Hawthorn Hills Herald
Welcome To The 20-21 School Year - OCTOBER 2nd
We Are Hawthorn Hills Elementary School!
Teachers, parents, and community members working together in a positive environment to provide the tools and opportunities for each child to attain high standards in academics and citizenship.
Website: http://hawthornhills.wausauschools.org
Location: 1600 Kickbusch Street, Wausau, WI, USA
Phone: 715-261-0045
Facebook:
Twitter: @wausausch
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Hello fabulous Hawk families!
What a wild journey so far. I want to thank you again, for all of your hard work, patience, and persistence during these challenging times. You will find this newsletter to be full of many updates and new information to share. As we continue to plan and prepare for the return of our students at Hawthorn Hills, we are asking for your help. Please be sure to complete your Commitment Form by Sunday, October 4th. This piece of information will be incredibly important as we implement our safe and socially distanced learning spaces. I have included the link below just in case you have not yet completed the form for your child/children. Each child will need a separate submission. There is also a link below with an important video message from Dr. Hilts. In addition to moving forward with the Relaunch Plan to bring students safely back to school, the district is also moving forward with a referendum proposal which will be on the November ballot. Below is a link to learn more about the referendum. We will continue to keep all of our wonderful families up to date as we continue to move forward, together. As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns that you may have. 715-261-0046
Please watch this informational video from Dr. Hilts to review the school plans and what the return of students will look like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR_Oatak2pA&feature=youtu.be
Please submit this Commitment Form by Sunday, October 4th.
https://forms.gle/thSYtLwxJcAoYPte6
Please click the link below to access Referendum updates.
http://www.wausauschools.org/district/building_our_future
"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."
Your Principal,
Mrs. Maroszek
VIRTUAL LEARNING REMINDERS
- The virtual school day runs from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
- Students are expected to be signed in and begin the day at 8:30 am
- Attendance will be taken everyday between 8:00 and 10:00 am from classroom teachers
- If a child does not appear virtually, he/she will be marked absent. You will receive communication from the school to confirm the absence or whether learning will be occurring at a different time
- No new learning will occur on Fridays - those days are reserved for work completion and staff preparation for the upcoming week
- If you complete work in the evening, staff will respond the following day.
HAWTHORN HILLS VIRTUAL PUMPKIN DECORATING CONTEST and DANCE
Pumpkin Decorating:
- Most Creative
- Most Funny
- Best Hawthorn Spirit Pumpkin
A Surprise Pumpkin Book Guest Reader
Monster Move School Dance
Please click the link below to fill out the form. This will help us figure out what kind of supplies we need to gather. Can't wait to see your pumpkins!
Artwork done by: Eleanor Sweeney 5th Grade
SeeSaw
Directions:
1. Download 'Seesaw Family' from the App Store or Google Play Store. Don't have smartphone? Sign up on a computer at app.seesaw.me
2. Tap 'Create Family Account' and scan the QR code on the handout that your teacher passed out. Make sure it says your child's name at the top.
3. Create your account to see your child's journal! Make sure to allow notifications to get real-time updates about new posts.
FARMER LARRY'S PUMPKIN PATCH
Social Media - Please Connect With Us
Important Phone Numbers:
Attendance / Office: 715-261-0045
Fax Number: 715-261-2291
First Student Bus: 715-842-2268
Office Hours: 8am - 4pm
Principal: Lyzette Maroszek: lmaroszek@wausauschools.org
Administration Assistant: Gina Haboush ghaboush@wausauschools.org
Get ready for G2M!
Once again this year, we will be hosting our G2M after school program, with a focus on academics. These programs will run on Wednesdays and Thursdays starting the week of October 19th - November 20th at 3:45pm-4:45pm. Click the link below for registration and information.
Reach Out!!
Mao Lee - 715-261-0052
School Social Worker:
Megan Berger - 715-261-0051
A Note From Mrs. Lee- Hawthorn Hills School Counselor
This a challenging time for all of us due to Covid-19 which leads to virtual school. The one word that I hear repeated from our children is that they feel “anxious.” Here are some thoughts and strategies that might be helpful if your children are nervous, scared, or anxious. This article is adapted from Nami: https://www.nami.org/home and KIdsKonnect: https://kidskonnect.com
COVID-19 has changed our lives in ways we never would have imagined. Discussions about the virus dominate the news. Many schools and businesses are closed or running remotely. Sports events, concerts and movie theater showings are canceled. So, it’s not surprising that many of us are feeling more stressed and anxious these days. Kids, too, may be feeling worried — especially if they already have an anxiety disorder. Fortunately, there are things we can do to help our kids cope. But first, parents and other caregivers must ease their own concerns. Children take their cues from the adults who care for them. If you’re anxious, then it’s very hard to calm your kids. If you’re more relaxed, then it’s easier to soothe their fear.
What is anxiety?
Put simply, anxiety is a feeling of unease — like worry or fear. But it can manifest itself differently for different individuals. Sure, it’s “normal” to feel a low level of anxiety at certain moments, before an exam, for example. But for some children, anxiety is a common part of their everyday lives, and they may find it hard to control these emotions. They feel a sense of nervousness or anxiety most days, even if they can’t pinpoint a reason. It’s ok for your child to have moments where they’re scared or worried — that’s just being human! But when it becomes a common occurrence that affects other aspects of their lives, it needs to be addressed.
Signs of anxiety in children:
Thankfully, there are a few telltale signs of an anxious child — ones that you can keep an eye out for. On their own, some of these are just normal childhood behavior. But when they’re constant or all happening together, it could be a sign of anxiety.
