Hawthorne LAB School Newsletter
October 13, 2017
Principal's Corner
Dear Hawthorne Families,
I hope you are all doing well. As the leaves begin to change and the weather continues to be predictably unpredictable, we are well into another month of new learning. As I visit classrooms from our youngest learners to our intermediate learners, I am encouraged by so many thoughtful lessons and a school climate of kindness and fun-- teachers and students singing and dancing in the younger grades while the older students are busy setting up writers’ café and sharing out their published stories.
As you all walk through the hallways of our school you will notice that we are building on the positive identities of who we are. Our teachers and students have been tasked to think about who they are and how they are living their values. We have students identifying their strengths as readers, writers, mathematicians, artists, singers, coders, etc.
We are confident in developing and creating a strong sense of positive identity here at Hawthorne LAB School.
The singing and dancing are not isolated to just our teachers and students—it has also spread to our Dean of Students, social worker, school psychologist, and myself. Our behavior support team (dean, social worker, psychologist, and principal) had the opportunity to visit each classroom to share with students several activities that addressed respectful behaviors that help all of us feel safe and happy. Here are the songs that we sang to our younger and older students. An adaptation of Aretha Franklin’s respect song along with our new version of “Twinkle, Twinkle” was created by our talented Dean of Students. Here are the lyrics to each song:
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
That is what we want to see
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
It all begins with me
To the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”:
Kindness, kindness, in our school, (arms above head making a building)
Showing respect is super cool. (thumbs up)
Giving others talking space, (sway arms in circle around us)
When in line, we stay in place. (sit straight with arms at side)
Kindness, kindness, in our school, (arms above head making a building)
Showing respect is super cool. (thumbs up)
Our positive identities of who we are is also evident outside of the classroom. We had many students from Hawthorne LAB represented in our district cross-country run. They trained and worked so hard towards the success that they demonstrated last week. A shout-out goes to Ms. Steffes and Ms. Luz for coaching our runners. I would like to thank all of the staff members who came out to support our Hawthorne runners.
Finally, I am looking forward to our conference days which will be on October 19th and 24th from 4:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m. I know our teachers are always excited to get to know your children so that we can continue to build on the strengths to reach their full learning potential.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to your children’s academic and social growth.
Be well,
Mr. Nguyen
Save the Date!
Get to know Ms. Natalie Heins
My name is Natalie Heins, I am the student teacher in Kindergarten. I am from Palatine, IL where my mom and younger brother, Jacob, still live. My dad lives in Virginia. I am in my final year at Carroll University. When I graduate I will be able to teach in regular education and special education from 4K-3rd grade. I hope to be able to teach in Waukesha. In my free time I love to read a book in my pajamas, bake something sweet, or go thrift shopping. I am excited to be a part of the Hawthorne team and to learn from the amazing staff in this school!
Meet Ms. Emily Hansen
Hello!
My name is Emily Hansen and I am a student at Carroll University. This semester, I will be working with your learners and Ms. Retzlaff for my special education field placement. I’m thrilled to be a part of their classroom community! This is my fourth year at Carroll and I have worked in various education settings around Waukesha including Hillcrest Elementary, Blair Elementary, Randall STEM, and La Casa de Esperanza. I am currently working towards a degree in Elementary Education with dual licensure in both general and special education.
I’m so excited to be here at Hawthorne, especially with our new connection to Carroll through the LAB school. It’s fulfilling to be placed at a school that aligns with my teaching philosophy. This is my first field placement for special education specifically so I know I will be learning a lot from your students.
Thank you and I look forward to the semester!
Emily Hansen
Christmas Clearing Council Application Information
The holidays are approaching, and we want to remind our families about some of the community resources available in Waukesha this time of year. Christmas Clearing Council Applications will be sent home with students on Friday, October 13. Only one application is needed per family, and our social worker Brianne Leibham will mail in the applications as soon as they are returned to school. The Christmas Clearing Council Application deadline is mid-November, but we hope to have the applications returned to us as soon as possible!
Hawthorne LAB School
Hawthorne LAB School Mission: Empower curiosity in thinking to inspire a passion for learning, while creating positive changes in our shared community.
Check out this document to find some answers:
Updated June 9, 2017
Email: jwohlers@waukesha.k12.wi.us
Website: https://sdw.waukesha.k12.wi.us/HawthorneES
Location: 1111 Maitland Drive, Waukesha, WI, United States
Phone: 262.970.1605
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HawthorneLABSchool/
Twitter: @HawLABSchool