I couldn't be more excited to welcome you back to WHS for the 2017- 2018 School year!

The purpose of this letter is to guide your transition back to Hammerschmidt this school year, or if you are a brand new WHS Family, to welcome you here for the first time!

In the sections below you will find important dates and links to information I hope you find helpful as we draw nearer to the start of school this year.

At Hammerschmidt we are blessed with a fantastic school staff and a truly supportive school community. These things all promote academic and social emotional growth for our students. In reflection about what we can collaboratively do to take our great school to the next level, I realized we need to learn from the very best out there, the CHAMPIONS!

Throughout this school year our students will learn that champions are leaders who personify specific characteristics and maintain habits for success. With your help, we can utilize the frameworks below to prepare our students for a successful future where they are "Learning and Leading Like Champions!" This will be our school theme for 2017-18.

As a parent of school-age children myself, I am astutely aware of the anticipation of finding out which classroom students have been assigned and to and who else may be in their class.

Hard copy letters with a class placement sticker will be mailed out on Tuesday, August 8th. Arrival to your home mailbox should be no later than Thursday, August 10th.

** New Kindergarten students will not be assigned a permanent classroom teacher until after the second week of school. Individual assessments will help our team balance the students into three heterogenous classrooms.***

Class lists will not be posted at the school for public viewing prior to the first day of school. Although the posting of class lists can be a positive experience for some, it can trigger an emotional response of either strong excitement or significant disappointment. Having these emotions displayed in a very public atmosphere is something that I try to minimize.

Another reason many schools have gone away from posting class lists are because of the public sharing of them on social media. Sharing pictures of class lists may violate HIPPA laws as often times members of that list and/or their parents do not give permission for their name to be shared publicly.

It is my hope that this explanation makes sense and you have the rationale for this decision.

Immediately after the classroom "Sneak Peek" and supply drop-off, please join WHS families on the WHS Learn and Play Gardens for a "Popsicle" social.

This 2017-18 School Year, I am proud to announce our staff changes and welcome the following new staff members to our Hammerschmidt School Community:

At the conclusion of this past school year, Ms. Roth resigned from her Kindergarten position at Hammerschmidt. Ms. Gleason, previous grade 3 teacher, will join the Kindergarten team to fill this vacancy. Please join me in wishing both of these ladies the very best as they transition to their next adventure!

The hiring process in now underway for a Grade 3 Teacher at Hammerschmidt. More information will be shared in August when our process is complete.

For the coming school year, WHS received an increase in our Special Education Resource staffing. Instead of serving in our Primary Self- Contained Classroom, Lauren Corchin will now serve as a building-wide Special Education Resource Teacher. She will split her time between WHS and Pleasant Lane school serving in this capacity.

Melanie Mory is Hammerschmidt's new Primary Self- Contained Classroom teacher working within our Special Education Department. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for her undergraduate studies then went on to Benedictine University for her Master’s in Education and Governor’s State University for her Master’s in Special Education. She has taught for seven years in a school in the southwest suburbs and has also done in-home therapy with children with special needs locally. "I’m super excited to begin my adventure at Hammerschimdt Elementary School and get to know my new students and their families!"

The restructuring of our D44 Technology department has allowed us to once again have an Instructional Technology Coach (ITC) assigned to our building. Morgan Dowell will serve both the Hammerschmidt and Madison school communities. This will be her second year on the ITC team after teaching for six years at Madison School. Her favorite tech tool is anything that allows students to creatively express their thoughts while collaborating with other students.

Monday, 8/14- Institute Day - No School for Students, Student and Family Sneak Peek- Classroom Visitation 12:45- 1:15 pm, WHS PTA Sponsored Ice- Cream Social, 1:15pm on Playground

Tuesday 8/15- Institute Day - No School for Students.

Wednesday 8/16- Institute Day- No School for Students.

Thursday 8/17- First Full Day of School (Except Kdg. students- the first 2 days of school will be 1/2 days for Kdg. students)

Wednesday, 8/23- Parent Orientation Night at WHS (6:30-8pm)

Friday 8/25- WHS PTA "Back to School Pool Party" at Paradise Bay Water Park (7-9pm)

WHS Art Class News

After a successful trial at other Lombard 44 schools, our WHS student artists' Art class will be part TAB (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) learning experience! WHS student artists will be their own artistic "Leaders of Learning". Utilizing their unique and individual interests, WHS student artists will imagine, plan, sketch, create, reflect upon their choice of art projects. They''ll create an "Artist's Portfolio" of their artwork utilizing a variety of art materials will be available at rotating artistic centers that will change throughout the year. "Creative Concepts", "Skill Challenges", and "Artists' Avenue" will introduce and reinforce artistic concepts, skills, & art history while WHS student artists continue to create their own artistic creations. I'm excited to see what our WHS student artists will imagine!

Sincerely,

Michelle Hoganson, WHS Art Teacher

In the coming days you will receive a hard copy letter that will have much more detail about the first day of school. Start time, end time, where to line up, what to bring, and other various things will be included.

I couldn't be more excited to come together in partnership this 2017-18 School Year at Hammerschmidt!

Email: ddanielski@sd44.org
Website: http://wh.sd44.org/
Location: Wm Hammerschmidt Elementary School, Hammerschmidt Avenue, Lombard, IL, United States
Phone: 630-827-4207
Twitter: @ddanielski