Half Day

Friday, Oct. 23, is Principal Appreciation Day, and the Illinois Principals Association invites everyone to celebrate school leaders during the week of October 19. At District 103, this is an opportunity to recognize the principals and assistant principals who make a difference in the lives of our students, staff, and families every day.

Our school leaders do far more than oversee the daily operations of a school. They build relationships, support teachers, partner with families, celebrate student growth, and help create welcoming environments where students feel safe, supported, and challenged to reach their potential. They navigate challenges, make countless decisions, and continually look for ways to strengthen teaching and learning.

“Great school leadership is about people. Our principals and assistant principals know their students, support their staff, and build the relationships that make our schools special. They bring care, commitment, and a genuine desire to help every student succeed. I am grateful for the leadership they provide and the difference they make in our school communities every day,” said Superintendent Dr. Katie Reynolds.

Please join us in thanking our D103 principals and assistant principals for their dedication, compassion, and commitment to our students and school communities. Their leadership helps make District 103 a place where students can excel, grow, and make a difference.

Half Day School

• Jill Mau, Principal

• Laura Delagrange, Assistant Principal

Each year Half Day does a deep dive into what it means to be a HAWK – Honest, Accepting, Willing, and Kind-Hearted. As part of the activities, the school is asking for new socks that they will donate to families in need.

Read the image for outlined activities during HAWK Week, which runs from Monday, Oct. 26, through Friday, Oct. 30.

If you are new to District 103 or if your oldest child just started school at Half Day, this is a perfect opportunity to have Principal Jill Mau answer questions you may have about the school. Join us for an informal coffee with Mrs. Mau at 9:30 a.m. Friday, November 6, in the school's Loft. Please register for this PTO sponsored event through our Google Form. Tours of the school are not given during these events.

Half Day families are invited to join us for our outdoor Halloween Parade on Friday, Oct. 30.

• The Halloween Parade will begin at 9:15 a.m. Parents are invited to view the outdoor parade, which will take place on the grass field behind the school. (See parade map.) Parents, please do not arrive any earlier than 9:00 a.m. The parade will only occur with the weather's cooperation.
• All make-up and hairspray or hair coloring should be completed before school.
• Any item that is, OR could serve as, a weapon MUST be left at home.
• Masks are allowed, during the PARADE portion of our celebration!
• Please read the e-notice that went out about parking, costumes, and parties.
• In an effort to be inclusive for all of our students, we are excited to offer an alternate room for celebration for students who do not wish to participate in the Halloween themed activities. Please complete this Alternate Halloween Party Form to indicate your interest in having your child attend school, but not participate in the Halloween themed parade and parties.

Thank you to our extraordinary bus drivers and the rest of our transportation team, who ensure our D103 students make it to school and home safely! We extend our heartfelt appreciation on Bus Driver Appreciation Day, which District 103 recognizes on Oct. 22. Thank you to our drivers; you are appreciated for your dedication and for always going the extra mile for our students! The district operates and maintains a fleet of 31 buses and 2 vans that travel the district's nearly 12-mile radius.

School Bus Drivers' Appreciation Day coincides with National School Bus Safety Week, Oct. 19-23, which is dedicated to promoting school bus safety.

Here are a few bus safety rules that parents can review with their children:

On the Bus - Each student riding a bus is expected to:

• Remain seated at all times
• No food or drink
• Be nice
• Be safe

Waiting for the Bus:

• While waiting for the bus, stay in a safe place away from the street.
• Be alert to traffic. When you get on or off the bus, look left, right, left before you enter or cross the street.
• When you get on or off the bus, look for the bus safety lights and make sure they are flashing.
• If you must cross the street, wait for the driver to signal you when it’s safe to cross and to always cross in front of the bus.
• If something falls under or near the bus, tell the driver. NEVER crawl under the bus to try and pick it up yourself.
• Don't jump up or down, fight, bully or tease other passengers or make a lot of noise while riding the bus. These activities can distract the bus driver, and he or she won't be able to give proper attention to driving.

District 103 is offering a discount to families to purchase its retired iPads on Thursday, Oct. 29.

• The sale is being conducted by the district's partner company, Secured Tech Solutions, which is where families may view the iPads for sale.
• The 15% discount will be applied to one iPad only. District 103 will provide the discount code on Oct. 29.

Please be aware that all devices available for sale have been previously used, but they are fully supported with a 90-day warranty from Secured Tech Solutions. When looking at the options for iPads, I would not recommend any model older than the 9th generation iPad, because that is the oldest model that can still receive the newest operating system updates. The newer the iPad, the more longevity you will likely get from it.

There will be an option to choose different "grades" on the iPads, such as "Excellent," "Good," and "Proven." Their grades are based on cosmetic issues, not on functionality of the device.

