Dear Middle North Families,
It's hard to believe that this is our last week of school in 2024. As we reflect on the first half of this school year, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve this community and be the people who teach, enrich, and encourage your students everyday. Growing and learning comes with changes and challenges, but putting in the hard work, showing up with a positive attitude, an trusting the process also allows opportunities for celebration and success. As we look to 2025 in just a few weeks, we know that there is more greatness to be found in each of our students, and it is our privilege to be their educators and mentors.
Over the next week, please encourage your students to clean out their lockers of any food or drink, check the lost and found, and bring home their PE uniforms. The district will be closed to students from December 23rd until January 5th so access to student belongings inside the building will be prohibited.
We can't wait for the fun and memories this next week will bring!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Ms. Waggoner & Ms. Porzel
December 16th-20th- MATH MAP Testing Week 💻
December 16th-20th- Winter Spirit Week 🧣
December 20th- Pep Assembly
December 23-January 3rd- Winter break ⛄
January 6th- School Resumes 🎆
Boys Basketball
These week the Boys Basketball teams faced some tough competition as they went head to head with some of our feeder schools.
¡Qué divertido!
Our 8th grade students are exploring language and learning as they test out a new pilot program for our Spanish curriculum. ¡Muy Bien!
MAP Testing Update
This Monday, December 16th, all 6th, 7th, and 8th graders will be taking the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test in Math as a benchmark to measure student progress. The purpose of this standardized test is to celebrate student growth from the beginning of the year while providing our school with data to be responsive to our students' instructional needs for the rest of the year.
For the Winter test, MSN will be piloting a new schedule that will eliminate the need to shorten classes, change the daily bell schedules, or alter the students' day. This pilot also allows students to test in their Math classes with the teacher who provides instruction in that content area. Students with testing accommodations will still receive them with one of our Student Support Services teachers. Please see below for the MAP testing schedule:
December 16-18: All students will take their MATH test in their scheduled Math Classes with their content teacher(s).
December 19-20: Students who were absent or did not finish the MATH MAP test will finish during test makeups in the library or ALE room.
Please note that we are unable to facilitate tests outside of the testing window. Unless your student is absent due to illness, there will not be opportunities for retakes or makeups. We appreciate your support over the next two weeks. Our students have put the time, effort, and perseverance into their learning over the last four months and we can't wait to see their successes.
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.