Hawlemont News
September 30, 2022
From the principal
There is SO MUCH important information below. Please take your time and read this newsletter thoroughly.
Take care,
Amber Tulloch
Important Dates
- 10/3- School Committee in library -
Phone Numbers
- 10/7 - Picture Day
- 10/8 - Apple Squeeze at the Little Red School House (volunteer with Ms. Sienna)
- 10/10 - No School, Indigenous Peoples' Day
- 10/11 - Braided Bread order forms due
October early release dates:
1:50 dismissals: 10/5, 10/19, 10/26
November early release dates:
11/1 - No school, teacher professional development
11/3 and 11/4 - 12:30 Dismissal - Conference days
11/11 - No school, Veterans Day
11/16 - 1:50 dismissal
11/23 - 12:30, day before Thanksgiving
11/24 and 11/25 - No school, Thanksgiving break
PreK news
4th Grade News
Fourth grade is on a roll and has been working hard! We are showing that we know our rules and routines and are hard at work with our curriculum. Our five small reading groups are going well, and students are working at independent levels to improve our skills. As a whole class, we are reading Love that Dog by Sharon Creech. Students are close reading poems, asking questions, identifying characteristics of poetry, identifying themes, and supporting details. In science, we have been experimenting with changes in rocks and soil over time, and we are beginning our first STEM engineering project of the year. In math, students have been solving multiplication and division story problems using number lines, ratio tables, and arrays.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me anytime. My email is aclark@mtrsd.org
Dates to know:
October 5- 1:50 dismissal
October 7- Picture day
October 10- Indigenous Peoples' Day ( No school)
Friendly Reminders:
-Please send your child to school with a snack each day (if you need help getting snacks, please let me know)
- We have barn chores on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we go outside every day. Please make sure your child has appropriate clothing.
5th Grade News
5th Grade News:
I have really enjoyed getting to know your children this first month. We have started many new concepts in all subjects that we will practice and master throughout the year. In math, we are working on different ways to solve multi digit multiplication. They will be choosing an efficient way that works for them to solve future problems. In science, we are still working on our Web of Life theme. Students are understanding the importance of Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers. We are continuing to read Esperanza Rising in ELA. Students are enjoying this realistic fiction and discussing how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are being honored or violated.
Thank you to the parents that joined us last Thursday for our Family Nature’s Classroom meeting. We still need more help from families. Please reach out to Mr.Bechtel or I if you can run a fundraiser or help out in any way.
~Mrs.Sinistore
6th Grade News
The 6th Graders went to Hager’s Farm last week to pick apples for the Apple Squeeze and Apple Pies to support the HAY program. They ranged up and down the hillside and gathered a pickup-bed-full of apples and had a great time. They all showed true GRIT as they helped with this community chore. We all had a fun day on the All School Hike this week as well. We started up the very steep hillside of Thumper Mountain at Mohawk State Park and all dutifully thumped the top when we got there. We continued on and made it to the upper meadows for lunch and hide-and-go-seek. Mr. Bechtel shared some geology and forestry as we made our way through the woods and hillsides. In class we continue to read Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and delve into Greek mythology. We are also getting towards our first academic assessments in math and reading and social studies. We will soon be researching recipes for our Cookbook fund-raiser. Stay tuned for further information soon!
Natures Classroom Update
Last week Mr. Bechtel and Mrs. Sinistore held a family meeting in the evening to discuss Nature’s Classroom. 5th/6th grade will be attending Nature’s Classroom the week on May 8th, but we need to do a lot of fundraising. Our fundraising goal is $10,000. If you are someone that couldn’t attend last week's meeting and would like to run a fundraiser or help someone out that is already running a fundraiser, please reach out to the classroom teachers.
~Mrs.Sinistore
Here is a list of fundraisers that will be started soon:
October - Donation trinket jar (Duane)
October - Penny wars, teachers against students (Jenn)
October - Student Cookbook (Tara)
November - January Calendar Raffle (Jenni & Lyra)
Each 5th/6th grade family needs to donate at least a $20 item.
Families, please start reaching out to businesses for gift certificates.
