The Connection Corner
Your Whole Child Hub
Welcome to your "Whole Child Hub"!
Educate and Empower Parent/Guardian Education Event!
Save the Date: A Powerful Parent Education Event – November 6
Hawthorn is proud to partner with the Stevenson High School consortium of feeder schools to host a special community event featuring Dr. Doug Bolton, author of Untethered: Creating Communities to Help Our Kids Feel More Connected, Less Anxious, and More Grounded.
📅 Date: Wednesday, November 6
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: West Auditorium, Stevenson High School
This evening will focus on how a student's community impacts wellness and academic success. All parents, guardians, and caregivers are welcome!
Erin's Law
Erin’s Law Be Seen and Heard Parent Event: November 18 In response to Erin’s Law (House Bill 6193), which requires all public schools to implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program, Hawthorn District 73 is hosting the Be Seen and Heard© assembly program for all elementary students during the week of December 1, 2025. This assembly is designed to create an age-appropriate, safe, and engaging environment in which students learn the difference between safe and unsafe touch, and the importance of having trusted heroes. Please review this letter for additional details about the Be Seen and Heard© program. Are you interested in learning more about the Be Seen and Heard© program? Hawthorn District 73 and the Hawthorn PTO invite parents from all District 73 elementary schools to attend an informational meeting prior to our student assembly programs. Please join us via Google Meet on Tuesday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m. to meet with our Be Seen and Heard© program presenter, ask questions, or inquire about additional resources. Many thanks are extended to the Hawthorn PTO for their partnership in hosting this special parent event!
Building Resiliency in Middle School
November 20 Lunch and Learn with TouchStone Therapy
Building Resilience in Middle School
Middle school can be a time of big emotions and growing independence. In this session, Hillary Davis will share strategies from the SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) framework to help parents and caregivers understand and respond to anxiety in supportive ways. Learn how to help your child tolerate discomfort, build confidence, and develop the resilience needed to thrive during these formative years.
💛 Emotional Wellness: The Power of "AND"
Children sometimes think they have to choose between feelings and behavior — but both can exist at the same time. It helps to teach kids “the power of AND.” For example:
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You can be mad and you cannot hit.
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You can be frustrated and still use kind words.
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You can feel nervous and give it a try.
This simple idea helps children understand that all feelings are okay, but not all behaviors are. When parents use “and” statements, it shows kids how to accept their emotions while still making positive choices. Try modeling this at home by saying things like, “I feel stressed and I’m going to take a deep breath.” Over time, this builds emotional awareness and self-control.
🌟 Behavioral Wellness: Setting Limits with Care
Children feel safe when adults set clear and loving limits. Limits teach kids what is expected and help them learn self-control and responsibility. You can be kind and firm at the same time. When setting limits, try using calm, clear statements such as:
“I know you’re upset, and it’s not okay to yell at me.”
“You really want to keep playing, but it’s time to turn off the tablet.”
“You can be mad, and you still need to use kind words.”
“You don’t have to like my decision, my job is to keep you safe.”
“You can feel disappointed, but we’re not buying a toy today.”
Children learn best when adults follow through calmly and consistently.
Clear boundaries let children know that adults are in charge of keeping them safe, even when they’re upset or making a mistake.
Whole Child Wellness Committee Meeting
Snowflake Day!
8th Graders Attend Navig8 Lake County Job Exploration Fair
ReferralGPS: Connecting Families to Mental Health Resources
- Searchable Database: Offers a database of treatment options for easy access.
- Care Navigation: Provides services to support families in triage, appointment scheduling, and follow-up care.
- Inclusive Insurance Coverage: The service is compatible with all types of private and public insurance, including PPO, HMO, Medicaid, and it caters to uninsured or underinsured families.
- No-Cost Access: Available free of charge for use by district students, staff, and families.
- Confidentiality Assured: Rest assured that all information entered into the ReferralGPS tool is kept completely confidential and securely stored.
The Connection Corner Archives
Social Workers
Our students benefit from access to school social work services. Our social workers provide ongoing support in several ways. They collaborate regularly with grade-level teams to promote a positive school climate for all students, and help support staff in using instructional practices that support social-emotional learning across all subjects. Our social workers may also lead class lessons or work in small groups with students to provide more targeted support.
District Social Workers:
Meghan Frazier - Lincoln School - frazierm@hawthorn73.org
Rhonda Malina - Hawthorn School for Young Learners - malinar@hawthorn73.org
Sydney Pacernick - Elementary North/Aspen - pacernicks@hawthorn73.org
Anna Bach - Aspen -bacha@hawthorn73.org
Ashley Zarinana - Dual Language - zarinanaa@hawthorn73.org
Kathleen Falotico - Townline - faloticok@hawthorn73.org
Grace Haggerty - Townline-Dual - haggertyg@hawthorn73.org
Paul Mazzetta - Elementary North - mazzettap@hawthorn73.org
Connie Travis - Elementary North - travisc@hawthorn73.org
Nesrin Unlu - Elementary South - unlun@hawthorn73.org
Brittany Langton - Elementary South - langtonb@hawthorn73.org
Lauren Brownstein - Middle School South - brownsteinl@hawthorn73.org
Amunn Jaffery - Middle School South - jafferya@hawthorn73.org
Jaime Medbery - Middle School South - medberyj@hawthorn73.org
Brian Van - Middle School North - vanb@hawthorn73.org
Kelli Cordes - Middle School North - cordesk@hawthorn73.org
Scarlett Davalos - Middle School North - davaloss@hawthorn73.org
Connect with ME!
Megan Goldman
Director of Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Learning
847-990-4269
Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @D73SOARS
Check out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj-L3MVWzHT7xxgWytCWmYA