What's Happening At The Hive!

• Monday, March 11th-Friday, March 15th: 3:00-5:00 pm, PTO Bookfair in the HH Library
• Monday, March 11th: 6:00 pm, Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee Meeting, Parker Jr. High
• Tuesday, March 12th: 6:30 pm, 3rd Grade Concert at HH
• Monday, March 18th: 6:00 pm, Board of Education Meeting, Normandy Villa, District Office

• Tuesday, March 19th: SCHOOL FROM HOME: E-Learning Day due to elections (Students login online and learn from home)
• Thursday, March 21st: 6:00 pm HH PTO Meeting (virtual)

Family Math Night this week was a hit! We had a great turnout and families enjoyed the math games, puzzles, estimation station, scavenger hunt and more. Thank you to all families that were able to join us, as well as all of the staff members that contributed their time and expertise. A special shout-out to Ms. Gallagher and the HH Community Bee Well Committee for organizing and to Ms. Daly for creating the beautiful collage below. And, congratulations to all the prize winners! Our next family night will be on Wednesday, April 10th from 6:30-7:30 pm. Please join us for STEAM Night!

We had a group of HH 5th graders attend Operation Snowflurry last weekend at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. The goal of the Saturday celebration is to empower youth to create a positive impact in their communities, with a focus on pre-teen topics. Thank you to Ms. Wisniewski for attending and supporting this event!

Congratulations to our SD161 Orchestra students who performed this week at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in collaboration with James Hart and HFHS groups. We are so proud of your efforts to learn and create music. Thank you to Mr. Calhoon and Mr. Diller for all of their hard work in growing young musicians!

It was a very busy week! We also practiced a Tornado Drill as a school. We learned to shelter in place and how to stay safe in case of an emergency. Students also visited the PBIS Store this week to purchase chosen rewards with their hard-earned Hive Tickets. Students earn Hive Tickets for following school expectations. A very fun group of 3rd grade students used their tickets to have lunch with the Principal!

It's hard to believe, but state testing is right around the corner! 3rd-8th grade students will participate in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) which will measure academic achievement in reading and math. 5th and 8th graders will participate in the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA). A small group of students will begin testing this week for IAR. All 3rd-5th grade students will test after Spring Break (IAR April 2nd-12th and ISA April 15th-19th). Help your child do their very best on the state assessments by doing the following:

• Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast every day.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of rest.
• Students will need their charged Chromebook and headphones each day.
• Our schools will provide snacks and/or other student incentives during testing.

Girls on the Run begins Monday, March 11th for all students who are already registered. Practice will be on Mondays and Wednesdays. Girls should come dressed in comfortable clothes and tennis shoes and should bring a water bottle. Practice will end at 4:45. Please contact Ms. Britten at tbritten@sd161.org if you have any questions. Thank you!

Districts 161, 153, and 233 are working together to gather feedback regarding communication from our respective parents/guardians, staff members, and community members. The survey will be open from March 8th - 25th. To share your thoughts, click the survey link: https://survey.k12insight.com/r/rQlaDt.

If you have a child who will turn 5 years old by September 1, 2024, please call the school office at 708-647-7200 to begin the school registration process as soon as possible. Parents/Guardians must provide the original birth certificate (with raised seal) and proof of residency. More information can be found on the District's website for Kindergarten Registration. Please spread the word to other families you know!

We are participating in the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge. Join the celebration and help us make communities healthier, safer, and help kids with special hearts. Please see below for a flyer and contact the front office if you need more information. The fundraiser ends on March 22nd.

2024-25 School Calendar

The Board of Education approved the 2024-25 calendar on February 5, 2024. The 2024-25 school year will start on Monday, August 12, for staff and Thursday, August 15, for students. The tentative last day of school is Friday, May 30, 2025. District 161’s winter break will begin on Monday, December 23, 2024, and school will resume on Monday, January 6, 2025. Spring Break is scheduled the week of March 31 - April 4, 2025. The entire calendar can be viewed here.

Long Range Construction Plan

The construction planning process continued this month with the approval of bids for the following work to be completed during the summer of 2024: 1) Masonry work and tuckpointing for the Western Avenue bell tower and exterior walls, 2) Exterior door replacement at Western Avenue and Parker Junior High, 3) HVAC heating upgrades at Flossmoor Hills and Western Avenue, 4) Back-up boiler replacement at Parker Junior High, and 5) Exterior door and window replacement at Normandy Villa. The design process for the Heather Hill office relocation and classroom refurbishment has started and that work is slated to be completed during the summer of 2025.

New Assistant Principals

The Board of Education approved the addition of assistant principals at Flossmoor Hills, Heather Hill, and Serena Hills. We are excited about the new members of the administrative team and you can read more about the individuals here.

Heather Hill Detention Basin

The Village of Flossmoor presented their updated plan for a detention basin on the campus of Heather Hill School. A number of community members shared their feedback with the Board of Education and an informative discussion followed. This topic will also be included in the meeting agenda for March 18, 2024.

Winter Data / School Improvement Planning

Ms. Amabel Crawford, Director of Learning and Instruction, and Ms. Jackie Janicke, Director of Special Education, discussed the winter assessment data. There are a number of positives in the data and we will continue the upward trajectory. Student attendance continues to lag behind our overall target. Additionally, each building principal reviewed their school’s progress on the School Improvement Plans and based on the data, we are focused on the right work. End of the year data discussions will occur at a Board meeting once the state and district results have been tabulated.

Do you have a student accomplishment you'd like to celebrate with the Heather Hill community? Please email Principal Carol Humm at chumm@sd161.org and include a description and picture of only your student. We love to celebrate students!

In the case of severe inclement weather AND on March 19th due to elections, a remote learning day will be called. This information will be shared through email and a phone blast. It will also be posted on the District and school websites, as well as the Emergency Closing Center website to be shared with the media. The Flossmoor School District 161 Emergency Closing website provides further information on timeline and procedures.

Remote learning days will be a mix of synchronous and asynchronous work. For synchronous work, students will login with their Chromebooks to meet with their teacher and classmates in a live online session. For asynchronous work, students will work independently based on assignments from their teacher. Please make sure to check your teacher's Canvas page for more information and video links on the day of remote learning.

Please see Six Steps to Getting Started with Remote Learning to assist your child with getting logged in to class. There are additional resources on our district website: Canvas Video Supports for SD161 Students and Parents. There's even a How to Login video for students.

If your child will be absent, please call the HH absence line at 708-709-7699 ext. 2055.

Want to show your appreciation for outstanding work from a staff member? Nominate them for #AboveAndBeyond! Use this form to nominate a staff member today!

The Flossmoor Public Library has fun events for all ages! Check out the full calendar here.

Speaking with children about certain topics can be challenging. Here are some resources for parents in talking to children about war and violence in the news:

■ How to talk to your children about conflict and war | UNICEF Parenting

■ How do I talk to my kids about violence in the news? | Common Sense Media

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE PTO?

If you would like to participate in the PTO or have any questions please email heatherhillhornets@gmail.com.

Heather Hill Elementary PTO Committee Sign Up

Heather Hill Elementary Room Parent Committee Sign Up

Heather Hill Families Facebook Page

Email: chumm@sd161.org
Website: https://www.sd161.org/o/heather-hill
Location: 1439 Lawrence Crescent, Flossmoor, IL, USA
Phone: 708-647-7200
Facebook: facebook.com/gohornets161
Twitter: @TheHornetsHive