William Hatch Elementary School PTO
William Hatch Elementary School PTO
... September 2009Greetings from Hatch School! It is a pleasure to welcome everyone to another exciting year!
We have many innovative projects and activities scheduled for this new school year. I hope every family will take the opportunity to participate in these worthwhile events. We encourage everyone to become active members of the Hatch School Community.
The Bank at School Program will begin Friday, October 2 for students holding saving accounts. Applications for new accounts will be available during Fee Day, Thursday, September 3. This program is sponsored through the State of Illinois and The Fifth Third Bank of Oak Park.
It is our goal to provide a comfortable, relaxed and safe noon hour for our children. Our program's guidelines are as follows:
To hear weekly activities and meetings at Hatch School, please call the Hatch School Voice Message System. Use the message system to leave messages for our faculty and staff. Dial 524-5830, listen to the prompts, and then press the teacher's four-digit number. The teachers' voice message numbers will be included in the fee day packet.
I know, as a former teacher, that reading stimulates the mind. Students increase their learning in so many ways, when they are actively involved in reading at home. Students improve their critical thinking ability, comprehension, and verbal skills by simply investing the time to read.
Therefore, we are looking for students who enjoy reading at home. The goal is for students to earn a minimum of 176 points during the school year by reading at home. The added goal is to celebrate the joy of reading, while earning points. Students [who] love to read will enjoy getting this deserved recognition. I know we have students [who] will earn more than two thousand points during the school year! The flyer will be in the Fee Day Packet. Many parents will receive the letter through email.
The P.T.O. World Language Program will begin the week of October 5. We will offer German, Spanish, and French. Please watch for more information on Fee Day.
This is a reminder that school starts at 8:00AM. The first bell rings at 7:57AM. Excessive tardiness is unacceptable. As adults, we need to help students develop good habits to carry them through life. Please be sure your child arrives on time each day! I have an open door policy. If you have questions or concerns, please call me at 524-3095.
We hope to see everyone on Fee Day, Thursday, September 3 from 2-7 pm in the lunchroom!
Let's make it another great year!
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
... October 2009The school board established seven goals for the district in 2007. They included:
All of these goals are now outlined in District 97's new mission statement. Please visit the district's website (op97.org) for additional information on the seven strategic areas that we, as a district, will be working on for the next five years.
We are ready to do our best to bring the district forward in accomplishing these plans and we would welcome any input from the Hatch Community.
On Monday, September 21, Mrs. Noel received the Outstanding Health Educator Award from the Whole Foods store in River Forest. The presenters spoke highly of Mrs. Noel's programs, which stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle. It was also announced that the award will be renamed in honor of Ms. Noel. The "Sandra Noel Outstanding Health Educator Award" will be given out annually! Wow, Hatch School is so proud of her!!!
Mrs. Roberts, kindergarten teacher at Hatch, was selected to represent the district in the state sponsored "Those Who Excel" program for outstanding teaching. Mrs. Roberts has received the "Award of Merit". She will be honored in Peoria on October 24. We are so proud of her!!
Jacob F., third grade student in Ms. Lyles class, is one of the winners in the Annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest. Jacob and his family will be invited to dinner at the fire station. Great Job, Jacob!!
For the last twelve years we have told students not to bring toys to school. We are continuing this policy. Parents, please help your children understand that their toys should be kept at home.
I am also asking parents to make sure students are not bringing skateboards, scooters, roller blades and bicycles to school. A busy playground is not the place for these potentially dangerous toys. Please help us keep everyone safe at school.
It was a pleasure seeing so many parents on Fee Day, Thursday, September 3. Many programs and activities at Hatch School were presented by our PTO. I would like to thank the many volunteers and teachers [who] donated their time to make it a success.
Again this year, we successfully combined our annual "New Parents' Night" with our first P.T.O. meeting. The attendance was impressive! Our P.T.O. President, Sanford Greenberg, warmly welcomed the parents and invited everyone to participate in our PTO activities. If you missed New Parents' Night and would like to learn more about Hatch School, please call the school office.
Our Ice Cream/Smoothie Fridays are fun for the students at Hatch School. The money collected is used to:
Teachers are now busy planning field trips for the first part of the school year. Parents will be receiving information and permission slips to sign as the trips are arranged. Field trips take learning beyond the school and into the community. These trips are taken in conjunction with teaching units and are part of your child's educational experiences at Hatch. We are fortunate that, again this year, our PTO is supporting all field trips by paying for the buses. This generous gift enables us to provide many exciting field trips for our students.
