This cannot be more true! Thank you all for working closely with us at HMES for the sake of our students. We are growing our community together and are tackling new challenges head on as a team!

We are very excited to once again announce that we will be welcoming a 2nd Assistant Principal to HMES starting on January 10th. Mrs. Brooke Shore has had a highly successful career as a special education teacher at Marshall Elementary School right here in PWCS. Here is a quick message from her:

"I am very excited to join the wonderful school community at Haymarket Elementary School! I have been a special education teacher at Marshall Elementary School for the past eight years and am excited to take on this incredible new role. I earned my first Master's degree in special education from James Madison University, and I later earned my second Master's in education leadership from George Mason University. I live in Culpeper with my husband Phil, who is a Language Arts teacher at Parkside Middle School; my five-month-old daughter Emerson; and our Goldendoodle, Jersey. I have heard such fantastic things about the students, staff, and parents and look forward to working with you all in the new year!"

With the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, we continue to urge everyone to employ careful mitigation strategies within your family and friend circles. Per my email on 12/30/21, continue to let us know of any positive cases, probable positive cases, as well as close contacts with those who have tested positive so we can walk you through a return date based on many factors.

We do not need vaccination proof of those who chose that route, but please have them handy at all times so if the need arises (your son or daughter is a close contact here at school), you can quickly send us proof of vaccination and your child can stay at school if they are symptom free.

We are aware that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new guidelines for the quarantine and isolation of students and staff members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Information will be forthcoming about how the VA Department of Health and in turn PWCS will enact these new guidelines. Staff members are currently working on collaborating with local public health officials to fully understand the changes and how they will impact PWCS health protocols. Until then, all the same quarantine/isolation timelines will still be in effect.

As students progress through elementary school, adults often don't understand the need to help them through how to do things that we may take for granted. One example of that is the act of studying. We can't leave them on their own to just "study" as they don't know what that means, even in 5th grade. The act of studying in and of itself takes a lot of concentration to do it solo, so work WITH them and talk things through asking them questions that start with "why" or "how" so they can explain their thinking to you.

We need you as partners to help with that at home as well. Here are some tips with some handy links embedded.

1. Help your child learn to identify distractions

• Some kids can be easily distracted while they’re trying to study. That’s especially true of kids who have trouble with focus . At home, hearing siblings play might make it hard to concentrate. At their afterschool program, having friends around might make it tempting to goof off.
• Establish a study area with your child. Then together, survey the space to identify things that might get in the way of studying. You and your child can work together to lessen those distractions. Your child might wear headphones, for instance, or find a quieter place to study.

2. Teach your child how to create an effective study space.

• It would be great if your child could always study in a cozy room with perfect lighting and no distractions. In the real world, that’s not always possible. But your child can learn to make just about any study space more productive.
• Show your child how to set up a quiet work space that’s not in the middle of too much activity. You can also help create a portable homework station to keep all of your child’s school and studying supplies handy.

3. Keep track of your child’s strengths.

• Kids don’t always see their own strengths , especially if they’re having a hard time with something. But focusing on strengths can help give them confidence.
• Point out strengths to your child, saying things like, “You remember details really well. That will come in handy when writing that book report.” Encourage your child to think about other strengths that can be used as tools for studying.

4. Work with your child’s weaknesses.

• It’s just as important for kids to recognize their weaknesses as their strengths. Understanding their challenges can help them find ways to adapt during study time.
• Help your child brainstorm solutions. For example, if your child has a hard time sitting still for an extended period, suggest planning for extra time in order to take frequent breaks.
• Another type of planning has to do with study time. For example, kids who will need help studying for a math test can plan to do homework at a time when they know a family member can help.

5. Start making checklists with your child.

• Once kids have identified strengths and weaknesses , they can start keeping track of what they need to keep track of. Making lists lets them monitor their work without relying on others.
• Breaking things down by subject area can help, too. For example, your child’s writing checklist might have a reminder to review sight words. Your child’s math checklist might include a reminder to use addition to check the answers to subtraction problems.

6. Help your child prioritize.

• Learning how to prioritize is an essential skill for studying. Keeping an eye on due dates is helpful, but it might not be the only way for your child to prioritize homework.
• Some kids prefer to start with easier work before moving on to the harder stuff. Others prefer to tackle the tough things first. Watch your child to see which option seems to make the most sense, so you can talk about it.

7. Teach your child specific study skills.

• It can be easy to overlook the fact that kids don’t just know how to study. Kids need to know how to organize their backpack or break assignments down into smaller steps. Sharpening these skills will also help them learn basic organization skills and note-taking strategies .

Source: https://www.understood.org/articles/en/ways-to-help-your-grade-schooler-develop-good-study-habits

Thank you to everyone in 3rd-5th grade who auditioned for Matilda the Musical, JR. in December! Mrs. Battiata and Mrs. CW thank you for your time, effort and interest in being a part of the production! More than 100 students auditioned to be in the musical. Although Mrs. Battiata and Mrs. CW weren't able to cast everyone, they are so amazed by your talents, and your interest in performing! All students will continue to perform, sing and act during the school day, and have other amazing opportunities for showcasing their talents throughout the school year!

Rehearsals for the show will begin January 11th. Rehearsals will be every Tuesday and Thursday after school until 5:30 pm. The performances will be May 19th, 20th and 21st. Mark your calendars now to see this hilarious and heartfelt story about being true to yourself, never giving up, and above all… being kind to others. More info to come later about ticket reservations!

At the end of this month on Friday, January 28th from 6-7:30, Ms. Rop will be hosting a "glazing pottery" night as a fundraiser to help support our HMES art department. More details will be sent through email mid-month to register and pay for this creative night of fun! Spots are limited due to space, so please register ASAP when the information is sent to you. Looking forward to spending time with our Cub families and creating pottery masterpieces!

We have been fortunate this year to get help for our students from many of our own community members! Thank you to all who responded to a previous email with your offering of support through temporary work. We can happily report that we have Instructional Aids (IAs) in all Kindergarten classes (still!), 2 additional first grade IAs, soon to be additional IAs for 2nd and 3rd, as well as math support in 4th and 5th. We have also added another temporary office position. Our COVID relief money has to be used for specific things, and I can't think of a better way to support our students than by getting our own Haymarket community members engaged and being a part of the every magic that occurs here at HMES!