Welcome to the New Year, 2023!
We are so excited to be back at school to welcome our students and staff to the new year, 2023. This week we focused on reconnecting with students and reviewing all of our expectations for the different places and spaces in our building as well as the routines that drive our learning. We started this our first day back and will continue throughout the month.
This week, our staff members met, during our half-day, to take a closer look at our behavior data, management, and strategies that we use in D15 to support all of our students. We also launched a student recognition program called Student of the Month to showcase students that show learner qualities that we are highlighting.
Fondly,
Mrs. Ortlund
Important Dates:
Monday, January 16, 2023 - No School
Tuesday, January 17, 2023 - Teacher Institute, Student Non-Attendance Day
Friday, January 20, 2023 - Science Fair
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 - D15 Spelling Bee, PTA Meeting
Student of the Month
This month, our learner quality is PERSEVERANCE. When showing perseverance, students are not giving up when faced with challenges or when things are difficult. Please join us in talking with your children about this learner quality at school, at home, in sports, and even in adult work days. Thank you for your support and helping us to grow.
We Are So Proud!
Two teams representing Hunting Ridge School achieved Highest Honors in the recent WordMasters Challenge™—a national vocabulary competition involving nearly 125,000 students annually. A sixth grade team scored an impressive 188 points out of a possible 200 in the first of three meets this year, placing eighth in the nation. In addition, a second team of sixth graders scored 187 points to finish tenth nationwide.
Competing in the very difficult Gold Division of the WordMasters Challenge™ were four of our sixth grade students. These sixth graders earned a perfect score of 20 on the challenge. Nationally, only 54 sixth graders achieved this result. Eight other students from Hunting Ridge School achieved outstanding results in the meet. The students were coached in preparation for the WordMasters Challenge™ by Miss Hailey Laurencell and Mrs. Sonja Nilsen, Team Leaders.
The WordMasters Challenge™ is an exercise in critical thinking that first encourages students to become familiar with a set of interesting new words (considerably harder than grade level), and then challenges them to use those words to complete analogies expressing various kinds of logical relationships. Working to solve the analogies helps students learn to think both analytically and metaphorically. Although most vocabulary enrichment and analogy-solving programs are designed for use by high school students, WordMasters Challenge™ materials have been specifically created for younger students in grades three through eight. They are particularly well suited for children who are motivated by the challenge of learning new words and enjoy the logical puzzles posed by analogies.
The WordMasters Challenge™ program is administered by a company based in New Jersey which is dedicated to inspiring high achievement in American schools. Further information is available at the company’s website: http://www.wordmasterschallenge.com.
From the Office
Palatine Library Winter Reading Challenge Read for the Stars
Begins Monday, December 12 – Tuesday, January 31
We have another great way to keep students reading and engaged through winter break! Encourage your students to participate and help us reach our goal. When we all read 8,000 books, the Northwest Special Recreation Association gets a grand donation of $1,500 from our sponsors.
Kids that finish get a star shaped stress ball for completing the program! While supplies last. Prizes funded by the Friends of Palatine Library.
Finishers are entered in a drawing for a chance to win an amazing prize basket filled with gift cards generously donated by participating businesses.
Reading Requirement
Birth - Grade 2 : 15 Books
Grades 3 - 6: 5 Books
Grades 7 - 12: 2 Books
Adults: 2 Books
Full program details here.
Watch this short video and share with your students.
Instrumental Music Registration for SY 23-24 is open!
Are you interested in your 4th or 5th grader participating in Instrumental Music next school year? Registration is now open! Go to the CCSD 15 Campus Parent page at:
https://ic.ccsd15.net/campus/portal/parents/palatine.jsp
Look for an available survey in your Message Center to register your student. If you need support logging in to Campus Parent, speak with your school secretary.