Mr. A, Mrs. Regner, and Ms. Ekowa showcased their home countries at the Multicultural Fair last weekend!

HBD Raider Families,

As we enter the final days of the school year, thank you for your continued partnership and support. Last week was filled with purposeful excitement as students:

*Continued NWEA testing

*Celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week

*Recognized School Nurse Appreciation Day

*Honored Dr. Kherat during her farewell visit on Friday

While there has been much to celebrate, we still have important work ahead. Please continue to support our efforts by encouraging:

*Daily school attendance and on-time arrival

*Strong academic effort and assignment completion

*Positive student behavior and respectful conduct

*Improving student achievement remains our primary goal, and every school day matters.

As we approach the end of the school year, student safety also remains a top priority. Please remind students to:

*Make good choices

*Resolve conflicts peacefully

*Follow school expectations

*Help us maintain a safe and positive learning environment

*Thank you for helping our Raiders finish the year strong with pride and purpose.

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

Have a wonderful week, Raider Families!

Principal Evans
Harold B. Dawson, Jr. Middle School

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%

Week of 3.23.26 - 88%

Week of 4.13.26 - 89%

Week of 4.20.26 - 89.8%

Week of 4.27.26 - 88%

Week of 5.4.26 - 92.6% :) Keep This Up!

Week of 5.11.26 -

Week of 5.18. 26 -

Last Week 5.25.26 - 

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!

Yearbooks can be purchased now for $5 from Ms. Wake or Mrs. Moody.

Save the Date for 8th Grade Promotion! 

City-Wide Track Meet: Tuesday, 5/12 4:00 p.m. @ Peoria Stadium

Soccer Game: Monday, 5/11 vs. Liberty @ Bubble Field #1 Girls 3:45 p.m. / Boys 4:45 p.m.

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

Basketball Training Club: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 2:45-4:30 p.m.

GRO Mentoring Program: Tuesday during lunch

Horizons Club: Thursday during lunch

HBD Raider Families 💙

As we jump into an exciting soccer and track season, we are proud of our student-athletes and all they are accomplishing! With so many events ahead, we want to continue building a positive, safe, and encouraging atmosphere for everyone involved.

At HBD, we follow the standards set by the Illinois High School Association to model excellence for our scholars—on and off the field.

🏟️ Raider Game Day Expectations:

Respect everyone – players, coaches, officials, and fellow spectators

Cheer loud and positive – keep it encouraging and school-appropriate

Trust the officials – no negative or inappropriate comments

Keep it family-friendly – create a space where all feel welcome

Remember – school events are an extension of the classroom

Our students are always watching—and learning from us. Let’s show them what true Raider Pride looks like through our actions: respect, unity, and sportsmanship.

Thank you for helping us make every game and meet a great experience for our students and community.

Let’s go Raiders! ⚽🏃‍♂️💨

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

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!

PTO Board Elections: Tuesday, May 19th

Interested in Running? No experience necessary! Complete the form here.

Questions? HBDPTO@gmail.com

Thanks for all you do, Nurse Danielle!

For more information, contact:

Keith McDaniel:

kmcdaniel@peoriagov.org

309-573-6232

Did your student miss the bus because it came early?

Has your student been waiting at the bus stop, wondering where the bus is?

Is your student normally home by now?

Stop wondering and download the Bus Quest app to follow your student's bus along its route to and from school!

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.

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

✔ Walk on sidewalks (not in the street)

✔ Respect our neighbors and local businesses

✔ Keep hands and objects to themselves (no horse play or throwing items)

✔ Use respectful language at all times

✔ The north side of Rohmann is a no parking zone. Vehicles should only be parking on the school-side of the street.

✔ Use the crosswalk to cross Rohmann.

✔ Watch for students and other vehicles before pulling out.

✔ The speed limit is 20 mph when students are present. 

✔ Remain seated

✔ No food or drink

✔ Use respectful language at all times

✔  Keep hands and objects to yourself

Please review the information at the following links:

• Back to School Procedures 25 26 - digital.pdf

• 2025-26_HBDawson_Handbook