D73 Digest

As winter weather begins, Hawthorn District 73 is reminding families of our severe weather procedures. The district closely monitors National Weather Service advisories and coordinates with neighboring districts when making decisions about school closures or schedule changes. If school is canceled, families and staff will be notified by phone, email and text by 6:30 a.m. If an early release is necessary, Hawthorn will follow the Wednesday early release schedule and dismiss students 45 minutes early.

Don’t miss important messages from Hawthorn

We've noticed MANY families are not receiving emails or text alerts due to full inboxes or not being opted in. To ensure you stay informed, please follow the steps below to update your contact preferences for Hawthorn District 73’s mass communication system:

• Text Messages: To receive text alerts, text “Yes” to 79041 from your cell phone (must be listed in PowerSchool).
• Emails: Add no-reply@hawthorn73.org to your contacts or safe senders list to prevent messages from going to spam.
• Phone Calls: Save 847-973-5958 in your contacts as "Hawthorn District 73" so you recognize important calls and they don’t show up as spam.

These simple steps help ensure you receive timely updates, emergency alerts, and key information throughout the school year. Thank you for staying connected!

Come out and support your school at McTeacher Night from 4-7 pm! Join us for a fun evening of food, family, and familiar faces as our Hawthorn teachers and staff trade their classrooms for McDonald's! Bring your family, grab a meal, and help support your school! We can't wait to see our Hawthorn families come together for another successful year of McTeacher Nights! ❤️💛

In collaboration with Stevenson High School and other local feeder schools, Hawthorn District 73 invites parents and guardians to The Algorithm Knows: The Hidden Influences Shaping Today’s Teens, featuring Dr. Devorah Heitner on November 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the Omni in Buffalo Grove or virtually via Zoom. Parents and guardians will gain insight into what is happening behind the screen and how to support their teens’ well-being in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Join us for this important conversation and bring your questions about raising kids in a digital age!

Hawthorn’s Race to Restock is back! From November 2–20, our schools are competing to help restock The Nest and support Hawthorn families throughout the holiday season and beyond.

Families can participate by donating requested food and household items or making a monetary contribution. Who will take home this year’s trophy? Aspen claimed the title last year, but the race is officially on!

As we prepare for the holiday season, we need ALL the support we can get! With a third of our students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, our district food pantry continues to be an important resource for Hawthorn families.

Families may have experienced more frequent delays on morning and afternoon bus routes recently. We are working closely with First Student to improve service and restore more consistent, timely transportation.

First Student has shared that high driver turnover has contributed to the recent delays and anticipates additional drivers becoming available soon. We will continue monitoring route performance and working with First Student to address concerns.

• 🥣 November 6: Bowls of Fun

• 🌮 November 20: Nacho Fiesta

• 🍒 November 23: Crazy for Cranberries

• 🦃 November 23: Thankful & Grateful

The Hawthorn District 73 Board of Education met on October 15. Highlights included updates on district operations and facilities, the FY26 financial audit, summer 2027 facility projects and approval to apply for the FY27 School Maintenance Project Grant.

• November 12, 2026
• December 16, 2026 (Wednesday)
• January 14, 2027
• February 4, 2027
• February 18, 2027
• March 17, 2027 (Wednesday)
• April 15, 2027
• May 13, 2027 (Originally May 20)
• June 17, 2027

Are you interested in learning more about the Be Seen and Heard© program? Hawthorn District 73 and the Hawthorn PTO invite parents from all District 73 preschool and elementary schools to attend an informational meeting prior to our student assembly programs. Please join our presenter via Zoom on Tuesday, November 17th at 7:00 p.m. to meet with our Be Seen and Heard© program presenter, ask questions, or inquire about additional resources. Many thanks are extended to the Hawthorn PTO for their partnership in hosting this special parent event!

