• At the top right of the newsletter, you will find a button to translate this message into your preferred language.

• En la parte superior derecha del boletín, encontrarás un botón que te permitirá traducir este mensaje a tu idioma preferido.

• Newsletter pan khaan tang ah, na duh mi holh ah na thu thuhna kong a sim khawh ding i button pakhat na hawng khia a si.

• في أعلى يمين النشرة الإخبارية، ستجد زرًا يتيح لك ترجمة هذه الرسالة إلى لغتك المفضلة.

Dear Hawthorne Community,

We are excited to welcome you back to school! Our names are Mrs. Nauss and Ms. Houser and we are the front office gals at Hawthorne. Whatever questions you may have-please give us a call or pop into the office. We love meeting our families!

Lindsay Nauss (on the left) is the Principal's Secretary.  She is mainly responsible for supporting staff and making sure the school finances are in order. If you need any assistance with District 200's systems she is your go-to secretary.  Carol Houser (on the right) is the Attendance Secretary. She is who you will call if your student is going to be absent or if you need help with PushCoin.  Our number one goal in the main office is to work as a team to support your family. So please feel free to reach out to either one of them if you need anything.

Get to know Mrs. Nauss-

My husband and I moved to Wheaton about 14 years ago and fell in love with the community. Since then our family has grown and we now have a 12 year old daughter in 7th grade at Franklin and a 10 year old son in 5th grade at Lowell.  We also have a lovely Great Pyrenees Mix named Violet who is always watching over us and keeping us on our toes. Living and working in District 200 gives me a unique perspective!

Get to know Ms.Houser-

I have been a Wheaton resident for about 22 years and am happy to be part of the community. I am a proud mother to 4 and grandmother to 3. Some may say that I am a crafter as I love spending my time creating blankets, fairy gardens and the office bulletin board. I truly enjoy working with the Hawthorne staff and students. 

General Reminders:

1. We are glad students are excited to come to school, but students should not arrive before 8:55a.m. Supervision begins at 8:55a.m. Students enter school at 9:00a.m.

2. The tardy bell rings & all doors close at 9:05a.m. If you arrive after 9:05 a.m. you should walk your child to Door 1 (main entrance by the sign/flag pole) and our front office will support your child getting to class. Our supervisors begin class immediately and must close all doors promptly at 9:05 a.m. Please do not knock on classroom doors after 9:05 a.m., as teachers are beginning their instruction. Our front office at door 1 is happy to support your child in getting to class after 9:05 a.m. Please do not make tardiness a habit.

3. Cell phone use while driving is strictly prohibited in school zones per state law.

4. More information about door numbers and entry procedures will be shared next week with a map.

Car Drop Off Reminders:

1. Please keep Wakeman Ave one way west to east from 8:50 a.m.-9:15 a.m. and again from 3:30 p.m. - 3:45p.m. NO U-TURNS.

2. You will notice staff at Door 14 helping to direct traffic and support students arriving from cars between 8:55 a.m. and 9:05 a.m. Please DO NOT exit the car with your child.

3. Door #14 is the car drop off spot between 8:55 a.m. and 9:05 a.m.

4. Most parents of kindergarten, first, and second grade students start the year by parking their car on Washington or Scott and walking their child to their line.

5. Do not drop off or pick up behind parked cars. This is dangerous.

6. Only let children out of the car at Door 14 on the passenger side.

7. NO U-Turns or turning around in driveways are permitted on Scott, Wakeman, or Washington. Please respect our neighbors, our children, and our community.

8. It is illegal to pass a bus when it is loading/unloading. Please be patient. We have 4 buses. We want all of our children, families, and staff to be safe.

Walkers, Bikers, & Scooter Reminders:

1. All students that ride their bikes or scooters to school must wear a helmet and should lock their bike securely to the bike rack.

2. Once on school property, please walk your bike/scooter.

3. Crossing guards are available at Scott & Wakeman from 8:50a.m. until 9:05 a.m. & in the afternoon until 3:40 p.m.

4. Crossing guards are available at Washington & Wakeman from 8:50 a.m. until 9:05 a.m. & in the afternoon until 3:40 p.m.

