Dear Hawthorne Families,

Online registration for the 2026-27 school year is now open for all returning students.

To get started, simply head to the District website and click on the <Enrollment> link in the top right corner, then select <Register Returning Student>.

A few helpful tips:
Deadline: Please complete your registration by Friday, May 11.
One-Stop Shop: If you have children in different schools and need to drop off paperwork, you only need to visit one location. Bring all paperwork to the school of your oldest child, and the documents will get to the correct buildings!

If you run into any trouble or have questions, give our front office a call at 630-682-2065. We’re happy to help!

Thank you,
Holly Zimmer, Principal

Please join us in welcoming Mallory Riggle as the newest member of the Hawthorne team! Mallory comes to us with a wealth of experience, having served the District 200 community for several years as a lunch and recess monitor at various elementary schools, and most recently as a Health Aide in the nurse's office at Bower School.

Before joining the district, Mallory spent 10 years as a police officer with the Village of Glen Ellyn before retiring to focus on her family. She is also a familiar face to many in our community as the proud mom of Barrett and Hannah.

Outside of work, Mallory enjoys cooking, watching the Food Network, and channeling her creativity into fun and colorful projects-including the eye-catching bulletin boards she was known for in her previous office.

Mallory is thrilled to be joining the Hawthorne family as our new Attendance Secretary and looks forward to connecting with students, staff, and families. Be sure to stop by the office and say hello next Thursday!

Dad’s Gym Night was a tremendous success this year, bringing together students and their families for an evening full of energy, laughter, and connection. Held after school, the event invited parents to join their children in the gym, in the halls, in the LLC, and outdoors for a series of fun and engaging games.

One of the highlights of the evening was seeing students step into the role of teacher. Since all of the games had been introduced during PE classes, students were confident and excited to show their parent how to play. From start to finish, the school was filled with teamwork, encouragement, and plenty of smiles.

This year, the event expanded beyond the gym and into the outdoors—a change that proved to be a huge hit. The additional space allowed for even more activities and gave families a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather while staying active together.

A special thank you goes out to Tim Bayee and Mr. Q for organizing such a fun and memorable evening for our school community. Events like Dad’s Gym Night continue to strengthen the bond between school and home, creating lasting memories for everyone involved.

Hawthorne Elementary is excited to welcome spring with our first school flower sale! Brighten your home or find the perfect gift just in time for Mother’s Day. We realize the ordering process was difficult so Windy Acres attempted to fix this. Click through the PayPal link and choose to pay with credit card instead. Pickup will be conveniently held at Hawthorne on May 7 from 3:00PM-4:00PM. Don’t miss out on these beautiful blooms! Order yours here!

This year, National Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week is May 4-8. CUSD 200 would like to celebrate and honor our valued and dedicated staff members during this week-long celebration. 

We are asking students, parents, community members and alumni to consider filling out this Google Form to give a shoutout to any CUSD 200 staff member who has made an impact on your life. These shoutouts will be shared with staff, and may appear on CUSD websites, social media pages and an upcoming newsletter. 

Please send any staff shoutouts by the end of day on Monday, April 27. If you have any questions, please reach out to Alyssa Barry, the Director of Community Engagement and Communications at alyssa.barry@cusd200.org.

Plese consider volunteering for our Fun Fair. 6th Graders and above as well as extended family are welcome to work stations. Register HERE.

Students at Hawthorne Elementary School are always learning and growing. One of the things we pride ourselves on at Hawthorne is the work we do to ensure students understand, demonstrate, and reinforce schoolwide expectations. At Hawthorne, students learn about the Hawthorne Way during the first week of school with Mrs. Zimmer. During the year, we work to reinforce the things we learn about the Hawthorne Way.

The Happy Heart Award is a recognition ticket given to students who go above and beyond to demonstrate the Hawthorne Way during the school day. Students who earn this will receive a ticket with their name on it, the staff member who recognized them, and the reason they were recognized. The recognition portion will go home to celebrate with family.

Congratulations to this week's Happy Heart Award drawing winners!