Hathaway Happenings - Home
April 6, 2023
Celebrating Autism Awareness Month!
We love our Librarian!
Celebrating our military students!
Thank You!
Spring Cleaning? Don't forget our Planet Aid Bin!
RICAS Assessments - Grades 3 and 4
Dear 3rd and 4th Grade Families,
Our 3rd and 4th grade students will participate in their ELA RICAS sessions on April 20th and 21st. It is important that students come to school with their Chromebooks charged. We also suggest that students get a solid night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast and pack a hearty snack for the day. Here are more ways you can support your child for our RICAS assessments.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Little & The 3rd and 4th Grade Teams
Garden Club
Dear Hathaway Families-
Happy Spring! We hope that you are enjoying the warming weather. The daffodils that our first graders planted last fall in the habitat are starting to bloom!
We are excited to announce our Spring Garden Volunteer days! We are looking for volunteers for several roles listed under each date. Please let us know if you can join us! (RSVP to marie@stefanowicz.com). We will have refreshments available each day! All ages are welcome! We want everyone to have a wonderful time but please note that you are responsible for supervising your children. We all must be mindful and make sure that the school property and outdoor classroom spaces are being respected by cleaning up litter and using the space and equipment as it is intended.
Clean up and mulch - Sunday April 16 10am-12pm (rain date Sunday April 23 10am-12pm). We need help with moving mulch from the town pile and remulching the habitat trails, cleaning up the habitat and gardens, and kids activities!
Spring planting- Saturday May 6 2pm-4pm
We will be using the same bed themes as last year and need help with bed prep, planting, clean up, and kids activities!
Would you like to join our email list to be the first to hear about volunteer opportunities in the school habitat and gardens? Please sign up by emailing marie@stefanowicz.com
We hope to see you there!
Cheers,
The Hathaway Garden Committee
Mindful Minute
Be sure to ask your children about our mindful minutes each day!
Month of the Military Child
Dear Families,
We are excited to kick off the Month of the Military Child during April to honor our young American heroes. We are asking our military students to complete the banner that was sent home and return it to school by April 3rd. These banners will be displayed as part of a bulletin board to celebrate our military children. Students can draw a picture on the banner, write one sentence or write a few! They can even include a family photo if you would like. If your child did not receive a banner, please let us know and we will send one home. For Melville families, please email Mrs. Powell at powelld@portsmouthschoolsri.org and our Hathaway families can email Mrs. Almeida at almeidan@portsmouthschoolsri.org.
We have some fun activities planned this month to recognize all of our military students. On April 3rd, we will recognize each military child over the morning announcements and each child will receive an American Flag necklace to show our appreciation. We would love to have our military parents/guardians come to school and read in your child’s classroom. Your child’s teacher will reach out to you to schedule a convenient time during the month. In addition, we have planned the following school wide spirit days:
Monday, April 3: Students receive their American flag necklaces
Wednesday, April 19: Purple Up Day for military kids! Wear your purple proudly!
Friday, April 28: Wear your patriotic colors or a flag shirt
Thank you for all that you and your family do!
LAC Awards
Please consider nominating someone from our school community who has had a positive impact on a student with a disability, helping them to succeed this year. Typical persons who are nominated are teachers/support professionals, bus staff, RBTs/Paraprofessionals, coaches, students, and administrators.
The deadline for nominations is May 1, 2023.
I am every good thing
Our third Principal read aloud is complete! I read I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James.
I am
a nonstop ball of energy.
Powerful and full of light.
I am a go-getter. A difference maker. A leader.
The confident Black narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He's got big plans, and no doubt he'll see them through--as he's creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. And other times he's afraid, because he's so often misunderstood and called what he is not. So slow down and really look and listen, when somebody tells you--and shows you--who they are. There are superheroes in our midst!
After reading the story and engaging in discussion, I left the class with strips of paper - one for each student. Each student wrote something about themselves that they are proud of that others may not know. We discussed examples at the end of the read aloud. These will linked together and hung around our Hathaway community. Be sure to ask your child about the book and what makes them "every good thing!"
Kids4Action
Kids4Action (K4A) is partnering with the Portsmouth School District on a Kind-it-Note campaign in which letters written by the Portsmouth School District students will be distributed to Ukrainian children of similar age. The goal is to spread global kindness and hope through these letters to the Ukrainian children who have experienced a great deal of turmoil and disruption over the past year.
Save the Date
Help Us Celebrate!
Help Your Children Become Stronger Readers!
In case you missed this exciting information about an incredible resource to strengthen literacy at home, check out this inspiring presentation. Did we mention it is free this year to all Hathaway families? Easy to download, fun to use!
Abound Parent Testimonials
"Getting the Abound notifications on my phone is so helpful for conversation starters with my kids. Sometimes I doubt whether they will want to engage in the conversation and I’m always pleasantly surprised that they do. I love how it helps them build their critical thinking skills. I also appreciate how it gives me a chance to connect with them, especially when our days can feel so busy. Having meaningful conversations helps us to slow down a bit."
- Jenna Bethoney
Abound Parenting Newsletter
A Vocabulary Sheet for the Fridge!
Kindergarten Registration
Preschool Registration
The 2023-24 Portsmouth Preschool Application is now available!! Apply using the Google Form link provided below or on our website under the Preschool/ Early Childhood page. Please contact Lauren Buress, buressl@portsmouthschoolsri.org at 401-683-1650 ext. 5039 with any questions. Link: 22-23 Preschool Application Link "
Fast Facts From the Nurse
Pink Eye - If suspected in school, student will need to be dismissed and must be on an antibiotic for 24 hours prior to returning to school.
