Hawthorne Elementary School |
♥ The Little School with the Big Heart ♥ |
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Illinois 5Essentials School Survey |
This Illinois 5Essentials School Survey is a powerful tool that rates how we are performing in areas like leadership, family involvement, and instruction. Because this is administered every year, your feedback directly guides our planning efforts. To receive a report from the state, we need at least 20% of our parents to complete the survey and we are currently at 6%. Every response counts! 👉 Click Here to Take the Survey Select Parent Survey.
County: Enter "Dupage"
School: Begin typing [Hawthorne Elementary] and select our address when it appears.
Thank you for partnering with us to make our school the best it can be.
Sincerely,
Holly Zimmer, Principal |
🎈 Kindness is in the Air! |
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We are excited to share a special highlight from our morning Social Emotional Learning (SEL) time this week. Our classrooms have been buzzing with energy as students participate in a new, hands-on lesson: The Kindness Balloon Activity.
Mrs. Talbot, our Social Worker, and Mrs. Gardner, our Math Interventionist, have been visiting classrooms together to facilitate this engaging activity. Using balloons as a visual tool, Mrs. Talbot and Mrs. Gardner are teaching students about the power of helping others. The activity focuses on teamwork, empathy, and the effort required to be helpers at Hawthorne. It is a memorable way for students to see how their individual actions contribute to the well-being of the whole class.
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♥Valentine's Day Friendship Parties ♥ |
Our classroom Valentine’s Day celebrations will take place on Friday, February 13, from 2:15–3:15 p.m. We are looking forward to a fun and festive afternoon with our students. A special thank you to our parent volunteers for helping make this celebration possible.
Students are welcome to bring Valentine’s cards to share with their classmates. If your child chooses to participate, please ensure they bring enough cards for every student in the class. We would like to remind families that to support student health and safety, valentines may not include any food or candy items.
A simple friendship card truly goes a long way in helping students feel included and celebrated. ♥♥♥ Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. We look forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day with your children. |
February is Kindness Month at Hawthorne! 💛 |
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This month, Hawthorne Elementary School is spreading kindness one good deed at a time! Every student has received a Kindness Bingo Card filled with simple, meaningful random acts of kindness they can complete at school and at home. When a student gets a Bingo (4 in a row), they’ll earn a special Kindness Certificate to celebrate their positive impact. Students who go above and beyond and complete the entire bingo board will be invited to a special reward-lunch with Mrs. Zimmer and a fun craft activity together in the library on Thursday, March 5, 2026 during the 30 minute lunchtime. Students should bring their own lunch on this day and Mrs. Zimmer will provide the craft!
📅 Bingo cards are due Monday, March 2 — please be sure your child’s name is written on the back of the card. Let’s make February a month full of compassion, connection, and kindness at Hawthorne! 🌟
Sincerely, Mrs. Zimmer |
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🎳 Striking a Balance: Math Meets Movement in PE! |
Our gym has officially transformed into the coolest bowling alley in town! While the students are having a blast, they are also mastering fundamental physical skills. Mr. Q is focusing on precision, aim, and throwing mechanics, helping students refine their hand-eye coordination with every roll. Mr. Q has added a brilliant academic twist to the lanes: Mathematics. This isn't just about knocking down pins; it is about adding up the results. Students are responsible for manually keeping team scores, requiring them to practice fluently adding in a real-world setting. It is a fantastic way to exercise the brain and the body simultaneously. To celebrate their hard work and add an extra layer of excitement, Mr. Q surprised the students this past Wednesday with Cosmic Bowling! The lights went down and the fun turned up as Hawthorne students enjoyed a glow-in-the-dark atmosphere. It was a memorable day filled with cheers, high-fives, and plenty of strikes.
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Safety First: Visitor Protocols at Hawthorne Elementary |
At Hawthorne Elementary, the safety and well-being of our students and staff is our absolute top priority. We are committed to maintaining a secure learning environment, and a key part of that commitment involves managing who enters our building.
To help us maintain this security, we have a few reminders regarding our front door procedures. Arrival and Entry
When you arrive and press the buzzer at the main entrance, you will be greeted by our office staff with, "Good morning, how can I help you?" Please be ready to clearly state your name and the purpose of your visit (e.g., "Jane Doe, here for a 10:00 AM meeting with Mrs. Smith"). This allows us to verify all visitors before unlocking the doors. Visitors are to enter the school through Door 1, our main entrance. Photo ID Requirement
Once inside, please remember that all visitors must present a valid photo ID. This is required for anyone entering the school for meetings, volunteering opportunities, or any visit beyond the front office.
