Haymarket Happenings
October 2023
Heritage Festival - COMING SOON!
This exciting event is around the corner and BIGGER than ever! Please be on the lookout for more information about what to expect when we celebrate our diverse community and all their traditions. If you would like to participate and have a table to share your culture and traditions, please email Mrs. Tuniki, our Parent Liaison, at tunikim@pwcs.edu
Digital Citizenship Week Coming Up!
It's important that we help our students learn to be safe and make good choices online. Digital Citizenship Week is a way to teach our students to do this! During this week, students will have access to videos, discussion questions and activities. Mrs. Lelito, our Instructional Technology Coach, will be sending home family activities each night via social media and email. This is aligned with the Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning that were approved by the Virginia Board of Education in October 2020. These standards emphasize the essential role of technologies in the deeper learning experiences of students in content areas, as digital citizens in an ever-increasing digital world. You can check out more on these standards here -> https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/k-12-standards-instruction/digital-learning-integration-standards-of-learning
Virginia Literacy Partnerships - What is Phonics?
UVA has a wonderful resource for parents to learn more about the importance of the various aspects of learning about literacy as a whole. See this week for more information! https://literacy.virginia.edu/virginia-literacy-partnership-updates
Another great resource is the VDOE Value Series...many resources here too!
Cafeteria Updates
Birthday Update - We want every student to feel celebrated on their special day. As a regular part of our morning announcements, birthdays are announced and names are put on our main hallway boards. We understand that families may also want to do something special for their child's birthday. For all students' safety, WE WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT EDIBLE BIRTHDAY TREATS (Cupcakes, cakes, popsicles, etc.). This is in alignment with many other elementary schools to ensure the safety of our students. We have many students with severe allergies and continue to ensure a safe learning environment for all. If you would like to send something to celebrate your child’s birthday, please send in things such as “party bag items” that do not contain any edible products or a book to read and donate to the class library.
Lunch Visitors - A continued challenge being a large elementary school (the largest in the County!0 is space for lunch guests. We have a table on the stage that can be used, but please honor the Watch DOGS table that is reserved for them and their child. You may sign your child out and eat outside on the picnic table or your car if you wish (as in the past) or sit on the stage steps. Sorry...we will continue to look for alternatives given the stage is used for other instruction at other times.
Strategies we are teaching your Cubs...try them!
Two high leverage strategies are being used here at HMES to promote our Cubs' speaking, listening, and thinking.
1. What to say instead of "I DON'T KNOW" (see visual below)
2. Speaking in complete sentences when answering questions...and all the time! If we are consistent across multiple setting, this will occur and have a positive benefit on your child's language development and more!
Impact Aid Survey
What is Impact Aid?
Impact Aid is a federal education program that reimburses school districts for lost revenue and additional costs due to the presence of nontaxable federal property (such as military installations, Indian lands, national parks, national laboratories, and Veterans Affairs hospitals) in a community.
What are the funds used for?
Impact Aid, like revenue generated by taxes, can be used for any general fund purpose, such as instructional materials, teacher salaries, transportation, technology, social-emotional supports or facilities. All decisions on how Impact Aid funds are spent are made by school district leaders and locally elected school boards. This flexibility and local control ensure funds are targeted to where the greatest needs exist. Additionally, Impact Aid data allows us to apply for competitive funding from other sources such as Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) K12 Partnership grants to provide tailored support services to children of active-duty uniformed services personnel. These grants support specific schools in which 10% or more of the student population is military-connected according to Impact Aid data.
When is the Impact Aid Survey available?
The Impact Aid Survey will became available on September 30, 2023, in ParentVUE. Be on the lookout for additional information regarding the opening of the survey.
Assistant Principal - Nicole Mills millsnm@pwcs.edu
Assistant Principal - Brooke Shore shorebl@pwcs.edu
Admin Assistant (registration information) - Cathy Cleveland-Hirsch clevelce@pwcs.edu