From the Hawk's Nest
November 4, 2021
UPDATED HAWTHORNE MISSION AND VISION
Hawthorne Elementary- Home of the Strong Minds and Gentle Hearts
Mission Statement -- What is our purpose?
Hawthorne Elementary collaborates with students, staff, and the external community to provide a vibrant and robust education for all students by working to educate the whole child through infusion of culturally responsive teaching and learning. In addition to providing a safe and inclusive environment for students to grow, Hawthorne highlights each student’s abilities as a unique learner and individual person and our ultimate purpose is to instill a love of learning and a sense of belonging that will follow students in future educational endeavors.
Vision and Guiding Principles
What is our desired future state—where do we want our students to go?
- Hawthorne honors the needs of students and provides opportunities for children to be children- to play, work through social encounters with support, and keep active learning a part of the academic day.
- Hawthorne staff and students collaborate with all stakeholders to build a sense of community, so students connect learning to real-world experiences.
- Hawthorne staff, students and community members work together to support our neighborhood school in building active and productive citizens of the future.
- Hawthorne students are engaged in high-level thinking and supported in accessing rigorous content to help students reach proficiency in all content areas and standards.
- Hawthorne supports student’s social-emotional learning and growth, providing them with many tools to support their independent sense of belonging, self-awareness, and ability to self-regulate.
NEW INFORMATION
Any new information added to our updates will fall here each week.
Hawthorne pictures have been rescheduled again for December 3rd. It was confirmed this week that our order was displaced, but they have found it and are processing. I'm so sorry all, this is disappointing in so many ways but there is finally a confirmation that we have things moving. Thank you for your patience with this process.
4th and 5th graders watched Inside Out with Mrs. Alberts on Wednesday and 2nd/3rd graders will watch The Aristocrats with Mrs. Alberts on Friday. Kindergarten and first grade will watch a movie (yet to be decided) on Monday morning. We are also crafting "Thankful" booklets for our fantastic teachers. It is lovely to be able to celebrate their hard work and successes!
Please note we do not have school November 24-26 for the Thanksgiving break.
Lost and Found items will be bagged up on Friday. Please encourage your child to come look for any missing items!
KINDERGARTEN Registration is now open for JD siblings who are turning 5 on or before September 10, 2022. PLEASE come in and complete an enrollment form. Forms can also be found online: https://helenaschools.org/registration-and-enrollment/
Greetings
Shorter/colder days are here. We are so thankful to you all for helping fight the spread of illness (no matter the type) and keep students home when they aren't feeling well and for sending your students to school when they are well. THANK YOU for all your efforts- truly we see it and are so appreciative. Our hearts are the fullest when we have all our students in our classrooms learning and thriving.
At this point, we are out of disposable masks. Students are using cloth masks and we are collecting them at the end of the day, doing a vinegar wash and using Seventh Generation free/clear detergent. We continue to appreciate any help you can offer in terms of sending your student to school with a clean mask each day.
Playground and morning happenings:
- Supervision and breakfast begins at 7:45 AM. We know many of your have to be at work early, so please wait until our staff have arrived and are ready to start their day at that time.
- Additionally, when students are dropped off on the playground at 7:45 this means students are standing outside for approximately 45 minutes before school begins. Students are welcome and able to come in and have breakfast, but we are not allowing students to wait inside. Many are taking advantage of our free meals (this is absolutely wonderful), but we need to ensure everyone has an opportunity to eat with a limited number of students in the gym at one time.
- It is COLD out- please send your students in appropriate attire. This is addressed below, but if you need some support with clothing please let us know. Also, mornings are dark. Many of our students walk and with safety in mind, high visibility clothing is a must. We will also have some high visibility tape at school for backpacks if anyone is interested.
Finally, we are entering holiday season! While we have many opportunities to be thankful and celebrate, some families find this time of year to be a draw financially and emotionally. Please keep in mind that Hawthorne is here to answer questions and provide support. Please reach out if you are curious about any resources that can be of benefit to your family. When we say we adore your students and want to do the best for them, we mean it. Our support extends to the families and guardians as well.
It will be a quick month- reach out with any questions!
Respectfully,
Justine Alberts
Sign up for free Thanksgiving meals from Helena Food Share have started. Interested families and/or individuals need to sign up online at
If computer access is difficult, individuals can call Food Share @ 443-3663.
