Harper Happenings
October 8th - October 12th
What's Happening
Monday, October 8th
- No School - Columbus Day/Teacher Institute Day
- Taffy Apple Sale
Friday, October 12th
- Picture re-take
Monday, October 22nd - Wednesday, October 24th
- Harper Book Fair
Monday, October 22nd
- Board of Education meeting, 7:00 MEC
Dr. Kick's Corner
- A BIG thank you to everyone who made the Harper Hoedown a huge success! Even though we had a few raindrops, everyone made the best of it and had a wonderful time!
- Fall conference sign-ups are coming soon! You can begin to sign-up on Tuesday, October 23rd. You will receive an email from D39 on Monday, October 22nd with specific sign-up information. Conferences take place on on Thursday, November 8th and Friday, November 9th. There will also be time-slots for kindergarten on Wednesday, November 7th. Please know that conferences cannot be scheduled outside of the D39 designated conference times.
- Students received bus safety training this week.
Ensuring the safety and security of students and staff continues to be a priority in District 39. Based on an ongoing thorough review of existing safety needs, D39 is developing phased plans for improving safety in our schools. One recommendation currently being implemented is increased security cameras, which includes adding a monitoring station in each school office. You may notice a large monitor next time you visit the office, and we want you to know this is so our office staff can keep a watchful eye on what is happening around the building.
Coming Up/Reminders
Monday, October 29th
- PASS39 Evening Education at MEC, 7pm-8:30pm
- Topic: ADHD
Wednesday, October 31st
- 1st-4th Halloween parade 9:00 am (kindergarten parade details coming soon)
- Early release grades 1-4: 8:35-11:55 am
- No afternoon kindergarten
- AM kindergarten 8:35am - 10:00am
Friday, November 2nd
- Annual PTO Parent Party, A. Perry Homes Event Space, 7pm
Wednesday, November 7th
- D39 Education Foundation Attire to Aspire Fashion Show, 7-9pm
Thursday, November 8th and Friday, November 9th
- No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, November 14th
- General PTO Meeting, 9am. Guest Speaker: District 39 Superintendent, Dr. Ray Lechner
ANNOUCEMENTS
- Please help support the Harper PTO and have your child purchase a taffy apple after school on Wednesday, October 10th or Thursday, October 11th. All apples are $2 and all the proceeds help support the wonderful programming the PTO brings to the school. We also need VOLUNTEERS to help at the sale. It's super easy, will only take 30-45 minutes and it's right at pick up time, so you'll be there anyway! Please sign up here if you can help! Thank you!
- Harper Elementary’s Enchanted Forest Book Fair will be held October 22-October 24th. This book fair will include a wonderful selection of engaging books for every reading level. Start your holiday shopping here!
- All purchases benefit Harper School!
- Harper Learning Commons & Book Fair Times:
Monday, October 22 8:30am – 5pm
Tuesday, October 23 8:30am – 7pm
Wednesday, October 24 8:30am – 5pm
It's time to buy your Parent Social Tickets! This year's party is on November 2nd from 7-10 PM at the A.Perry Homes special event space in downtown Wilmette! Apps and drinks included in the ticket price! Click here to purchase tickets!
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Get ready to upload Hoedown photos for the Yearbook.
If you haven’t tried the ReplayIt app for uploading photos to the Yearbook, it’s so easy. Below is a guide on how to set it up. Download the app and give it a try www.replayit.com (password is HarperRocks). Photos can also be emailed to Debbie Melchiorre at debbiemelchiorre75@gmail.com
iGNITE! Enrichment Information
Thank you to iGNITE! for the following Enrichment Experiences!
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Attention 4th grade! The first enrichment activity for 4th grade is coming up on October 10th. Plate tectonics will be explored inside the Earth Balloon.
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Attention 2nd grade! The first enrichment activity for 2nd grade is coming up on October 11th! Get Buggy with Hi Touch/Hi Tech. Second graders “discover the incredible world of bugs.”
