Hooper Happenings
March 6, 2026
LEARN LEAD SERVE
Achieve excellence by empowering independent problem-solvers who are empathetic and respectful.
Leader in Me Habit #7 Sharpen the Saw
Sharpen the Saw means taking care of your body, brain, heart, and spirit so you can be your best. When we balance rest, learning, exercise, and relationships, we stay healthy, happy, and ready to grow.
Everyday Applications
Take Care of Your Body
Encourage healthy habits like getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods, and staying active.
Example: “Let’s take a walk or stretch together after dinner.”Grow Your Mind
Make time for reading, learning new skills, and asking questions.Care for Your Heart
Spend time together as a family, talk about feelings, and practice kindness.Take Time to Recharge
Everyone needs breaks. Quiet time, hobbies, and relaxation help us feel refreshed.
Quick Family Activities
Family Movement Break
Take a walk, ride bikes, or play outside together.Family Reading Time
Set aside 15–20 minutes for everyone in the family to read.Gratitude Share
At dinner or bedtime, each person shares one thing they are thankful for.Learn Something New
Try a new recipe, puzzle, craft, or creative project together.Unplug Time
Choose a time when everyone puts away screens and spends time talking or playing games.
Leader in Me: Habit 7 – Sharpen the Saw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5d0CY48fvs
Other helpful videos families can search for:
Leader in Me Habit 7 student videos
Sesame Street videos about healthy habits and self-care
Recommended Books
The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey
Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Malala's Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed
Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts by Susan Cain
Conversation Starters
What is something you did today to take care of your body?
What is something new you learned this week?
What helps you feel calm and refreshed?
What is something our family can do together to recharge?
The key is balance:
When families take time to care for their bodies, minds, hearts, and relationships, everyone feels refreshed and ready to do their best.
5 Essential Survey
Help Us Reach Our Goal: We are at 17% we are so close to 20%!
Share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness,.
2026 Illinois Supplemental Parent Survey
Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/
B.J. Hooper parents have the opportunity to participate in the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent/guardian, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school.
Parent Input Survey
Due by March 20
As we begin planning for the upcoming school year, it is time to complete the Parent Input Survey for Student Placement. Your feedback is an important part of our placement process, as it helps us better understand your child’s strengths, learning style, and any considerations that will support their success. The form is located here and is due to the office no later than Friday, March 20th.
“Red, White, and Blue: What America Means to You.”
In honor of America 250, the Village of Lindenhurst is excited to host a community-wide art contest celebrating patriotic and national history themes—and we invite your students to participate.
This year’s creative prompt is:
“Red, White, and Blue: What America Means to You.”
Participants are encouraged to illustrate their personal vision of America—its values, history, symbols, landscapes, and people.
Contest Highlights:
- Open to students of all grade levels
- Artwork submitted on 8.5" x 11" paper or digital format
- Submissions may be submitted digitally at www.lindenhurstil.org/250artcontest or physically at Village Hall, 2301 E. Sand Lake Road, Lindenhurst, IL 60046. Each entry must include:
- Participant’s name
- Age or grade level
- Contact information (parent/guardian for minors)
- Entries grouped by age category, with multiple winners recognized
- Community-wide voting for a “Community Choice Winner”
- Winning designs printed as outdoor banners displayed at Village Hall
- Winners will be recognized publicly through Village communication channels and at a Village Board meeting
IAR - 3rd-5th Grade
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) gives students in grades 3–5 an opportunity to demonstrate what they know and are able to do in English Language Arts and Mathematics. The assessment also provides important information about students’ readiness for future academic success.
The IAR assessment will be administered on the computer in mid-March and will consist of five total tests (3 Math & 2 ELA). In English Language Arts, students will focus on reading and writing skills, including analyzing texts and writing effectively in response to what they read. In Mathematics, students will apply skills and concepts, solve multi-step problems, think abstractly, and model real-world situations using appropriate strategies and tools.
Across both subject areas, students will show their learning by answering selected-response and fill-in-the-blank questions that reflect the skills taught throughout the school year. Additional information will be coming home in the form of a letter to the parents of students in grades 3-5.
March 9-10 ELA
March 17-19 Math
Let's give 100% and have 100% Attendance
Students will need headphones.
Valuables
We have noticed an increase in student valuables being brought to school. While we appreciate students wanting to share their prized possessions, these items are beginning to interrupt the learning environment.
As a reminder, if any valuable items must come to school, they should be stored in students' backpacks within their lockers.
Thank you for your continued support.
Standards Based Grading
Want to know more about Standards Based Grading. Check out District 41's Website for more information.
A Note from the Health Office
Illinois law requires students in Kindergarten, 2nd, 6th, and 9th grades to have a dental exam performed by a licensed dentist. The Proof of School Dental Examination form must be submitted to the school by May 15th of the school year. Failure to submit this documentation can result in schools withholding a student's report card.
Shorewood Family Dental Care +2
Key Requirements & Details:
- Grade Levels: Kindergarten, 2nd, 6th, and 9th grades.
- Deadline: May 15th of the current school year.
- Provider: A licensed dentist must complete and sign the form.
- Exam Validity: The exam must have been completed within 18 months prior to the May 15th deadline.
- Exemptions: Children who show proof of a scheduled exam within 60 days of May 15th may be granted an extension. Waivers exist for families with free/reduced lunch, Medicaid, or lack of access to dental care.
Manus Dental +3
For students who do not submit the required documentation by the deadline, schools are authorized to withhold report cards.
