Secret Staircase

By Alexa G. & Helena H.

On a chilly September day, in 1957, Oliver Wendell Holmes School was opened.
There were two known ways for the custodian to get into the basement: the north staircase, and the custodian’s elevator. But, there were rumors of another widely unknown way of getting to the basement. It’s a staircase, hence its name—the secret staircase. Most have heard rumors of infamous crawlspaces and trap doors, but we don’t know who is right. Only a few lucky students have been in on the secret--or so they say. No one really knew if there’s a secret staircase besides our custodian team. Mr. Helm explained to the editors of front page that there is a dual staircase other than the one on the north side of the school. A student’s only opportunity to go into the secret staircase is if there was a severe weather warning and the main basement area is full and so is the hallway. A teacher would then escort the students to the staircase for shelter and protection. All in all, do not try to find the secret staircase! Not only will you get in trouble, but also it is just not smart to go roaming in a mysterious basement! This is no longer a secret, and the staircase is no longer a rumor. It is there for all of our safety, and if the weather permits (or doesn’t permit), the ‘Secret Staircase’ will be there to shelter us.

Retiring Teachers

By Alexa G. & Helena H.

Three of our most beloved staff members here at Holmes are leaving us this year-Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. Katz, and Mrs. Vickers.
Mrs. Hughes has been at Holmes School for 16 years. Why did she stay so long you ask? Two words--the people. Ms. Hughes is an inspiring teacher. Everyday she works with different students and helps them read. Next year, Mrs. Hughes plans on traveling, she looks forward to more gardening time, and also she will have lots of spare time to read. Mrs. Hughes told us that she will miss everyone. Her advice for students is, “Enjoy learning, make many friends, try new things, and ask questions—the recipe for success.”
Mrs. Katz has been here for three years. She loves the friendly staff here at Holmes and being with children. She is going to miss everyone, especially the children she works with. Ms. Katz is planning to go to Hawaii and maybe to Europe. Her advice for students is, “Keep on studying, keep learning, and to keep in mind that education is so important.”
We will miss these two teachers very much. Make sure you bid them a proper farewell. Go to the fifth grade page to learn about Mrs. Vickers.

Inside Info on the Office Staff

By Alexa G. & Helena H.

In our school office, three amazing people work: Suzie Hackmiller- principal, Rene Furguson- administrative assistant, and finally, Lori Krikau- secretary. We all know who they are and what they do—but we bet that no student knows this much about our adored office staff. Without them, the school would be a zoo.

Mrs. Krikau was born and raised in Berwyn, Illinois. She now lives in our hometown, Oak Park. Before she came here to be our secretary, she was a secretary at Julian Middle School. For four years before that, she was a substitute teacher.

FYI: What do you wish you could change about the school office?
Mrs. K: At the end of the day, it gets very hectic in the school office. I wish I could have student helpers that could help me deliver last minute messages. I also wouldn’t mind a Milk Dud machine in the school office.
FYI: If the school got a large some of money what would you spend it on?
Mrs. K: I would spend it on an indoor swimming for the school. As a part of gym children would get swimming and diving lessons. I would also buy a green house to grow veggies as a part of our incentive for a greener planet.
FYI: What are your hobbies?
Mrs. K: I am a huge White Sox fan, I love gardening, I am a softball coach, and I really enjoy tennis.


Ms. Ferguson was born in England. Soon after she was born, her family moved to Toronto, Canada. She came to the US in 1968. She has worked at this school for 6 1/2 years.

FYI: What are your likes and dislikes regarding the school?
Ms. F: I love all the kids and the staff. We are all a big family. I dislike having too much work.
FYI: What would you change regarding the school?
Ms. F: I would give kids more time to play outside. I would also like it if more kids said please and thank you.
FYI: If you could buy anything you want for the school what would it be?
Ms. F: I would get air conditioning in the auditorium because when everyone is in there it gets very hot. I would also get more playground equipment so kids can have more fun outside.
FYI: What are your hobbies?
Ms. F: I enjoy sewing, I absolutely love to read, and I really like water sports. Like kayaking.


Before Ms. Hackmiller was a principal here at Holmes, she was an assistant principal at Julian. She was only in charge of one grade and she was mostly in charge of the discipline for that grade. Here at Holmes she has more responsibilities.

FYI: What are your hobbies?
Ms. H: My hobbies are mostly sports related. I am a Triathlete, which means I compete in running, biking, and swimming.
FYI: What would you change about the school office.
Ms. H: I would change the office by painting the walls a different color, I would also move Ms. Krikau’s desk back farther so there is more room when you walk in.
FYI: What is your favorite food?
Ms. H: I enjoy all foods. But my favorites are Thai food and Indian curry chicken. I prefer spicy foods. My favorite kind of food would be Indian.

Our office staff is really wonderful. There are many interesting things about each one of our office staff members. We hope this gives you an inside view on our fabulous office staff.

Mission Statement

By Alexa G. & Helena H.



"Inspire Creativity"
"Cultivate Academic Growth"
"Nurture Our Diverse Community"


Holmes School now has a school-wide mission statement. The first line is “Inspire Creativity,” Natalia N. says, “The statement really sends a message that is beautiful to hear and to read.” Hanna stated that our school is like a blooming flower, always improving the activities and adding creative additions. The second line is, “Cultivate Academic Growth.” Ruth from Ms. Griffith class wrote, “We made a mission statement because we want to make Holmes School a better place for kids and help them learn.” The final line is, “Nurture Our Diverse Community.” Mary J. told us that she really enjoys going out for recess. She said if she can, everybody can. For example, it would not be fair if only half of the school got to go out and the other half didn’t. Jordan M. explained, “We are all different and, although we don’t all look the same we still belong together in one place.”

Chess Championship

Congratulations to the Holmes School Chess Team for coming in 2nd Place at the district wide chess tournament.

Panic at the Discovery Fair

This experiment did not fall! This is Caitlin L. and Olivia H.s' experiment. This experiment was about how to blow up balloons with yeast.


By Alexa G. & Helena H.

On Monday February 23, we had our annual Discovery Fair. People made volcanoes, potato clocks, salt crystals, and many other experiments. It was exciting to walk around and look at all the experiments. Toward the end of the discovery fair a lot of people where crowding around one particular booth. This booth involved fish. All of a sudden, there was a loud bang. We looked over and there where flopping fish on the gym floor. A table had collapsed. Luckily, Celeste G. was there to help. She quickly grabbed the fish and put it back in the water. But there were two fish. Meena H.’s mom fortunately picked up the other slimy fish and put it back in the water. They survived!!!

Now, here is what the article has been building up for

The science experiment belonged to us—
The editors of front page…
Alexa G. and Helena H.

Waste Free Wednesdays

By Alexa G. & Helena H.

You have all heard about zero waste. Now it has come into action. We now have Waste Free Wednesdays, where students are encouraged to bring a lunch that doesn’t produce any waste. By doing this we will be reducing the trash that ends up in the landfills. For example, we are encouraging all students to be aware and instead of packing food in plastic bags, packing them in Tupperware and reusable containers. Also instead of packing your lunch in paper bags you should pack them in lunch boxes. Instead of juice boxes and plastic cups and bottles you could get a reusable water bottle. Also, make sure you enjoy the lunch you pack so your food scraps are minimal. Remember that instead of just throwing things like applesauce and pudding into your lunch boxes transfer them to a reusable container so you don’t have to throw away the plastic container. Remember Waste Free Wednesdays!