On Friday, October 30, our daily schedule will be adjusted to give students more hours of academic time and less party time. All students will have a longer morning and a shorter afternoon. The schedule for October 30 is as follows (snacks will be provided for the students at 10:00 AM):
All parents are invited to go to the auditorium or remain on the playground to watch the Halloween Parade at 1:20 PM. Classroom parties take place after the parade.
Our Twelfth Annual Hatch School Pumpkin Festival is scheduled for October 29 and 30. The Pumpkin Festival is a pumpkin-decorating contest with four categories: grades K-1, grades 2-3, grades 4-5, and the family category. Watch for the flyer during the week of October 12.
All of our Curriculum Nights were well-attended. Thank you so much for your ongoing participation in school activities.
For the past four years, I have visited classes in grades K-5 to talk about bullying. It has been successful in giving students the tools to identify and deal with bullying. If you would like a copy of the packet, please call the school office.
In the past few weeks, we have reviewed school safety rules with our students. We emphasized safe conduct in the lunchroom, on the playground, on buses and walking to and from school. I would like to remind parents of the following procedures:
Thank you for helping support a healthy, happy, and safe environment for your children.
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
... November 2009Conferences were held during the week of October 19. We had between 95-100% parent participation! If you did not get the opportunity to meet with your child's teacher, please call the school. It is important that parents participate in their child's education by conferencing with their child's teacher. This offers an opportunity for sharing information and planning the best educational program for each child.
We want all parents to be actively involved in their child's education by:
Congratulations to Hatch teachers and a parent who participated in this year's Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 18. Ms. Kruse, Ms. Quickery and Mr. Knight (Mia: 3-L and Sam: 4-Q), completed the entire 26 mile race!!
On November 18, Abigail K. will be honored at the Oak Park-River Forest Optimist Club annual luncheon. She will receive a plague for being an outstanding citizen. Students from all public and private schools in Oak Park and River Forest are eligible. The fifth grade teachers selected Abigail for demonstrating leadership in the school and maintaining a high scholastic average. Congratulations, Abilgail! We are very proud of you.
The twentieth-second annual District #97 Young Authors Conference was held Saturday, October 24, at Lincoln School. Many Hatch students will be given the opportunity to participate this year. Thank you for your support of this excellent conference for students!
Adult supervision on the playground is necessary for student safety. Students should not be on the playground before 7:45 am, unless they are participating in the breakfast program. Supervision on the playground begins at 7:45 am. After school, there will be supervision until 3:10 pm (2:10 on Wednesdays).
Important: For the security and safety of the students and staff at Hatch School, the playground doors will be locked at all times. Please use the doorbell by the lunchroom to participate in the breakfast program. You may also go to the main entrance to enter the building each morning.
Many parents are on the playground to greet their children at the end of the school day. They are not there to supervise any students. If students wish to play on the equipment after school hours, it becomes their parents' responsibility to see that these children are properly supervised. We want all students to feel safe at Hatch School.
The PTO sponsored, tuition-based World Language Program is also doing well. We have excellent instructors. Mrs. Lisa Peters teaches German, Ms. Isabelle Henry teaches French, and Ms Olga Callupe teaches Spanish. German and Spanish meet on Tuesday during the lunch hour. French meets on Thursday during the lunch hour.
A reminder! Parents need to call the school office (524-3095) when their child is absent from school. The office opens at 7:30 am.
The Homework Helper Program began October 8. This program is designed for students who may need additional support in completing homework assignments. We also create packets of additional work in language arts and math, for students to complete once they have completed their assignments. We are selecting students based on teacher and parent recommendations. The program meets on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, from 3:15-4:15 pm. If you would like your child to participate in this program, please call the school office.
The following staff members participate in this program: Mrs. L'Heureux, Ms. Winfield, Ms. Stack, Mrs. Moroski, and Mrs. Cullins. We want to make every effort to help students complete their homework assignments and to realize the importance of academic achievement.
Improving school climate is a district goal. Again this year, Hatch School will continue to emphasize the damaging effects of bullies. My anti-bullying program has been designed to teach our students that being a bully is not acceptable behavior. I will be visiting every classroom to talk with students about the importance of not bullying others.
