Hallinan Elementary
Hawk Squawk 8/19/21
Principal's Message
We're getting closer! 11 days away. Yes, of course I am counting - I can't wait for us to all be together again!
Between now and then, we hope all families will join us at the Hallinan Meet and Greet on Thursday, August 26 from 3 to 4 pm. With safety a top priority, Meet and Greet will look a little different this year, students are welcome to enter their classrooms through exterior doors, wearing masks, while family members wait outside the building for them. Even though outside, family members are required to wear masks if they cannot maintain 6 feet social distancing. When students enter their classroom, they will meet their teacher and may drop off school supplies. If you ordered school supplies for your child through the PTO in June, their supplies will be waiting for them in their classroom. Also, Kona Ice will be in the cul de sac selling shave ice from 2:30 to 3:30 pm.
As a reminder, students with an IEP or 504 may come to the school earlier, for Smart Start, on 8/26, between 1 and 3 pm to meet their teacher and case manager. The same safety procedures will be in place for Smart Start as Meet and Greet, students will enter classrooms while families wait outside the building.
You will hear from your child's teacher next Wednesday, 8/25. Prior to that, if you or your student see a 2021-22 homeroom assignment on any district system or website, it may not reflect their actual homeroom teacher. We have temporarily placed students to gauge class sizes, but schedules are currently changing. We apologize for any confusion.
The start of the school year always brings an opportunity to meet new people and learn new things. A few of our staffing changes this year are:
Ahna Denney (4th Grade) moved to Arizona!
Rose Freeman (5th Grade) is leaving Hallinan to work as a STEM Teacher at Palisades.
Pat Berkeley (Speech) will be working full-time at Forest Hills.
Janie Jenkins (Psychologist) will be working at Lakeridge Middle School and Palisades.
Alesia Valdez (ELL) will be working at Forest Hills, Lake Grove and Westridge.
Karen Fahey (EA) is retiring.
We will miss these outstanding educators very much and wish them all the best in their new endeavors.
With change comes introductions!
Jan Franz is moving from 1st Grade to 4th Grade.
Emily Lopez is our new 1st Grade teacher.
Elizabeth McKay is our new 2nd Grade teacher.
Kristin Locke and Kemi McLaren are our new 5th Grade teachers.
Larissa Stewart is our new Speech Pathologist.
Noriko Divers is our new ELL specialist.
Vicki Savoy is our new Education Assistant.
Kim DeNeffe and Kara McDowd are our new Special Education Assistants.
Please join me in welcoming all our wonderful new staff members! We are thrilled they are part of our Hallinan family.
So much excitement, just around the corner! I cannot wait for school to begin and to see all our amazing staff and students every day.
Enjoy the last week of summer and get outside and play!
Melissa Griffiths
Action Items
- School Supplies can be dropped off during Meet and Greet on 8/26 from 3 to 4 pm. Find School Supply Lists Here. If you ordered school supplies through the PTO for your student last spring, they will be delivered to their classroom prior to Meet and Greet.
- Verify your and your student's information Here on ParentVue
FAQ's and Answers
When does school begin? School starts for all students on Monday, August 30.
When will we hear who our child's teacher is? Placement is still being finalized. You will hear from your child's teacher by Wednesday, August 25. Before then, if you or your student see a 2021-22 homeroom assignment on any district system or website this week, it may not reflect their actual homeroom teacher. We have temporarily placed students to gauge class sizes, but schedules are currently changing. We apologize for any confusion.
What is the daily schedule?
First Bell - 8:10 am: Students are welcome to enter their classroom.
Tardy Bell - 8:20 am: Students must check in with the office and receive a Tardy slip before going to their classroom.
Dismissal - 2:40 pm: Students taking a bus home or to After Care, will exit the building through the Gym; students being picked up by parents will exit the building through the main doors.
Early Release on Thursdays - 2 pm
Will students and staff be wearing masks? Yes, currently all students, staff and anyone who enters the building are required to wear masks. The District will follow state mask requirements. Updated information will be shared in the District Current Newsletter as it becomes available.
Will Extended Care be open? Yes! Hallinan students will attend Extended Care at River Grove Elementary. Additional information can be found on the Community School Extended Care website here.
Save These Dates
8/25 - Teachers sending out Welcome Letters
8/26 - Smart Start from 1 to 3 pm - see below for more information
8/26 - Meet and Greet from 3 to 4 pm
8/30 - First Day of School for all Students9/8 - Back to School Night
10/8 - Professional Day - No School
10/15 - Photo Day
Smart Start
Smart Start is an opportunity specifically for our students with 504s and IEPs, and their parents and guardians, to make introductions with their teachers and to feel prepared for the start of school. For the 2021-22 School Year, Smart Start is in person Aug. 26, 2021, from 1-3 p.m.
Teachers will be familiar with your student’s plan and accommodations. To help better know your students, please complete the attached one-page profile or create one on your own ahead of time, and give it to the teacher at the Smart Start introduction.
Also, to assist in your family’s preparation for the new school year, please click here for a Smart Start checklist for parents and guardians of students with 504s and IEPs.
Free Meals for All Students
This school year the Lake Oswego School District will be offering breakfast and lunch meals (one breakfast and one lunch per student per day) at no charge to all students. Breakfast meals will be served in Grab-n-go style as students arrive to school. Lunch meals will offer healthy tasty entrees, fresh fruits and vegetables with a seasonal rotation of local farm produce and organic products when available.
For information about Food Services, please click here to visit our web page.
For information about part-time job opportunities in Food Services, please click here to visit the employment web page.
Contact Information
Office Phone: 503-534-2353
Principal Melissa Griffiths - griffitm@loswego.k12.or.us
Secretary Lee Gates - gatesl@loswego.k12.or.us
Secretary Linda Stevens - stevensl@loswego.k12.or.us
If your child will be absent, please email your student's teacher and copy the office at halattendance@loswego.k12.or.us. Please list the date your child will be absent and any illness symptoms.