Principal Newsletter | August 30

Dear Hamilton Families,

This past week, we conducted our first "Rigor Walk" of the school year. Leadership from our Network joined Hamilton administration and teachers to visit classrooms, using an observation tool that highlights effective teaching practices and helps us track our continuous growth. As shown in the photo below, our students were deeply engaged in text-based discussions alongside our co-teaching models in action—practices we deeply value.

Progress reports were sent home on Thursday. If your child’s report hasn't made it home yet, you can expect to see it on Monday, or you can access it anytime via ASPEN. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

We also held our first fire drill of the year this week, and our students did a fantastic job exiting the building quickly and quietly so they could hear and follow directions. Additionally, thank you to those who attended our September LSC meeting on Wednesday; you can view the Principal's Report linked below.

Though it was a short four-day week, it was packed with energy! Read below to catch up on our international Bike Bus visit, our new gymnasium padding and scoreboard, and much more.

Goooooo Patriots!

Kristin

Dr. Kristin Blathras, Principal

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 9th! The Walkathon is one of our biggest school events of the year—a day full of community spirit, walks, and celebration. Every single Hamilton student gets to participate in the fun! Check out full event details or help us reach our fundraising goal using the buttons below.

The Netherlands is widely recognized as the world leader in bicycle safety and infrastructure, so having Dutch leaders ride with us was an incredible honor! This past Wednesday, Consul General Eric Strating and the team from the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands joined over 100 Hamilton students and parents on our morning Bike Bus.

The Consul General praised Hamilton for prioritizing bicycle safety education early on, chatting with initiator Rebecca Resman and Principal Dr. Blathras about how neighborhood schools can lead the way toward safer, healthier transit. We are so proud of our Hamilton community for setting a model of bike safety that reaches far beyond Lakeview!

Join us for our next Principal’s Coffee as we focus on Creating a Safe & Welcoming Space across our campus. We are pleased to welcome Marcel Smith, Lead Safety & Security Manager from CW Safety and Security, for a positive, informative look at everyday safety measures, arrival routines, and campus care in CPS schools.We want to ensure the session covers what matters most to you. Please take 3 minutes to fill out our quick parent survey below to share your questions and priorities ahead of time!

All 5th–8th grade student-athletes at Hamilton have a $70 athletics fee. You can conveniently pay online through ASPEN by navigating to the Fees tab, selecting the outstanding fee, and clicking Pay Online to process payment via ePay. Please review the cost breakdown below to see how these funds are used to support our teams:

We Got Game Schedules:

The current Flag Football and Girls Volleyball schedules are available on TeamSideline:

Current game locations, addresses, and field information are available on TeamSideline:

We are excited to share a wonderful new initiative from Ms. Beasley that truly embodies our school vision: "Hamilton Elementary cultivates high-achieving, compassionate learners who use critical thinking and artistic expression to enrich their community."

This fall, our Pre-K through 8th-grade music students are taking their learning beyond the stage and into a nearby senior living community. Students will visit assisted living and memory care residents to perform and sit side-by-side with them, teaching them how to play lightweight, note-marked keyboards and adapted guitars. Music holds a unique power for individuals in memory care, and this project gives our students a chance to build meaningful connections as gentle mentors across generations.

Click below to read more about this inspiring project and see what our music students are up to!

It is always inspiring to watch our former Hamilton students continue to shine in the performing arts! Lucas, a proud Hamilton alum, reached out to invite the "Ham Fam" to Amundsen High School’s upcoming fall production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. Many of the high schoolers in the cast discovered their passion for theatre right here on the Hamilton stage!

• Dates: Friday, October 16 & Saturday, October 17

• Showtimes: 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM (both days)

• Audience Note: Recommended for ages 12+ due to mature/darker themes.

(Bonus news: Amundsen’s winter musical will be Cabaret!)

Come out to support our former Hamilton students and experience a fantastic show. Scan the QR code on the flyer or stay tuned for ticket details!

August Principal Report

September Principal Report

The ASPEN Parent Portal is your primary hub for managing school administration, viewing grades, and staying connected:

• Reporting Absences (E-Absence): When your child is going to be absent, please submit the absence directly through ASPEN. Simply open the Forms tab and click the (+) icon to submit an E-Absence report.

• SEPT 28-30 | Vision & Hearing Screening

• OCT 1-2 | 7th Grade Overnight Camp Duncan Trip

• OCT 9 | Walk A Thon

• OCT 12 | No School - Indigenous Peoples' Day

• OCT 20 | Picture Retakes
  

• OCT 23 | Q1 Ends

• OCT 24 | Boo Bash

* Friday, Nov 6th | Tribute to American Artists Show - 4pm-6pm