Heavilin Elementary
November 2023 Newsletter
For Your Calendar
7 eLearning Day
8 Heavilin PRIDE Day
9 6pm PTO Meeting
10 Spirit Wear day
16 2/3 Event 5:00-6:30pm
21 Spirit Wear Day
22-24 No School/Thanksgiving Break
Attendance Matters
In education, time is our commodity. And that commodity is limited - namely 180 school days in a year. That's less than half of the days of a calendar year! Educators know that being at school is the first step to a successful school year.
Part of the Federal Accountability Report Card (a federal system used to rate schools) includes "addressing chronic absenteeism." This particular category determines what our model student attendance rate should be, and how many of our students meet that rate. Unfortunately, Heavilin's current rating is 49.8% (less than half of our students meet the model attendance rate.) This percentage places us in the "does not meet expectations" rating for the attendance indicator on our federal report card. We are hoping to see that rating improve, and we are asking for our families to partner with us in this effort.
Teachers put extra effort into developing at-home work for students on a missed day. They check that work when it is returned to assess if the content is mastered. And then, they reteach the individual student to fill any gaps. We certainly understand when illness or injury keeps a child from being able to attend school. We appreciate families working with us on assuring kids are here as many of the 180 school days as possible.
2024-25 VCS Calendar
Perfect Attendance Quarter 1
Veteran's Day
If you can attend, please RSVP here.
PRIDE
Time With Friends
If you are looking for a dinner conversation starter, ask your kids what they did during Time for Friends and what they learned about the other students. We are hopeful to see new friendships blossom!
Goodbye GaGa
Lost and Found
From the Kitchen
Music Notes
Choir: We are doing a great job preparing for This Is Our Story. Please make sure to have choir members attend every Wednesday rehearsal in November. TIOS will be Monday, December 4th at 7PM. The choir will also be singing the national anthem at the Varsity Boys Basketball game on Saturday, December 9th at 7PM! Look for more detailed notes to be coming home in the next few weeks.
Festivities in the Forum is Back! We are in need of student musicians to play some holiday music for our Heavilin students as they come in to school during the weeks before our winter break. Performers need to have taken private lessons for at least one year. Music will be performed in the forum area from 8:25 – 8:40 each day. Performers may play one to three songs. These songs should be ones that you have worked on with a private instructor or with an ensemble leader. Students who are interested in participating as a performer may pick up an information letter and sign up form from Mrs. Ausema.
Spring Program Dates: We are looking forward to having grade level concerts again this coming April!! All performances will be at 4:00 in the Heavilin Cafeteria. Please mark your calendars!!
4/9/2024-3rd grade
4/11/2024-2nd grade
4/16/2024-1st grade
4/18/2024-4th grade
4/30/2024-5th grade
From Our PTO
Thank you all around to our Heavilin Families! Thank you to all who helped with Trunk or Treat, and Scholastic Book fair! Our Trunk or Treat evening was a huge success with so many participants by decorating trunks, donating goodies for the cake walk, preparing super creative pumpkins and by generously donating candy. Thank you to the committee who organized this event! Congrats to our Best Trunk winners – Our first and second grade teachers! Also, our Scholastic book fair, as well as Heavilin Night Out at Jimmy Johns was a success! Thank you to all the families and staff members who supported the PTO by making purchases.
The Hospitality team would like to say THANK YOU! Our teachers and staff were so spoiled over 2 days for parent teacher conferences, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Our families really made them feel special and let them be able to concentrate during their meetings and not worry about grabbing something to eat quickly between meetings.
We really appreciate everyone that donated over the 2 days.
November 3-10th – Heavilin Night out - Fall Cookie Kit Orders
Our Heavilin night out is Fall Themed Cookie Kits from A Sprinkle and a Crumb! The kit is $20 and includes 6 cookies, 3 bags of icing and 1bag of sprinkles. Perfect to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Kits will be available to order online via cheddarup from 11/3 – 11/10. Cookies will be sent home with students on 11/21.
https://fall-cookie-kits.cheddarup.com
Thursday, November 16th – Grade 2/3 event - Winter Wonderfest from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. –
We are inviting all second and third grade families to join us for our Winter Wonderfest on Thursday, November 16th from 5:00-6:30 p.m. Our gym and cafeteria will be packed with indoor family fun, snacks and a hot chocolate bar, games, crafts, and a caricature artist. Please bring cash if you are interested in purchasing a caricature!
Spirit wear – Winter Weather Spirit wear shop
Keep your eyes out for our Winter Weather Spirit wear shop because Baby, it’s gonna get cold outside!
Here’s a peek (below) at our laminated recycled plastic tote which would be great for lugging boots and snow pants to and from school this winter!
Thursday, November 9th 6:00 p.m. - Heavilin PTO meeting- Viking Suite
Please consider joining us! This is a great way to meet parents, get involved or find out what is going on at Heavilin. We will again have childcare available for students and their siblings thanks to our NHS volunteers. Hope to see you there!
Apples for Students & Box Tops:
Please send in your receipts from Strack & VanTil to the school office. We are able to turn receipts in and earn free school supplies.
For Box Tops, you can either download the Box Top App on your phone or scan in your receipts to benefit Heavilin or send them into the school and a member of the PTO will scan your receipts for you. We only have 14 days from date of purchase to scan for Box Tops, so please send them in right away.
Save these December Dates:
Tuesday, December 5 – Heavilin Parents Night Out – shop local small businesses for the Holidays
Wednesday, December 13 – Heavilin Hospitality
- Heavilin Night Out – Bouna Beef
- Caroling at Valparaiso Care and Rehab
Wednesday, December 20 – Classroom Holiday Parties
Heavilin Parents Night Out – join us for a Holiday shopping event! Do you own, know or work for a Valpo small business that would be willing to participate in Parents Night Out on December 5th? If so, please email heavilinpto@gmail.com. We have some great businesses ready to participate. Stay tuned for more info.
Save the Date: Heavilin Trivia Night - February 23rd, 2024
Mark your calendars and stay tuned for this favorite, adult only evening! The Heavilin PTO is beginning to secure donations for our silent auction and sponsorships for this event. If your business may want to sponsor or if you have a new item that you would like to donate to our silent auction, please reach out to us at heavilinpto@gmail.com. Silent Auction items of interest include but are not limited to professional sporting and event tickets, evening outs such as gift cards to restaurants or other activities, memorabilia, vacation packages, the sky's the limit! Thank you for your support! Ticket information will be forthcoming this winter.
Please join us where you can and contact us if you have any questions.
Dana Brad, PTO President