These steps are essential parts of our effort to ensure that we maintain a safe learning environment for our students and staff. We know these procedures take a few extra moments, and we truly appreciate your patience and cooperation. Thank you for your understanding and your continued support in keeping Hawthorne safe! |
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Kindergarten's 100th Day of School |
Can you believe it? We have officially passed the 100th day of kindergarten! It is a major milestone for our youngest learners, marking 100 days of friendship, learning, and growth. To celebrate, our classroom transformed into a "Centennial Headquarters" full of hands-on math and creativity. We didn't just count to the number 100, we explored what the number actually looks like. Students engaged in hands-on work with large collections of items. They practiced sorting, grouping items into sets of ten, and visualizing how many "tens" it takes to make a "hundred." We examined the makeup of the number, discussing how big 100 really is compared to numbers like 5 or 10. It was a fantastic exercise in building number sense and understanding quantity. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the sharing of the 100th Day Projects created at home. Thank you to all the families who helped with these!
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It’s that time of year again, “Give Kids a Smile Day”, is Friday February 27th . The event will be held at the Wheaton Dental Clinic location by appointment only. This event is for early childhood, elementary, middle and high school students. We have 60 appointment slots on February 27th for free dental exams for children. Once this date is full, we will add more dates as needed (TBD) during Spring Break. |
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We are working to create a new space that supports active play and movement for some of our students. To help make this space engaging and fun, we are currently looking for a few items that encourage safe movement and sensory play.
Examples include: Little Tikes slide, playhouse or small jungle gym, balance bikes or scooters, ride-on push cars, sensory balance beams or stepping stones, balls, scoops with a sensory table, and a water table.
If you have any of these items (or know anyone who does) you are no longer using and would be willing to donate, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much for your continued support of our students and school community! |
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Hawthorne Elementary School is planning for our students who will be starting kindergarten this fall. To adequately arrange for registration in the spring, it will be helpful to have the information requested on this Google Form If you know of a child or children who will be of school age this fall who may not receive this form, please pass it on to their parents.
We look forward to seeing you at KINDERGARTEN ROUND-UP on February 26, 2026 from 6PM-7PM |
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CUSD 200 Parent Series: High Expectations, Big Feelings, Whole Kids |
Parents today face a real challenge:How do we hold high expectations for academics and behavior while also supporting mental health? When kids struggle, adults often feel stuck between pushing harder or pulling back. This engaging parent night shows a better path, one that raises expectations without raising anxiety.
Join us on February 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Hubble Middle School as Dr. Bryan Pearlman introduces a whole-child framework that explains why kids struggle and how to help them without lowering expectations. Parents will learn:
-Why anxiety, ADHD, trauma, and stress often show up as behavior
-How unmet emotional needs block motivation and follow-through
-What “high expectations with support” looks like in real life
-How to respond to shutdowns, defiance, and meltdowns without lowering the bar Parents Will Leave With:
-A clear, practical framework for behavior and mental health
-Tools to reduce power struggles and increase responsibility
-Greater confidence in supporting their child’s growth |
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Rise and Shine for Excellence in Education Breakfast |
On behalf of the CUSD 200 Student Excellence Foundation, we invite you to join us for the Rise and Shine for Excellence in Education Breakfast on March 11.
This inspiring morning brings together business leaders, educators, and community partners committed to student success across CUSD 200. Through moving, real-life stories, we will highlight the powerful impact of our Essential Needs Fund, which has helped ensure students and families facing unexpected hardship have access to food, clothing, and basic necessities so learning can remain the focus. The program will also feature performances by students from the Wheaton Warrenville South High School Show Choir, directed by Chris Miller, an incredible keynote speaker, and our Excellence in Action videos showcasing the tangible difference community support makes in our schools.
This breakfast is a celebration of what’s possible when schools and the business community work together. We would be honored to have you join us for this uplifting and meaningful start to the day. Register Here |
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❤️The Happy Heart Award❤️ |
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! |
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February 9: BPAC Parent Event
February 9: 5th Gr Step up Concert @ Franklin 7PM
February 10: Variety Show Practice 8:00-9:00
February 12: Variety Show Practice 3:30-4:30
February 13: Friendship Classroom Parties
February 16: No School, Presidents Day
February 16: CNO at Hen House
February 19: Variety Show Dress Rehearsal
February 19: Mobile Food Pantry
February 20: Variety Show 6:00PM
February 26: Kindergarten Roundup 6:00PM
February 26: CUSD200 Parent Series
February 27: No School, Institute Day
February 27: End of Trimester 2 March 2: Bingo Cards Due
March 5: Bingo Lunch & Craft Celebration
March 6 : PTA Meeting in LLC 9:05AM
March 11: CNO at 302
March 11: SEF Rise & Shine Breakfast
March 16 & 17: 3rd-5th IAR ELA Testing
March 19: Mobile Food Pantry
March 23: PTA Reflections Ceremony @ Hubble MS 7
March 30-April 3: Spring Break April 1: Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
April 10: PTA Meeting & Dad's Gym Night
April 13-15: 3rd-5th IAR Math Testing
April 16: National Librarian's Day
April 22: Administrative Professionals Day
April 27-May 1: Screen Free Week
April 28: Fine Arts Night
April 30: Conservation Club May 1: Fun Fair
May 4: Mr. Lee 1B
May 5: Mr. Lee 1M
May 7: Mr. Lee 2L
May 8: Mr. Lee 2M |
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