News from District 153

The annual Illinois School Report Card from the Illinois State Board of Education was released today. (See the link below.) Our School Report Card shows information about student achievement and growth in our schools. It also shows information about our enrollment, demographics, student attendance, and district finances.

We are proud that we continue to see improved student achievement in Reading, Math, and Science, and we continue to see our students growing at or above the state average. This year, Willow and James Hart have received a “summative designation” of “Commendable”. Churchill School has been designated as “Approaching Exemplary.

We are also happy that our Illinois School Report Card shows a decreasing Chronic Absenteeism rate and an increasing Attendance rate! We want to thank you for helping us keep our students in school each day.

We believe in serving the whole child by nurturing students’ Intellectual Growth, Creative Expression, Social and Emotional Well-being, and Physical and Mental Health. The School Report Card only gives a small snapshot of what we do in Homewood School District 153. While there is always more work to do, we are extremely proud of our students, staff members, families, and community for their achievements.

Save the Date!

James Hart School will be honoring veterans in our community with a Veteran’s Day Celebration on November 11 beginning at 8:30AM with a Flag Raising Ceremony followed by a School Assembly and Veterans’ Breakfast beginning at 9:00AM. All veterans are invited to join us. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Dr. Teresa Hill

Superintendent of Schools

All children can learn . . . Period.

Willow, Churchill and James Hart parents and guardians are encouraged to attend this special workshop on Thursday, Nov. 5th to learn more about your student's test scores.

The Little Red Donut Truck is coming back. Join us on November 5th for Donuts and Cider.

Join the PTA today! Get involved, stay connected and mark your calendars. We would love to have you join us. Scan the QR code to get started.

Join the Parent Music Association. Visit www.homewoodpma.org.

Students and staff enjoyed crafts, games, and even dance parties at Churchill School on Halloween!

Willow school had it's annual Halloween parade. The students were all dressed up in their many costumes. It was great to see the families out to support as well.

Congratulations to our James Hart Music students that were selected by audition for the 2026 Illinois Music Education Association District 1 Festival! Selection to a ILMEA ensemble is an impressive achievement for any musician. We are so proud of these students who will represent HSD 153 at their festivals in November!

It's still early in the school year, but our music department has kicked off its concert schedule with Oct. 22nd Fall Choir Concert.

Coming Soon:

Fall Band Concert, Nov. 10th, 7:00PM.

The Village of Homewood Police Department wants you to have a safe Halloween on Saturday, October 31! Please remember the trick-or-treat hours are from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m.

Take a look at the Homewood Public Library events for November.

Churchill had an amazing Hispanic Heritage Program. Enjoy some of the pictures of the festivities.

Homewood 153 is celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness month with Pink Out Day!

Churchill brings awareness to bullying this month.

Wednesday, November 11th is Veterans Day, a day set aside to recognize and thank those who have served our country. While many school districts and businesses close as part of this recognition, District 153 schools stay open as an opportunity to educate our students and publicly recognize many of the veterans and others who have or are serving our country from our community.

Once again, we will host our annual Veterans Day Celebration on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 at James Hart School. If you are a veteran, active-duty, reservist, or National Guard member, we cordially invite you to join us for the festivities and breakfast as a token of our gratitude for your service.

RSVP HERE, by November 4th.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/xkFFm8ngcu

You can help us get the word out by sharing this invitation with friends, family, and neighbors who are service members.

Come one, come all to our Fall Musical. The school store will be open for ticket purchases on November 9th. You can also purchase them at the James Hart office.

Nov. 9: School Board Meeting, 6:30 PM *Please note earlier start time."

Nov. 23rd- 24th: No School for Parent/Teacher Conferences

Nov 25th- 27th- Thanksgiving Holiday- No School