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Harper’s Artist in Residence Program will focus on Mindfulness again this year! Our PTO is excited to have Katie Kolbe and Ramaa Krishnan of Full Bloomed Lotus guide our students on what it means to be mindful. Students will learn first-hand mental and physical activities to facilitate this life-long process. Mindful activities will be connected to our social/emotional learning curriculum (Second Step). This wonderful experience will begin on October 16th!
- All field trips/special events are made possible by your contributions to iGNITE!
- If you haven't yet donated to iGNITE!, please do so here!
Harper's Green Corner
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The Hoedown and Environmental Awareness Committees are very proud of what the Harper community achieved together. Everyone was very conscious of where to put their food waste at the Hoedown festivities on Sunday. The trash for the attendees weighed less than what we composted! Trash was about 20 lbs while the 3 large compost bags totaled 24 lbs. The Hoedown recycled 12 pounds of beverage containers (thank you for pouring out your liquids). Our left over food went to the elderly nuns at the Sacred Heart Convent on Elmwood and to a food pantry. A special thanks to our thoughtful volunteers Meg Maris and Trevor Jesse for the idea and for the deliveries.
- Thank you garden volunteers! We are so appreciative of all the students and parents who have helped out in the garden so far this year! We want to especially thank Beth Karnes, Kate Berlin, Joe McGann, and Liz Ethington for their help during lunch recess in September. Lunch recess volunteers help students with garden crafts, plant care, and more. No green thumb required, and younger siblings are welcome! Interested in helping? Sign up here!
FAN (Family Action Network)
Upcoming dates...
- Astro Teller, Ph.D. CEO, inventor, scientist and entrepreneur. Captain of Moonshots at X: The Moonshot Factory, Co-Founder, Cerebellum Capital talking about “Comic Book Lessons That Shape How I Lead.” Monday, Oct. 8, 2018, 7:00 PM Evanston Township High School Auditorium 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201. Free and open the public. Suitable for ages 12+
- Ibram X. Kendi, Ph.D. Professor and Author presenting "Stamped from the Beginning" on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, 7:00 PM. Evanston Township High School Auditorium 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201. Free and open to the public.
- If you would like to sign up for the FAN newsletter, click here!
Community News
Special Education Hockey
New for the 2018-2019 Fall/Winter hockey season, Wilmette Hockey and the Wilmette Tribe are excited to announce a special education hockey pilot program!
When: Saturdays from 2:45 - 3:45 p.m. Clinics begin Sunday, October 6th and run through December 1st (with no clinic on November 24th), 8 sessions.
Where: Centennial Ice Rink in Wilmette
Program Audience: Participation is cross categorical - any student aged 4 - 10 who presents with autism to developmental delay to behavior disorder and on through to cognitive impairment.
For more information, please open the attached link.
https://www.wilmettehockey.com/sped
Here are the events for this week ~
LINK: http://www.wilmette39.org/news/community_events
Wilmette Rotary Club is running its annual BIG BOOK DRIVE at all District 39 schools from October 1st through November 15th.
Adult ESL classes will be offered for five weeks, beginning on Tuesday, October 16 from 5:00-6:00pm. See attached flyer.
Wilmette Food Pantry is open every Tuesday 10:30-11:30 am at Trinity United Methodist Church.
Wilmette Park District’s Saturday Basketball registration is open for boys & girls grades 4-8.
Wilmette Wine Walk on Saturday October 13th from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. Proceeds benefit Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA).
Wilmette Theatre presents “Screenagers” October 11th at 7:00 pm.
All announcements to be included in the Harper Happenings should be sent to Liz Hayes directly elizabeth.hayes78@gmail.com via the Communications Request Form word document attached below by Mondays at 9 am. Thank you!
For more school information, visit the Harper PTO website.
For additional D39 community events, visit wilmette39.org