HB | December 2024 Newsletter by Brookwood 167

Bend School

Ronisha Penner, Principal

Hickory Bend School

This season brings a special energy to our school as students and staff alike embrace the joy and excitement of the holidays while continuing their incredible learning journeys.

This month, we’re focusing on celebrating our school community’s achievements and fostering kindness and generosity.

December brings opportunities for holiday concerts, classroom

celebrations, and acts of kindness that remind us of the importance of community. There are plenty of opportunities for students to shine and for families to join in the festivities.

As the days grow shorter and colder, let’s stay connected and continue supporting one another.

Thank you for all you do to make our school such a wonderful place to learn and grow.

Principal’s Desk

Happy December!

It’s hard to believe we’re already in the year's final month.

Wishing you a joyful start to the holiday season!

Brookwood School District 167 in...

partnership with parents and the community, will create a learning environment where all students excel at becoming lifelong learners and decisionmakers.

BROOKWOOD DISTRICT 167

MISSION STATEMENT

We Believe...

• Families shape their children’s motivation, confidence, and academic success by being interested and involved in their overall development.

• All students are unique and should be challenged to the highest level of academic and artistic excellence.

• In the importance of staff development opportunities based on best practices and educational research.

• In educating our children in a safe and nurturing environment

• The school system should teach students to think critically, enabling them to become contributing citizens in our global society.

• In continuous improvement in all aspects of the school system to foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and integrity.

• In responsible stewardship of financial and physical resources.

“Education is the passport to the future for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

-- Malcoim X with access to state-of-the-art technology.

BROOKWOOD DISTRICT 167 VISION STATEMENT

Our overall vision is to improve the achievement of all students, regardless of race, socio-economic status, gender, or ability levels (disabilities). We share the accountability of student achievement throughout the school. We believe in using research-based practices to achieve our goals. We promote school and community involvement because we believe that these partnerships help us meet all our students’ needs.

We Are Committed To...

• Providing students with highly qualified teachers

• Providing our staff with professional development

“Success is about dedication. You may not be where you want to be or do what you want to do when you’re on the journey. But you’ve got to be willing to have vision and foresight that leads you to an incredible end.” --Usher

VISITORS

If you need to come into the school for any reason, 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 district-wide reporting for all visitors, volunteers, and contractors that have signed in/out of our buildings. This is important for safety reasons.

Student Safety/ Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures

URGENT, YET A GENTLE REMINDER!

Please do not park, stand, or stage in the apartment complex adjacent to the Hickory Bend parking lot.

This is private parking. Your vehicle will be subject to ticketing and towing.

IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE INFOMATION

Daily attendance is required. If your child anticipates being absent, please make sure the reason is valid. A student that is chronically absent is defined as a student who is subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause for more than 5% of the last 180 school days. This is a matter of concern as the Illinois School Code 105 ILCS 5/26-2a considers a truant rate of more than 5% of the last 180 days to be excessive.

Students who are frequently absent often miss important information being taught, fall behind, and lose interest in school. An improvement in attendance may help a student achieve better grades and feel better about himself/herself. Counseling services and tutoring will be provided to chronically absent students, along with a “Check-In and Check-Out” program of support.

If a student continues to be absent or tardy without a valid excuse, the Regional

Superintendent/South Cook Intermediate Service Center will be notified, and measures will be taken to address this concern more seriously. If your child is struggling to attend school consistently, it is essential that we work together to improve their attendance, as this will improve their chances for school success.

A student who misses ten (10) days is 25% less likely to enroll in college. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Big Thank You to our School Board for providing our students with school supplies for the fourth year in a row. Every student in our District will receive two (2) school supply kits: one for use in school and one for use at home.

Time and money saved by our families... #Winning!!!!

If your child needs any additional resources or supplies for any of their classes, please contact our school office at (708) 758-4520 so we can help provide them with all necessary materials.

find good jobs. I commend the families for instilling in their children the importance of being present daily.

I commend the families for instilling in their children the importance of being present daily. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please reach out to our Social Worker.

Mr. Darryl Thompson (708) 758-5350 dthompson@brookwood167.org

keep tHem Home...

If a child has any symptoms listed below, they should stay home in the morning or go home if these symptoms first occur at school.

WHen a cHild can return to scHool is based on tHe specific symptom tHey Have:

• Fever of 100.4 or higher

• New onset of moderate to severe headache

• Shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat

• Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea

• Abdominal pain from unknown cause

• New congestion/runny nose

• New loss of sense of taste or smell

• Fatigue from unknown cause

• Muscle or body aches

If you answer “YES” to any of the above, your child “MUST” stay home. Please call the school before 8:30 a.m. to report your child’s absence (708) 757-2110 (Option #1).

please leave tHe folloWing information:

• Students full name with spelling of the last name

• Reason for absence

• Your name and relationship to the student

reporting a student’s absence...

Parents must call the school to report their child absent before 8:30 a.m. The number for reporting absences is (708) 757-2110 (Option #1). Official attendance will be reported every morning by 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 Class Dojo.

reporting a student’s early dismissal...

