Harold B. Dawson Jr. Middle School

The Raider Review

Week of November 23, 2025

Raider Spotlight

Student Council hosted a pet supply drive for the pet pantry at Sophia's Angels Kitchen.

This Week

From the Desk of Mrs. Evans

Thanksgiving Break Message
Harold B. Dawson, Jr. Middle School

Raider Families,

As always, we’re excited to welcome our students back for a short but meaningful school week! We have several fun and engaging activities planned before Thanksgiving Break, so please make sure your student attends both days.

As we head into Thanksgiving Break, I want to wish each of you a warm, safe, and joyful holiday. This season reminds us of the power of family, gratitude, and community—and we are truly thankful for the partnership we share with you.

When we return, we look forward to welcoming everyone back for two special celebrations on Tuesday.

Grandparents Day will be honored in the building that morning as we celebrate the love and legacy our grandparents bring to our Raider Nation.

Students will enjoy a fun and energizing Fall Fling on Tuesday afternoon. As part of this event, scholars may participate in a $1 Free Dress buy-out.

We also want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to our girls’ basketball team for their exciting victory on Friday night. What a wonderful way to celebrate 8th Grade Night and recognize the hard work of our athletes.

Parents, we are grateful for your continued support, as well as the partnership of our community members and the Peoria Public Schools District. Together, we provide the guidance, structure, and encouragement our students need to thrive—both in the classroom and in life.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy this time of rest, reflection, and family.

With gratitude,

Mrs. Evans

Attention HBD Parents/Guardians,

We are focusing on our chronically absent students who have missed 10% or more of the school year. As of Friday 11/21, if your student has missed 7.5 or more days of school (excused and/or unexcused), they are considered chronically absent.

Students who are chronically absent are at risk of falling behind their peers academically. If you are unsure of your student's attendance or need assistance getting your student to school consistently, please contact the school.

Raiders, our goal is 100% Attendance Every DAY!

Week 8.03 - 90.50%

Week 8.10 - 90.80%

Week 8.16 - 91.00%

Week 8.24 - 85.00%

Week 9.2 - 87.5%

Week of 9.7 - 88.5%

Week of 9.15 - 87%

Week of 9.22 - 88.25%

Week of 9.29 - 90%

Week of 10.20 - 84.25%

Week of 10. 27 - 87%

Week of 11.03 - 90%

Week of 11.10 - 90.30%

Week of 11. 17 - 92.4%

Week of 11.24 -

Week of 12.01 -

Week of 12.08 -

Week of 12. 15 -

Students continue to earn one jibbitz charm per week for being at school every day that week.

*Bracelets will not be replaced, so students need to be responsible for them!

Save the Date

House Showdown: Mon. 11/24

Wear your house shirt or your house color to compete for the most house participation!

Grandparents' Day: Tues. 11/25 8:30 a.m.

We are no longer accepting RSVPs at this time.

Fall Fling: Tues. 11/25 1:00-2:30 p.m.

PTO is sponsoring our Fall Fling this year! Students will have the choice of attending the dance in the gym or a movie/games in the cafeteria. It will be a $1 Buy-Out of uniform day and concessions will be available for purchase.

Monday, 12/1: Boundary Waiver Application Window Opens

Tuesday, 12/2: Special Education Teacher Appreciation Day

School Activities

HBD Sports

Girls' Basketball

Great season, girls!

Boys' Basketball

See Coach Johnson & Coach Patton for practice schedule.

HBD Clubs

Student Council: Monday, November 24th 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

Art Club: Wednesdays 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

Chess Club: Wednesdays 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

Horizons Club: Thursdays during lunch

Counselor's Corner

School Counselor: Kelly Craig Edwards

Email: kelly.craig@psd150.org

All Students:

--Cartwheel: Online counseling support. Ask Mrs. Craig if you have questions

--Wrap Around Center: Offers counseling, food, rent assistance, and other supports

6th-8th Graders:

Thinking about becoming an adult and planning for your future can be overwhelming! We are very excited to introduce your school’s college and career readiness platform, SchooLinks, to help you reduce that anxiety and fear about your future! All of SchooLinks’ features are designed to step-by-step help you plan for your future plans (don’t forget to make back up plans too). SchooLinks has taken years of student feedback to make sure your experience using it is friendly, fun and most importantly helpful! SchooLinks can be accessed on your phone, tablet, or computer.