UPCOMING VACCINE CLINICS
Below is information sent out to families earlier this week!
Good Afternoon HPS Family,
I am pleased to announce that – with yesterday’s CDC approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for kids ages 5-11 – HPS is partnering with East Helena Public Schools and Lewis and Clark Public Health (LCPH) to host free vaccination clinics open to all children, regardless of where they attend school.
There are no residency requirements for these clinics, but pre-registration is required. The clinics will offer first Pfizer doses for children ONLY. Second dose appointments will be automatically scheduled three weeks out. Confirmation of second-dose appointments will be sent to parents via email.
Appointments are currently open on the LCPH COVID-19 Hub at https://www.helenamontanamaps.org/LCPHCovid19HUB/. Individuals can also call the COVID-19 Hotline at 833-829-9219 for appointments or questions. The hotline is open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All caregivers and children must wear masks at the clinic, which will be indoors. Vaccine recipients and their guardians will be expected to wait on-site for up to 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine. Please note that this in an indoor clinic (drive-thru vaccinations are not available).
Free COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics for children ages 5-11
Helena: Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Bryant Elementary School, 1529 Boulder Ave
We’re grateful to our partners at LCPH and Bryant Elementary for making this safe and convenient opportunity available to our children.
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES- NOVEMBER 16TH AND 18TH
Parent-teacher conferences are quickly approaching as we move into November. We are incredibly excited to provide you with a few options to consider as we move into scheduling them for your family.
We would love to host our families conferences in person! This is exciting to welcome you in- we have been missing our families as much as we believe (hope?) you miss us. We continue to hold the expectation that all parties are masked when in the facilities at all times. If your family is not able to meet that expectation or feels uncomfortable with an in-person conference, not a problem! We will work to get a virtual meeting scheduled. Also, we are limiting families to two adults/guardians and the student from the classroom (if relevant) for attendance. Siblings and other family members will not be invited into the building at this time. We do appreciate your consideration and adherence to our elementary protocols when attending in-person conferences.
Those attending in-person conferences- we will have points of entry for each classroom. Please see the photo below for classroom entry points to avoid congestion. Our student council leaders will be acting as ushers to guide your family to the classrooms. We will also have the Hawthorne giving tree and our Lost and Found in the gym for after your conference is finished. Additionally, the bell will ring every 15 minutes to signal the end of your conference time.
Entry locations for conferences:
Entry 1-- 2N, 2/3D and 1B
Entry 2--3B, 4R, KC
Entry 3-- KF and 4/5C
Entry 4-- 5R and 1H
Links to schedule conferences:
- Miss Rudio- 5th Grade
- Mrs. Fitzpatrick- Kindergarten
- Miss Dunnehoff- 2/3rd Grade Combo
- Mrs. Higgins- 1st Grade
- Mrs. Carson- 4/5th Grade Combo
- Miss Jennifer- 1st Grade
- Ms. Renshaw- 4th Grade
- Mrs. Bode- 3rd Grade
- Mrs. Coe- Kindergarten
- Mrs. Novak- 2nd Grade
WHAT TO EXPECT AT CONFERENCES
The advantages of Standard Based Reporting include:
- For Students • Learning targets are clearly defined and aligned with state standards. • Students are offered multiple learning opportunities and various ways through which to demonstrate proficiency • Students can participate in monitoring their own progress toward the achievement of specified targets • Specific feedback on progress helps build self-esteem, pride, and motivation for students
- For Parents • Progress Reports will provide meaningful feedback on each child’s strengths and areas the child needs support • Parents are aware of exactly what their child knows, is able to do, and next steps for progress • Parents are empowered to increase their child's confidence and help their student set goals
- For Teachers • Teachers know exactly where students stand in their progress toward learning targets and what support needs to be provided • Teachers have aligned expectations and standards district-wide • Assessment results help teachers determine when students need extra help and when they need more challenging work
COVID UPDATES
I will update this section every week with our current COVID statistics at Hawthorne. Also feel free to check our district website.
From the dates 11.6.21-11.12.21, 1 students and 0 staff at Hawthorne have tested positive for COVID-19. This information has been verified by health professionals.
Please note that I may not be able to answer every question, especially any governed by HIPAA and FERPA privacy laws. In the interim, please let me or our school nurse know if you have any questions.
