The Hardy Herald Week 30
April 19, 2021
Important Dates and Updates
4/20- Virtual Military "Purple Up Day- Wear Purple to your Zoom Class
4/21- Hybrid Military "Purple Up" Day- Wear Purple to School
4/19 - 4/21- Administrative Assistant's Week
4/22- IWCS School Board Meeting
4/23- Report Cards Distributed
4/28- 3rd and 4th Grade Students Mock Test- All students (virtual and hybrid) will test in the building on this day
5/3 - 5/7- Teacher Appreciation Week
5/4- Boosterthon Fundraiser Kick-off
5/6- HES Family Engagement Night- Virtual Paint Night with Ms. Meissner aka "Ms. M"
5/7- Teacher Work Day- No School for Students
Virtual Parent Survey Closes at 11:59 PM on Sunday, April 18
IWCS is surveying families to find out their interest in having their child or children participate in virtual learning for the 2021-2022 school year.
We ask that you complete a short survey for each child you plan to enroll in virtual learning for the upcoming school year. Completion of this survey is not an official commitment at this time. Official applications for virtual learning will be shared with all parents later this spring. The results of this survey will assist the division with preparing for the next school year.
Important: The virtual program next year will have significant changes, including attendance and internet access requirements. For information on these changes, and additional details about the virtual program in 2021-2020 , please read the guidelines here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EwXg8IECBPqi259v9pGmxALjZ0bAb7NE/view?usp=sharing
If you have questions, please contact the IWCS Instructional Department at 757-357-4393 or email using the Contact Us form on our website at https://www.iwcs.k12.va.us/apps/contact/
The survey will close at 11:59 pm on Sunday, April 18, 2021.
Survey for Interest in Virtual Learning for the 2021-2022 School Year
Purple Up in IWCS!
On Tuesday April 20, all virtual students should wear PURPLE in Support of Military Kids
On Wednesday April 21, all hybrid students should wear PURPLE in Support of Military Kids
April is the Month of the Military Child, and to celebrate our military families, Virginia has declared Wednesday, April 21, 2021, as the day to “Purple Up! For Military Kids". We encourage the entire school community to wear purple on April 20 and 21 to show support for our military students and appreciation for their strength and sacrifices. Purple represents the blending of the colors of the five branches of our armed forces. Here in Isle of Wight County, we are proud to be home to Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard and Reserve families.
Share your Purple Up! photos by using the hashtag #PurpleUpVirginia on Twitter, as well as tagging @IWCSchools in your tweets, or share them on our Facebook page under our Purple Up post. Or email them to Lynn Briggs.
Let's turn IWCS PURPLE on April 20 and 21 in support of our military kids and their families!
Family Night In with ST Math
Hardy Families!!!
Gather around the computer screen for a family evening of math, puzzles, and fun! From diving deep into the neuroscience of spatial-temporal learning to playing a couple of practice puzzles with our penguin mascot, JiJi, your community won't want to miss out.
Click on this link and attend one of the events we'll be doing four over the next month.
VA Lottery- Thank A Teacher Campaign
Take a few minutes to send a thank-you note to a teacher you value in support of National Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3 – 7. You can send a hard-copy or electronic notecard.
All the details are here: www.thankateacherva.com or click on the picture below to be directed to the website. Teachers can enter a code from the thank-you note they receive for a chance to win one of two amazing Virginia vacations, courtesy of the Virginia Lottery and $5,000 in credit for their schools, courtesy of The Supply Room!
What is Autism?
Autism acceptance means embracing autism as a natural part of the spectrum of human diversity and accepting autism as one of many different legitimate, meaningful, and valuable ways of experiencing the world. Autism acceptance means believing that autism doesn’t need to be fixed or cured for autistics to be happy and live good lives.
Autism acceptance means treating autistic people as members of a minority group who are entitled to the same rights as everyone else. It means changing the goal for autistics from “indistinguishability” or “recovery” to living with needed supports and gaining equal opportunity with neurotypicals — supporting autistics as they are. It means helping autistic children grow into autistic adults, rather than mourning the nonexistent neurotypical child they never were.” [Source: Autism Acceptance Day, Autistic Self Advocacy Network]
Read about our shift from “Autism Awareness Month” to “Autism Acceptance Month” here. You can also visit our Autism Acceptance Month website here.
Adapted from Autism Society.com and Partners for Youth with Disabilities
March/ April Lunch Menu
Meal Distribution Reminder
Isle of Wight County Schools has been granted the ability to continue distributing free meals to all students, regardless of financial situation. The division will distribute free meals to families on Fridays at three locations—Georgie Tyler Middle School in Windsor, Smithfield High School, and Carrsville Elementary. Meals can be picked up from 10:00am to 2:00pm at all three locations. Parents will receive 5 days-worth of breakfasts and lunches for each child.
We look forward to seeing you on Friday at SHS, GTMS, or Carrsville Elementary.
Cool Interactive Tool for Parents and Covid Guidance
Hardy Parents,
Check out the new resource below for parents. This can be done from your smartphone or computer and it would help with the decision making for sending your child to school. Click on the link below:
https://schoolnursenet.nasn.org/covid19ref/featured-content/interactive-send-student-school
Should I Keep my Child at Home?
We wanted to take this time to remind you about the symptoms related to COVID-19. We've updated the daily home screening document and included all the symptoms identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) related to COVID-19. The new document is attached to this message.
