Proud to be a Royal!
It is hard to believe that I am well into my 19th and final
year here HBR and the 16th at HBRMS and yes, I know this means Mr.
Edwards, Mr. Bastian and Mr. Jourdan continue getting older. We have a saying
at the middle school that the staff gets older, but the students seem to stay
and act like 11- to 15-year-olds this keeps us all young. From the time I began
at HBR, I continue to describe our school and the entire district to people as
a place that is very special and an honor to work for and with day in and day
out. I am excited to be working daily with Mrs. Torman to ensure a smooth
transition the school is in great hands. I am very proud of our students, families, staff,
and administrators coming together to build a great culture here at HBRMS. The
teachers, staff, and I work and take great pride in building meaningful
relationships with ALL our students. One of the ways we have some fun is by having
a riddle or a short quote on our sign out front. One of the recent ones that
was shared with me was Where do math
teachers’ vacation? Times Square! This
year’s Elf on the Shelf was a lot of fun and received great responses from our
students and families. Stay tuned I hear that there may be something in the
works with Leprechauns coming soon.
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| Taking a break on Mrs. T's desk |
HBRMS
Staff School Improvement 22-23:
To support our student’s
social emotional wellbeing our staff, with the guidance of Mrs. Torman, has
implemented Character Strong curriculum. The goal of the curriculum is to
improve engagement, increase belonging, and promote well-being. Throughout the school
year our staff members have been involved in trainings and worked on implementation
strategies. The weekly activities with our students allow for important
conversations about coping strategies and overall mental health in small group
setting. Students have also led assemblies to bring the entire school together
for some fun. The groups are also currently growing a hedgehog chia pet which
have started to grow!New 6th grade exploratory teaching students to go to
the beat of a different drum:
It has been entertaining to watch and hear our 6th
graders participating this year in music class with Mrs. Slater. The class has been exploring, African
drumming, playing bucket drums and boom whackers. The focus is also on reading
rhythms and playing together as a group.
It continues to be a privilege to work with all the
parents, community members, staff, and teachers throughout the school year. I
am going to miss this place and it will be hard to leave, I was born a Mendota
Trojan became a Fighting Illini taught in the home of the Lamoille Lion and
Northbrook Spartans, but I will always be an HBR Royal. As always, please do
not hesitate to contact me with your questions and concerns. We are always looking for way to improve and
make our school better.
Thanks for all your continued efforts,
Jeff Strouss
HBRMS
Co-Principal
630-556-4190
jstrouss@hbr429.org
