Hawk Talk
Half Day School Weekly Newsletter - December 3, 2021
Avid Readers
Fifth-graders take a break in their day to dive into a story. Reading is an exercise for the mind. It helps students calm down and relax, opening doors of new knowledge to enlighten them, according to the Young Readers Foundation. Children who read grow up to have better cognitive skills. It improves vocabulary, comprehension, develops critical thinking skills, improves memory, and more, the foundation states.
"When students read, they become more open to the world around them, setting them up to be accountable and compassionate lifelong learners,” said Becky Morgan, Half Day Library Media Specialist.
To see pictures of students reading please visit the school's Facebook page or Google Doc folder.
Dress Warmly for Outdoor Recess
It is important during snow and cold weather months to have children dressed appropriately for outdoor recess with gloves, hat, boots, coat, and snow pants, if needed. Students cannot play in the snow if they are not dressed properly. Remember to label items so they can be returned if they are misplaced.
How to Reach the School Office
If you need to report an absence:
Call 847-634-1484 or Email Hd_attendance@d103.org
ALSO email your child's teacher
To reach the office staff:
Email Julie Kirkorsky at jkirkorsky@d103.org or Avantika Singh at asingh@d103.org
Phone: 847-634-6463
If you call, please leave a message. One of the secretaries will return your email or phone call. The office staff checks messages regularly.
Winter Chorus Concert Approaching
Half Day's Winter Chorus Concerts are on Thursday, Dec. 16, Stevenson High School Performing Arts Center, 1 Stevenson Dr., Lincolnshire. The Gold Choruses are performing at 6:30 p.m. (Bichkoff, Chang, Cohen, Grayes, Dwyer, Gordon, La Roi, Lau, Logan, McCafferty, Pardini Prace, Reed) and the Blue Choruses are performing at 7:30 p.m. (Chemers, Cosgrove, Drazner, Friend, LaBelle, McCraren, McLelland, Nach, Rendl, Powell, Surin, White). The 285 students who will perform were each given tickets that they can share with family and friends who would like to attend. Due to social distancing restrictions, only individuals with tickets may attend the concert.
Yearbook Cover Contest
District 103 News
Bus Drivers Take Extra Precautions
D103 bus drivers take extra precautions on the streets of Lincolnshire and area communities ensuring our children get safely to and from school as shown in this Channel 2 CBS news exclusive.
Updates to the Parent-Student Handbook
The Illinois Principals Association recently released recommended updates to the Illinois schools' parent-student handbooks. At the organization's direction updates were made in the attendance and truancy section and safety and discipline sections of the D103 Parent-Student Handbook.
PCR Testing Reminder
In Need of Financial Assistance?
Vaccine Clinic Set for Saturday
Our next clinic is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Sprague School. First and second doses for Pfizer (ages 5 and above), Moderna (ages 18 and above) and a single dose for Johnson and Johnson (ages 18 and above) along with vaccine booster shots will be available. To register for a vaccine, please click the link below:
Please note that the 8:00 a.m. time listed on the registration is the start time for the clinic, not your scheduled time to receive the vaccine. There are no assigned times. Drop-in anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The clinics are being organized by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The clinic is not exclusive to D103 schools and families, and we will have walk-ins from our community. Because we do not run the clinic, we cannot guarantee a time slot. Therefore, we will not have scheduled times for this clinic. Please note that the busiest times at the last clinic were between 8:00-10:00 a.m., with a 2 hour wait time. People who arrived after 11:00 a.m. had no more than a 25-minute wait. Individuals who arrived after 1:00 p.m. had almost no wait at all. Please be prepared to wait in line if you arrive in the morning.
Board of Education Meeting
Partnerships
Mabel’s Labels
Do you often have to search the school's “lost and found” bins for missing items? Save the hassle and label your child’s things. D103 PTO teams up with Mabel’s Labels.
1. Go to mabelslabels.com
2. Click ‘Support Fundraiser’
3. Enter ‘District 103 Parent Teacher Organization (Lincolnshire)
Community News
Tree Lighting
Members of the DW band and show choir will perform at 5:30 p.m. tonight, Dec. 3, during the Lincolnshire Tree Lighting event. The event takes place at Village Green (northeast corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Olde Half Day Road). Please visit the village's website for details about the event.
State Art Contest
The contest includes four entry levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12. A panel of judges will select a winner and two runners-up in each entry level. All winners and runners-up will have their work displayed by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum from Feb. 12 through March 18, 2022. The student whose work is chosen as "Best in Show" will be featured on a poster to celebrate Illinois Arts Education week. They will also be recognized at an ISBE board meeting and their framed work will be displayed in the Board office.
All entries must be received by mail, postmarked no later than Friday, Dec. 17. Mail entries to:
Arts Contest
Student Care
100 North First Street, E-222
Springfield, IL 62777
Football & Cheer Registration
Buffalo Bills football and cheer registration is underway.
Half Day Information
- Principal Jill Mau
- Assistant Principal Laura Delagrange