The Connection Corner
Your Whole Child Hub
Welcome to your "Whole Child Hub"!
Is it bullying or peer conflict?
What is the difference between bullying and peer conflict?
When parents reach out to teachers and administrators stating that their child is being bullied. we refer to Board Policy 7:180 - Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment.
Bullying is:
Board Policy 7:180 incorporates the definition of bullying from the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/27-23.7), which defines bullying as any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:
placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student or student’s person or property;
causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s or students' physical or mental health;
substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ academic performance; or
substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by the school.
Key Words to Notice:
Severe (serious, significant)
Pervasive (widespread or ongoing)
Substantially interfering (impacting learning or participation in a major way)
👉 It does not have to be repeated if the behavior is severe enough.
Peer conflict is:
• A disagreement, argument, or misunderstanding between students
• Not severe or pervasive
• Not causing substantial harm or interference
• A situation where both students may share responsibility
Peer conflict:
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Can feel upsetting
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Is usually situational
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Can often be resolved with adult coaching and problem-solving
Peer conflict is a normal part of growing up. Siblings, classmates, and friends won’t always agree, and disagreements can actually help children learn important social skills. When handled well, these moments teach problem-solving, empathy, and communication, which are skills your child will use for life.
Tips for Parents:
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Stay calm and listen first. Let your child describe what happened without interrupting.
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Ask guiding questions instead of solving the problem for them:
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“What do you think led to this disagreement?”
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“How do you think the other person felt?”
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“What could you try next time?”
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Encourage problem-solving. Help your child brainstorm fair solutions and make a plan together.
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Model empathy and respectful communication. Show your child how to express feelings and negotiate calmly.
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Know when to step in. If the conflict escalates to threats, fear, or repeated harm, involve the school.
Remember: Not every fight or disagreement is bullying. Peer conflict is a chance to build resilience and social skills in a safe, supported way.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey gives parents an important opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives. Parent feedback helps schools understand what’s working well and where we can continue to grow in supporting students’ learning, well-being, and school climate. The survey is anonymous, takes about 10 minutes to complete, and plays a meaningful role in school improvement planning. Thank you for partnering with us by participating.
Take the Survey Here:
Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/
High School Volunteers
SRO Casey Bergschneider
Our Theme
Family Liaison!
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.
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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