Harper Happenings
September 24th - September 28th
What's Happening
Wednesday, September 26th
- PTO General Meeting, 9:00am
Sunday, September 30th
- Harper Hoedown, 11:30-2:30pm
Assistant Principal Ryan's News to Note
It was an exciting week at Harper that included a visit from Toy Story's Woody to our kindergarten ramp in the morning. The students were very excited to see him and to learn about the upcoming Hoedown! As we walk the halls throughout the day it is clear that teachers are finalizing daily routines, and students are enjoying the comfort of their new classroom. From Makerspace challenges to gardening during lunch, students are being offered diverse experiences throughout the week that make learning fun and engaging.
- Friday Dismissal Routine: Please make sure your student is aware of their Friday dismissal plan. If their mode of transportation home changes it is important that you inform the classroom teacher as well as the office of the change.
- Closed Playground Friday 2:15-3:15: Please remember that the Harper playgrounds are to remain clear of students from 2:15-3:15 on Fridays. School is still in session for our kindergarten program, and when school is in session the playgrounds are closed.
- Dr. Lechner retires at the end of the 18-19 school year. Please stay current with the search for the new Superintendent http://www.wilmette39.org/
Coming Up/Reminders
Friday, September 28th
- Last day to register for Destination Imagination (DI)
Monday, October 1st - Friday, October 5th
- Harper Environmental Week
Tuesday, October 2nd
- Picture Retake Day
Monday, October 8th
- No School - Columbus Day
Wednesday and Thursday, October 10th and 11th
- Taffy Apple Sale
Sunday, October 14th
- Harper Hoedown raindate
Monday, October 22nd - Wednesday, October 24th
- Harper Book Fair
Wednesday, October 31st
- Early Release Day - Halloween
Friday, November 2nd
- Annual PTO Parent Party, A. Perry Homes Event Space, 7pm
Thursday, November 8th and Friday, November 9th
- No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Announcements
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Come join us Wednesday for our first school wide Harper General PTO Meeting of the year!
WHAT is a General PTO Meeting?: Parents, come hear about all the exciting Harper PTO events and committee updates for the 2018-19. Future PTO meetings will include a mindfulness presentation, a cyber safely presentation and an update from the Superintendent. Come meet the PTO president, president elect and executive board members.
WHY?: Get involved! Ask questions. Come listen! Think about what committee you want to join this year or next year! It’s never too early. Our parent/care-giver volunteers are what makes Harper such a warm, welcoming, successful school for our children!!
WHEN?: Next Wednesday, September 26th at 9:00am
WHERE?: Harper Cafeteria
WHO?: Open to the entire Harper parent community. Younger siblings welcome. Coffee will be served!
Tickets are now on sale for the 2018 Harper Parent Party...book your sitters and buy your tickets! This year the event will be held at the hip A. Perry Homes event space in downtown Wilmette on November 2nd from 7-10 PM. $50/person includes all your drinks and apps! Buy your tickets here: http://harperpto.com/parent-social-buy-your-tickets-today/
Last day to get Presale ticket prices for the Hoedown!
Save $5 PER TICKET from now until 5pm today. After that, presale is closed and you can buy your tickets at the door for full price. The 15th Annual Harper Hoedown takes place on Sunday 9/30/18, 11:30AM–2:30PM at Harper. All are welcome so spread the word to your non-Harper friends. For more information or to purchase tickets, see order form PDF below or visit the HoedownPage or swing by the Hoedown sales table after school on Friday.
- Wanted: Deputies & Donations for the Hoedown. We’re still searching for 50 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 Peggy at peggy@peggyc.com.
- Purchase your 2019 Harper Yearbook now at the lowest prices of the year and get a Free Icon! Click here to order your yearbook. This is the last week to get a free icon when you personalize your yearbook cover. Yearbooks are $23. Add customization for $6. Make sure you receive a confirmation email from Josten’s so you know you completed your order.
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Attention 4th Graders! You have just two more weeks to 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.
iGNITE! Enrichment Information
Thank you to iGNITE! for the following Enrichment Experiences!
- 9/25, Author Trudi Trueit visits 3rd and 4th Grade. She is the best selling author of over one hundred books for young people. The first book in her new series for National Geographic, Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret, has just been released, and Trudi will be visiting Harper School on Tuesday, September 25th to celebrate.
- Attention all 3rd Grade Families! Next week the 3rd Grade classes will be taking a field trip to the Lake Forest Open Lands for Prairie Exploration! Please have your child dress for the weather as the students will be outside and pack a sack lunch!
- Tuesday 9/25 -- Mrs. Incandela's and Mrs. Boeckman's classes attend the field trip
- Thursday 9/27 -- Miss Dix's and Mrs. Arkins' classes attend the field trip
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Attention Kindergarten Families - Mark Your Calendars! All Kindergarten classes will be attending Emily Oaks Nature Center for their first field trip on Wednesday, September 26th. Please make sure your child is on time as the buses will depart from Harper shortly after arrival. Please have your child dressed in outdoor play clothes and appropriately for the weather the day of the trip.
- Attention 1st Grade Parents!! The first graders will be taking a field trip to the Wilmette Public Library on October 2nd (Ballard & Brown) and October 4th (McCann and Mor). They will have an orientation to the library and book check out procedures. Parents should have received information and a library card application on curriculum night and are encouraged to bring the application to the Library prior to their child's trip to get a card to bring with them on their scheduled date.
- All field trips are made possible by your contributions to iGNITE!. If you haven't yet donated to iGNITE!, please do so here: DONATE NOW!
