Husky Highlights for Families
January Family Newsletter
Hawthorn Elementary School
School Hours: 9:03-3:53
School Phone: 816-359-4390
Principal: Brooke Renton
Assistant Principal: Courtney Bishop
Counselor: Bianca Mayfield-Miller
Front Office Information
Angie Linard: Attendance Administrative Assistant/ Registrar
Barbara Ballou: Administrative Assistant
Phone: 359-4390
Email: hawthornadministrativeassistants@parkhill.k12.mo.us
If you need to make transportation changes please contact the office prior to 3:00. This will help ensure that dismissal goes smoothly and minimize the chance of a possible miscommunication.
January Dates:
January 5th: Early Release @ 1:50
January 17th: NO SCHOOL-- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 31st: PTA Meeting @ 6:30pm (Agenda provided below-- Dr. Cowherd is planning to join us)
Park Hill School District- Closed
No School Thursday, Jan. 27th or Fri., Jan. 28th
We will shut down on Thursday and Friday during the school day. All our schools, offices, facilities and programs will close during their regular hours. This includes the Park Hill Online Academy, Adventure Club and tuition preschool.
We will not use any of our five AMI (alternative methods of instruction) days to go to virtual learning, because we will not have enough healthy staff members to do this. We will not make these two days up at the end of the school year.
PTA Meeting-- January 31st
Please join us for the Hawthorn PTA Meeting on Monday, January 31, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. in the Hawthorn Media Center or via Zoom. The Zoom link is included in the agenda linked here. Park Hill Superintendent Dr. Jeanette Cowherd will join us to talk about what is happening around the district.
Additionally, we'll vote on the Nominating Committee members, who are working to fill the slate of new Hawthorn PTA members for the coming school year. Job descriptions for the five open board seats are available here. Eligible candidates must have attended at least one PTA meeting (in person or virtually) this school year, prior to the March election, as well as be a paid PTA member.
If you have ever thought about getting more involved in your school community, now is a great time! Moms, Dads, Guardians, Teachers and other members of the school community, working full time, staying at home, or somewhere in between are encouraged to volunteer for these leadership positions.
Hawthorn is a National PTA School of Excellence. Your involvement makes that possible. PTA organizes, funds or supports Trunk or Treat, Fun Run, family nights, yearbook, online school supply ordering, a free book for all students, Reflections arts contest, the PHSD Clothing Center, treats for classroom parties, teacher and staff hospitality, and more. PTA also helps keep you informed about the school and district.
Thanks for considering this opportunity to keep your school community vibrant!
Reminder... Yearbooks Are On Sale!
Order Your 2021-22 Yearbook TODAY!!
Yearbook ordering is completely online through Inter-State Studio. Yearbooks are on sale now through March 1, 2022. You can see pricing and ordering information below.
Please note that if you'd like to have a PERSONALIZED yearbook, the deadline for ordering is FEBRUARY 1st.
Enter school code: 63313Y
COVID-19 Protocols-- January 2022 Updates
(As with everything during the last 2 years, please know that this is the most current information available at this moment. As we receive new guidance the information shared below is subject to change. Thank you for understanding!)
Latest update: Sunday, January 9, 2022
- The Park Hill School Board approved a mask mandate for all district facilities. This mandate will be in effect from January 9th through February 3rd. The board will revisit this decision at the January 27th meeting.
The CDC recently updated its guidance about isolating people who have COVID and quarantining people who get exposed to someone else who has COVID.
We will continue to work with our local health departments to follow the latest public guidance, and our testing site for students and staff will remain open on school days. Your school nurse will be happy to help you with any questions you might have.
We remind students and staff who have any symptoms to please stay home.
Isolation of Sick People:
· In compliance with the CDC's new guidance, we will require anyone who tests positive for COVID to stay home for five days, beginning on the date of the positive test or on the first day symptoms appeared.
· If the person has no symptoms or their symptoms resolve, they may return after five days. They might need to stay home a little longer if one of their symptoms that resolved was a fever, as they must have had no fever without medication for more than 24 hours to return.
Quarantine of Exposed People:
· The CDC also updated quarantine guidance for people who get exposed to someone with COVID.
· People who are fully vaccinated within the last six months or fully vaccinated and boosted do not need to quarantine, but the CDC does recommend they wear a mask for 10 days.
· The CDC recommends people who are not fully vaccinated within the last six months or not fully vaccinated and boosted to quarantine for five days and then wear a mask for another five days.
· The CDC says "If you can’t quarantine you must wear a mask for 10 days. Test on day five if possible. If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home."
Classroom Notification:
In an effort to help everyone understand the new COVID process for notifying families, I have put together the information below to help you understand the notification that is going out surrounding COVID.
