Thursday at Hawthorne Elementary, our Kindergarten and Fifth Grade Buddies hosted a successful "Game Day" to foster school-wide mentorship and student leadership. This initiative, organized by our teachers, pairs our oldest and youngest learners to build meaningful relationships and bridge the gap between grade levels. During the event, fifth graders stepped into leadership roles by patiently teaching their buddies the rules and strategies of various board games, helping the kindergartners build confidence and social skills. This collaboration does more than just provide an afternoon of fun; it strengthens our school community by creating a supportive environment where every student feels connected and valued.

Title: Stardust 

Artist statement: This girl was picked on for being different and looking weird. She was told she stands out or doesn't belong. Then one day someone told her, "We are Stardust, so we are naturally here as an element of the Universe. If we didn't belong why would we be here? We are all meant to play a part,  whether your small as a mouse, big as an elephant,  strong as an ox or fast as a cheetah. Stardust is the reason your here." When I illustrated this girl, I wanted her hair to compliment some of nature's colors. 

This month, two students from each grade level had a very special reason to celebrate! As winners of the Happy Heart Raffle, these students were recognized for going above and beyond to demonstrate the Hawthorne Way — and their good character earned them something pretty cool. Our very own Speech & Language Pathologist, Mrs. Amy Krischel, gathered the winners together for a one-of-a-kind craft activity where they learned how to make Shrinkidinks! Students had a blast creating their designs, and the fun isn't over yet — Mrs. Krischel is taking the finished pieces home to bake them and will be delivering the final products to students next week. Way to go, Happy Heart winners! 💛

CUSD 200 is looking for engaged community members to join the Citizens’ Advisory Committee (CAC) for the 2026-27 school year. The CAC works to provide valuable input on educational and district-related initiatives to district administration and the Board of Education.

Candidates must reside within CUSD 200 boundaries and shall not miss more than two meetings without first notifying an officer of the CAC or the superintendent’s office. Members serve one-year terms (up to five consecutive years) and meet regularly (usually monthly) throughout the school year.

Applications are due by March 27, 2026, and can be filled out and submitted online by clicking here or visiting the CUSD 200 website.

Questions? Please contact: Dianna Hutchison at (630) 682-2002 or dianna.hutchison@cusd200.org.

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!