Hawk News
January 27, 2022
We Did It Again!
From Nurse Sandy
I just wanted to try to keep you up to date on all things covid. As you know we are seeing record numbers of positive cases in Polk County. We continue to do our best to keep everyone safe. We wear our masks, the custodial staff does extra cleaning as do all other staff, and we wash our hands frequently.
To help us all stay safe – please keep your student home if they are sick. I would encourage testing for covid after the 5th day of a known exposure or sooner if symptoms develop. If your student tests positive please let me know and I will help you figure out isolation dates and when it is safe for your student to return to school. Also remember – there are other illnesses going around besides covid. Influenza, strep throat, and upper respiratory infections to name a few. It is always best to stay home if ill and call your doctor for guidance. If your student has not been vaccinated for COVID I would strongly encourage you to talk to your child’s doctor and follow their recommendations. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s health – please feel free to call me.
Nurse Sandy
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Teachers will or have started reaching out to families about parent/teacher conferences. We were orginally going to offer in-person, virtual, and phone conferences. It has been decided that we will only offer virtual and phone conferences. We will schedule conferences for the week of February 14th.
Hanawalt Community Notes
February Business Partner: Skateland Des Moines
Thursday, February 10th is Hanawalt Night at Skateland! Attend and help raise funds for Hanawalt Community events and programs.
A Day In The Arts (ADITA) Update
Prior to 2020, Hanawalt Elementary had a more than 40-year tradition of reserving one school day a year for art experiences ('A Day in the Arts'). Previously, Hanawalt extended core staff and parents partnered to find artists in the community to come to the school and give our students experiences in visual art, dance, music, performance art, etc. The day typically ended in a whole school assembly where a larger group performed. While 'A Day in the Arts' did not happen in 2020 and in 2021, due to COVID-19, our parent committee and staff are committed to providing art experiences to the students in the Spring of 2022.
Our extended core staff and parent group have agreed to try a new format in 2022. We are calling it 'A Week in the Arts'. The week-long format limits the time students will miss from their core subjects, while still giving them the benefit of a visual, physical, and musical art experience. We are tentatively scheduling A Week in the Arts for April 18-21. Kids will experience a guest artist during their extended core time each day, and by the end of the week will have an experience with a visual, physical, and musical artist. More information will be sent about our guest artists when we get closer to the week. On the final day of the school week, Thursday, April 21, we hope to have a whole school art experience. As we get closer to the event, we will decide if this final event will be held outside, in the gym, or virtually, based on guidance from the district and what the staff and parent group decide will be safe and beneficial.
Do you work in the arts? Do you have artistic talents that you would like to share with the students of Hanawalt? If you are interested in donating your time and talent, we would love to find a way to involve you. The parent committee will begin contacting and setting up guest artists by the end of the month. If you would like to volunteer to share your art and help give our students a chance to try your art form during A Week in the Arts, you can email Hanawalt’s Art Teacher, Ms. Sheeley, at Sarah.Sheeley@dmps.org, or A Week in the Arts Parent Committee Leader, Laura Camerona, at lcamerona@hotmail.com.
Keep your eyes out for more updates and chances to raise money for this special week!
Hooray! It's time to order yearbooks!
Yearbooks are in the works and can be ordered now for $15. (See more information below on how your photos could be included!) They will arrive in May, just in time to look back on the memories from the 2021-2022 school year. Don’t miss getting yours - order by March 24th!
Order and pay online at https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/
You will need to enter the following information:
Hanawalt Elementary School
Yearbook ID: 14585622
If you would prefer to pay by check, you can write a check to Hanawalt PTA for $15 and deliver it to the school office. Please note in the memo line that it is for yearbook, and include your student and teacher's names.
Looking for more information on the Hanawalt Community? You can always learn more at https://www.hanawaltcommunity.org/
Upcoming Dates
February
11th: Friendship Parties
14th: No school
14th - 18th: Parent/Teacher Conferences
March
8th: Juniors Take ACTs: no school grades PreK-10 and 12
14‐18th: Spring Break – No school
21-22nd: No school; Professional Development days
Hanawalt Elementary
Email: jolene.liebl@dmschools.org
Website: hanawalt.dmschools.org
Location: 225 56th Street, Des Moines, IA, USA
Phone: 515-242-8411