The Bears Blast
January 2026 - Howe Elementary School
We empower our students to learn, lead, and succeed as a connected community
Message from the Principal
Howe Families,
Happy New Year and welcome back to 2026! We hope you had a restful winter break filled with meaningful time together. We are excited to welcome students back and jump into learning for the new year.
This month, our Multilingual Learners will begin ACCESS testing, which is a required annual assessment. We are also wrapping up our Winter i-Ready Benchmark assessments and will be celebrating student growth as we review the progress students have made toward their spring goals.
Another exciting event coming up is our Annual Spelling Bee, which will take place on January 16, 2026. If your child has been selected to participate, their teacher will be reaching out soon with more information and ways you can support your child at home.
As we move through the long stretch of winter, we appreciate your continued support in helping students maintain strong routines, get plenty of rest, and arrive at school ready to learn each day.
Thank you for your partnership and support. We look forward to a great start to the new year!
In Partnership,
Chris Anderson
Principal, Howe Elementary
Social Links
Howe Health Office Notes
Spread of Seasonal Respiratory Illinesses
As students return from winter break, please remain vigilant for the spread of seasonal respiratory illnesses, especially influenza (flu).
The Lake County Health Department (LCHD) has noted that from Week 48 to Week 52 (November 23–December 27, 2025), there has been a continued increase in respiratory illness–related emergency department (ED) visits in Lake County, Illinois. Flu illness accounts for the largest proportion of ED visits compared to COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). On December 26, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported that flu activity has reached MODERATE levels.
Emergency Department Visit Rates (%) in Lake County, IL (2025–2026 Season)
Resources
Guidance for Infection Prevention and Control in K-12 Schools | CDC
Everyday Actions for Schools to Prevent and Control the Spread of Infections | CDC
Know the Difference: Is it a cold or flu or COVID-19? | IDPH
Ahora que los estudiantes regresan de las vacaciones de invierno, les rogamos que permanezcan atentos a la propagación de enfermedades respiratorias estacionales, especialmente la gripe.
El Departamento de Salud del Condado de Lake (LCHD) ha informado que, desde la semana 48 hasta la semana 52 (del 23 de noviembre al 27 de diciembre de 2025), se ha observado un aumento continuo en las visitas a los servicios de urgencias por enfermedades respiratorias en el condado de Lake, Illinois. La gripe representa la mayor proporción de estas visitas, en comparación con la COVID-19 y el virus respiratorio sincitial (VRS). El 26 de diciembre, el Departamento de Salud Pública de Illinois (IDPH) informó que la actividad gripal ha alcanzado niveles MODERADOS.
Tasas de visitas a urgencias (%) en el condado de Lake, Illinois (temporada 2025-2026)
Recursos
PBIS
PBIS at Howe Elementary
At Howe Elementary, we use PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) to build a safe, positive, and supportive learning environment where every child can grow and succeed.
PBIS is about teaching, modeling, and celebrating positive behaviors in every part of the school—so students know exactly what is expected and how to do their best.
Our Howe Expectations
At Howe, we focus on four simple expectations that guide student behavior in classrooms, hallways, playgrounds, and beyond:
⭐ Be Respectful – Treat others the way you want to be treated.
⭐ Be Responsible – Take care of your learning, your belongings, and our school.
⭐ Be Safe – Make choices that keep yourself and others safe.
⭐ Be Ready to Learn – Come prepared, stay focused, and give your best effort.
How PBIS Works at Howe
-
Teaching & Practicing – Students learn what expectations look like in all areas of the school, and staff model and practice them with students.
-
Recognizing Positive Behavior – Staff notice and celebrate when students demonstrate our four Howe expectations.
-
Support & Reteaching – If a student struggles, staff respond with consistency and support to help them learn from mistakes.
How Parents Can Support PBIS at Home
Families play a big role in reinforcing PBIS! Here are some easy ways to support your child:
✅ Remind your child of the Howe Expectations – Ask them what it looks like to be Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Ready to Learn at school.
✅ Practice at home – Have your child show you what each expectation looks like:
-
Respectful – using kind words at home, listening when someone else is talking.
-
Responsible – helping with chores, taking care of their belongings.
-
Safe – walking inside, wearing a seatbelt, following family safety rules.
