The Hiawatha Buzz!
February 5, 2021
Growing hearts and minds for a better today and tomorrow: every day, every way, every one.
Principal's Message
Dear families,
This month we will have a school wide focus on Black History Month during our whole school meetings. We hope you will join us in highlighting the accomplishments of Black authors, artists, musicians, community activities, presidents, vice presidents, and so many others with your children at home. Here are a few resources:
As a Parent, What Are Ways I Can Engage My Family in Black History Month?:
- 45 Books to Teach Children About Black History – The Culture
- African American History Month Resources for Parents – Adlit.org
- Learning More About Black History for Parents and Families – NYC Dept. of Education
- 5 ways to celebrate Black History Month with your family – ChicagoNow.com
Have a great weekend,
Katherine
Nurse Reyna's Absence reporting reminder
Hello Hiawatha Families,
First of all, I’d like to thank you all for being so diligent on keeping your students home when they are feeling unwell or showing any signs of illness. By doing so, you have contributed greatly to our safety and success in dealing with COVID-19. Thank you. I truly appreciate you.
I would like to provide some guidance on reporting absences. All absences should be reported to Michelle Murphy-Ertle, our administrative assistant. You can contact her by:
Phone: 878-1384
Email: mmurphyertle@ewsd.org
On-line Form: Hiawatha Home Page
When using the on-line form, make sure to fill out the comments section with further details about the absence.
Please do not use the classroom teacher’s voicemail or email to report absences. The classroom teacher may not have time to check their messages prior to the school day. Furthermore, they may have a substitute teacher who will not have access to emails and voicemails.
By reporting absences this way, it allows us to follow up on absences in a more systematic manner, which contributes to our community’s health and safety.
Thank you,
Reyna Maher, RN
School Nurse
Valentine's Day update
Thank you for your attention to this.
Origami fun in art class!
PTO update
Dear Hiawatha families,
The PTO is inviting you to participate in our Equity Speaker Series. One of our own parents, Amber Leventry (they/them), will be holding a virtual talk on March 3, 2021 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. Amber is a nonbinary queer writer, advocate, and parent. They have worked with schools to make curriculum LGBTQIA+ inclusive and affirming and have spoken on panels and taught workshops to help people become better informed allies. Their discussion is called How Do I Talk To Kids About LGBTQIA+ Topics. Amber will give parents and community members the tools and confidence to talk to kids about what it means to be gay, transgender, and gender nonconforming. Learn tips on ways to answer kids’ questions, start conversations about sexuality and gender, and foster a love of diversity. Amber will discuss the significance of accepting and affirming our kids’ LGBTQIA+ identity.
Attached is a google form if you would like to ask any questions before the talk. There will also be a Q&A time at the end of the session from 7:30-8. We hope to see you there via ZOOM (Zoom link to follow).
https://forms.gle/1Y12RzpcqRR9LpMC9
Nikki Mayhue (She/Her)
PTO President
Pre-K Registration Enrollment for 2021-22
EWSD is now accepting registration requests for prekindergarten enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year. Space is limited in our pre-K classrooms and placement is determined by a lottery drawing. The window to submit a registration request will be open until Friday February 26th.
Please go to our website and click on the "Pre-K Lottery Form" button to submit a pre-K registration request.
Important Dates:
February 9: PTO meeting from 6:00PM to 7:00PM via Zoom
February 22nd - February 26th: Winter Break - NO SCHOOL
March 19th - Parent/Teacher conferences - NO SCHOOL
Hiawatha Elementary School
Email: mmurphyertle@ewsd.org
Website: www.EWSD.org/HIA
Location: 30 Hiawatha Avenue, Essex Junction, VT, USA
Phone: 802-878-1384