Harper Happenings
February 11th - February 15th
What's Happening
Monday, February 11th
- Harper Open Gym, 6:30-8pm
Tuesday, February 12th
- Dr. Kick and Mrs. Ryan's February Birthday Lunch
Monday, February 18th
- No School, President's Day
- Staff engage in professional development
Wednesday, February 20th
- Harper Open House, 6:30pm
Monday, February 25th - Friday, March 1st
- Teacher Appreciation Week
Dr. Kick's Corner
-2019-20 kindergarten sections are currently holding strong at two am sections and one pm section. Kindergarten Orientation is April 17th at 6:30.
-Please remember that Valentines should be candy-free and that each student should send a Valentine for each classmate.
Board of Education Meeting
The monthly Board of Education meeting is Monday, Febuary 25th at 7:00 PM at the MEC. Below are a couple of topics that may be of interest. If you can’t make the meeting, you can view it live or later, either on the District website or on Channel 6. Highlights of the meeting will be emailed and posted online within a day or two.
- Strategic Plan Updates
- Special Education Child Count
- 2019-2020 School Calendar
- 2019-2020 Student Fees
Coming Up/Reminders
Thursday, February 28th
- 2nd Grade Choral Concert 9:30 am
Friday, March 1st -- Save the Date!
- D39 Educational Foundation Family Bingo Night at Highcrest Middle School. More details below!
Sunday, March 10th
- Going Green Matters Fair-Michigan Shores 12-4pm
Monday, March 18th
- General PTO Meeting -- Special Presentation: Cyber Safety and Technology by Tony DeMonte and Officer Pavely, 9am Harper Auditorium
Monday, March 25th - Friday, March 29th
- No School, Spring Break!
Harper PTO
Harper PTO 2019-2020 OPEN Positions
Below you will find the title of the role, number of people we need and a contact person should you have questions. NEW to the list: Movie Night.
Things are filling up so please consider contributing your time to one of the jobs below!
• President Elect-contact Carrie Diamond
• MOVIE NIGHT (2)
• Community Service (4)- contact Laura Geiger or Ari Holt
• Community Review Committee (2)- contact Sheetal Shah
• D39 Foundation Liaison- contact Meredith Ilg
• Kindergarten Enrichment- contact Heather Smith
• 2nd Grade Enrichment- contact Lisa Ginsberg
• Environmental Affairs (1 or 2)- Aimee Stoltz
• Planters/Large pots at the front door of Harper
• Harper Hoedown (2 co-chairs and a general committee of 4/5)
• Hospitality (2)- contact Theresa Bittenbender
• Jr. Great Books (2)- contact Christine Blum or Kara Gillespie
• Nominating- contact Sissy Polacek
• SchoolKitz- contact Erica Lockwood
• Yearbook Editor (we still need 1)- contact Nikki HouseholderFor any other general questions regarding the Harper PTO, please contact Sissy Polacek
Destination Imagination Competition -- Support Harper Teams!
- Calling all Harper Parents, Grandparents, Caregivers, Faculty, Staff and Friends.....You are invited to come experience the excitement of the Destination Imagination Competition this Saturday, Feb 9th at Highcrest! Come watch and cheer on the 65 Harper students, classmates and parent volunteers in this exciting creative solutions based competition. Go, Harper DI Teams!!
- *participating DI kids should wear their shirts to school on Monday Feb 11. (All DI kids all across the district will be wearing their DI shirts that day.)
Yearbook
- Don't Forget to Purchase your 2018/2019 Yearbook! Order yours today HERE. Email debbiemelchiorre75@gmail.com with questions.
- Time Is Running Out to Submit Your Photos to the Yearbook! See the attached PDF for a refresher on how to upload your pictures. Email debbiemelchiorre75@gmail.com with questions.
Lost and Found
- Where's that missing glove?
- Our lost and found rack is overflowing with lost gloves, hats, hoodies, etc. Please below photos to see if your child's missing items are there. If you see a lost item, ask your child to retrieve it from the rack, which is located by the door to the north field.
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 you calendars with the below upcoming iGNITE! sponsored events:
- February 22nd - High Touch High Tech visits Kindergarten with their “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” program
- March 8th - High Touch High Tech visits 1st Grade with their “What’s the Matter” program
Harper's Green Corner
- WAYS TO "GREEN" YOUR AMAZON ORDER
- Ever feel guilty about the extra packaging you receive but don't necessarily need? Well, you can fix that. Here are a few ways how:
- 1. Recycle those "air pillows"- BUT only at the grocery store plastic bag recycling stations. These pillows can not be recycled CURBSIDE in Wilmette. Once you deflate them, they can be recycled at our local Jewel and Mariano's and Target stores in the plastic bag bins.
- 2. Look for Amazon's Certified "Frustration Free Packaging" with your orders. It should be in the title or description boxes. These items come without the excess packaging.
- 3. Request minimal plastic packaging with all of your Amazon orders. You can email Customer Service at cs-reply@amazon.com and say:
- My name is _________. The email address attached to my Amazon account is __________.I’m requesting that Amazon use minimal packaging in all of my future orders. Please note on my account to avoid plastic packaging like bubble wrap and plastic air pillows when fulfilling my orders.Thank you!
- Amazon customer service will update your account and respond. And contact Customer Service if you see a change or if you don't. This allows Amazon to improve their practices and systems through out their warehouses.
D39 Educational Foundation Bingo Night
- B-I-N-G-O! Enjoy a night of family fun at D39 Education Foundation's Annual Family Bingo Night on Friday, March 1st at the Highcrest Middle School cafeteria! Multiple rounds, multiple winners, multiple prizes! Doors open at 6PM and the event runs from 6:30-8PM. This is not a drop-off event. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Proceeds fund school district Gripp Grants.Space is limited so buy your tickets today. Event tickets, food and beverages for sale at d39foundation.org
Community Service Corner & News
Please see the attached calendar of activities.
LINK: http://www.wilmette39.org/news/community_events
Family Action Network (FAN) hosts two speakers, W. Thomas Boyce, MD on February 19 & 20 and Dr. Zhao on February 21st at New Trier Cornog Auditorium. Free CEUs for educators and open to the public.
Wilmette Public Library hosts Maker Fest on February 23rd, 10:30-2:30.
New Trier’s Student Dance Company presents “Kinesis Kids Dance Concert”. An interactive show for children ages 3-11 on February 9th.
Wilmette Baseball Association has opened registration for spring leagues.
Wilmette Historical Museum hosts “Meet the Lincolns” February 17th and "Design Your Dream Home" on March 17th.
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.
Kids Against Hunger service project on Saturday, March 16th.
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.
4th & 5th grade girls
Trevian Girls Softball Association hosts fastpitch softball clinics/evaluations for girls ages 9-10.
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