Half Day School Nurse, Julia Jones, will be moving on to new nursing adventures, and her last day in our clinic will be Friday, Oct. 30. We are grateful for the care and dedication Mrs. Jones has shown our students and staff.

To help ensure a smooth transition, please check that your child’s medications and health forms are up to date before Friday, Oct. 30. This includes confirming that medications are not expired, doses and instructions are current, and any needed authorization forms are on file. If you need to make updates or have questions, please contact the clinic at 847-415-5806.

We wish Mrs. Jones well, and we thank you for your support and partnership during this transition.

Half Day students have the opportunity to participate in a statewide math contest sponsored by the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM). Our school will be competing against other Illinois schools. There are individual and team competitions. There are no off-site competitions for ICTM. Scores are submitted virtually after each contest.

• Contests will take place after school until 4:30 p.m. on select dates below.

3rd Grade (Wednesdays): 11/11, 12/9, 1/27, 2/10, 3/17, 4/7

4th Grade (Thursdays): 11/12, 12/10, 1/28, 2/11, 3/18, 4/8

5th Grade (Mondays): 11/9, 12/7, 1/25, 2/8, 3/15, 4/5

• Team competition promotes cooperation among students.
• Contest questions reflect what students learn in class through the Common Core State Standards.
• The fee is $25 and should be paid on the RevTrak Web Store.
• Registration closes on Thursday, Nov. 5, or when maximum capacity is reached. Late registrations cannot be accepted.
• If you have any questions, please contact Jaime Gagamov at jgagamov@d103.org, Jami Reed at jamireed@d103.org, or Becky Rendl at brendl@d103.org.
  

Looking for a fun reading challenge for your student? Try the Mensa Excellence in Reading Challenge!

• Loom Video for families
• MENSA Reading Challenge PDF

Half Day would like to honor veterans during a special student assembly on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 9:15 a.m. for their service. If you can attend please fill out the Veterans Google Form. As part of our ceremony, we would love to highlight this veteran with a photo of them from their time of service.

Join District 103 Sunday, Nov. 15, for a day of fun at a Chicago Wolves hockey game. Everyone will receive a free Chicago Wolves hat and be seated together in the same section. Our group name will also be on the LED boards during the game. Join us after the game for an autograph session from select Wolves players.

Purchase tickets today at d103pto.org

Our D103 PTO will set up a booth at the village's Boo Bash from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, and will need help overseeing tattoo stenciling. Come join us and help promote the PTO to our community!

All D103 families are welcome to join this Halloween event sponsored by the Village of Lincolnshire. For event information, please see the Village of Lincolnshire website.

Sign up to volunteer @ d103pto.org

We are excited to announce that Key Club is hosting its Annual Community-Wide Trunk-or-Treat Celebration on Friday, Oct. 30,, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at Adlai E. Stevenson High School (Lot C). Please join us at this event, a safe environment for children in our surrounding area to enjoy Halloween by dressing up and trick-or-treating from creatively decorated cars. There will also be entertaining games, music, snacks, and activities like face painting, fake Halloween tattoos, and a Halloween costume parade.

The Math Carnival is a family-focused community event hosted by the Stevenson Math Team.

For: Families with children in grades 3-5

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27

Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Cost: $0

Register: Please register for the event.

Location: Stevenson High School, West Building

Parking: Lot B off of Half-Day Road (Route 22), Lot E off of Port Clinton Road.

SHS is offering a Youth Patriettes Clinic for grades K-5! This clinic series is designed to introduce dancers to the technique, skills, and spirit of the Stevenson High School Patriettes through instruction from Stevenson dancers and coaches. Throughout the clinics, dancers will learn a variety of dance styles and a short routine that they will have the opportunity to perform at the Stevenson Dance Competition on Saturday, Dec. 12. Clinic starts 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, and meets four times. Register through the SHS Youth Patriettes website.

The Family Action Network at SHS is hosting author Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., in conversation with Nicholas Epley, Ph.D., at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at SHS. The evening will include opportunities for conversation and questions about Duckworth’s new book, Situated, an exploration of how the situations and environments around us shape who we become and what we are able to achieve. The event has been moved to virtual.

Register now for Vernon Area Public Library for adult AI classes.

• AI Safety & Ethics is Saturday, Oct. 24, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Beyond the Bots: A Tour of the AI Landscape, Sunday, Nov. 10, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Drop by the Vernon Area Public Library between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, for a fandom celebration! There will be activities for all ages, including gaming, crafts, STEM stations, cosplayers, storytime, and more. This year features special guests: award-winning comic book artist Gene Ha and Anne and Luke Horwath from LEGO Masters season 5. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. Get all the details at VAPLD.info/MiniComicCon.

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Principals

• Principal Jill Mau
• Assistant Principal Laura Delagrange
Reporting an Absence
• 847-634-1484
• Hd_attendance@d103.org