December - Dinner with movie night. (Duane, Tara, Amanda)
March - Candy bingo (Stephen and Sarah)
April - Car wash and maybe tag sale (Stephen)
Bake sale (Jenn & Judy)
Any town events
Braided Bread and Classic Cookie Dough Fundraiser
Here is the link to register to sell online..... paper forms are headed home today as well!
Any questions, please call or email Ms. Lovett, slovett@mtrsd.org
Permissions form and Handbook
***** Sending home a paper copy- as we are still missing A LOT of permissions forms!
The Permissions document is online this year. Please take a moment to fill it out for each student you have here at Hawlemont. Here is the link.
Here is a link to the Handbook as well. Please take a moment to read through this with your student. If you would like a paper copy, please let the office know.
Pictures from our All School Hike
From the Pages of Our Reading Specialist
From the Pages of Our Reading Specialist: Hawlemont students are READING students!!! It is so amazing to see the work that all of our students and classes are doing each and every day to become stronger, life-long readers. This year, we are planning several reading and literacy-based activities and events both at school and to share with families at home. You may have noticed a pink form that came home last week announcing the return of our Book A Month Club through Scholastic Books. By joining the Club, your child will get 8 books throughout the school year to grow their home library! Every child will be a member; we will have 100% participation in the club through the support of families, friends, community members and staff. If you haven’t done so already, please return your form and membership fee by October 14th. If you have any questions or need another form, please email Mrs. Gajda at mgajda@mtrsd.org. Thanks so much and HAPPY READING!!
Mrs. Gajda
Covid testing news from Donna Weber
COVID-19 TESTING REMINDER
Just a reminder that we are NOT allowed to test students or staff for Covid-19 this school year. We were informed at the very end of the last school year that the State would no longer cover our district for testing. We had an abundance of iHealth test kits at the end of the school year that the State said we can give to people for self use. The school nurse is not allowed to perform, supervise, or advise on the use of these tests.
The expiration date on the kits says they are expired but the expiration date was actually extended to Oct. 23, 2022. After that date, all iHealth test kits obtained through the school should be thrown away. You can obtain 8 free antigen self test kits, per person, from your pharmacy that will be charged to your insurance. Some people can pick them up for free. Others may need to pay upfront and be reimbursed by your insurance company. It really depends on your insurance. Call your pharmacy with any questions.
You can also call your local Board of Health. Many of them have antigen self tests free of charge for their citizens.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Donna Weber, MSN, BSN, RN
MTRS/HRS District Nurse Leader
413-625-9811 ext. 1334
Bus Drivers needed!
Covid 19 and Flu vaccine information
October 3 Ashfield Town Hall, October 4 at Mohawk Trail, October 19 at Hawlemont
October 26 at BSE
STEAM Fair - Grades 6-8: November 9th
STEAM Fair - Grades 6-8: November 9th
MTRSD STEAM Fair is coming this fall for students in grades 6-8, and we couldn’t be more excited! We are hoping to recruit caregiver and community members to our cause: to connect our students with a diverse range of new and interesting hands-on experiences in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Volunteers needed to run sessions or help with logistics. Tentatively scheduled for Wed., November 9, we would love to have you join us; click here for more information.
4H Information
- There are seven 4-H clubs offered at Hawlemont this school year (Baking, Weaving 1 and Weaving II, Outdoor Adventure, Farm Animal Science, Knitting, and Hand Sewing)
- Some clubs are open to specific grades; most clubs have size limits, membership is on a first-come/first-served basis.
- Enrollment forms can be picked up at the school or obtained by email upon request to Sheila Litchfield at 337-4957/sheila@thedell.us
- membership is not complete until all forms are received.
- Clubs will start to meet during the first week in October until the last week of May 2023; clubs are held after school.
Contact info:
Shannon Lovett - Administrative Assistant
Amber Tulloch - Principal
Please feel free to contact either of us with any questions.Email: slovett@mtrsd.org
Website: https://hawlemont.mohawktrailschools.org/
Location: 10 School Street, Charlemont, MA, USA
Phone: (413) 339-8316
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HawlemontElementary