SchooLinks allows you to:

--Take swipeable surveys and quizzes to learn more about your interests and what careers might be right for you 🤳

--Research careers and watch mentor videos to help you navigate the college and career planning process 👨‍🔬

--Explore college profiles to learn information about campus life, the student body, and more 👨‍🎓

--Learn about financial literacy and how decisions you make can financially impact you after you graduate 💰

--Create course plans based on your career pathway 👩‍🏫

SchooLinks can be an amazing tool to help you decide and prepare for your path after high school even if you’re not 100% sure yet! We offer more than 80 experiences, such as career interest inventory assessments, college and career search, scholarship matching, college application tracking, and more. We look forward to getting started and helping you map your future!

8th Graders: Applications and auditions for PSA, AVID, and IB have closed.

Nurse's Notes

All students participating in school sports must have an up-to-date sports physical (dated within a year).

Shout Out

Raider Staff,

You are an amazing group of individuals whose commitment to Harold B. Dawson, Jr. MS and it's success is evident in all that you do to make sure that our students received the best middle school experience possible. We are invested in ensuring the academic, behavioral, and social development of the students that we serve. Thank you for being on your A-game every day. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

HBD PTO

Parents and Guardians are welcome to join our HBD PTO in working to ensure that our students are provided with the best possible middle school experience.

President: Jessica Marksity

Vice President: Suzanne Linsley

Secretary and Treasurer: Meghan Moody

Next Meeting: Tuesday, 12/9 @ 6:00 PM

Location: HBD Library and MS Teams at https://bit.ly/HBDPTO2526

HBD's PTO is selling the $1 chocolate bars again! You have 3 options for purchasing:

Students were sent home with pre-order forms before break. Simply fill it out, return it to school with your cash payment, and your chocolate bars will be sent home with your student the following day.
If you'd like to pay online, visit: https://bit.ly/HBDPTOchocolate
Students can purchase bars directly from Mrs. Moody throughout the day.

Thought of the Week

Important Reminders

Parent Message: Raider Sportsmanship Expectations ----- Boys Basketball begins Dec. 08

Raider Families,

As we continue to support our students in athletics, clubs, and school activities, I want to take a moment to remind all families of the importance of good sportsmanship. Our goal is to create safe, positive, and encouraging environments where every student—whether on the court, in the stands, or performing on stage—feels valued and respected.

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) sets clear expectations for conduct during school-sponsored events. While HBD is a middle school, we proudly follow these same guidelines to model excellence for our scholars. Key IHSA expectations include:

Show respect for all players, coaches, officials, and spectators—at all times.

Cheer positively, avoiding negative comments, taunting, or distracting behaviors.

Allow officials to officiate. The use of abusive, harassing, or inappropriate language toward referees is strictly prohibited.

Promote a safe, family-friendly atmosphere where students can learn, compete, and grow.

Remember that school activities are extensions of the classroom, and the same standards of respect and responsibility apply.

Our students are watching us, learning from us, and modeling our actions. Thank you for helping us demonstrate what true Raider Pride looks like—respect, courtesy, and unity.

Together, we can ensure that every event reflects the strong character of our school community and supports the success of all students.

With appreciation,
Mrs. Evans
Principal, Harold B. Dawson Jr. Middle School

Arrival procedures:

Student will enter from the playground entrance.
Parents, please say your good-byes outside and direct you student to report to the staff members who are at door.
Buses drop students in front. Please, do not block buses area or staff parking.
Please respect the crossing-guard's directions.

Dismissal Procedures:

Students will exit from the playground doors.
Buses will be waiting on the playground, please do not block driveway.
Students who walk will exit from the front doors of the building.
Please respect the crossing-guard's directions.

All students are required to remain in uniform on school grounds and while on the bus.

This includes after-school events unless performance attire is required.

See Student Handbook for details.

Exceptions: Birthdays, Spirit Days, Buy-Outs

HBD Parents and Guardians,

Bus and school safety remain our top priority. Our bus drivers carry a critical responsibility and should not have to manage student misbehavior. Please remind your student to follow all bus safety rules and the driver’s directions at all times. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure every ride is safe.