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
... December 2009To improve the lunch hour, we provide a variety of activities for students during inclement weather. We offer:
Our lunch program is a fun time for students!
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
... January 2010The staff at Hatch School wishes you a wonderful New Year. We want to renew our commitment to provide quality, educational experiences for each child.
As we start the New Year, I would like to remind everyone about some safety issues. The District's disciplinary policy states: "Any student who brings a weapon onto school grounds will be suspended and scheduled for an expulsion hearing before the district board." I wish to be very clear on this matter so that there is no misunderstanding on the part of students or parents. Even a small pen-knife attached to a key chain is considered to be in violation of our "no weapons" policy. It is extremely important that this message be understood by all. This school year, I have scheduled school-wide assemblies and classroom visits to review safety/discipline policies with students. Teachers have also reinforced safety policies with students in their classrooms.
In keeping with our concerns about safety, we are once again emphasizing that it is extremely important for every visitor to check in at the office and to wear a visitor's name tag.Parents, who volunteer in our school on a regular basis, must also follow this procedure.
The Hatch School Faculty is requiring students to receive a Meets and/or Exceeds grade in every subject area of the curriculum. This includes the following specials: art, music, physical education and FLES (Spanish). We believe our students need to strive for mastery learning in all subject areas.
I met with every fourth and fifth grade student, who did not make the honor roll. We talked about the importance of academic achievement, communication with their teachers, their motivation to do their best and their willingness to try to attain their goals. I truly believe every fourth and fifth grade student at Hatch has the skills and talent necessary for success! The second trimester will be a second opportunity for them to make the Honor Roll. The students agreed that they are ready for the challenge!
The Honor Roll certificates will be posted in the hallway by room 108. Please sit down with your child at this time and review your child's report card from the first trimester. The goal is to receive a 3 or 4 in every subject area.
Improving school climate is a district goal. Again this year, Hatch School will continue to emphasize the damaging effects of bullies. My anti-bullying program has been designed to teach our students that being a bully is not acceptable behavior. I will be visiting every classroom to talk with students about the importance of not bullying others and for all of us to take an active role in stopping bullying behavior.
An opportunity to participate in the District 97 Writing Talent Search will again be offered to all Hatch students (K-5). The categories for this contest are prose or poetry, narrative or expository, make believe/fantasy or true-to-life writing. Final choices will be selected by a panel of faculty members. These final entries will then be evaluated by a panel of District 97 judges. The winners and finalists will be honored at a writing festival in the Spring of 2010. An anthology of first place manuscripts will also be distributed.
The Homework Helper Program is going quite well for students who need additional support in completing homework assignments. We are selecting students based on teacher and parent recommendations. The program meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, after school from 3:15-4:15. If you would like your child to participate in this program, please call the school office. Mrs. L'Heureux,, Miss Stack and Ms. Winfield will be working with students. We want to make every effort to help students get into the habit of completing homework assignments on time.
The World Language Program is off to a great start! There are approximately 22 students enrolled in our Spanish, French and German classes. The instructors are excellent and knowledgeable. The parents of enrolled students may stop by during the lunch hour to visit their children's classes and meet the language teachers. We are hoping to begin a Chinese class in February. Please watch for the flier.
District 97 is committed to providing all students with healthy meals during the school day. In honor of that commitment, Hatch School would like to reassure everyone that it is also against our policy to sell any unhealthy snacks/meals or beverages before, during, or after school. We are dedicated to providing our students with only healthy choices and we will continue to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
Our read-a-thon program is going very well! As of December 18, 67 students have met the goal of earning 176 points. There are 175 students presently participating in the program. It's not too late to join the fun! Stop by the office for more information.
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
... February 2010We had a very successful celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Miss Norton, Mrs. Mann, Ms. Lyles, Mrs. DePriest, and the entire student body contributed to this excellent program.
I would like to encourage parents to use our District Voice Messaging System. Each week the calendar is recorded on the Principal Message (524-5830) so that parents may check on field trips, assemblies, and special evening activities.
Your Teachers' voice message numbers are listed in the Student Directory. Teachers check their messages daily so this is a convenient way to communicate with your child's teacher.
