Pie Day was so much fun! Check out all the photos on our Facebook page!

HBD Raider Family – Welcome Back!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope you and your family enjoyed a restful and joyful Spring Break! We are excited to welcome our Raiders back to school and look forward to a strong finish to the school year. Our team is energized, prepared, and ready to support every student in reaching their full potential.

As we return, please take note of the following important reminders and highlights:

⏰ Daily Arrival

School doors open at 7:15 AM.

There is no supervision available prior to this time, so please plan accordingly to ensure student safety.

📌 School Expectations

HBD remains committed to maintaining a focused and structured learning environment. We will continue to adhere to all district and school policies, including:

Uniform dress expectations

Cell phones secured in Yondr pouches during the school day

Daily, on-time attendance

🍕 Monday Celebration!

We’re kicking off our return with some Raider fun!

IAR Pizza Day will take place on Monday

Every student who attends will also receive a special School Spirit swag gift 🎉

📝 Testing Reminder

5th and 8th grade students will participate in ISA testing this week.
We encourage all students to come well-rested, focused, and ready to do their very best!

💡 4 Tips to Finish the Year Strong

Prioritize Attendance – Every day counts! Being present supports learning and success.

Stay Organized – Keep track of assignments, deadlines, and materials.

Maintain Positive Habits – Encourage good sleep, healthy routines, and a positive mindset.

Stay Connected – Communicate with teachers and check in on your student’s progress regularly.

Our HBD team is truly excited to see our students back in the building. We are committed to working together—with you—to ensure a strong, successful, and memorable end to the school year.

Let’s finish strong, Raider Family! ❤️💙

Mrs. Mary Newman-Evans
Principal
Harold B. Dawson Middle School
Home of the Raiders

As a reminder, our BINGO boards are due on Monday, April 13th. It’s filled with fun, simple ideas to keep students engaged in learning without it feeling like schoolwork.
👉 To earn your prize, complete a BINGO and fill out the form HERE.

As a reminder, students are not allowed to use headphones from home during the school day. All headphones (and smartwatches) are to be locked in their lockers or turned into their teachers with their phones in the morning. 

HBD Raider Families,

Please take time to closely monitor your student’s use of social media. While social media can be useful, it can also expose students to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and unsafe interactions.

It is important to remember that colleges, scholarship programs, and potential employers often review social media accounts when evaluating applicants, so what students post today can impact future opportunities.

Helpful steps for parents:

Know which apps your child is using.

Set accounts to private and review followers.

Periodically check posts, messages, and activity.

Talk with your child about responsible online behavior.

Please note that inappropriate social media use during school hours that violates district or school policy may result in school consequences.

Thank you for helping us keep our HBD Raiders safe and focused on success.

We are focusing on our chronically absent students who have missed 10% or more of the school year. Parents, Please make sure that your student(s) attend school daily.

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 at 309-672-6506.

Week 1.06.26 - 88.8%

Week of 1.12.26 - 85%

Week of 1.19.26 - 88%

Week of 1.25.26 - 88%

Week of 2.02..26 - 88%

Week of 2.09.26 - 89.3%

Week of 2.16.26 - 88%

Week of 2.23.26 - 87%

Week of 3.2.26 - 88.3%

Week of 3.9.26 - 88.5%

Week of 3.16.26 - 87%

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!

SOCCER AND TRACK PARTICIPANTS: You must have an up-to-date sports physical (dated within a year). 

Track Practice: Monday-Thursday 2:45-4:00 p.m.

Soccer: Tuesday 4/13 vs. Elise Ford Allen @ Bubble Field #1 - Girls 4:00 p.m. / Boys 5:00 p.m.

Soccer: Saturday 4/18 vs. Annie Jo Gordon @ Bubble Field #1 - Girls 9:00 a.m. / Boys 10:00 a.m.

Future Teacher Club: Monday 2:45-3:45 p.m. 

GRO Mentoring Program: Tuesday during lunch

Art Club: Wednesday 2:45-3:45 p.m. 

Chess Club: Wednesday 2:45-3:45 p.m. 

Horizons Club: Thursday during lunch

Student Council: Monday, 4/20 2:45-3:45 p.m.

 A male mentoring opportunity that takes place during the school day and is facilitated by G.R.O. (GRO Community), a district-approved organization committed to the holistic growth and empowerment of young men. Selected students will receive a written notice and contact from a member of G.R.O.  

Through this program, students will work closely with positive mentors who support them in strengthening important life skills such as:

· Soft Skills: Building strong communication, leadership, and social-emotional awareness

· Behavioral Growth: Developing self-discipline, accountability, and positive decision-making habits

· Attendance & Academic Success: Encouraging consistent attendance and strategies that support strong academic performance

We thank you in advance for supporting our efforts to build supports around our youth.

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!

A Note of Appreciation for Our Assistant Principals

To Our Dedicated Assistant Principals,

Thank you for the care, professionalism, and commitment you bring to HBD. Even on a rotating basis, your impact is felt daily through the respect, grace, and excellence you show in supporting our students and staff.

Your leadership and flexibility help keep our Raider Family strong.

We truly appreciate all that you do.

With gratitude,
Mrs. MJN-E & The HBD Team ❤️💙

School Librarian Day fell over Spring Break, so we wanted to let Ms. Erica know how much we appreciate her! It's so nice to have our library back open for business! 📚

Parent Message: Raider Sportsmanship Expectations  

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

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

The Village of West Peoria has asked us to remind our families that the north side of Rohmann is a no parking zone. Vehicles should only be parking on the school-side of the street.

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.

🚶🏾‍♂️ Special Note for Parents of Student Walkers

As the weather begins to change and more students walk to and from school, we ask for your support in reinforcing safe walking habits.

Please remind your scholar to:

✔ Walk on sidewalks (not in the street)
✔ Respect our neighbors and local businesses
✔ Keep hands and objects to themselves (no throwing items)
✔ Avoid horseplay or physical play while walking
✔ Use respectful language at all times

Our Raider Scholars represent Harold B. Dawson Middle School everywhere they go. We want them safe, responsible, and showing Raider Pride in our community.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep all of our students safe before and after school. 💙

Please review the information at the following links:

• Back to School Procedures 25 26 - digital.pdf

• 2025-26_HBDawson_Handbook