10/14/2022
What a fantastic Fall Fest we had yesterday! Seeing our school community gather together for an evening of fun and games was inspiring. Many, many thanks to our PTO and all our volunteers who helped make this experience a success. It took enormous “behind the scenes” work to make this event possible. Thanks to our teachers for their support, many of whom brought their own families to the celebration, and our custodial team for all their hard work in setting up and shutting down.
Picture Retake Day will be held on October 26, 2022. Please see attached flyer.
Check out today's hatch newsroom, which includes Mr. Cruz, sportscaster, explaining 4-Square Hatch Rules!
Conferences are coming! Our amazing teachers will provide appointments on Thursday, the 27th, from 12:00-7 pm. Please contact your child's teacher if you have not yet signed up for a conference slot. Students will be dismissed at 11:00 am both Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th. We have wrapped up our fall assessments, and teachers are busy preparing for productive conversations around each child’s learning. Please be on the lookout for your child’s NWEA MAP results which will be sent home next week. Fourth and fifth graders will receive their IAR results today. Please read the letter attached to your child’s scores to better understand these assessments and their use. These are just two ways in which we measure students' progress to guide our instructional decisions. Your child’s teacher will share more about your child’s progress at our conferences.
As we prepare for the upcoming Family/Teacher Conferences, we’d like to extend an invitation for you to meet with our specials and support staff. Please click the Specials/Support Staff Fall Conferences link to sign up for a conference spot! This is not mandatory, but our team is available if you have any questions.
This week we began teaching the Bullying Prevention Unit lessons during our Second Step time to help students learn how to recognize, refuse and report bullying. This week all students learned to define and recognize bullying. We taught students that bullying is when someone keeps being mean to someone else on purpose. The person it’s happening to hasn’t been able to make it stop. It is unfair and one-sided. Bullying is different from conflict, which is a natural aspect of childhood. We reviewed different scenarios and asked students to determine if the scenario describes bullying. Below are home links for each grade level that you may refer to if you want to extend their learning at home!
Kindergarten- Recognizing Bullying
First Grade- Recognizing Bullying
Second Grade- Recognizing Bullying
Third Grade- Recognizing Bullying
Fourth Grade- Recognize, Report, Refuse
Fifth Grade- Recognize, Report, Refuse
Hatch Parents: have your children grown out of board games, card games, or puzzles at home? We would love to use them in the auditorium and library on rainy or cold days. If your child is willing to part with a gently used game (with most or all the pieces), please send it to school with a note that says - Attention, Ms. W . If you would like to purchase a game, here is our Amazon Wish list.
Save the date! Our next “Coffee with the Principal,” in collaboration with the PTO, will be Thursday, November 10th, from 8:00-8:45 am in the cafeteria. This is an informal gathering, but please sign in at the main office. Feel free to stay 5 minutes or 45 minutes as your schedule permits. See you then!
Halloween: We will continue the tradition of our annual Halloween parade on Monday, October 31st, at 1:45 pm. Classes will exit through the west playground doors, walk on the sidewalk around the field and re-enter through the east playground doors. Families are encouraged to gather along the route to cheer on our tigers! Any volunteers entering the building must check in with the main office to gain access. Mark your calendars!
Halloween reminders:
- Students will change into costumes after lunch.
- Costumes need to go on over students’ clothing, and children should be able to put their costumes on independently.
- The Parade will begin at 1:45. We will exit through the west playground doors, head south on Ridgeland, east on Berkshire, and then north on Harvey back to school. Please stand across the street to take pics and cheer us on!
- No weapons, scary masks/props, or culturally insensitive costumes. Please remember that cultures are not costumes.
- NO food items are allowed. Food-free celebrations are part of our district-wide policy. The safety of our students is of the utmost importance.
- Any families that prefer their child(ren) not to participate in the Halloween celebrations, please speak with your child’s teacher about the alternate activity.
We are looking forward to celebrating with our fantastic Hatch community!
D97 Updates/Reminders:
Our goal in District 97 is to create a positive learning environment where all students, staff, and families feel a sense of belonging. We have gathered information and resources regarding culturally-sensitive Halloween costumes in that spirit. We appreciate families being proactive with their children in making thoughtful costume choices. Click here for more details>>
"Mindful Middle-Schoolers and Mindfulness Matters" Community Talks: DePaul University, in partnership with the Oak Park Township Community Mental Health Board and District 97, offers free community talks to the District 97 community as part of the Mindful Middle Schoolers and Mindfulness Matters Program. The next community talk, "Mindfulness-Based Strategies and Their Applications at Home and School," will be held on October 19 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The session will focus on how mindfulness practices can help support youths' academic and emotional functioning at school and home. Please go to this link to register.
D97 to Host 'Family University' Session on Student Assessments - Tuesday, Oct. 18
Join us to learn about student assessments in District 97!
The district will host a virtual Family University session from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Families will receive a Zoom link once they register.
The session will help parents learn about the student assessments across District 97 schools, how the results support teaching and learning, and how you can use the information to understand your child's progress and next steps. Please use this form to register and submit any questions you have to our team ahead of time; we will address the most common questions submitted. Please note that the session will be recorded and shared on the District 97 website for future viewing.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Process for Reporting Positive COVID-19 Cases to D97 Schools
If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they must complete the following steps:
1) To notify the school nurse and receive a return-to-school date, families/staff must complete the confidential COVID-19 Positive Case Notification Form as soon as possible following the positive test. Information will also be shared with the Oak Park Department of Public Health.
2) Families must continue to report student absences via the school attendance line, and staff must enter their absences in Frontline.
To see the rules for isolation and quarantine, click here. Additional resources are linked below.