James Hart School Update
September 21, 2021
SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS
Our hope is that our James Hart students attend school with an intent to learn and are kind and respectful to other students and to staff. Unfortunately, we have had several physical altercations both on and off-campus.
More than ever before, we need our parents and guardians to partner with us to help stop the fighting.
James Hart administrators and staff take our responsibility to provide a safe learning environment for all our students very seriously. That responsibility includes addressing behavior in school as well as activity off school grounds if that behavior/activity shows a potential danger to students’ well-being or is disruptive to the educational atmosphere of our school.
As a reminder, page 18 of the James Hart Student Handbook states:
Fighting: (Verbal or written threats, or acts, directed towards another student) Consequences may include: parent conference, time-out, Saturday School, Detention, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, or a recommendation for expulsion. In all but unusual cases, all parties involved in a fight will receive a similar consequence. Students should note that as a general rule, hitting another student may result in an immediate in-school or out-of-school suspension. Striking back in self-defense is considered fighting and will be consequenced accordingly.
Furthermore, students not directly involved in a fight may be considered a participant simply by being in attendance or videotaping a fight. This could result in disciplinary action or removal from extra-curricular activities.
Our goal at James Hart is to prevent hurt feelings or disrespectful words and actions from escalating into physical altercations in the first place. That’s where we need your help.
Please have a heartfelt talk with your child about not engaging in, witnessing, videotaping, posting/sharing on social media, or otherwise egging on fights between students. Review the possible school consequences with them. Do encourage your child to seek out our social workers or other staff at James Hart to help them safely process angry or hurt feelings.
And please, if you or your child becomes aware that a fight is in the works, CONTACT THE SCHOOL IMMEDIATELY.
Working together, we can provide the safe and learning environment that all our students need and deserve.
Upcoming Dates:
Early Dismissal: Students will be dismissed at 11:15 am.
Monday, September 27, 2021:
Picture Retake Day
Friday, October 1, 2021:
End of the 1st Special
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Midterm grades available on Parent Portal
Monday, October 11, 2021
No School for Students-Indigenous People's Day
Shield Testing 9-21-21
Notification of Positive COVID Cases in Our School
- Classroom letters-Classrooms teachers will email a letter if there was a positive case in their class period. Families may receive more than one email of the same letter if your child has multiple classes with the person who tested positive. Anyone considered a close contact will receive a separate phone call from the school.
- School letter-We will send a letter if there is a positive case in the building that requires contact tracing.
- District Dashboard-Our district updates the COVID dashboard for cases for our school and the district on a weekly basis.
There may be circumstances where families do not receive a classroom or school letter but a case appears on the district dashboard for our school. For example, a person was quarantined as a close contact from someone at home and then they test positive during their quarantine.
We thank you for your patience as we navigate the best ways to keep everyone informed.
Masks
Please make sure your child brings an extra mask to school each day. We have been giving out 30-40 masks per day to students and it would be helpful if students had an extra mask in case a mask breaks or needs to be replaced.
Bathroom Issues
We'd like to make families aware of a social media trend that is impacting schools across the country. "Devious Licks" is vandalizing/stealing items from school bathrooms and classrooms (soap dispensers, etc) and then posting what was stolen on social media accounts such as TikTok.
We have experienced toilets that were purposely clogged, excessive wet paper towels, and removal of soap dispensers which causes us to close a bathroom and makes unnecessary extra work for our custodians. While likely only a few students are responsible for the destruction of the bathrooms at our school, we appreciate your help in discussing proper bathroom behavior with your child.
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month!!!
Greetings James Hart Families!
Right now, getting a library card could NOT BE EASIER! The entire process can be done electronically! Just search the Homewood Public Library online.
https://www.homewoodlibrary.org/
This link will take you to their home page where you can access the information you will need to be able to get your library card. This opens the door to thousands of books in different formats, DVDs, and activities held at our wonderful public library. ALL THIS AND MORE can be available to you with a library card!!! Get yours today!!! (questions may be directed to sara.sterbenc @hsd153.org)
The Homewood PMA needs you!
James Hart School
Email: kimberly.johnson@hsd153.org
Website: http://jameshart.hsd153.org/
Location: 18220 Morgan Street, Homewood, IL, USA
Phone: (708) 799-5544