December 19 - 5th grade skating from 12:30-2:30

December 22 - January 4 - NO SCHOOL due to Winter Break

January 5 - Students return to school!

This is the time of year we often see an increase in cases of influenza-like illness (ILI). ILI is defined as a fever (at least 100 degrees F) and a cough or sore throat. The Minnesota Department of Health offers the following guidelines for preventing the spread of influenza (flu) in school settings:

1. Be aware of flu symptoms: fever, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat, body aches. If students or staff become ill with these symptoms during the day, they should go home.
2. Promote hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, and staying home when sick for both students and staff.
3. Provide tissue to cover coughs and sneezes.
4. Provide adequate time to wash hands. There is no need to use special antibacterial soap; regular soap is effective. Antibacterial products have not been proven to prevent the spread of infection better than regular soap.
5. Routinely clean and disinfect commonly used areas and frequently touched surfaces. Flu can remain on surfaces for up to 8 hours.
6. Students and staff can return to school 24 hours after their fever is gone without fever-reducing medication. They should also be well enough to participate in school before returning.

As you can see, our parents and students feel very strongly that Hawthorne has an overall Safe, Supportive, and Collaborative Culture! Our job now is to continue what we are doing but also take a look at the indicators that aren't as high to see what we can do to improve!

Using the framework and indicators, districts and schools can drive permanent, positive, and significant impacts on student achievement. We are committed to providing excellent educational opportunities for our students and we thank all of you for helping us with the survey results!

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If your family is in need of winter clothing items, please let us know so that if we can try to be of assistance to keep everyone safe!

According to multiple studies, missing several days of school significantly reduces the likelihood that students will graduate from high school. With attendance a crucial factor to keeping kids on the right path to graduation, Attendance Works has substantial information on attendance and the impact on student achievement.

Below is some of the research below on why attendance matters.

Start Strong

Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict frequent absences later in the school year. Nearly half of all students that missed more than two days of school in September went on to miss almost a month of school.

Chronic Absences

An estimated 5 to 7.5 million students in the United States miss almost a month of school every year. This adds up to over a year missed by the time of graduation.

Early Absences Lead to Attendance Issues in Later Grades

Absenteeism starts early. One in 10 kindergartners and first graders are considered to be “chronically absent.” Research shows students who miss 10 percent of school, or two days per month, show negative academic progress. In some schools, that adds up to 18 days a school year and is considered to be chronic absence.

Third Grade Reading Level

Poor attendance can keep children from reading proficiently by the end of third grade, which is shown to negatively affect their chances of graduating on time.

Dropout Indicator

By sixth grade, a chronically absent student is shown to have a significantly higher chance of dropping out of high school.

Excused Absences Hurt Too

Excused absences are just as negative as unexcused ones. Suspensions add additional missed time in the classroom, which in turn increases the dropout risk.

At Risk Students are at Risk for Absence

Students from low-income families are four times more likely to be chronically absent. Reasons for this are often out of the student’s control, such as unreliable transportation, unstable housing, and a lack of access to quality health care.

Every Minute Matters

If a student is 10 minutes late to school each day, this adds up to missing more than 33 hours of class time. A student with a 90 percent attendance average for Kindergarten through 12th grade will miss over a year of accumulated time in the classroom.

See more research on the importance of attendance here: http://www.attendanceworks.org/research