Hawthorn Board Highlights

The Hawthorn District 73 Board of Education met on November 9th, 2023. Joel Finfer, Michael Engle, Julie Clifford, Karl Borchers, George Fievet, Wes Polen, and Robin Cleek. Also in attendance were Asst. Supt. of Finance & Business Operations Ms. LeeAnn Taylor; Asst. Supt. of Teaching, Learning & Innovation Dr. Allison Stein; Asst. Supt. of Student Services Ms. Alicia Corrigan; Asst. Supt. of Innovative Learning Dr. Karen Maturo; Asst. Supt. for Human Resources Mr. Adam Palmer; and Superintendent Dr. Pete Hannigan.

Hawthorn Board of Education's Recognition Committee proudly acknowledged the achievements of staff members Mandy Klipinster, Bethany Dahm, Kelly Wilton, Debbie Goodrich, Stephanie Olson, and Marc Coplon, and celebrated Hawthorn District 73 students selected for the ILMEA District 7 Music Festival. Hosted at Glenbrook South High School, this prestigious event featured our talented students among 350 performers from 87 Chicago area schools, concluding with a grand finale concert.

Check out the Facebook post below to enjoy pictures of those recognized!

The Hawthorn Recognition Committee is eager to celebrate the outstanding efforts of our staff and students. Whether it's a teacher going the extra mile or a student showing remarkable leadership, every effort counts. Let's come together to shine a light on these Eagles! Visit our Recognition Page and nominate a deserving individual today. Celebrate the greatness within our district!

Superintendent Dr. Pete Hannigan unveiled the latest episode of "Hawthorn's Superpowers," a series that shines a spotlight on each school building's unique strengths and their dedicated collective efforts. The newest episodes feature Elementary North and Elementary South showcasing their distinctive superpowers.

Dr. Hannigan ended his report by wishing the community a relaxing and enjoyable winter break.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Mr. Adam Palmer, joined by Assistant Superintendents Ms. LeeAnn Taylor, Dr. Allison Stein, Ms. Alicia Corrigan, Dr. Karen Maturo, and MSS Principal Robert Natale and MSN Interim Principal Jenna Stern, provided an instructional day update. The presentation emphasized student transportation and middle school scheduling, using data to compare with initial objectives.

Dr. Hannigan shared the proposed 2024-2025 calendar. On November 16, 2023, the Calendar Committee convened including District Administrators, Elementary and Middle School Building Administrators, and HEA members to establish the calendar parameters for the 2024-2025 school year. The committee formulated a survey to gather staff preferences regarding the scheduling of three teacher institute days at the beginning of the school year, seeking feedback on whether they prefer these days at the week's start (Monday to Wednesday) or end (Wednesday to Friday). Considering the responses, the committee proposed the school year commence on Monday, August 19, for pre-K through 8th grade, with the tentative last day being Wednesday, May 28, depending upon no inclement weather days. Formal board approval is anticipated during the January board meeting.

The purpose for this data sharing agreement is to match the district’s current practice. This agreement supports the operations of the tri-district Lincoln Early Learning Center, where employees from each district are involved. In summary, the data is shared in order for the employees to have access to student data in order to perform their duties as staff in these programs. The current IGA will be updated by adding this agreement to ensure there is clarity and legal standing for shared data.

Assistant Superintendent of Business & Finance, Ms. LeeAnn Taylor shared the bid results for the 2024-2025 Summer Projects. Ms. Taylor was accompanied by Tom McGrath from Lamp and reviewed the bid process and the number of contractors who submitted bids. The current summer projects may not showcase immediate visual appeal as previous projects but will focus on a behind-the-scenes approach. The focus is to update building automation and HVAC systems. The lowest bidder for the HVAC aspect is a contractor already familiar with our district. The business department is pleased with the project and bid outcomes. The summer projects over the next two years aim to enhance maintenance efficiency, making future repairs more manageable and reducing long-term maintenance expenses.

The next Board of Education meeting will be held on January 11, 2024.