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A Holiday Message from the Principal
As we close out this year and head into the holiday break, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for making this school community so special. This year has been filled with so many achievements, big and small, and none of it would be possible without the dedication, hard work, and collaboration from our amazing students, staff, and families.
Your commitment to supporting one another, your willingness to go above and beyond, and the genuine care you show each day are the true pillars of our school. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a vibrant, supportive, and inspiring community. Thank you for making this year one to remember.
As we take a much-needed break, I encourage everyone to rest, recharge, and spend time with loved ones. Please remember that the re-enrollment deadline for the next school year is January 31st, so don’t forget to complete that before the deadline.
When we return on January 7th, we’ll pick up right where we left off, continuing to build on the incredible success we’ve achieved together. I’m excited to see what the next year holds for us.
Wishing you all a joyous holiday season filled with peace, happiness, and cherished moments. Thank you once again for being such an incredible school community—I look forward to what we’ll accomplish together in the new year.
Happy Holidays,
Mr. Vedziovski
Principal, Horizon Science Academy McKinley Park
2245 W. Pershing Rd. Chicago, IL 60609
(O) 773.247.8400 | (F) 773.247.8401
Operated by Concept Schools
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Parent Teacher Conferences | |
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Thank you to all the parents who took the time to meet with our teaching staff during 2nd Quarter Parent-Teacher Conferences! Your commitment to partnering with us in your child’s education is invaluable.
As we reach the halfway point of the school year, we couldn’t be prouder of the strong partnerships we’ve built with our families. Your involvement and collaboration play a vital role in your student’s success, and we are so grateful for your continued support.
Together, we are making this school year one of growth, achievement, and community. Let’s keep the momentum going as we move into the second half of the year!
Thank you for being such an important part of our school family.
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We hosted a successful robotics competition that brought together 20 middle-school teams from across the Chicagoland area this month!
It was an exciting day filled with energy, collaboration, and innovation. The event ran smoothly thanks to the hard work of many dedicated volunteers and the support of our amazing school community. With 150 to 200 attendees filling the building, the atmosphere was electric, showcasing the power of STEM and teamwork.
Thanks again to everyone who helped make this event such a success. Our Robotics program continues to shine, and it’s all thanks to this amazing community!
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We’re thrilled that our 5th-grade team, the Minions, won the Rising All-Star Award and advanced to the Sectionals in January! Their innovative use of graphene to build stronger submarines demonstrated creativity and ingenuity.
Team members include:
- Jameel Mohammad
- Nathan Ocampo
- Sahara Mahmoud
- Ezra Garcia
- Stefano Salguero
Our other teams also impressed with their hard work and inventive ideas:
- 6330, The Krakens (6th Grade): Invented "Gerald," a low-cost, autonomous robot designed to follow exploration vehicles and provide directional light. Team members:
- Anna Abarca
- Ariana Cannella
- Aiden Luna
- Mario Morales
- 6335, Ninja Builders (4th Grade): Created "Subnana Yellow," a submarine capable of capturing dangerous sea creatures for study to improve ocean safety. Team members:
- Camilo Dimas
- Daleyza Gonzalez
- Francisco Mendez
- Julian Camacho
We are so proud of our dedicated students for their hard work and great representation at the most recent FLL Qualifier held at St. Ignatius this month.
GO HSA HAWKS!
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Breakfast with Santa
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the PTO’s Annual Breakfast with Santa event—it was a fantastic turnout!
A special shout-out to our amazing Committee Parents, Crystal Lara and Johanna Gallardo, for organizing this wonderful event. We also want to extend our gratitude to all the parent volunteers, students, and staff who pitched in to make the day a success—especially the parents who cooked for everyone!
This event wouldn’t have been possible without the support and dedication of our school community. We are truly grateful for your involvement.
Wishing everyone a joyful and restful holiday season!
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A big thank you to our amazing PTO for organizing their annual Santa’s Gift Shop for our students! This special event gave our students the opportunity to shop for thoughtful gifts for their family and friends during the holiday season—all within the comfort of our school.
We also want to extend a heartfelt thanks to our Volunteer Gift Wrappers, who helped ensure that students were able to return to class on time with beautifully wrapped presents. Your support and teamwork made this event a memorable experience for everyone involved!
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We are thrilled to continue our 12 Days of Reading tradition with our K-5 students! Each day, a different staff member read a holiday-themed book virtually to our students, while assigning a fun challenge related to the story. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the season while fostering a love for reading!