In response to Erin’s Law (House Bill 6193), which requires all public schools to implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program, Hawthorn District 73 is hosting the Be Seen and Heard© assembly program for all preschool and elementary students during the week of November 30, 2026. This assembly is designed to create an age-appropriate, safe, and engaging environment in which students learn the difference between safe and unsafe touch, and the importance of having trusted heroes. Please review this letter for additional details about the Be Seen and Heard© program.

We’re excited to kick off another year of The Connection Corner, a parent/guardian newsletter focused on supporting the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of our students. In this first edition, we’re sharing practical strategies and resources to help families support their children at home, including information about SOAR expectations, Community Circles, and more. We hope these resources help families stay informed and connected as we support the whole child together!

Hawthorn School District 73 uses Securly to help keep students safe while using their school-issued devices. Families of students in grades 6–8 also have access to tools that provide greater visibility into their child’s online activity. With the Securly Home App, parents and caregivers can monitor activity at home and sign up for weekly email reports with a snapshot of their child’s internet use. This information can help families better understand digital habits and support conversations about safe and responsible technology use.

Learn how to download and use the Securly Home App →

Questions about your Securly account? Email help@securly.com

Hawthorn District 73 has partnered with Youth & Family Counseling to provide additional support for student well-being. Through this partnership, a licensed therapist is available on-site at Hawthorn each week, making counseling services more convenient and accessible for families who choose this option.

Learn more about Youth & Family Counseling and how to schedule an appointment →

Looking for mental health support for your child or family? ReferralGPS is a free, confidential resource that helps Hawthorn families find local providers based on location, specialty, insurance and other needs. Families can search for services on their own or connect with a Care Navigator for help finding providers and scheduling appointments.

Explore ReferralGPS →

The BrightArrow ParentHub app is more than a place to find school messages! We’ve added direct links to some of the resources families use most, so you can quickly:

• 📅 Check your school calendar
• 🍎 View the lunch menu
• ✏️ Report an absence
• 🚌 Submit a transportation change

All from your phone, without hunting around the website.

Already using ParentHub? Help us make it better! If there’s a resource you’d like to see added, click the Contact button at the bottom of this newsletter and send your suggestion directly to District Communications.

Vernon Hills and Libertyville now use WeatherWarn, which automatically activates outdoor warning sirens for tornado threats and severe thunderstorms with predicted winds over 70 mph.

This means hearing a siren does not always mean there is a tornado. If sirens sound during the school day, students and staff will be brought indoors. If there is a tornado warning, we will follow our normal shelter procedures. We will continue to follow guidance from local emergency services and weather authorities to keep students and staff safe.

The Foundation is still looking for a Treasurer to join the team. This is a meaningful opportunity to get involved, support districtwide initiatives, and help advance the Foundation’s mission to advocate, promote, and fund opportunities that support the success of every student, every day, across Hawthorn District 73. Interested or know someone who may be a great fit? Please contact Sol Cabachuela at cabachuelas@hawthorn73.org.

The Key to 73 Foundation is excited to announce an upcoming Golf Outing at White Deer Run on June 18, 2027! Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more information about registration, sponsorship opportunities, and ways to join the fun while supporting Hawthorn students.

There are many exciting things ahead with the Hawthorn PTO this school year! From family nights and student socials to book fairs, staff appreciation, and community events, the PTO helps create meaningful experiences for students, staff, and families across Hawthorn District 73.

The Hawthorn PTO has launched a new online family and student directory, now called the Eagle Directory. The new system gives families more control over their information, including easier updates, more flexible privacy settings and a more streamlined experience. Families can create a Membership Toolkit account, add parent and student information, and choose exactly what information they would like others to see. The Eagle Directory will be free for the next month while families get set up. As an added incentive, the first 10 families from each school to join the directory will receive both PTO Discount Cards for free. The PTO will continue adding features as it completes the transition to the new system. Create your account and learn more through the Hawthorn PTO.

The PTO fully operates on the dedication of parent (and staff) volunteers for all of the planning and executing of events! Check out the list of open opportunities for the upcoming school year and consider getting involved! Once you sign up, someone from the appropriate committee will be in touch with event needs and to understand how you would like to be involved.

📸: Communications