Hometown School Newsletter

April 4, 2023

Bencik's Buzz

Hometown Families:

Welcome back from spring break. We hope each of you had time to rest and recharge to finish the year strong. We have 40 school days left. Over the next few months, we will be completing state testing and MAP testing. Let's celebrate all of the learning from the year and show off what you know!

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Autism Awareness

April is autism awareness month. Here are some facts from autismspeaks.org about autism.

What is autism?

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States today.
We know that there is not one autism but many subtypes, most influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. The ways in which people with autism learn, think and problem-solve can range from highly skilled to severely challenged. Some people with ASD may require significant support in their daily lives, while others may need less support and, in some cases, live entirely independently.
Several factors may influence the development of autism, and it is often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues such as gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures or sleep disorders, as well as mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and attention issues.
Signs of autism usually appear by age 2 or 3. Some associated development delays can appear even earlier, and often, it can be diagnosed as early as 18 months. Research shows that early intervention leads to positive outcomes later in life for people with autism.

As we go throughout the month, we will highlight different information about autism. We will also be having dress up days in the third week of the month.

DATE CHANGE-PTA Meeting

Our PTA meeting scheduled for April 6th will be moved to Wednesday, April 5th at 6pm. We are excited to introduce the candidates for the new board. If you cannot attend, there is a virtual link.

https://meet.google.com/vsb-dyde-oxa?hs=122&authuser=0

NO SCHOOL

Please remember there is no school on Friday, April 7th and Monday, April 10th. Enjoy Easter if you will be celebrating.

IAR Testing

Our students in grades 3-5 will be taking the IAR starting on April 13, 14, 18. Please make sure your students bring headphones, they have a healthy breakfast, and get a good nights sleep.

CASE - ESY

Please turn in the summer school forms for ESY if you have not already done so. If you need a new form, please reach out to your teacher. They are due this FRIDAY!

Calling All Kindergarten Families for the 2023-24 School Year

If you will have a child that will turn 5 by September 1st, please begin registration for the upcoming school year.

https://www.d123.org/departments/teaching-learning/programs/kindergarten

Use the link to register.

Summer School

Please consider signing up for summer school. There are many different offerings for our students to take advantage of . The flyer is attached. There is also a paper copy.

Summer School.pdf

drive.google.com

SAVE THE DATE

Our kindergarten open house will be on May 24th from 6:00-7:30. We hope to see all of our new families.

Sweetheart Dance

Please don't forget to RSVP for this event. Please see the attached flyer for the dance. We would like all of our ladies to bring their special guy.

Sweetheart Dance.pdf

drive.google.com

Back Parking Lot

Please note the back parking lot is for staff only! Parents CANNOT pull into the lot to drop off students.

Parking in Front

Please be mindful that there is no parking in the front of the school during school hours. Our police department is ticketing offenders.

Volunteer Opportunities

If you are interested in volunteering for our PTA events, please visit the signup genius and Facebook.

Hiring

District 123 is hiring! Please see the flyer and visit our website under employment.

Moving?

If you are moving over the summer and will not be returning to Hometown, please fill out the flyer and return it to the office. We would like to be prepared for you with transfer paperwork.

Utility Assistance

If you are a family that could use some extra assistance with utilities, please review the flyer.

Teacher Spotlight: Five Fun Facts About Your Teacher

Five Fun Facts about Miss Foulk

1. I have a dog named Earl Grey.

2. This is my sixth year teaching. Each year we symbolically adopt an animal from the WWF. So far we’ve adopted a lion, red panda, beluga whale, Arctic fox, giraffe, and this year we are adopting an elephant.

3. My favorite color is green.

4. My favorite holiday is Earth Day.

5. I love anything Disney.