● Not sleeping, or having bad dreams
● Not eating properly
● Getting angry quickly, or losing control during emotional outbursts
● Difficulty concentrationg
● Constantly worrying or having negative thoughts
● Appearing tense or fidgety
● Crying more often than normal
● Being clingy
● Complaining of stomach aches or feeling unwell
What can parents do to help? When dealing with anxious children, your first response might be to remove any triggers causing them stress. If they’re scared of dogs, you keep them away from any dogs in the neighborhood — right? This works in the short term, but overall does nothing to help treat their anxiety. Instead, you can teach your children coping skills to help manage their anxiety — this will serve them well into the future, too. Here are some helpful tips.
● Listen: If your child comes to you with worries and concerns, take them seriously no matter how trivial they may seem. Take time to listen, show empathy, and they’ll be more likely to confront their anxieties rather than repressing or avoiding them.
● Be open about anxiety: Have frank and honest discussions with your kids about mental health. The more comfortable they are talking about it, the more open they will be to undertaking practices to help manage it. Remind them that anxiety is totally normal, and nothing to be ashamed about. You can even talk with them about your own anxieties, and how you deal with them.
● Teach breathing exercises: Deep breathing can be very helpful in moments when anxiety threatens to take over. Practice together at home: slow, deep breaths from the belly. Breathe in through your nose for three counts, hold for one, then breathe out for five. Do this five to ten times. It’s something they can subtly do when feeling overwhelmed in public, and a practice you can even implement into your family’s daily routine.
● Encourage exercise: Getting the body moving can be a great way to manage anxiety. Take walks together a few times a week, and ask them to check in with how their body is feeling afterward. Do they feel calmer? Maybe they’re energized or feeling positive? Walks can also be a great opportunity for open and honest chats: it’s often easier to talk about tricky subjects when you’re not sitting face-to-face.
● Keep a schedule: Feelings of anxiety can manifest from disorder or a lack of routine. Establish a schedule with specific times for waking up, doing homework, eating meals, reading, exercise, and bedtime. Adding this sense of structure in their life can go a long way in quieting any feelings of being overwhelmed.
● Create a gratitude journal: Encourage your child to write down one thing every day they’re thankful for. When they’re feeling negative or anxious, they can read through their gratitude entries and be reminded of all the good in their life.
● Engage In Self-Care: It’s always important for kids to get enough sleep, eat healthy food and engage in physical exercise. During times of anxiety, these self-care activities become even more essential. You may want to think about the types of activities that relax your child when they experience other stressful events. What do you do to relieve fears at the beginning of a school year, for example? Build those same soothing activities, as well as self-care actions, into your family routine.
● Stay Connected: “Social distancing” measures are meant to keep people healthy. However, children may be sad or even mad about needing to limit their in-person interactions with friends and family. To keep kids from feeling alone, help them stay connected with others in new ways. Use technology like Skype, Zoom, Facetime or other apps to set up “virtual playdates.” (This would also be a good time to teacher about internet safety.) .
● Focus On The Positive: Children with anxiety often perceive threatening situations to be more of a danger than they really are, and it takes longer for their bodies’ stress response to “turn off.” But reassurance from parents can go a long way toward calming them. Let kids know that even though there’s still much to learn about COVID-19, it’s up to the adults to figure it out, and they don’t need to worry.
● It starts with small steps: The way that you help your children deal with anxiety can have a lasting impact on their mental health as they grow into adults.
BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK
Every Friday the Blessings in a Backpack program will be available at Hawthorn Hills Elementary. Distribution will be done as a drive up every Friday from 11:00am-1:00pm. Parents/Guardians can drive up and receive one Blessings in a Backpack bag per child. Numbers may be limited per school building, so it will be based on first come first serve. Blessings in a Backpack is a program that is offered in the Wausau School District and DC Everest School District to provide weekend meals for school age children.
Any questions about the program at Hawthorn, please contact Megan Berger, School Social Worker, at 715-261-0051.
PTO Please We NEED YOU!!!
Please Click Here to Like Our PTO on Facebook
Please join us for our first Virtual Hawthorn PTO Meeting on 10/8/20 from 4:30-5:30. Your input is so important to help grow our school as we strive to meet all of our student needs and continue support our amazing Hawthorn community. You can join us using the Google Meet Information below. Please contact our office at 715-261-0045 for any questions or concerns. Thank you!
PTO MEETING SCHEDULE
PTO Meetings for the year 4:30-5:30 every second Thursday:
November 12, 2020
December 10, 2020
January 14, 2020
February 11, 2020
March 11, 2020
April 8, 2020
May 13, 2020
Ipad Insurance
Please remember, if you have indicated you wish to accept the WSD iPad insurance, but have not sent the $10 (per device) payment, please send cash or check (made out to WSD) to the school office. Just a reminder, if payment is not received or insurance is declined; families assume the full cost of any and all repairs caused by misuse, abuse, or accident.
TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
The Technology Support Form is the fastest most efficient manner for any student or parent to obtain technology support. A team is constantly reviewing and responding to form submissions. Any student in need of device repair or exchange will be required to complete this form to arrange a contact-free device exchange at MOB. Tech support is also available by calling 715-261-0833. Click the link below for the Technology Support Form. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSem_HnFBdpIrb5q4nLzOvvUL1Xu3k3YVrGLQCaZ0h_iGZ8bPw/viewform