Again, thank you for all you are doing to keep our students safe and in school five days a week.
I've had some great questions this week which need clarification.
- If your student has been identified as a close contact to someone at school you will receive a call and/or email from the Lewis and Clark County Health Department and guidance will be provided by the county. If you have questions please reach out to our nurse, Shelly Maag, at 324-2766.
- Hawthorne reports on all positive cases, staff-related and students. I cannot provide information on which specific classrooms the cases are in or if staff members are positive cases. This violates HIPAA and FERPA privacy laws.
Symptomatic Students- I will continue to request that you please keep your students home if they are ill or exhibiting signs of illness, especially those related to COVID. While some students have no symptoms at all (asymptomatic), symptoms can range from as minor as headache/stomach ache to multiple symptoms including sore throat, coughing, congestion, runny nose, fever, stomach ache, vomiting, nausea, chills, and fatigue. While I know this can be a burden for working parents, I want your students in school with us- healthy and ready to learn.
Free Rapid Tests- Hawthorne, in addition to other schools in the district, are able to provide free testing to their students with parental consent and supervision. This applies to students who are symptomatic or who have been identified as close contacts. These tests take seconds to administer and results are reported to the parent/guardian within approximately 15 minutes.
Close Contacts- A close contact is identified as a student who is within 3ft of a positive case for 15 minutes or more over the course of 24 hours. With adults-to-adults and adults-to-students, this changes to 6ft. We are doing our part to maintain distancing, please do your part in following public health guidance and quarantine if you or your students has been identified as a close contact. Our school nurse, Shelly Maag, is always willing to speak with you regarding any questions you may have. I also have our district information and protocols attached below.
UPCOMING VACCINATION CLINICS
Good Afternoon HPS Family,
I am pleased to announce that – with yesterday’s CDC approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for kids ages 5-11 – HPS is partnering with East Helena Public Schools and Lewis and Clark Public Health (LCPH) to host free vaccination clinics open to all children, regardless of where they attend school.
There are no residency requirements for these clinics, but pre-registration is required. The clinics will offer first Pfizer doses for children ONLY. Second dose appointments will be automatically scheduled three weeks out. Confirmation of second-dose appointments will be sent to parents via email.
Appointments are currently open on the LCPH COVID-19 Hub at https://www.helenamontanamaps.org/LCPHCovid19HUB/. Individuals can also call the COVID-19 Hotline at 833-829-9219 for appointments or questions. The hotline is open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All caregivers and children must wear masks at the clinic, which will be indoors. Vaccine recipients and their guardians will be expected to wait on-site for up to 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine. Please note that this in an indoor clinic (drive-thru vaccinations are not available).
Free COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics for children ages 5-11
East Helena: Saturday, Nov. 13, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., East Helena High School, 2760 Valley Drive
Helena: Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Bryant Elementary School, 1529 Boulder Ave
We’re grateful to our partners at LCPH and Bryant Elementary for making this safe and convenient opportunity available to our children.
Sincerely,
Barb Ridgway
Chief of Staff, Helena Public Schools
PAX GOOD BEHAVIOR GAME AT HAWTHORNE
Our students are getting ready to play the Good Behavior Game! The PAX Game combines all the skills of self-regulation your child has been building with their teacher’s use of PAX GBG strategies throughout the year. The PAX Game involves your child working as part of team in order to create PAX (peace, productivity, health, and happiness) in the classroom. When their team and others achieve that PAX and avoid problematic or off-task behaviors, everyone wins a Granny’s Wacky Prize of fun and celebration together. The PAX Game is the most proven classroom-based prevention strategy. Encouraging children to make good choices for themselves and everyone else while avoiding negative choices builds self-regulation that lasts a lifetime. Research has shown the self-regulation that comes from the PAX Game to improve test scores and graduation rates – and even reduce drug addiction, violence, and psychiatric disorders when children reach adulthood. Please see attached information sheet for more details!
Hawthorne is collecting student Tootles and announcing them each morning. We are so proud of PAX leaders. Also, the students whose Tootles are read/announced, get put into a drawing for a movie ticket each week. Our winners today were Dakota in first grade and Karlie in 5th grade. Way to go PAX leaders!
