HB | December Newsletter

ISSUE: 004 / DECEMBER YEAR: 2021

HICKORY BEND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL December: A month of joy, happiness,

the affirmative experience of victory.

and to finish what you started.

“FALL” IN LOVE WITH HICKORY BEND

Our Hickory Bend All-Star Family Wrapping up our calendar year is stronger than ever before. The encourages us to reflect on all that collective efforts of our Students, we have accomplished, enjoyed, Parents/Family, and Staff is pushing and endured so far this school year. us all towards a future so bright we So many joys, so much happiness, will need permanent sunglasses! As but and

also

so

many

opportunities

perseverance,

challenges

I reflect, I must say I am so proud of

practice

every member in our All-Star Family.

to

creativity,

and

teamwork.

Yours in Education,

We continue to overcome obstacles.

Principal Ronisha Dubose

We continue to experience growth.

rdubose@brookwood167.org

We continue to feed our inner-self

TECHNOLOGY HELPLINE If your child is having any technology problems connecting to their teacher’s Google Classroom, please contact our help desk at (708) 300-3553 or email our help desk: helpdesk@brookwood167.org What is ClassDojo?

Reporting of Absence(s): Parents must call the school to report their child absent before 8:30 a.m. The number for reporting absences is (708) 758-5190. Official attendance will be reported every morning at 9:00 a.m.

If your child joins a teacher’s classroom late, they will be marked tardy in PowerSchool, and you will be notified through the Principal’s ClassDojo.

PLEASE JOIN OUR CLASSDOJO’S AND STAY INFORMED! It is important that you sign up for the Principal’s Class Dojo. I post important information such as if a bus is running late, important reminders regarding picture day, graduation information and other important topics. Please sign up today!

ClassDojo is actively used in 90% of U.S. K-8 schools.

ClassDojo is a free app that helps build amazing classroom and school communities. Teachers give feedback to students for any skill, like “Working Hard” and “Being Curious.”

From the mobile app, parents view their

Art Club with Mrs. FeFee We welcome Mrs. Tabitha FeFee who joins the Hickory Bend All-Star Family as our Art Club Instructor. Weekly on Thursday’s students meet after school to create various seasonal artwork and enjoy the company of fellow 3rd and 4th graders. From Scarecrows adorned with yarn-hair to Fall Leaf creations bedazzled with gems, the Hickory Bend Master Artists have created masterpieces too valuable to sell!

Art Club is limited to fifteen (15) participants. The roster opens for a new set of artists in January. Paint brushes ready!!!

child’s feedback, and can message directly with teachers and school leaders.

Please join my ClassDojo so you can stay informed on what is happening at Hickory Bend School.

If you would like to join, please accept the invitation that we emailed to you or texted you, or contact the school at (708) 7584520, email, rdubose@brookwood167. org. All you will need to provide is your cell phone number or email address. Get Involved and STAY INFORMED!

VISION Our

overall

Vision

becoming lifelong learners and decision makers.

is

to

improve the achievement of all students, regardless of

•

or

ability

levels

(disabilities).

We share the accountability of

student

achievement

throughout the school. We

•

believe in using researchbased practices to achieve our goals. We promote school and community involvement because we believe that these partnerships help us meet the needs of all of our students.

We are Committed to: •

Providing students with highly qualified teachers

•

to state-of-the-art technology.

•

The school system

confidence, and

should teach students to

academic success by

think critically enabling

being interested and

them to become

involved in their overall

contributing citizens in

development.

our global society.

All students are unique

POWERSCHOOL

environment with access

Families shape their children’s motivation,

In educating our children in a safe and nurturing

We Believe:

race, socio-economic status, gender,

•

•

In continuous

All Brookwood teachers use an online grading system

and should be challenged

improvement in all

to the highest level of

aspects of the school

called “PowerSchool” that

academic and artistic

system to foster a

they update every Thursday.

excellence.

culture of excellence,

In the importance of

accountability and

staff development

integrity.

check your child’s progress

In responsible

regularly. This program is

opportunities based

•

on best practices and

stewardship of financial

educational research.

and physical resources.

We

encourage

completely

you

to

confidential;

therefore, you will need an access username and password to see your child’s

•

Providing our staff

progress. If you need your

with professional

username and/or password,

development

MISSION Brookwood School District 167,

in

partnership

with

please contact the school office at (708) 758-4520.

There is a PowerSchool app available for your cellular

parents and community, will

phone that makes it easy for

create a learning environment

parents to stay updated on

in which all students excel at

their child’s progress.