Flu/Fever - Student must be fever free for 24 hours WITHOUT use of tylenol or ibuprofen before returning to school.
Vomiting/Diarrhea - Student must experience 24 hours with no vomiting or diarrhea before returning to school.
Head Lice - Student may remain in school, however parents will be notified and be given the option to dismiss student for treatment. It is highly recommended that the student receive treatment prior to returning to school. It is essential that backpacks, jackets, hats, are washed and house linens and stuffed animals washed 7-10 days following treatment. If nits or lice are still present, it is strongly recommended completing another treatment.
Colds - Students may come to school with a cold, cough or congestion. Encourage blowing nose, covering mouth when coughing and washing hands.
COVID - Please notify the nurse. Student will quarantine for 5 days from start of symptoms. The student may return after the 5 days and it will be parents' choice whether the student wears a mask or not for another 5 days. Masks are recommended but not required.
Strep Throat - Students may come to school after being fever free for 24 hours and on an antibiotic for 24 hours.
For all illnesses, if your student was seen by a physician please get a note excusing them from school. Thank you!
Food Pantry
Reminder
Thank you in advance for your support in helping to keep our bus ride a safe one.
Check Our Planet Aid Bin!
HPTA - Hathaway School Volunteering
Volunteer In School (VIS)
Please follow all Portsmouth School Department COVID guidelines upon entering
school facilities.
If you are a new or a returning volunteer to the district, or you are a new volunteer to a particular school building, you must complete and submit a VIS Authorization Forms (2) which allows the district to conduct a background check.
Background checks are required each school year.
Along with the completed VIS forms, please include a copy of your driver's license (front and back) or passport, a check (cash cannot be accepted) for $5.00 made payable to BCI, and return to your child's school or to the Central Administration Office.
The $5.00 fee is waived for all applicants aged 62 or over.
We thank you so much for volunteering your time!
If you have any questions please reach out to Hathaway's VIS Coordinator Marie Stefanowicz at hathawayVIS@portsmouthschoolsri.org
School Meals Program
School meals are no longer free to all students for the 2022-2023 school year. Breakfast, lunch, and milk are available to purchase for all Hathaway School students. Students order lunch each morning through their teacher that day. Breakfast can be picked up by students in the cafeteria as they arrive at school.
Full price Breakfast is $1.00 and Lunch is $2.60. If your family qualifies for reduced prices, breakfast is $ 0.30 and lunch is $0.40. Milk is offered for $0.55 as a stand alone item.
Please apply for free or reduced lunch online by visiting this site: https://www.myschoolapps.com. Or, paper applications will be sent home the first week of school.
Payment for breakfast, lunch and/or milk can be made online at www.myschoolbucks.com. A student LASID number will be needed to create and make payments online using your “My School Bucks” account. Here is how you can access your student’s LASID number in ASPEN:
Payment can also be made by sending cash or a check in an envelope to school labeled with your student’s name, teacher’s name, LASID number and amount included. If paying by check, please make it payable to Portsmouth School Department with your child’s LASID number noted on the memo line. Send a separate check for each child in your family as payments cannot be split between accounts. KEEPING YOUR BALANCE PAID IN FULL IS VERY IMPORTANT.
Please refer to the family portal navigation below to access your child's LASID number.
Camp Opportunities
Hathaway Notification Form
Please complete the Hathaway Notification Form.
Thank you in advance for helping us to keep things organized and safe in our Hathaway community.
Nut Free Facility
Thank you for your support in keeping all of our students safe in our Hathaway community.
Securly Home
Securly Home is an app that allows parents to monitor their child’s Chromebook activity at home and add rules for home use. Please take some time to review the slideshow and recording of the parent meeting that took place on 9/16.
We encourage you to sign up now for Securly Home!
Accessing Aspen
If you are having issues accessing Aspen, you will have to email familyportal@portsmouthschoolsri.org with your child's name, date of birth, grade level, and your name. The system administrators will be able to restore access to your account and make sure that you can login.
Where Can I Find Past Parent Newsletters?
Important Dates
Important Dates
2022-2023
April 7th - 14th - Spring Break
April 19th - HPTA Meeting, 6:00 PM, Library
April 20th - RICAS Testing, 9:00-11:30, Grades 3 and 4
April 21st - RICAS Testing, 9:00-11:00, Grades 3 and 4
May 2nd - Aubrey Atwater- Music/Pitch Workshop Grade 1
May 2nd- Grade 3 Chorus Concert, Cafeteria, 3:30 PM
May 10th - RICAS Testing - 9:00-10:30, Grades 3 and 4
May 11th - RICAS Testing - 9:00-10:30, Grades 3 and 4
May 12th - Grade 4 Field Trip to State House
May 17th - HPTA Meeting, 6:00 PM, Library
May 22nd - KW Musical Review, 9:15 AM
May 23rd - KB Musical Review, 9:15 AM
May 24th - KG Musical Review, 2:30 PM
May 25th - KS Musical Review, 9:15 AM
May 30th - June 2nd - Week of the Young Child
June 8th - Tentative Field Day
June 9th - Tentative Rain Date for Field Day
June 14th - HPTA Meeting, 6:00 PM, Library
2023-2024 School Year
August 29th - First Day of School for K
August 30th - First Day of School for 1-4
October 6th - Early Release
November 10th - Early Release
January 12th - Early Release
March 28th - Early Release
May 24th - Early Release
June 14th - Early Release
Howard Hathaway Elementary School
Email: littlel@portsmouthschoolsri.org
Website: https://www.portsmouthschoolsri.org/Domain/10
Location: 53 Tallman Avenue, Portsmouth, RI, USA
Phone: (401)683-0500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hathaway.principal/
Twitter: @HathawaySchool