Information from PASS39!
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Did you know that there are approximately 504 students in the district who receive special education services via an IEP?
Parenting a child with learning, behavioral, emotional and developmental challenges is sometimes difficult but when you have an army of other parents behind you it makes it so much easier.
For more information and meeting schedule, visit: http://www.wilmette39.org/cms/one.aspx?portalid=360930&pageid=899243
Any additional questions, please contact Harper PASS39 Building Rep: Carey Personette pass39@harperpto.com
Get Involved at Harper!
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. Questions? Email emilyparis@gmail.com.
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Registration for DI is now open! Click for the registration form. The form can also be found on the PTO website. Registration closes on September 28th. Please turn in all DI registration forms to Harper Front Office and/or for more information contact Harper DI Coordinator, Courtney Beagen courtneybeagen@yahoo.com
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Want to spend time with your child’s class in a quiet and relaxed environment? Volunteer in the Harper Library during your child’s class time! There are weekly opportunities for Kindergarten and bi-weekly opportunities for Grades 1-4. We still have slots open for next week. Sign up here! If you have any questions please email library@harperpto.com.
Harper's Green Corner
What to do with batteries?
As of June 12, 2018, Wilmette no longer accepts batteries for recycling, so Harper School has stopped its collection.
Most of us use alkaline batteries and the federal government considers them non-hazardous waste; the same with lithium, and carbon zinc. All of these batteries come in AAA, AA, C, D, 9V. You can dispose of them in your trash in small quantities (to avoid a possible fire in case they may still have a small charge inside. Placing a piece of tape over each terminal or contact point can help).
Some batteries we commonly use are actually hazardous waste and cannot be thrown in the trash. They include button batteries (for our watches, toys) and ALL rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable batteries contain mercury and other heavy metals and should be recycled. Some large retail stores (Abt, Home Depot, Lowes, Best Buy) accept rechargeable batteries as part of their recycling program. Abt also accepts Styrofoam and electronics (see link).
https://www.abt.com/help/green-program
Environmental groups remain concerned that not recycling batteries will allow their heavy metals to leach into our soil, ground water, air and local waterways. To avoid your batteries going to landfills, there are 2 companies which offer a mail in service for all batteries (hazardous and non-hazardous):
https://biggreenbox.com/products/big-green-box-jr
https://www.batterysolutions.com/store/irecycle-kit-10/
Questions or topics you are curious about? Please email environmental@harperpto.com.
FAN (Family Action Network)
Upcoming dates...
Monday, September 24th: Heather Won Tesoriero Former CBS News producer on "The Class: A Life-Changing Teacher, His World-Changing Kids, and the Most Inventive Classroom in America" at two events. First, at 12 PM: Loyola University Chicago School of Law 25. E. Pearson St., Chicago, IL 60611 RSVP recommended at www.familyactionnetwork.net and second at 7 PM at New Trier High School/Northfield, Cornog Auditorium 7 Happ Rd., Northfield, IL 60093 No RSVP required for New Trier Event.
Friday, September 28th: KJ Dell'Antonia Writer and Editor on "How to be a Happier Parent: Raising a Family, Having a Life, and Loving (Almost) Every Minute" at 7PM NEW LOCATION! Regina Dominican College Preparatory High School O'Shaughnessy Theater 701 Locust Rd., Wilmette, IL 60091. The event will not be recorded. Free and open to the public.
Monday, October 1st: Carol Anderson, Ph.D. Professor at Emory University on "One Person, No Vote: Examining the History of Voter Suppression" at 7PM Evanston Township High School Auditorium 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 The event will not be recorded. Free and open to the public.
Community News
Illinois Bone and Joint -- Crutch Drive for Kids!
IBJI CARES is proud to partner with CRUTCHES 4 KIDS to provide gently-used crutches, walkers, and canes to children abroad who are in dire need of assistive devices to allow them to interact within their communities.
Between now and September 28, bring your devices to any IBJI rehab or physician clinic to be donated to children in Haiti who desperately need mobility assistance.
Assistive devices accepted: crutches, walkers, and canes of all sizes.
Devices must be in decent condition and have all necessary parts.
Questions? Contact Tara Banick, IBJI CARES Chairperson, at tbanick@ibji.com.
Crutches 4 Kids’ mission is simple and high impact – to help children move. Crutches are a rare and valuable commodity in many parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. As a result of high cost, lack of government planning and limited resources, inaccessible medical centers, and a lack of in-country supply, less than 10 percent of those in need of crutches in impoverished areas of the world have access to them.
Crutches 4 Kids bridges the gap between the abundant supply of crutches and other mobility devices in the United States and the staggering demand globally.
Visit Crutches4Kids.org to learn more about their excellent work!
http://www.wilmette39.org/news/community_events
Wilmette Park District is hosting a free WORLD WIDE DAY OF PLAY on Saturday, September 22nd from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at Vattman Park.
Wilmette Rotary Club is running its annual BIG BOOK DRIVE at all District 39 schools from October 1st through November 15th.
The Village of Wilmette is hosting a Walk Bike Wilmette Open House on Thursday, September 27th from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. Stop in and give ideas, comments and suggestions on how to make Wilmette more walking and bike friendly.
Wilmette Food Pantry is open every Tuesday 10:30-11:30 am at Trinity United Methodist Church.
The Wilmette Historical Museum hosts "Auto Historica XV” a vintage and classic car show on Sunday, September 23rd, 12:00 - 3:00 pm
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