ALL-STAR PERFORMANCE 1st Grade & 2nd Grade Concert | Spirit Squad Debut In a concert production titled “A Better You, A Better Me” the 1st and 2nd grade students reminded us all of the importance of Respect, Fairness, Caring, Trust, and Citizenship in our daily lives.

HOME ELECTRONIC

The message tied in perfectly with our PBIS behavioral expectations and our Anti-Bully mindset. Singing, dancing, instrument playing, and spoken word all came together to give us the tools to become a better person.

When we are our best, life is the best. It makes you want to dance hard and wave pom-poms...like the Spirit Squad! What SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION an awesome debut performance by Hickory Bend’s first-ever Spirit Squad! We loved the energy and excitement as our AllStars celebrated being in the best school ever! “A-L-L S-T-A-R-S, If you were not able to make Everybody knows that we are the best!”

DEVICE AND HOME

it to our on-site Open House in September or our three (3) Kudos and Congratulations to Mrs. Westerfied, Ms. Richards, pick up dates on September, and Ms Brown for a job well done! please contact the school office at (708) 758-4520.

We can provide you with a pick-up day and time.

EXTRA-CURRICCULAR ACTIVITIES 3RD/4TH GRADE CHOIR

STUDY ISLAND CLUB

BAND SPIRIT SQUAD ART CLUB VIOLIN CLUB

To keep our students engaged in activities that challenge their minds and bodies, we offer a variety of activities before and after-school.

UPCOMING EVENTS 8th, December 10th, December District Gingerbread Workshop Day | At-Home Event Picture Retake Day Picture with Santa 14 December 17th, December Pizza with Santa Brookwood Junior High School Craft Day 3rd - 4th grade Choir Concert | 7:00 p.m.

SPIRIT WEEK

20th, December 21st, December Crazy Hat | Crazy Hair Day Ugly Sweater Day 22nd, December Christmas Pajama Day Half-Day/School Improvement | 11:30 a.m. Dismissal

23rd, December - 5th, January Winter Break

QUOTE OF THE MONTH...

"Nothing will work, unless you do."

-Maya angelou

ZOOMING WITH THE GRANDPARENTS Well over 50 Grandparents pressed pause in their busy lives to join our zoom call special meeting just for the Grandparents.

An

opportunity to get a sneak peak into the daily happenings of our All-Star school.

Big Hug and Big Thank You to Mrs. Ronnet Johnson and Mr. Marvin Martin for sharing their joy of Grandparenthood with all of us.

1ST QUARTER AWARDS “Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” -Pat Riley Our All-Star students are headed towards excellence in all things. To acknowledge their efforts and achievements during the first quarter, certificates were awarded to all students who showed a drive and a strive for excellence. Big Hug and Big Thanks to Mr. Nathaniel Hull, Director of Operations (TeamLyders DBA, Arbys), for attaching a coupon for a free Arby’s Kids Meal to every certificate. We celebrate with our students and want to motivate them to reach their highest potential.

IN HONOR OF VETERANS DAY HB Honors Our Veterans by wearing Red, White, and Blue. Graced by the a cappella performance of our national anthem, performed by our very Principal Dubose, the day focused on showing appreciation for all our veterans do for our country.

Thank you Veterans for all that you do today, tomorrow and always!

CANVAS PAINTING COMES TO HICKORY BEND

+1 708-758-4520 +1 708-758-0364 www.brookwood167.org

600 E. 191st Place Glenwod, IL 60425

VISITORS If you need to come into the school for any reason, for safety reasons, you will be required to wear a mask, and you will need to have a current Driver’s License that will be checked in our Raptor Security System.

Raptor® provides a line of sight as to who is always in our school. The system provides school and districtwide reporting for all visitors, volunteers, and contractors that have signed in/out of our buildings.

This is

important for safety reasons.

HICKORY BEND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT SAFETY VEHICLE TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE OVERFLOW PARKING LOT Thank you for the attention you have all given to ensuring safety in the parking lots. However, despite our best efforts, we have still suffered a number of “close calls” due to both speed and traffic flow. In order to increase safety, the following is being asked of all vehicular traffic.

If you plan to park your vehicle…

• Please use the overflow parking lot that is shared with the school and the church.

• Please ENTER the shared parking lot from the NORTH (nearest the stoplight), and EXIT the shared parking lot from the SOUTH (near 192nd street). This will encourage one-way traffic in and out of the shared parking lot.

If you plan to remain in your vehicle to dropoff/pick up your student…

• Please enter and exit the parking area

•

•

through the north entrance (nearest the stoplight).

Please adhere to the cone patterns and do not drive around a vehicle that is slightly delayed.

Please do not drive between cones.

At All Times…

• Please travel at slow speeds.

• Please obey the direction of the staff.

Thank You for Your Cooperation!