February conferences were held on the following days:
It is essential that every parent visits the school and talks with his/her children's teachers about their academic progress. When parents participate in these conferences, their children receive a clear message that their schoolwork is important to everyone. Parents and teachers are able to share concerns and strategies that will improve our students' academic achievement (performance levels).
Please contact your child's teacher if you missed your conference.
School starts at 8:00AM. The first bell rings at 7:57AM. There are a number of students who still do not arrive on time. This excessive tardiness is indicative of a negative attitude. As adults, we need to help students develop responsible qualities to carry them through life. Our goal is to have all of our students arriving on time, every day.
Our breakfast and hot lunch programs, which are run by Ms. Hood, Mrs. Space and Mrs. Moroski, are very popular with all of our students, including kindergarten. We wish to thank our wonderful, lunch staff for their dedication and hard work.
Depending on the weather, we have set up a variety of indoor activities for students during the lunch hour, including basketball, games (including hoola-hoop and rope jumping), computer lab, coloring, bingo, a chat room, World Language Program, and the Math-a-thon Program. We also have a study hall in the media center for students in grades 4-5, who wish to read or use the computer to complete assignments. We no longer offer movies during the lunch hour. We want students to be active and engaged in healthy activities. Students appear to enjoy these choices, because these options improve the quality of their lunch hour.
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
... March 2010Please consider getting involved in some of the many activities sponsored by our P.T.O. We would like to thank the parents who volunteer so many hours of their time to support us. Hatch is a wonderful school because of the excellent parent support. Let's continue our successes. We need your involvement.
Thanks to all of you who have made an effort to keep our school safe. Again I am reminding everyone that when visiting the school, parents must stop by the office, sign in and wear a visitor's pass. I have asked all staff members to escort visitors without passes to the office.
There are many staff members in our building who do not know all of our parents. Unless parents wear a visitor's pass, the staff has no way of knowing who is authorized to be in our building.
Please do not just "run up to the classroom for a minute to talk with the teacher". First, you must go to the school office, sign-in, and wear a visitor's pass. All staff members, substitute teachers and teaching assistants wear badges while they are working at Hatch. We need the cooperation of everyone to keep our building as safe as possible.
The 2010 Summer School Catalog will be distributed to our families. The catalog has an excellent listing of classes for both morning and afternoon sessions. Registration will begin immediately following the distribution of the catalogs. Please do not delay; some classes will fill quickly! Any questions regarding the summer program may be directed to Stephanie Avila at the Central Office (524-7634) or Sheila Carter (524-3095) after 4:00pm.
For the eleventh year, Hatch School will once again sponsor our annual School-wide Read-a-thon II. This is a seven-week program for students who are not participating in the "Readers are Winners" program. (208 students are presently participating in this year's "Readers are Winners" Read-a-thon and 119 of those students have met the goal!) As in previous years, students will have to earn at least 60 points to go to the Naperville Gymnastics Club for a day of fun, fun, fun! Please watch for a flyer with more information.
The math-a-thon program is going very well. Many students from each grade level are participating. The Hatch Staff is working with the students during the lunch hour. It is not too late to join the fun! For more information, pick up a flyer from the information center located by the office.
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
... April 2010Congratulations to the nine winners in the annual contest. They are: Rosaline Z. (4-K), Nadia S. (5-D/L), Taylor O. (5-D/L), Eliana T. (4-Q), Riley E. (5-D/L), S ofia F. (5-D/L), Elizabeth R. (5-D/L), Jonathan L. (5-S), and Harper L. (5-D/L). Their picture ads appeared in the Wednesday Journal on Wednesday, March 24. Thanks to Mrs. Burns' substitute teacher, Mrs. Berg, for entering Hatch Students in this annual event!
We are beginning our annual, seven week, Read-A-Thon on March 27 and ending May 7. (This program is designed for students that are not participating in the "Readers are Winners" Read-a-thon). It is important for students to realize that the more they read, the better they will read. Please check the flyer for details. We want every student at Hatch School to be a part of one of the read-a-thons!
The Hatch School Talent Show has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 28. Auditions will start Wednesday, April 5. If students would like to participate, please return the completed form to the school office, ASAP. Participants, with the help of their parents or guardians, must have their act completely organized by the date of the audition.