A special shout-out to our incredible Holiday Readers:
- Day 1: Ms. Manzella
- Day 2: Ms. Tiffany
- Day 3: Ms. Portugal
- Day 4: Ms. Metcalf
- Day 5: Mr. Marron
- Day 6: Ms. Villa
- Day 7: Coach Meyers
- Day 8: Ms. Dukes
- Day 9: Ms. Gamboa
- Day 10: Mr. Kartal (Our Superintendent)
- Day 11: Ms. Torres
- Day 12: Ms. Solmaz
A huge thank you to our awesome librarian, Ms. Manzella for hosting this wonderful event all year round and for organizing this special holiday tradition!
Thank you to all of our readers for bringing holiday cheer to our students and making this a fun, interactive experience!
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Pictured are our 3 Lucky Winners:
Mackenzie Knepp, Vasaun Hubbard, and Milena Zelaya.
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Congratulations to our Raffle Winners! | |
Thank you to all of our students who participated in our daily challenges connected to our 12 days of Reading! This was a very exciting activity we launched to promote literacy and the spirit of the Holiday Season.
Our daily challenges were connected to the books that were read daily and we were very happy to see our students participate and send us their photos. We offered 12 opportunities for our students to enter our raffle, and we were able to put together a great prize.
Pictured are our 3 lucky winners! Our baskets were filled with literacy board games, crafts, and all 12 books that were read!
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A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Bearden, Ms. Kolevska, and Mr. Phillips (Band Director) for their incredible dedication and hard work with our students. Together, they helped produce an unforgettable day of concerts that truly showcased the talent and hard work of our young musicians.
Our students sounded phenomenal as they performed in front of their families, filling the room with music and holiday spirit. It’s always a joy to see our Hawks shine on stage, and this event remains one of our favorite highlights of the year
Way to Go Hawks!
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What a festive and action-packed December it has been for our CYSP groups! Each group had its own unique events, trips, and holiday gatherings, creating lasting memories and valuable experiences.
A few highlights include:
- Annual Holiday Zoo Lights
- Bowling Gathering
- College Visit to St. Xavier University
We are so proud of how engaged and active our CYSP groups stay throughout the month. A huge thank you to our dedicated mentors for keeping the students involved, excited, and motivated!
Keep up the great work CYSP, and here’s to even more success in the new year!
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Ms. Imamovic, Ms. Fortman, and Ms. Solmaz recently had the honor of accompanying our top 10 students from the Class of 2025 on an extraordinary college tour to Yale, Brown, Harvard, and MIT. This transformative journey provided students with an up-close experience of prestigious Ivy League and top-tier universities, igniting their ambitions and expanding their horizons. The students toured iconic campuses, interacted with faculty, and immersed themselves in the dynamic academic cultures. It was an inspiring and memorable experience for all, empowering our students to set their sights on achieving their highest potential! | |
Alumni Spotlight: Nicolas Roacho
We are thrilled to shine the spotlight on this month's alumnus, Nicolas Roacho, an HSA McKinley Park graduate from the Class of 2023, who is now making waves as a Media and Cinema Studies student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign!
Nicolas’s passion for media began right here at HSA McKinley Park, where he was the founding anchor of our Morning Announcement Team. This love for storytelling and media has grown into a burning passion for cinema, and he is now a budding film critic with a talent for breaking down storytelling techniques, cinematography, and performances.
At U of I, Nicolas wears many hats:
-As an On-Air Personality for WPGU 107.1, he entertains listeners worldwide every Thursday from 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM with music and commentary.
-As a News Correspondent for WPGU 107.1, he writes short news articles covering current events and happenings in and around campus.
-As a Buzz Writer for the Daily Illini, Nicolas focuses on reviewing new movie releases while occasionally covering video games and music.
-As a Creative Developer for the Daily Illini, Nicolas makes content for the publication’s social media pages.
-As a photographer for the Illio, Nicolas also takes several photos for the University’s yearbook highlighting the events around campus.
-He also directed a short film for a class that won four awards including “Best Direction". (see the link below)
Nicolas is also making a significant impact through leadership and community involvement:
-President of Illini Watchers
-Treasurer of Illini Film and Video
-Intern at Shatterglass Studios and recently did videography for EbertFest.
We were also proud to welcome Nicolas back recently when he represented us at the ISBE Board Meeting, speaking on behalf of HSA McKinley Park. His dedication, talent, and drive continue to inspire us all.
Nicolas is immersing himself in every opportunity to grow as a film critic, and we are confident he will become a significant voice in the movie industry. We are excited to hear more about his future accomplishments.
Congratulations, Nicolas, on all your achievements so far. We can’t wait to see what’s next!
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At HSA McKinley Park, our top priority is the health and safety of students and staff. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
Mr. Seat Vedziovski, School Principal:
vedziovski@hsamckinley.org
Mrs. Marisa Vega, Community Outreach Coordinator:
vega@hsamckinley.org
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