• Please call the main number (708) 758-4520 at least (45) minutes “PRIOR” to the early dismissal.

• In order for your student to be excused, you must sign them in and out in the main office; otherwise, their absence will be marked as “UNEXCUSED”.

• Students full name with spelling of the last name

• Reason for absence/tardy/early release

• Your name and relationship to the student please leave tHe folloWing information...

ClassDojo

Healthy communication between the school and home is essential; we are working to provide numerous ways for this vital communication. To help suppress paper usage, we will continue providing information as much as possible using digital communication.

We encourage you to do tHe folloWing to Help us communicate WitH you:

• Please ensure we have an accurate email address. If you are not receiving Dojo messages from us, it probably means we have incorrect information on our end.

• Please sign up for the digital tools that Brookwood School District and the school have provided. These include:

• Class Dojo

• Power School Parent Portal

• Please talk with your child’s teacher about Google Classroom and how it can be used as a communication tool.

• Please follow us on Facebook

• Please visit our website at www.brookwood167.org

• Please feel free to email us or call us at (708) 758-4520

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) 758-4520, email, rpenner@brookwood167.org. All you must provide is your cell phone number or email address.

GET INVOLVED AND STAY INFORMED!

Breakfast/Lunch

We will send home a menu each month so you know what is being served and can plan accordingly.

Breakfast: Breakfast is served daily in the school cafeteria from 8:10 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Lunch: Hot lunch is free for all students. This includes entrée, fruit, milk, and dessert. If you pack lunch for your child, please keep a healthy choice of foods. Parents will not be allowed to bring their child fast food. Any questions, please contact Janice Machnikowski, Food Services Manager at (708) 758-5190.

Technology Help Desk

If your child is having any technology problems connecting to their teacher’s Google Classroom, please get in touch with our help desk at (708) 300-3553 or email our help desk

helpdesk@brookwood167.org

Please leave a detailed message with your name, child’s name, phone number, and the issue you are having with the device.

All SD 167 teachers use an online grading system called PowerSchool that they update regularly.

We encourage you to check your child’s progress regularly. This program is entirely confidential; therefore, you will need an access username and password to see your child’s progress.

If you need your username and/or password, please get in touch with the school office at (708) 758-4520. A PowerSchool app for your cellular phone makes it easy for parents to stay updated on their child’s progress.

CHAMPIONS | BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Champions is a Before & AfterSchool Care Program available to our Brookwood families. Please get in touch with Champions as soon as you can to secure your spot. Space is limited.

Champions Family Support Phone: (800) 246-2154

ChampionsHelp@kc-education.com

Precious Instructional Minutes |

8:30 a.m. - 3:10 p.m.

It is crucially important that we maximize instructional time for all students. Instruction begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:10 p.m. on normal dismissal days.

To be clear, in order for teachers to begin active instruction at 8:30 a.m., all students must be seated and ready to receive instruction at 8:30 a.m. Our doors open at 8:00 a.m. for students to enter the building, receive optional breakfast (free to all students) and prepare for the day. When our students arrive prior to the start of instruction, our learning environment begins with a calm focus. Students who enter the classroom after the start of instruction are generally in a hurried rush, slightly discombobulated, and they suffer lost learning opportunities. Thus, it is crucially important that all students enter the building in a timely manner and are ready to receive instruction by 8:30 a.m.

On the other end of the school day is the opportunity to maximize learning by continuing instruction through 3:10 p.m. This will mean students will NOT walk out of the building promptly at 3:10 p.m. On the contrary, students will need a few minutes to gather their belongings and safely exit the building. As our student body consists of the youngest students in our district, it is important to be mindful of the need to be patient as they learn to be both responsible for their belongings and safe during the dismissal process. We promise we won’t tarry unnecessarily! So, please be patient as our dismissal procedures will not begin until 3:10 p.m.

Every minute of the instructional day is valuable. While we are understanding extenuating circumstances, we highly discourage habitual late arrivals and early dismissals. We are here to educate our All-Stars. We appreciate all efforts given by our families to help us protect the precious, few instructional minutes we have with our students.

District Character Themes:

“Loyalty & Good Citizenship”

The December Character Themes for our District are “Loyalty and Good Citizenship”.

• Loyal individuals support and advocate for their community.

• Good citizens similarly stand up for fairness, work to address community issues, and support initiatives that strengthen their community, demonstrating their loyalty in action.

• Loyalty helps build trust within a community, creating a foundation for cooperation and collective effort.

• Good citizenship thrives in environments where trust and collaboration are valued, as they foster teamwork and shared responsibility for community improvement.

• Both loyalty and good citizenship are intertwined: loyalty provides the emotional commitment that drives the actions and behaviors central to being a responsible and engaged member of society. Both are essential for creating a harmonious, thriving community.

PBIS Starts Now!

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (P.B.I.S.) will again be at the core of our climate and culture.