Leader in Me Monthly Student Recognition 2025-2026
Congratulations to our February Leader in Me award winners! This month, we are celebrating students who consistently Serve by example.
Habit 1: Be Proactive – They don’t wait to be asked; they see a need (like a lonely peer or a messy hallway) and take initiative to help.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind – They understand that their actions today build a better school culture for everyone tomorrow.
Habit 4: Think Win-Win – They look for solutions that benefit the whole group, ensuring that service isn't just about them, but about lifting others up.
Habit 6: Synergize – They work effectively with different groups of people, valuing diverse strengths to achieve a common goal.
We are so proud of the initiative and integrity you’ve shown this winter. Keep leading the way
Securly Home App
The "Securly Home" app provides parents with a suite of features to monitor and manage their student's online activity on school-issued devices when they are at home. To get started, check your inbox for an email containing app login information from Securly.
Check out more information on Securly on our website.
Music Concert Dates
Be sure to mark your calendars for the 2025-2026 school music concerts!!!
April 9th 1st- Grade
April 23rd- Kindergarten
All Hooper concerts will start at 6:00 PM. We will have 1 concert per night. Livestream can be found on our website here.
Celebrating All Things Hooper
Let's Celebrate All Things Hooper!
Looking to support your student?
- The Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival Online Puzzles
- Math Fact Fluency (Bay-Williams & Kling, 2019 Companion Website
- Michigan Math Essentials Early Math Games
- Investigations in Number, Data, and Space Game Websites (Grades K-5)
Accessing the Family Support Hub:
Handbook
Please take a moment to review the Lake Villa 41 Parent/Guardian Student Handbook, linked below. Important information about school policies and procedures can be found inside.
Click here for a copy!
Report a Concern
We are committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment. The Report a Concern form offers students and parents a confidential way to report any issues or concerns. Submissions are reviewed by the appropriate school staff, who will investigate and respond as needed.
This process helps ensure all reports are taken seriously, documented properly, and addressed promptly. It also allows the school to identify behavior patterns and take preventive action when necessary.
Inclement Weather Information
District 41 puts students and staff first. Our goal is always to have students at school, when we can do so safely. Therefore, the district considers several factors when determining whether to close schools due to extreme weather, including data provided by the National Weather Service, including the temperature, windchill, and warnings. Although we strive each and every time to make the best decision regarding in-person or remote learning, oftentimes, no perfect decision exists. If school is not canceled and a parent and/or guardian feels their child is safer at home, they may reserve the right to keep them home. Keeping a child home due to weather will be recorded as an excused absence on the student's record as long as the parent and/or guardian report the absence to the school. Additionally, parents/guardians may choose to drop off/pick up their child from school.
The following are some criteria that are used when making school closure decisions. Invariably, there will be situations that do not fit into these guidelines, in which case the administration will do its best to provide cancellation information to families as soon as possible.
COLD DAYS - The National Weather Service predicts wind chills below -30 degrees, with other conditions considered.
SNOW DAYS - Heavy snow or icy conditions overnight or that worsen during the day.
E-LEARNING DAYS - An E-Learning Day may be an alternative to being fully closed. These days do not need to be made up at the end of the year. Students and staff would be notified before the end of the preceding day to bring their Chromebooks home. The e-Learning Plan is available on the District website under ‘Parents and Guardians Resources.’
Other Considerations
Multiple conditions that may include blowing snow, winds greater than 20 mph, heavy snow accumulations during travel times, hazardous driving conditions, ice accumulation, the ability of buses to start due to extreme cold, and power or phone outages.
A district-wide alert will be sent out via phone and email as early as possible. Parents can also check the district’s website. If schools are open due to weather, parents may keep a child home. They will be marked as excused.
If schools are closed...
District 41 Administration will do its best to provide cancellation information to families as soon as possible. District 41 will notify parents by 1:00 PM the previous school day of an e-Learning Day due to extreme weather. Parents will be notified with a target by 5:30 AM if schools need to close entirely for the day. The district makes every effort to inform parents as soon as possible. If schools are closed for the day, all after-school activities in the district, including sports and evening events, will be canceled unless otherwise communicated.
If schools are not closed…
If school is not canceled and a parent and/or guardian feels their child is safer at home, they may reserve the right to keep them home. Keeping a child home due to weather will be recorded as an excused absence on the student's record as long as the parent and/or guardian report the absence to the school in a timely manner. If school is already in session and conditions begin to worsen, the district will decide by 1:00 PM whether after-school activities will be canceled for that afternoon.
How is the decision to cancel school made?
Superintendents from area districts start communicating with each other as soon as the weather reports start to look threatening. District 41 collaborates with the Millburn, Emmons, Grass Lake, Lakes High School, Woodland, Grayslake Elementary, Grayslake High School, Gavin, Big Hollow, Fox Lake, and Grant High School superintendents. The superintendents generally attempt to reach a consensus on school closures. When area school districts make various decisions, the full District 41 administrative team finalizes the decision.
Calendar of Upcoming Events for the 2025-2026 School Year
March 6 - Second Trimester Report Cards Available
March 9-10 ELA 3rd- 5th Grade
March 12- Parent Teacher Conferences
March 13- No School-Non Attendance Day
March 16- Board of Education Meeting 7 PM @ Palombi Middle School
March 17- PTO Meeting 6:30 PM @ Lake Villa Public Library
March 17-19 Math 3rd- 5th Grade
March 23-27- No School- Spring Break
Check out our website calendar for all the dates.