-
Ready to Learn – packing their backpack, getting a good night’s sleep, and being on time for school.
✅ Connect school and home – Celebrate when your child shows these expectations at home, just like we do at Howe!
Our School Spirit Store is Open
Stay Connected through the Parent Portal
Parents,
Please utilize the Parent Portal to stay up to date with your child's progress. Grades, attendance, and other school communication can be found here. It is a valuable resource for our parents.
If you are not connected through your Parent Portal account in PowerSchool, you can always reach out to the main office with any questions. (847-599-5362)
Upcoming Dates
January
5 - Institute Day - no students
6 - School Improvement Day; Early Release 1:45 PM
8 - PTO meeting 5:30pm @ Howe
12 - Board Meeting 6:30pm @ BPMS
16 - Spelling Bee
19 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - no school
February
3 - School Improvement Day; Early Release 1:45 PM
Howe PTO
Happy New Year Howe Families,
We hope everyone had a wonderful winter break and is feeling refreshed as we kick off 2026.
The Penguin Patch Holiday Shop was a huge success! It brought so much joy to our students, and we want to thank you for making it possible.
Our next PTO meeting is scheduled for January 8th, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Currently, we are working out details for a restaurant fundraiser and finalizing plans for an upcoming assembly. We invite you to join us! Your input is valuable and we’d love to hear from you!
Thank you for your continued support
Howe PTO
Warren -Newport Public Library
News & Events
Help Us Warm Up Our Community The Workshop is hosting an ongoing community project to crochet or knit scarves for donation to PADS of Lake County. Stop by during open hours Monday-Thursday from 10AM-7PM. New and experienced crafters are welcome. The project starts Mon., Jan. 5 and goes to Fri., Feb. 27.
Get cozy this winter with the Wondrous Winter Reading Challenge! From Mon., Dec. 15 to Mon., Jan. 26, 2026, you can join the challenge on the Beanstack app. Complete 5 activities in a row to earn a BINGO!
The biggest phase begins mid-February 2026 with renovations to Coco’s Cove and updates throughout the building. Construction should wrap up by June 2026. We're planning carefully to ensure essential services remain accessible.
Something for Everyone
Teens can join us on Tues., Jan. 6 at 3:30PM in The Flex for a new drop-in activity. Come hang out, unwind, and get creative with a fun craft.
Be My Neighbor invites you to see your community through a new lens on Thurs., Jan. 8 at 7PM. Celebrate the opening of this photography exhibit featuring portraits of people from the Gurnee community and meet photographer Anna Rasmussen in person.
Bring your preschooler on Tues., Jan. 13 at 2PM to explore different artistic styles and flex their creativity. Please wear clothes that can get messy. For ages 3-5 with a caregiver. Registration is required using the child’s name.
Settle in for a chilling true crime podcast episode with hot chocolate and themed coloring pages on Tues., Jan. 13 at 6PM. Afterward, join the conversation as we discuss the case, share theories, and talk about what caught us off guard.
Join NAMI Lake County on Tues., Jan. 13 at 7PM for a free monthly support group for parents and loved ones. Share experiences, find hope, and connect in a safe and confidential space.
Ease into the new year with a calming hour focused on mindful movement and gentle stretching on Sat., Jan. 17 at 2PM. This guided session invites you to slow down and reconnect with your body. Bring a yoga mat and enjoy a peaceful afternoon.
January book discussions are here! Copies of the book are available for pick up at the Information Desk one month before each discussion date.
Calling all storytellers and poets! The 33rd Annual Friends of WNPL Creative Writing Contest runs from Mon., Dec. 1-Sun., March 1, 2026! Open to Grades 3-8, high schoolers, and adults. Showcase your creativity in short story or poetry categories.
Find out about fun library programs and more in the Inside Angle newsletter!
A wealth of entertainment and information is available anywhere and anytime with a WNPL card.
Community Corner Saturday, January 10, 10:30AM - 1PM Winter is here, and it is time to celebrate the Gurnee Park District’s annual Frosty Fest. Bundle up and enjoy Viking Park as a winter wonderland with outdoor sleigh rides, games, crafts, and more. Warm up afterward with a hot cocoa bar in the Dance Hall and enjoy s’mores by the fire. This free event is fun for all ages.