We have three (3) goaLs:

• Be Safe

• Be Respectful

• Be Responsible

With our goals front and center in our minds every day, we plan to enjoy a positive environment in every area of our school.

chaLLenging thoughts to consider:

• How can our three behavior goals make a difference in our students’ behavior outside of school?

• If our families begin the conversation now, will our All-Stars return to school ready to thrive with positive behavior?

Let’s help our students remember to be Safe, Respectful, and Responsible in all walks of life, especially while at school. Start the conversation now and keep it going all year long. We will certainly do the same here at Hickory Bend.

Education Facts

Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports

As a part of PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports), teachers, administrators, and support staff have the responsibility to TEACH positive behavior expectations to our students.

This education results in students knowing precisely what is expected of them and a framework of evidence-based behavioral supports and interventions in an integrated curriculum to enhance the social behavior and academic atmosphere for our diverse body of students throughout the school.

Lessons take place in several ways, and the environment for the expectations. For example, teachers will do short lessons each week on a specific expectation, the staff on lunch duty will discuss lunchroom expectations, and on Fridays, students complete a Kahoot or Blooket quiz to review the expectations they have been learning about all week. Posters or anchor charts have been created for different building areas to remind the students and staff about the expected behaviors.

While these strategies may not eliminate all problem behaviors, they create consistency, predictability, and a more positive atmosphere. They teach new skills to help children get their needs met. The solid foundation will help even if challenging behaviors persist by creating a bedrock for additional support layers.

Here are places to seek additional information:

• Parenting with Positive Behavior Support: A Practical Guide to Resolving Your Child’s Difficult Behavior

• Home and Community Based Positive Behavior Support Facebook Page

• Home and Community PBS Website

• Parent Center Hub Positive Behavior Supports Resource Collection

• Intensive Intervention: An Overview for Parents and Families

• The Association for Positive Behavior Support

• Getting Behavior in Shape at Home

• Family Resources for Challenging Behavior

• The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) Resource Library

Thank You for Attending Parent/ Teacher Conferences!

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the families who attended our recent Parent-Teacher Conferences. Your partnership and engagement in your child’s education make a tremendous difference!

These conferences provide a valuable opportunity to celebrate your child’s progress, discuss their goals, and collaborate on ways to support their success both in and out of the classroom. Your insights and involvement show your commitment to their growth and learning.

If you have any follow-up questions or would like additional resources to support your child at home, please don’t hesitate to contact their teacher. Together, we can ensure that every student continues to thrive.

Thank you for being such an essenTial parT of our school communiTy!

The Award Winning All-Stars!

the schooL year’s first quarter Left us aLL With a Lasting impression...

Our All-Stars celebrated their many talents and accomplishments in a brief awards show, where they were recognized for:

• Being a Kid of Character

• Being a Math Marvel

• Achieving Straight A’s

• and so much more...

Young people must learn to celebrate the “small” things about themselves in this early stage of life. This will work to build confidence and courage as they grow.

DuPage Diagnostic Testing at Hickory Bend

It’s not only Flu Season—we also have concerns about COVID-19 and RSV! Brookwood School District 167 has partnered with DuPage County Diagnostics to provide our students and staff with “FREE” weekly respiratory illness testing.

Early testing is often a critical step in ensuring effective treatment, preventing complications, and reducing the spread of viruses, ultimately benefiting both individuals and communities.

After completing the parent consent form, students may receive weekly testing for RSV, COVID-19, and Influenza A & B.

Parents will be notified of any concerning results within (24) hours of testing.

If you would like a consent form sent to you, please call the main office, and we will send one home.

Canvas Painting Club

Hickory Bend hosted a “Canvas Painting Club”, providing a creative space for aspiring young artists to explore and refine their skills. The club was designed to help students improve their arts and crafts while fostering a fun and supportive environment. Here are a few testimonials from the students, reflecting the joy and creativity they experienced in the club:

Dej Riley, a 4th grader, joined the club because she loves drawing, coloring, crafting, and making art. She shared, “I painted a puppy because I love animals, and puppies are my favorite animal.” Dej’s artwork perfectly reflected her passion for animals and her ability to turn her interests into creative projects.

Brooklyn Boston, a 3rd grader, shared, “I drew a turtle and hearts in the sky because I was feeling joy and happiness.” Brooklyn’s artwork beautifully captured the positive emotions she felt.

Shaquille Lathan, a 4th grader, said, “I painted a rainbow because Canvas Painting was a rainbow of fun.” Shaquille’s choice of a rainbow perfectly describes the colorful, fun-filled atmosphere of the club, where students were free to let their imaginations run wild.

Armour Dorsey, also in 4th grade, explained, “I painted pink hearts and a pink background because it makes me happy.” Armour’s soft, vibrant colors highlight students’ connection with their art and how it served as a source of joy and self-expression.

These testimonials reflect the diversity of ideas and emotions students brought to the Canvas Painting Club. Ultimately, the club was a place where children could come together to create, learn, and, most importantly, have fun while discovering the joy of painting.