- All staff and families will receive an email, like they did last semester, stating the total number of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19.
- If you receive an additional email stating that someone in your child’s classroom tested positive for COVID-19, it does not mean that your child needs to quarantine. We are sharing that information with you so that you know your child may have been exposed sometime during the school day and so that you can monitor your child for symptoms.
- For privacy purposes, we cannot give you any information about the person that tested positive, including but not limited to, where your child sits in relation to that person or whether the person wore a mask or not.
- The Kansas City Health Department (KCHD) has taken over the process of contact tracing. If they gather information that someone needs to quarantine based on an exposure, they will reach out to those people individually. If you believe your child was exposed to someone that tested positive for COVID-19, you can contact your child’s doctor or the KCHD (816-513-6008) to get guidance about quarantining procedures.
If you have any questions, our school nurse, Emily Reynolds, is a great resource. You can reach her at 816 – 359 – 4390.
See our complete Health & Safety Plan HERE.
NFL Youth Football Program-- Information Below
Registration Open to 5th Graders for District Spelling Bee
Registration now open for Park Hill Spelling Bee
The Park Hill District spelling bee will be held Saturday, February 19th at PHSHS (Park Hill South High School) with the winner advancing directly to the Scripps National Spelling Bee held near Washington, DC., May 30-June 4. Awards will be presented to the top ten finishers. All current Park Hill 5th-8th graders are eligible, but students must sign up by January 31st. Register thru the link below, or by going to the district website and selecting “spelling bee” under the Family section. You may also contact your school office for assistance.
Congratulations to Our Reflections Participants
PRIMARY (K-3) PARTICIPANTS:
William Karaim
Harper Humphrey
Haley Holloway
Codey Farmer
Adelyn Gordanier
Jag Golos
Lucy Price
James Miller
Murphy Music
INTERMEDIATE (4-5) PARTICIPANTS:
Gelila Yemane
Emma Mullins
Oliva Maalouf
Yeron Mosissa
Ellie Lovenduski
Genny Lee
Abigail Leach
Caroline Karaim
Lillian Gordanier
Baily Farmer
Hudson Brace
Ella Parmalee
Clark Cameron
Congratulations to the students listed below for placing in the top 3 of their individual categories. Their projects were submitted to the state-wide competition.
Primary Visual Arts--
3rd Place: Codey Farmer
2nd Place: Adelyn Gordanier
1st Place: Jag Golos
Primary Music Composition
1st Place: Lucy Price
Primary Literature
1st Place: James Miller
Primary Film Production
1st Place: Murphy Music
Intermediate Music Composition
1st Place: Hudson Brace
Intermediate Visual Arts
3rd Place: Clark Cameron
2nd Place: Ella Parmalee
1st Place: Hudson Brace
Park Hill Clothing Center Information
The Park Hill Clothing Center would like to thank all of the families who have contributed to our facility. For anyone not familiar with the clothing center there is more information here: https://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/families/pta-clothing-center
If anyone needs to “shop” (the clothes are free) please sign up for a time slot here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084fa4a72ba0fa7-ptapark
Volunteers are greatly needed! We have been fortunate to have received numerous donations, however we’ve had a difficult time hanging up all of the incoming clothes. There are two sign up genius links for volunteers: There is one sign up genius for the 2-4 pm timeslot every Tuesday that doesn't have shoppers present. That sign up is here and students are welcome to help out https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084fa4a72ba0fa7-canyou
Then there is a second sign up for the Tuesday 10-12pm and 5-7pm slots when shoppers will be there. When shoppers are present we can't have students helping due to confidentiality. That sign up is here: https://www.signupgenius.com/.../508084fa4a72ba0fa7...
We appreciate all of your help!!
-The Park Hill Clothing Center
Student Leadership Virtual Assembly
Watch as we celebrate student leaders of the month! The NEWEST leadership assembly can be enjoyed by clicking on the link below:
https://www.wevideo.com/view/2512454250
(Created on January 5, 2022)
Wall Of Fame Classrooms
Each month we will feature one classroom from each grade level who has earned the most PAW POINTS. Students can earn Paw Points when they demonstrate our school-wide expectations:
Be Safe
Be Kind
Be Smart
Be Your Best!
Congratulations to the following classes for being featured on the WALL OF FAME this month :
K- Mrs. Melancon's Class
1st Grade-Mrs. Pickett's Class
2nd Grade- Mrs. Nicholson's Class
Counseling Newsletter
Curriculum Connections for January
Check out the linked Curriculum Connections below to see what students will be working on in each subject area in January! We want to share the learning topics at all of the grade levels so that you are familiar with what topics and content are taught this month! Your child's teacher is always happy to provide more details should you have questions!
