in the Harper Lobby. Please make the check payable to Harper PTO and include your child’s name on the check.
- Pay with a Credit Card at the iGNITE! table present in the Harper Lobby during the Curriculum Nights.
Any questions? Please feel free to email Marni Sheehan at ignite@harperprto.com or marnihonaker@gmail.com
Welcome New Harper Families from PASS39!
- What is PASS39?
-
The Parent Association for Student Services in District 39 (PASS39) is a parent organization committed to supporting parents of children with emotional, developmental and learning differences. PASS39's mission is to facilitate and promote communication and teamwork between parents of children who receive support services (IEPs/504 Plans) in D39.
There will be an Ice Cream Social for parents on Monday, September 17th at The Mikaelian Center (M.E.C) from 6:00-7:30 PM. This will be an opportunity to meet and greet district personnel to learn about the programs that are available for the children. The goals that PASS39 has set for this school year will also be shared.
Stay tuned for more information about the upcoming Ice Cream Social and other PASS39 events or contact Carey Parsonnette, pass39@harperpto.com
Get Involved at Harper!
- Cafeteria Volunteers -- Sign Up Genius Link Below! A fun way to volunteer at Harper is to come down to the cafeteria! The cafeteria needs lunch volunteers every day to run smoothly. It is a small time commitment, and a great way to have lunch with your child. Come at 11am, help make the trays and serve for both lunch periods, and grab a lunch and sit with your child once the line has finished for either or both periods. You will be done by 12pm. Sign up here and thank you in advance for your help during lunch.
DESTINATION IMAGINATION - Interested in Destination Imagination (DI)? DI is a team-based creative problem-solving competition for kids grades K-12. Teams work on science, fine arts, technology, engineering, improv, or community service. DI challenges are all about allowing kids to create on their own without any help from adults or non-team members. Harper will host its own pilot DI program this year. DI is completely volunteer driven. It requires the commitment of parents leaders from November through early March at least 1x a week outside of school. D39 is hosting several DI information sessions in September. If you are interested in learning more, please plan on attending one of the following sessions: Friday, September 7th, 9:00 AM @ McKenzie OR Thursday, September 13th, 7:00 PM @ Harper OR Monday, September 17th, 7:00 PM @ McKenzie. Questions? Email emilyparis@gmail.com. Kids are welcome to join the informational meetings as well!
All announcements to be included in the Harper Happenings should be sent to Liz Hayes via the Communication Request Form by Mondays at 9 am. If you do not receive an email response within 24hrs, please send an email to elizabeth.hayes78@gmail.com to confirm your Communication Request Form was received.
For more school information, visit the Harper PTO website.
For additional D39 community events, visit wilmette39.org