Hawk Talk
Author Visit
Author Mitali Perkins visited Half Day this week where she spoke about her life, her books, and later signed books that students purchased. Student Council and student artists also met with Mrs. Perkins to learn more about her profession.
Mrs. Perkins was born Mitali Bose in Kolkata (Calcutta), India. By the time she was 11, she had lived in Ghana, Cameroon, London, New York and Mexico before settling in California just in time for middle school. Because of the amount of relocating she did as a child she turned to books and the Bengali culture of her traditional home.
Please visit the school's Facebook page or the Google Doc folder to see pictures of the activities.
Upcoming Events
Follow the Half Day calendar for upcoming events. Don't miss out. Follow along on our interactive calendar where you can pick and choose what to note and search for items you don't see. Below are some of the highlights:
- Monday, April 25: No School, Nonattendance Day
- Monday, May 2: Fifth-graders visit Daniel Wright during the school day and parents meet with principal at Daniel Wright at 6:30 p.m.
- Monday, May 2 to Friday, May 6: Teacher Appreciation Week
- Thursday, May 5: In school World's Fair for third-graders
Capped Out
As part of Earth Week, Half Day’s Green Team club is bagging its bottle caps and shipping them to the Green Tree Plastics, of Evansville, Indiana, for its program called ABC Promise Partnership, which allows students to recycle plastic bottle caps and lids into benches for their communities. Tracy Gordon, Green Team Sponsor, expects Half Day to install the blue-colored benches into the school’s courtyard sometime this spring.
Student Council Store Open for Business
Student Council has opened its school store for business taking orders for items like erasers, pencils, bracelets, and more. Fill out the order form and return it with exact cash only in a sealed envelope.
Students should pick up an order form from the designated “School Store” Stations. These stations are located in front of:
- The school office
- Mrs. Gordon’s Room (112)
- Mrs. Powell’s Room (118)
Thanks to a PTO Links to Learning grant the store has become operational. Proceeds from the sale will go toward a school purchase.
4th-Grade Outdoor Education Field Trip
Thank you to our families for responding to the survey for this year's Outdoor Education experience at Camp MacLean in Burlington, Wisconsin. This will be our school's 33rd year visiting this camp!
Our Half Day fourth-grade students are scheduled to attend Camp MacLean on Thursday, May 26, for an Extended Day Trip leaving school at 9:15 a.m. and returning back to school between 8:30/8:45 p.m. that same evening. We are seeking 24 parent volunteers to chaperone this day trip. Please complete this Google form by noon, today, April 22, if you would be interested in attending as a volunteer.
Please mark your calendars for this exciting experience bridging "indoor" and "outdoor" education. We look forward to sharing more specifics on the trip with you in the near future!
Moving Ahead
Classroom placement is an important process for our students. Our teachers and staff invest significant time and effort to ensure the creation of healthy learning groups and environments. It is important to develop balanced classrooms by considering students’ gender, academic, social, and emotional needs. We strive to create an optimal learning environment for students in each of our teachers classrooms.
If you wish to share more specific information about your child's placement, please indicate your thoughts on this Optional Parent Input Form.
Please complete the form no later than midnight on April 30, 2022.
The input you provide will be reviewed and considered as we begin planning for your child for the 2022-2023 school year. While specific teacher requests cannot be accommodated, your insight is valued as we take many variables into consideration.
Please note, the input you share is not private between the principal and parent and will be shared during the placement process. Please complete a form for each of your children, if desired.
We look forward to providing your child with continued learning excellence! Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts with our staff.
District 103 News
Thanking Our Volunteers
The Board recognized its two volunteer groups, the Parent Teacher Organization and the Learning Fund Foundation, at its meeting in honor of National Volunteer Week. “Our volunteers work countless hours supporting our staff, students, and community. The Learning Fund Foundation and the Parent Teacher Organization sponsor field trips, musical programs, supplies and equipment, volunteer in and out of the classroom, and support our students and staff through numerous programs,” said Superintendent Scott Warren. “We cherish our partnerships and would like to recognize the leadership of our volunteer organizations.”
Partnerships
Volunteers Needed for 5K
Over 530 students, parents, and staff have registered for the Saturday, May 21, D103 PTO 5K Run/Walk. Sign up today and join in the fun morning activity with friends, neighbors, and classmates. Volunteers are needed. Run the race and volunteer for a good cause.
Community News
Youth Soccer
Please visit the Chicago Rush North's website for youth soccer opportunities.
Summer Gifted Program
Register now for the Center for Gifted summer classes that will be held in schools nearby.
Half Day Information
- Principal Jill Mau
- Assistant Principal Laura Delagrange