Parents are urged to keep their children at home if a child is showing one or more of any of these symptoms. The goal is for our students to come to school on the in-person continuum, but this will only be achieved if individuals who are sick stay home and avoid contact with others. This includes students living in the household with individuals who are experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms on the daily home screening. Again, our goal is to help protect our community and school by staying home when we are sick. Please email your child's teacher and Nurse Cowan at ncowan@iwcs.k12.va.us if your is sick and will not be in school.
Thank you for keeping our schools safe!
2021 – 2022 Learning Center Preschool Program
Ongoing Reminders
- MASKS ARE REQUIRED for all adults and students 5 years and up.
- Visitors will not be allowed in the building without a mask AND and Identification.
- If you would like to schedule counseling sessions with our AMAZING School Counselor, please complete the form here. The form is also listed below under the heading Hardy Elementary School Counseling Form. Sessions are held via zoom or in-person for hybrid students.
School hours are 8:25 AM -3:30 PM. Students can arrive starting at 8:25 AM. Students may not be dropped off prior to 8:25 AM. If you bring your child to school after 8:55 AM, you must escort them inside to the office and complete a tardy slip.
Please see nurse Nancy Cowan for prescription medicine intake. All medicine must be accompanied by a parent and include a physician’s prescription. Students are not allowed to transport medicine to school.
Breakfast is served in the classroom starting at 8:25 AM each morning.
PTA Information
Hello Hardy Families!
With our new year at Hardy Elementary, PTA membership enrollment is now open! This year, membership enrollment is available online and drastically discounted! The price this year to join is only $3.75 per person! Follow the link or visit the Member Hub store and join the PTA today! https://hardymustangs.new.memberhub.store/store
Hardy Elementary School Counselor Corner
Remind Notification App
Are you receiving the most up to date school information and notifications from administration and teachers? The Remind app allows you to stay on top of what’s happening at school and in the classroom. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you can receive important school updates right on your phone. Click here to sign up with the Hardy Elementary school code.
Hardy Construction Tracking Plan
Timeline:
- November 2020--January 2021: Architects complete building design; Value Engineering takes place
- February 2021: Code review for project; Value Engineering comments addressed
- June 2021*: Resubmit plan to Building Official; CONSTRUCTION BEGINS!
- Construction updates and photos will be posted monthly
- December 2022: FINAL COMPLETION!
*The date for the start of construction has moved from March to June because of an addendum to the Request for Proposal (RFQ). Groundbreaking will begin in June. The delay does NOT impact the Final Completion date.
Attendance for All Students
Parents,
We wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone about the attendance process for students participating in the A/B Hybrid Model or in 100% Virtual Learning. In response to the changes with in-person learning, attendance procedures were modified this year to support the different learning models.
For A/B Hybrid Students:
- Days students are scheduled to be in school (synchronous days)--Students need to physically be in the classroom to be marked "Present" If they are absent, they should bring a note from a parent or a health care provider when they return to school.
- Days students are learning from home (asynchronous days)--Students are marked "Present" when work assigned for that day is complete. Student work turned in within 5 days of the due date will be used to demonstrate attendance. If there is no assignment for a class on an asynchronous day, the student would be considered "Present" for class on that day.
For 100% Virtual Students:
- Days students are scheduled to Zoom for class (synchronous days)--There are several ways students may be counted present:
- Students need to participate in the Live Zoom session to be marked "Present."
- Students unable to participate in the Live Zoom but turn in the assigned work within five days will be marked "Present."
- Students absent from a Live Zoom, and no work is assigned that day, may have the absence excused with a note from the parent.
- Days students are not on Zoom (asynchronous days)--Students are marked "Present" when work assigned for that day is complete. Student work turned in within 5 days of the due date will be used to demonstrate attendance. If there is no assignment for a class on an asynchronous day, the student would be considered "Present" for class on that day.
We realize the attendance procedure is more complex this year than during a traditional school year. However, the modifications allow flexibility for students and also address concerns for students who are unable to participate in live Zoom sessions for virtual learning. Students are held accountable for their work and we need your assistance to make sure they are completing their assignments. Teachers and principals will be reaching out to parents regarding missing grades and discussing strategies for improvement. Please take advantage of the PowerSchool Parent Portal for checking on your child's grades on a regular basis.
This year is certainly presenting many challenges for everyone. In spite of the unusual situation, our goal is to keep students on track with their learning. I am confident that we can accomplish this by all of us working together. Thank you for your continued support of your child's education during these challenging times.
Director of Community and Media Relations
Isle of Wight County Schools
820 W. Main St.
Smithfield, VA 23430
757-365-1611 (o)
757-603-1904 (c)
Daily Home Screening
We wanted to take this time to remind you about the symptoms related to COVID-19. We've updated the daily home screening document and included all the symptoms identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) related to COVID-19. The new document is attached to this message.
Parents are urged to keep their children at home if a child is showing any of these symptoms. The goal for Isle of Wight County Schools is to bring more students back into our buildings as soon as possible, but that will only be successful if individuals who are sick stay home and avoid contact with others.
Help protect your community and your school by staying home when you are sick.
Thank you for keeping our schools safe!
Hardy Elementary School
Website: http://hes.iwcs.k12.va.us/
Location: 9311 Hardy Circle, Smithfield, VA, United States
Phone: 757-357-3204
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsleofWighCountySchools/
Twitter: @HardyElementary