Viking Park
4374 Old Grand Ave., Gurnee, IL
Referral GPS
Come to School Everyday!
TRUANCY RATES
Attendance Challenge
Howe Families,
A child's attendance at school has one of the largest impacts on their development for so many reasons. First, we are teaching them the importance of an education by making it a priority to attend daily. We teach them routines that they will carry through life, such as being punctual, present and focused on a purpose. Also, looking at our district's trends, attendance has become an area of concern and focus, as we have had a large increase in absences since recovering from schools being closed down. The truth is that we have to recover from this trend and make school a priority again. Below is a comparison of the percentage of students who are Truant as compared to the state average. Truancy is defined as the problem or situation of children being absent from school regularly without permission. (Cambridge) The numbers in the chart mean the following, based on our current student count of 375 students. If we have a truancy rate of 30%, that equates to saying that over 113 students attending Howe school have been absent a minimum of 9 school days. That is 1,017 school days missed (113 X 9). That is 6,610.5 hours of instruction (1,017 X 6.5). When students return after just one day of being absent, we know that it can be hard to catch up and not get frustrated because they missed the day before. We need our students in class to receive all of the support that we have prepared so that they grow as much as they can each day.
At the end of the year, we are required to submit all absences to the state, regardless of being excused, or not. Our goal is to reduce the number of students who are absent from school. This does not mean that we want, or expect students to attend students if they are ill.
As you can see from the chart above, we focused on this last year and saw a significant decrease in our truancy rates. I challenge our community to continue to improve and beat the state percentage this year.
Students will be recognized for Perfect Attendance during each of our monthly celebrations.
If a student is tardy after 9:30 am, or misses a day due to a medically excused absence, they will not be included in the monthly perfect attendance. In order to meet our criteria for Perfect Attendance, students must be in-person at school.
Reminders for what you can do at home to help with having students ready to come to school and learn each day is to start with creating regular routines for bedtimes. Help them turn screens off an hour before their bedtime so that their bodies unwind and are ready for rest. Get them up at a regular time and make sure you feed them breakfast, or that they participate in getting breakfast at school each day.
Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education.
Howe Schedule
Daily Schedule:
Students enter: 8:55-9:05 AM
School Day begins: 9:05 AM
School Day ends: 3:45 PM
SIP Day Schedule (Early Release; The first Tuesday of every month):
Students enter: 8:55-9:05 AM
School :Day begins 9:05 AM
School Day ends: 1:45 PM
Reminder about making adjustments to your child's transportation.
Parents/Guardians must call the office BEFORE 3:00 PM if you are planning to pick your child up and they normally take the bus. There are a lot of moving parts at the end of the day and this must be arranged ahead of time. If you show up at the end of the day and ask to take your child home, we cannot pull students from the bus because it causes major delays in our end of the day systems which will not be permitted. They will be sent home on the bus. We appreciate your support in helping us get our students home safely.
Early Release Days (1st Tuesday of Each Month); School Improvement Days
Each month, the district has an early release day for our buildings. This means that at Howe, we dismiss 2 hours earlier at 1:45 PM. When our students leave, our teachers receive Professional Development to look at teaching practices and review building data.
During the school day, we change things up completely for our students. We focus on community and team up with Buddy Classrooms where our students can meet new friends and learn with other teachers. We start the day off by having a full-school assembly to review expectations, discuss our progress and celebrate all that is going well in our school. For the rest of the day, they have opportunities to do many activities, which include buddy reading, math games, SEL activities, Team Building, and Specials. They even eat lunch and have recess together. It is a chance for them to do something different and to do it with others.
Please help with everyone's safety
Parents/Guardians,
We have received reports from our bus drivers and the church that we have some families parking in the church parking lot and walking across to pick up their child(ren) during dismissal. This has caused some alarm from drivers not being able to see pedestrians when they are crossing between the buses. Please be sure not to cross in between any buses and only use crosswalks around the building to access the building.
School Designation
Update to our School Designation for this year. We have moved from being Commendable to Targeted due to our subgroup for Children with Disabilities (CWD). We will be looking into this data with our local learning partner, the Regional Office of Education to see what caused this shift and to determine next steps. You can see the comparison between this year and last by comparing the visuals. This information comes directly from the School Report Card.