Math Curriculum Connections- January 2022
ELA Curriculum Connections- January 2022
Socials Studies/Science Curriculum Connections- January 2022
January Menus
~In Every Edition~
Early Release Day Information
2021-22 Early Release Days:
Wed., Sept. 8th
Wed., Oct. 6th
Wed., Nov. 10th
Wed., Dec. 8th
Wed., Jan. 5th
Wed., Feb. 2nd
Wed., March 2nd
Wed., April 6th
Wed., May 4th
Parent Orientation Information
Positive Behavior Intervention & Supports
School-wide Positive Behavior Intervention & Support (SWPBS) is a systems approach to establishing the whole-school social culture and intensive individual behavior supports needed for school to achieve social and academic gains while minimizing problem behavior for all students. SWPBS is NOT a specific curriuculum, intervention or practice, but a decision making framework that guides selection, integration and implementation of scientifically-based academic and behavioral practices for improving academic and behavior outcomes for all students. A central feature of SWPBS is implementation of behavioral practices throughout the entire school. SWPBS defines practices that all students experience in all parts of the school and at all times of day.
- Fewer behavior problems
- Improved school climate
- Reduction in discipline referrals
- i.e.—Every faculty and staff member will have a protocol to follow.
- Safer schools
- More time spend on instruction and less on discipline
The power of PBIS at Hawthorn is that we have building wide expectations for all areas of the building. The expectations focus on four key behaviors:
- Be Safe
- Be Kind
- Be Smart
- Be Your Best
When students demonstrate these expectations they are honored with a building wide currency (PAW POINT) which they can exchange for menu items. Students are responding well to this and working hard to earn a lot of PAW POINTS!
COVID-19 Safety Precautions
Mask Update:
Safety Protocols:
We will keep many of our safety precautions in our schools (see the Park Hill School District website for details), and we will continue to monitor the data about COVID-19 cases and exposures, as well as community data. We will also continue to collaborate with our local health departments, following all their requirements.
Student Medications
Nurse Reynolds Contact Information:
Phone: 359-4394
Adventure Club
Cafeteria Information
The Park Hill School District participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast program, which is a UDSA (United States Department of Agriculture) program. Currently, the USDA has approved a 2021-22 waiver which allows all children 0-18 in the Park Hill district boundaries to receive free breakfast and lunch daily while school is in session. We have more details here.
For more information about school lunch, please visit the link below:
Did You Know?
KidGuard Insurance Enrollment
Park Hill School District (per Board Policy JHA) continues to offer all families the opportunity to enroll their student(s) (Pre-K through 12th) in a low cost, district approved insurance program.
KidGuard offers the following options:
1) 24 Hour Basic Accident Insurance Plan
2) School Time Basic Accident Insurance Plan
3) Increased Dental Accident Coverage
4) In-Hospital Sickness Benefit Option
The KidGuard Insurance Enrollment Form is to be mailed by families directly to KidGuard in Saint Louis, MO. The school district is not involved in the collection of applications or premium payments.
The application is attached below and also available on the district’s internal website - https://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=62500&pageId=27609199 |FORMS and https://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/cms/one.aspx?portalid=62500&pageid=808693 | INSURANCE.
Stay Connected
Communication is very important to your child’s success at school and we want to keep you informed of what is going on at Hawthorn. Please remember communication is a two-way process and you are encouraged to get in touch with your child’s teacher or Mrs. Renton and Mrs. Bishop as needed. We will use electronic communication frequently, so if you do not have access to a computer at home, please be sure to contact your child’s teacher to let them know, so they can send you information in your child’s backpack. We don’t want you to miss important information.
Below are a few ways to stay informed about Hawthorn and the Park Hill School District.
Hawthorn Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HawthornElementary
Hawthorn PTA Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HawthornPTA/
Hawthorn Elementary Website: https://hawthorn.parkhill.k12.mo.us/
Park Hill School District Website: https://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/
First Hand E-mail Newsletter
Be one of the first to know what’s going on in Park Hill. Sign up for the First Hand e-mail newsletter at www.parkhill.k12.mo.us to get the most current Park Hill news. Your address will never be shared.
Nominate a Staff Member for the Park Hill STAR Award
Our employees are the reason we are so successful here in the Park Hill School District, and we would like to recognize them for all they do for our students.
That is why we present the Park Hill Star award once a month to a pre-K or elementary teacher, a secondary teacher and a support employee. Anyone can nominate an employee for this award by using the form below. It asks you to share how your nominee demonstrates our district values of continuous improvement, high expectations, integrity, visionary leadership and student focus. You can also share how your nominee supports the goals in our district’s strategic plan.