Parking:

1. There is NO PARKING along Wakeman Ave. Unattended cars delay pick up and drop off and will be ticketed by the Wheaton Police Department.

2. Parking is available along Scott and along Washington.

Dismissal:

1. Students in grades Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd must be picked up by a parent, caregiver, or older sibling. These students are dismissed through their arrival doors.

2. 3rd & 4th grade students are dismissed from Door 14.

3. 5th grade & PISA students are dismissed from Door 9.

4. SAIL is dismissed through Door 1.

5. It is helpful to come up with a common meeting place for your family.

6. If plans change, please always inform the front office AND classroom teachers. Communication is KEY. When in doubt, give us a call. We would prefer over communication.

7. There is NO PARKING along Wakeman Ave. Unattended cars delay pick up and drop off and will be ticketed by the Wheaton Police Department.

8. ANY changes in dismissal (bus changes, changes in who will pick your child up, if you are running late, etc) MUST be communicated to the office and they will pass on the information to the teacher. Typically teachers don't check email once lunch is over, so late changes must go through the office staff with a phone call. 630-682-2065. We are here for you and your family!
   

Click HERE to order your Hawthorne Elementary School Spiritwear today!

Dear Hawthorne Community,

My name is Stephanie Czernek and I am excited to join Community Unit School District 200 as the new Occupational Therapist at Hawthorne Elementary School.

Over the past five years, I worked in a special education cooperative, supporting students with diverse needs to build confidence and independence in their daily routines. My work focused on strengthening fine motor skills, developing written communication skills, supporting sensory needs, and promoting meaningful participation in the school environment. This role also gave me the opportunity to collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement interventions that promote student success. I am eager to bring that experience into this new role and contribute to the wonderful community at Hawthorne.

I look forward to a great year ahead!

Sincerely, Stephanie Czernek

Dear Hawthorne Community, 

My name is Ms. Lucas and I am honored to join the Hawthorne Elementary School community this fall as your Bilingual Multilingual Learner Teacher. My grandparents used to live in the Wheaton area so I have many childhood memories in this community. I attended the University of Illinois in Champaign and then spent eight wonderful years teaching 3rd and 4th grade in Chicago both in the North Lawndale and Brighton Park communities. I also spent summers teaching in a STEM program for students receiving special education services in Oak Park District 97. I feel so fortunate to work with students and their families. Besides teaching, I love to travel, hike, read, and learn new languages. I am looking forward to an incredible school year!

Sincerely, Micaela Lucas

Dear Parents, 

At the June 11 Board of Education meeting, a revised cell phone policy was approved for the 2025-26 school year. The revised policy was developed with collaborative input from staff, students, and members of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee. The goal of the policy exploration was to develop a plan that would create a learning environment with fewer distractions for students and staff across all grade levels, while still providing the flexibility and responsibility of cell phone possession where appropriate. 

While the revised cell phone policy can be viewed by clicking on this link, I want to provide you with a high-level overview of some of the changes at the elemtnary level that will impact our building.

Elementary School:

• The use of cell phones and wearable devices including, but not limited to, smartwatches that have the capability to provide voice, messaging or data communication between two or more people are prohibited in school.

• Any devices brought to school must remain powered off (not in “vibrate or “silent” mode) and stored in backpacks or designated areas (e.g., the office) throughout the day. 

• Students with documented medical needs requiring smart devices may use them with prior approval from the school administration.

I want to thank you in advance for your partnership and we implement the revised cell phone policy at the start of the 2025-26 school year. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. 

We are looking forward to having a great school year! This year, I want to emphasize the importance of your child attending school each day. Students who attend school regularly typically demonstrate higher learning outcomes than those with poor attendance. Being present each day affords your child all the important experiences that come with attending school such as friendships, clubs, activities, and athletics. Students also learn responsibility and work ethic through consistent attendance. Please send your child to school every day unless he or she has a contagious illness or is running a fever. Throughout this year we will monitor each student’s attendance so that we can work with families when the number of absences puts a student at risk. Thank you, always for your involvement in your child’s education. 

Sincerely, 

Holly Zimmer, Principal