The summer school catalog has been available since early March! Many excellent classes are being offered at Hatch and Lincoln. Accelerated classes are included again, this year! Please get your registration in, as soon as possible, to insure first choice selections. Any questions regarding the summer program may be directed to Stephanie Avila at the Central Office, 524-7634 or Sheila Carter at Hatch School, 524-3095, after 4:00.
Registration has begun for next year's kindergarten. All new students must be registered at the District Office, 970 Madison Street. Call 524-3000 for registration information.
Please pass this information along to neighbors and if they have not already done so, urge them to register as soon as possible. Once registered, further information will be sent out regarding Kindergarten Visitation and Orientation Day to be held at all Oak Park Public Schools. Our Orientation will be on Wednesday, May 5 at 2:30 pm.
Parents interested in early admission to Kindergarten for the Fall of 2010 should call the Registration Office at the District for more information. Children who reach their fifth birthday between September 2 and October 31, 2010 are eligible to apply.
The District also has an excellent Pre-Kindergarten program for four years olds who might be at risk. Further information is available at the District Office (524-3000).
If you wish to have homework prepared for your children while they are absent from school, please follow these simple steps:
Preparation of assignments and homework may take some time. Please do not go to your child's homeroom and ask the teacher to prepare assignments during the school day.
All students, whether walking or being dropped off at school, MUST CROSS THE STREETS AT THE INTERSECTIONS. Please set a good example and remind your child to use the white lines at the crosswalks. Crossing in the middle of the street is very dangerous for both pedestrians and drivers.
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
... May 2010I would like to state my concerns to all parents, who may want to request a certain teacher for their child. Placing your child in an appropriate, educational environment is an extremely complex task.
The teachers, the reading specialist, the Student Services Team, and the principal all have input on class placement procedures. Your children are seen in various settings. Their level of independence and self-motivation are always considered in our placements. In addition, reading and math achievement levels, racial balance and boy-girl ratios are taken into account. We consider which children do not get along well together. Our recommendations are based on all of these considerations.
When parents call to request a change of teacher or separation of certain children after the class lists are posted, this greatly complicates matters. Certainly, I want your concerns and priorities expressed, but I am asking you to please consider all of the factors that go into each child's placement.
I would respectfully suggest that you view whatever placement we plan for your child as a positive, learning experience. We must allow children to face realistic situations, as much as possible, and help them to grow strong by adjusting to a variety of personalities and teaching styles. We are just as concerned as you are that their learning experiences should be both positive and rewarding.
Therefore, I am asking all parents to consider all of the above carefully before asking for special changes in class placements. If you have an extraordinary circumstance, then please feel free to write a letter to me by May 15. All summer mail will be held at the post office until late August.
There is still space available for students to attend our summer school program, "School Daze "2010". We have additional catalogs available in the office. If you have questions regarding the program, please call Stephanie Avila at the district office (524-7634).
The Lost and Found has many items. To assist us in getting lost items returned to students, please label your child's belongings -- especially jackets, hats, lunchboxes, and sweaters. We want to make every effort to return lost items to students.
Our Hatch School Talent Show is scheduled for Wednesday, April 28. The program is primarily for Hatch Students, but parents are invited to attend. There were many talented students and teachers participating in this production!
We are very pleased to give recognition to the many students in grades 4-5 that are on the Meets/Exceeds Honor Roll. The certificates are displayed in the main hallway by the school office. The Honor Roll Breakfast will be on [Tuesday], May 11 in the Lunchroom. Congratulations to everyone who made the Honor Roll. We are very proud of your academic success!
The read-a-thon is a big success again this year! Over 200 students have already met the reading goal for this year. The deadline is Friday, May 7! I WILL NOT ACCEPT READING SLIPS ON MONDAY, MAY 10! The students who have qualified, will party at The Naperville Gymnastics Club on Friday, May 14 (K-1), Friday, May 29 (2-3), or Friday, May 29 (4-5). We'll leave the school at 10:00 A.M. and return at 2:00 P.M. Our top reader has earned over 3,000 reading points! Please consider joining the fun next year!!
The district-wide Tribute to Excellence Week is a tradition in Oak Park. We will celebrate at Hatch on Wednesday, May 26 for grades K-4. The fifth grade Awards/Promotion Celebration will take place on Wednesday, June 2. Please watch for more information.
Sincerely,
Sheila Y. Carter
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