Harper Happenings
January 21st - January 25th
What's Happening
Monday, January 21st
- No School, Martin Luther King, Jr Birthday
Tuesday, January 22nd
- Spring Chorus practice begins for registered 2nd - 4th grade students
Thursday, January 24th
- Kindergarten lottery
Friday, January 25th
- Pajama Day!
Monday, January 28th
- Harper Open Gym begins
- Board of Education meeting, 7:00 MEC
Dr. Kick's Corner
Thank you for your November food donations! We collected 1,620 pounds of food, which created 1,350 meals!!! WOW!!!!
Students have been enjoying their time in the snow! Forecasts indicate that more is coming this weekend?? Thank you for making sure that your child is appropriately dressed for winter recess.
District 39’s Summer Enrichment Program brochure will be available to view online January 21st.
Reminder: registration is done online and opens February 4, 2019.
Please read the information on Connections for the Homeless and 3-week challenge!
Coming Up/Reminders
Friday, February 1st
- Early Release Day
Saturday, February 2nd
- D39 Education Foundation Trivia Night
Monday, February 18th
- No School, President's Day
Wednesday, February 20th
- Harper Open House, 6:30pm
Monday, February 25th - Friday, March 1st
- Harper's Teacher Appreciation Week
Yearbook News
- Congratulations to Fallon Katz, our 2019 Yearbook Cover Contest winner! Her colorful design and amazing hand-lettering won the judges over. A special shout out to Lilly Toolabian, whose beautiful portrayal of the Harper garden will be featured on the back cover. We received so many amazing submissions this year so thank you to all of the 4th graders. More are featured throughout the book. Please see the attached PDF for more Yearbook News and a sneak peek at the winning design.
Harper PTO
We are starting to fill our volunteer spots for the 2019-2020 school year! Please consider volunteering your time toward a job on our Harper PTO. There are many options that range from a “one-and-done” spot like Parent Social or Taffy Apples to a commitment that spans the school year like Library Coordinator, Hospitality, Yearbook or Box Tops. There are spots on our Executive Board as well. Work alone or with a committee. Think about it and let me know if you have questions. I’ll be posting the open positions here but if you have a specific interest, please reach out soon!
Sissy Polacek
Jr. Great Books
- Calling all book lovers! Join Jr. Great Books for a fun 6 week session to read, discuss, and participate in story related activities. Students will read a new story every week, and meet with their peers once a week during their lunch hour to ask questions, think critically, and delve into diverse literature. Sign up and purchase your materials ($18.95) via the sign up genius. Click here to sign up!
Girls On the Run!
- Harper Elementary will be hosting Girls on the Run again this spring for 3rd and 4th grade girls. The program runs for 8-10 weeks starting in March and ends with a 5K race. Practice is twice a week after school for 75-90 minutes. If interested, register at their website (gotrchicago.org). Registration is currently open and runs until 2/14.
- ALSO, we are in need of coaches for the girls. We need 2 full-time coaches for each team and the girls cannot participate without a coach. If interested, please sign up as well (gotrchicago.org).
iGNITE! Enrichment Information
Thank you to iGNITE! for the following Enrichment Experiences!
- Mark your calendars, 4th graders! The Shedd Aquarium field trip is scheduled for Wednesday, February 6th.
What to do on these cold winter nights? Warm up at Harper Open Gym!
· Monday Nights from 6:30-8:00pm
· Starting Jan 28th – March 18th
· Harper Students only (no non-Harper siblings, sorry!)
· Limit 30 students, there will be a door monitor keeping a list. Just show up.
· Clean shoes must be brought in for the gym. Students may not go to their lockers so please bring shoes from home.
· A parent needs to stay with their child(ren). This is not a drop off.
The Harper Open Gym program is sponsored by the PTO and your iGNITE! contributions. It is run by our awesome D39 PE teacher, Mr. Chris Toy!!
First come/first serve.
See you there!
FAN (Family Action Network)
Friday, January 25th, 7pm
FAN welcomes David W. Blight, Ph.D., Class of 1953 Professor of History and Director, Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition, Yale University. Author of a dozen books, including Frederick Douglass, American Oracle, and Race and Reunion. Interviewer: Marcus Campbell, Ed.D. Assistant Superintendent/Principal, Evanston Township High School. Presenting 'Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom’ on Friday, Jan. 25, 2018, 7:00 PM at Evanston Township High School Auditorium1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201. The event will be recorded. Events are free and open to the public.
Community Service Corner & News
Harper Pajama Drive
- From January 28th through Feb 1st, the Community Service Committee is collecting unused children's pajamas for Housing Opportunities for Women.
- Please consider donating and please visit http://www.how-inc.org for more information about HOW. Thank you!
- The PJs are assigned per grade as follows.
- K - size 3/4 (XXS)
- 1st - 5/6 (XS)
- 2nd - 7/8 (S)
- 3rd - 9/10 (M)
- 4th - 12 (L)
Connections for the Homeless:
"Throughout the year, the students have been learning about the struggles of poverty, hunger and homelessness in our community and worldwide through various service opportunities, visitors and discussions in the classroom. As one of our key service partners, Connections for the Homeless serves and catalyzes our community to end homelessness, one person at a time. They provide homelessness prevention, housing, and shelter and serve more than 35 communities in the greater Chicagoland region and help more than 1,100 individuals annually.
With the New Year here, and in the spirit of MLK day as we intend to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers and create solutions to social problems we wanted to share an activity which can be used at home to continue these conversations at home through learning, reflection and sharing."
Please see the attached calendar of activities.
LINK: http://www.wilmette39.org/news/community_events
Winnetka Community Houses hosts Annual Service Day on Martin Luther King Day, January 21st between 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Kids Against Hunger service project on Saturday, March 16th.
Wilmette Park District hosts Kindergarten Enrichment Open House February 20th, 6:00-8:00 pm
Northwestern’s Center for Talent Development offers Weekend Enrichment Programs for students age 3 through 8th grade.
Wilmette Historical Museum hosts “Meet the Lincolns” Sunday, February 17th, 2:00 - 3:00 pm.
Love to sing? Youth Choral Theatre of Chicago offers a free vocal training class with flyer. Vocal classes available for children ages 4-18.
The Center Fitness Club schedule and various park district classes for children ages 3-14 are posted.
Wilmette Food Pantry is open every Tuesday 10:30-11:30 am at Trinity United Methodist Church.
All announcements to be included in the Harper Happenings should be sent to Liz Hayes via the Communication Request Form by Mondays at 9 am. If you do not receive an email response within 24hrs, please send an email to elizabeth.hayes78@gmail.com to confirm your Communication Request Form was received.
For more school information, visit the Harper PTO website.
For additional D39 community events, visit wilmette39.org