Spreading the Holiday Spirit
The Vernon Hills High School Choir performed at the School of Dual Language and other Hawthorn schools last week. Everywhere they went, they spread good cheer.
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Time to Get Acquainted
Teachers were so excited to see their incoming students at the Get Acquainted event on August 21 for first through fifth graders. Parents and students met teachers, visited classrooms for the first time, and dropped off supplies. While it was rainy outside, the classrooms were bright and cheerful.
Students Perform for Full House
Parents, teachers and students enjoyed a wonderful evening on May 15 when fourth and fifth grade students from the School of Dual Language/Townline Elementary and Elementary North performed for a full house. Pam Stanley and Rachael Hastings did a great job preparing students for this event.
Renowned Children’s Author Visits
Young adult and children’s fiction writer Katherine Applegate visited Townline and the School of Dual Language today. All fourth and fifth grade students listened to her talk about her books, which include Animorphs, Remnants, Everworld and other book series. She won the 2013 Newbery Medal for her 2012 children’s novel The One and Only Ivan. At one point, she gave the students 10 seconds to use their imagination to invent their own fiction species. Then she asked students to talk about what they imagined. One student said his species was a turtle that had the power to slow everything down around him. She also encouraged students to not be afraid to make mistakes and to follow their passion.
La Kermés: A Taste of Latin America
There was something for everyone at last Friday’s La Kermés, a Latin American carnival that the School of Dual Language has hosted for the past 15 years. Family members could sample a wide selection of dishes and desserts from Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The food choices included empanadas, elote (Mexican grilled corn), pozole, tacos de carne, flautas, pollo frito and horchata. While families enjoyed their dinners, a Mariachi band strolled around the gym. Many sang along with the music. After dinner, children took part in a wide variety of games, including a hula hoop contest. While there was no dunk tank this year (due to the weather), everyone had a great time.
Aprendiendo Jugando (AJ) Program Welcomes Special Guests
The School of Dual Language’s Aprendiendo Jugando (AJ) program welcomed some special guests yesterday, including Maureen Fishback and Rudy Albsmeyer from the Museum of Science and Industry and Justine Grosvenor from Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The guests watched the students as they conducted tests with rocks and minerals, and wrote down their findings in journals. The science portion of the AJ program is provided through a partnership with the Museum of Science and Industry, which supports a number of after school programs to help students achieve their full potential in science.
Making Vejigante Masks
The vejigante is a fantastic, colorful character introduced into carnival celebrations in Puerto Rico hundreds of years ago. It is still an important part of Puerto Rican culture today. Third-grade students in Ms. Watts class at the School of Dual Language are studying the Puerto Rican carnival. They, as well as other third-grade classes, crafted their own colorful vejigante masks, which will be displayed in hallways next week.
Key to 73 Education Foundation Wants Your Input
Please assist the Key to 73 Education Foundation choose an inaugural gift for each Hawthorn school. The Key to 73 Education Foundation was established to raise private sector funds to support the goals of the District’s Strategic Plan. In its first year, the foundation would like to present each school with a gift to be used by all of the students. Please take a short survey to help select the option most valued by all for each school.
Students Fly Across the Gym Floor
Students at the School of Dual Language were flying across the gym floor at the end of their two-week unit on roller skating.
Students Create Diego Rivera-inspired Mural
Fourth-grade students in Ms. Bautista’s class at the School of Dual Language painted images of their own faces last Friday. The images will be included in a large Diego Rivera-inspired mural that will hang outside of the classroom. Diego Rivera is one of the everyday heroes the class is currently studying.