Hawthorne Shopping Day at Montana Book Company
We are excited about the upcoming Hawthorne Fundraiser at MT Book Company! Thank you to Mrs. Morrison and the fabulous Montana Book Company for partnering to support our school and local business. Tell your friends and family to shop on Sunday, November 21st, and if you are on Facebook, please post this link: https://fb.me/e/1SjYVkTAj.
Mt. Book Co. will have some great titles and recommendations from our staff avaiable in addition to some friendly and familiar faces. We look forward to seeing you on the 21st from 11-4.
COUSELOR'S CORNER
November counseling themes are: Friendships & Healthy Relationships, Telling vs. Tattling, Problem Solving and Being Thankful. Below are some links.
Ms. Hennessy
DISTRICT INFORMATION
- Monday is early release- Students are released at 2:30 for teacher PLCs.
- Contact Information- please ensure your contact information is up-to-date. P)lease let Ms. Stout know if you have a change in address, phone numbers, or emergency contacts throughout the year. Also, give us a call to report your child's absence- cstout@helenaschools.org or 324-1370
- Inclement Weather and Air Quality- We continually monitor the air quality for unhealthy conditions and subzero temperatures. When "unhealthy for all groups" or "red" status is reached OR weather below zero, we refrain from spending our recesses outdoors. http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/AirDataMap.aspx
- School begins promptly at 8:30 AM! If you are arriving after 8:30, please walk your child to the front office to check them in. If a student arrives after 8:30 until 9:00am they will be marked tardy; between 9am-noon they will be absent for the morning; and if they check out before 2:45pm they will be marked absent for the afternoon. If your child will be absent for a full day or any portion of the day, please call the main office. If we cannot verify a child’s absence, then you will receive an automated phone call letting you know your child has an unverified absence. Finally, you must sign out your student if they are leaving for any reason and sign them back in if they return during the school day.
Kid Pack Program
Dates of Note
November
11/22- Kindergarten and 1st graders-- Movie with Mrs. Alberts in the afternoon
11/24-11/26- Thanksgiving Holiday NO SCHOOL
December
Winter Program will be recorded on December 17th. The link will be sent to families the week of December 20th.
Parent Council Updates
Parent Council met on Wednesday November 11th at 12:00 via Zoom.
Em Thiessen has created beautiful tags for our staff to write down ideas for the Giving Tree which will be accessible during conferences. This tree will be decorated with tags full of educator request for supplies that they would normally purchase out-of-pocket for their classrooms.
Additionally, Em is leading our Hawks though creating ornaments for the Festival of Trees. The Base Camp will be proudly displaying our Hawthorne tree- thank you Mr. Lynch. Parent Council is seeking donations for this project if anyone is interested in supporting.
During our meeting this month we discussed the above items in addition to planning for the holidays and approved funding for a spring Holter residency, much like we were able to participate in last year. Parent Council will also provide dinners for our educators during Parent Teacher conferences.
This group works hard to fundraise so our students and educators benefit. We have outdoor tables/picnic tables that will be set up on our grounds for our students to have outdoor learning spaces and opportunities to dine outside (when the weather gets warmer).
Please let Mrs. Alberts or Margaret Frohlich know if you are interested in joining the monthly meetings. Thank you to all who support and help out. We couldn't do it without you.
COMMUNITY NEWS
SAVE the DATE - December 6th!
The Angel Fund's Annual On Broadway Fundraiser & On-line Auction
Join us at On Broadway for a night of fine food and fun to help raise money for students throughout Helena. Dine in, order takeout or buy gift certificates between 5:00 and 9:30 PM on Monday, December 6th. On Broadway will donate 50% of food proceeds to The Angel Fund! To view a list of available food menu items or to contact On Broadway, please call 443-1929 or visit their website: https://www.onbroadwayinhelena.com.
The on-line auction to help support The Angel Fund's mission in Helena will be live next week and will conclude Monday, December 6th at 9:00 PM. I'll send a go-live auction email next week! You can also see items in-person the night of our On Broadway event, Monday, December 6th.
ANGEL FUND
SEE OUR STUDENTS IN ACTION
Hawthorne Elementary
Email: jalberts@helenaschools.org
Website: https://hawthorne.helenaschools.org/
Location: 430 Madison Avenue, Helena, MT, USA
Phone: 406-324-1370
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hawthorneelementaryparentcouncil