Hawthorn Elementary North

Dear Parents,

Greetings from Hawthorn Elementary North! As you know, Halloween is fast approaching and we are getting ready for all the fun activities that come with this unique time of year. We will celebrate Halloween on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Please remember when purchasing this year’s costume, our school promotes kindness. Children as young as five years old attend Elem. North, and we do not want anyone frightened. Absolutely no weapons will be allowed at school (and will be confiscated if brought), and we discourage costumes that show blood and gore. Kindergarten students are the only children to wear their costumes to school. All other students should bring their costumes in a bag labeled with their name. The other students will be allowed to change at the appropriate time, but bathroom/changing space is very limited.

Here is the PTO Party Schedule for Wednesday, Oct. 31st.
AM Kindergarten:
9:45 am Room Parents arrive
10:15 am Parade
10:30-11:15 am Party (45 minutes)
11:15 am Clean up, prepare to go home

PM Kindergarten & 1st-5th Grades
(Room Parents are encouraged to wear costume)
1:15 pm Room Parents arrive – help with costumes
1:35 pm Parade
1:55 pm Party 45 minutes for party, snack, games
2:40 pm Clean up, prepare to go home

Also, if you would not like your child to participate in Halloween activities, we will provide alternative activities again this year. One of our art teachers, Karen Brennan, has volunteered to help with this alternative.

Finally, because of dangerous allergy situations, only store-bought, peanut-free goods should be brought to school. As always, the safety of your child is our first priority here at Elem. North. Thanks for your cooperation as we continue to make lifelong memories. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Happy Halloween!

Mr. Viviano's Webpage

Although you are leaving Elementary North's site, this link will help you take a closer look at some of the everyday activities that are happening at Elementary North. Please feel free to send me an email (vivianor@hawthorn73.org) or call me (990-4500)if you have any comments or questions. Thanks!

It is hard to believe the month of September has come and gone. Students are now settled into classrooms and their respective routines. MAP testing has been completed, the new breakfast program has seen success, and teachers are diving into the curriculum with passion and a desire to meet all students’ needs. These are just a few things that have occurred during the first month of the 07-08 school year.

Several of you have expressed concerns regarding the changes during the past month at Elem. North. Please be assured that all members of the EN staff will treat your child (children) with the same respect, love, and caring attitude you have grown accustomed to over the past several years. I hope you will join with me as we welcome the following office staff members: Helen Chmura is now the Principal’s Secretary. Helen joins us from Middle School South and is returning to Elementary North after a tour of duty at the middle school. Connie Wrobleski is the new Student Secretary. Connie joins us from District 21 in Wheeling, where she served as an instructional assistant, health assistant, and former office manager. Beverly Stulginskas is our new Office Clerk. Beverly helped administer Monster Golf, Inc. for many years and is well-versed in office management. Carmen Fuentes is our new Copy Clerk. Carmen, who is fluent in Spanish, joins us from Townline, where she was an instructional assistant. Roseann Spiewak is our new School Nurse. Roseann’s organizational skills and years of experience will be a welcome addition to the front office. I have no doubt that our now fully operational office will very quickly gel together and help make Elementary North an extraordinary school.

MAP Testing for students in grades 2 – 5 took place during a two-week period in September. This computerized assessment shows a Measure of Academic Progress in the areas of reading and math. Teachers use this data, as well as many other data sources, to help identify student strengths and weaknesses and adjust their instruction accordingly. Please look for these MAP scores to come home on or around November 1st, along with ISAT scores from last spring.

The new breakfast program that is offered throughout the district has really blossomed at Elem. North. Our numbers continue to grow on a weekly basis, and this beneficial program is vitally important to the academic and physical growth and success of a lot of our students. The menu includes items such as pancakes, french toast, eggs, sausage, and even a unique “breakfast pizza”! Special thanks to Sodexho, our food service provider, and Ms. Colon and Ms. Fotidzis, who are helping to supervise the morning activities.

Playstation 2 made its way into some of Elem. North’s physical education classes recently. No, students were not sitting around playing video games; instead, students were dancing, kicking, wiping, heading, and bouncing their way to increased heart rates and enhanced physical fitness. There are several interactive games like Dance Dance Revolution that have proven to help increase the physical fitness of school-aged children that many school districts around the nation have whole-heartedly embraced. Everyone involved in the demonstration was thrilled with the experience, and I am looking forward to helping our PE teachers obtain some of the necessary equipment as we look to further update and modernize our physical education classes.

In the weeks and months to come, the Elementary North staff members will work together to help all children succeed in school. We will be further developing the idea of a multiple intelligence school, investigating ways to integrate technology into everyday lessons, and growing in collaboration as we demonstrate what it means to truly be a Professional Learning Community.

On behalf of the Hawthorn Elementary North staff, it is my honor and privilege to welcome you to the 2007-2008 school year. It has been a summer of change here at Elem. North, but everyone has been working hard to ensure a smooth start to what promises to be a fantastic year. I have already enjoyed meeting many students and families during the bus “dress rehearsal” and Get Acquainted Day, and I look forward to meeting many more of you in the near future.

The Elem. North teachers have been growing as professionals this summer by attending workshops on differentiating instruction, curriculum development, 6-Traits of Writing, and Problem-Solving (Flex). Teachers are eager to bring new ideas back to the classrooms to further enhance your children’s learning. Additional professional development, literacy blocks, a new writing curriculum (K-3), and a new writing tool called MyAccess (4-5) will be areas of focus for the school year so that our mission, “Learning for All, Whatever it Takes”, is clearly evident in every classroom. Special thanks to the office staff, who have been working many long hours to complete late registrations, finalize class lists, arrange transportation and bus passes, and answer the many questions of the new principal. The custodial crew is completing some final touches – putting up white boards, waxing floors, and cleaning to make sure the school is ready to go.

As I have already mentioned to the faculty, I believe parents need to be partners in the education of their children. Because children are more likely to be successful and have positive attitudes, we welcome and encourage parental involvement in helpful ways that encourage students and teachers alike. If you have a child (or children) at Elem. North, please think of us as your school and in doing so become involved in all that we offer. Call us, visit us, ask questions, attend programs, and join our PTO. Working together we can make Hawthorn Elementary North a great experience for all our students.

Due to the bountiful resources at Elem. North - the professional educators, unique technology opportunities, cultural diversity, parental teamwork, community partnerships, and a dedicated/focused administration, there is no room for failure here – it is not an option and it will not be tolerated. Learning coaches, related arts teachers, special education teachers, social workers, and instructional aides will be teaming together with classroom teachers to ensure everyone is challenged in an appropriate manner. I hope you will join with me in saying that there is no better place to educate a child than Hawthorn Elementary North.

-Rich Viviano, Principal