Elementary Newsletter

Hershey Panther Families and Friends,

As March arrives, we welcome the season of renewal, growth, and fresh beginnings. The days grow longer, the sunshine feels a little warmer, and signs of spring begin to bloom all around us. This month reminds us that change can be beautiful, and just like nature, our students continue to grow, learn, and thrive with each passing day.

March also brings exciting opportunities for celebration and reflection. From Read Across America Week to St. Patrick’s Day, we embrace moments that spark curiosity and joy in learning. As we shift toward the final stretch of the school year, it’s incredible to see how far our students have come—both academically and personally. Their hard work and perseverance continue to inspire us, and we look forward to watching them finish the year strong.

Spring is also a time of renewal for our school community. It’s a season to embrace new goals, fresh perspectives, and positive momentum. Whether through acts of kindness, a renewed focus on learning, or simply enjoying the energy that spring brings, let’s continue to support and uplift one another.

Here’s to a fantastic March filled with growth, excitement, and new possibilities! Thank you for your continued partnership in helping our students succeed.

Go Panthers!

Jared Thomsen

📞 (308) 368-5572

📧 jared.thomsen@hpspanthers.org

Empowering All Students to Reach Their Full Potential.

"Learn, Grow, Thrive - Hershey Public Schools"

03.02.25 - Dr. Suess' Birthday

03.03-03.07 - Read Across America Week

03.03.25 - Blood Drive (HHS)

03.05-03.08 - Girl's State Basketball Tournament

03.10.25 - Present Student of the Month (March)

03.10.25 - Fire Drill 10:40 AM

03.11.25 - Tornado Drill (10:00 AM)

03.12.25 - End of Q3

03.12.25 - 11:30 Student Dismissal (GVC Staff In-Service)

03.12-03.15 - Boy's State Basketball Tournament

03.13.25 - No School PK-12 (Spring Break)

03.14.25 - No School PK-12 (Spring Break)

03.14.25 - Pi Day

03.17.25 - St. Patrick's Day

03.17.25 - Q4 Starts

03.20.25 - HPS Elementary Personality Pictures (Nebraska Portraits)

03.20.25 - 2:43 Early Dismissal PK-12

03.20.25 - Parent Teacher Conferences (4:00-8:00 PM)

03.21.25 - No School PK-6

03.21.25 - Parent Teacher Conferences (8:00-12:00 PM)

03.22.25 - Prom

03.28.25 - Bus Evacuation Drill (AM)

03.28.25 - HELP Club Carnival (Activity Center + Competition Gym)

03.30.25 - HVFD Spaghetti Feed (HPS)

As we step into the month of March, the days are growing longer, and signs of spring are beginning to emerge. While occasional cool mornings may still linger, warmer temperatures and sunnier afternoons are becoming more frequent. With this shift in weather, it’s important for your child to dress appropriately for outdoor play as we continue to enjoy fresh air and recess.

This is a great time to transition from heavy winter gear to lighter jackets, sweatshirts, and comfortable layers that can be adjusted throughout the day. As always, we will monitor the temperatures to ensure a safe and enjoyable outdoor experience for all students.

Here are our updated reminders and guidelines for outdoor play:

🌡️ Indoor Recess: If the "real feel" temperature drops below 0°, students will stay inside for recess to remain warm and comfortable.
🧥 Layer Up: When temperatures are below 50°, students should wear a jacket or sweatshirt to stay comfortable during outdoor activities.

Your support in following these guidelines helps all students make the most of the changing seasons while staying safe and comfortable. Let’s welcome spring with energy and excitement! 🌼🌞

As we approach the end-of-year assessments, we encourage all students to give their best effort. Stay tuned for more information about our Academic Pep Rally and MOJO Challenge for Spring Testing!

Spring Assessment Schedule:

• AIMSweb Plus
• 📅 March 24 - March 28

• NWEA MAP & NSCAS
• 📅 April 21 - April 25

💡 Students, get ready to show what you know! Stay tuned for more details on how the Academic Pep Rally and MOJO Challenge will help you stay motivated and engaged during testing season!

This month, we take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our incredible students. Through the Hershey Public School Educational Foundation Student of the Month program, we recognize those who go above and beyond—students who exemplify kindness, dedication, and a positive attitude in everything they do.

From September through April, teachers nominate students who consistently demonstrate qualities such as hard work, respect, and a commitment to making our school community a better place. These nominations highlight students who shine as leaders, friends, and learners.

Congratulations to all our February classroom nominees! Your efforts, positive attitude, and dedication to excellence set a powerful example for your classmates and our school as a whole. We are so proud of each of you!

A special congratulations to Jace Vang (2H) & Haylee Dawkins (4H), our overall February Students of the Month!

To all our nominees—thank you for making our school an exceptional place to learn and grow. Keep up the fantastic work, and continue to shine in all that you do! 🌟🐾

TK - Keltin Tobiasson

KJ - Rilynn Bomark

KM - Kynzer Cooper

1J - Callum Mogus

1W - Silas Dorr

2H - Jace Vang

2S - Kamryn Streeter

3K - Lynlie Rosenberg

3KO - Moxson Rinke

4A - Danika Rowley

4H - Haylee Dawkins

5C - Kaidyn Salpas

5T - Lucas McGeeney

6C - Spencer Rinke

6M - Silas Holmes

It's time to connect! Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up soon, and we look forward to discussing your child’s progress with you.

📅 Conference Dates & Times:
🔹 Thursday, March 20 – 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Early Dismissal at 2:43 PM for PK-12)
🔹 Friday, March 21 – 8:00 AM - Noon

📌 How to Sign Up for a Conference:
✅ Use this link to schedule your 15-minute conference with your child’s teacher:
👉 Sign-Up Here
✅ Once you select a time slot, you’ll receive a confirmation email.
✅ If you need to reschedule, you can revisit the link and choose a different available time.

📌 What You Need to Know:

✔️ Resource teachers (Mrs. Ballentine & Mrs. Blessin) will be in touch with families they support and may stop by your conference to provide updates.

✔️ Specials teachers (Library, Guidance, PE, Music, Band, Art) will be available by request only—please reach out to your child’s teacher if you’d like to meet with them.

✔️ Conferences will take place in your child’s classroom unless otherwise noted.

✔️ If parents are separated, we encourage both parties to attend the same conference to ensure consistent communication about your child’s progress.

📌 Why Attend Parent-Teacher Conferences?
🔹 Get personalized updates on your child’s academic and social-emotional progress.
🔹 Discuss ways to support learning at home.
🔹 Strengthen the home-school connection to ensure your child’s success.

We encourage all families to attend and look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.

Attention parents and guardians! Please take note of important schedule adjustments for our preschool classes in March, April, and May. These changes include makeup days, combined class sessions, a field trip, and our preschool graduation ceremony.

March 2025

• March 12 – The PM class will attend with the AM class from 7:55 AM - 11:20 AM.

April 2025

• April 25 – Class Makeup Day: Both AM & PM classes will attend from 7:55 AM - 11:20 AM.

• April 30 – The PM class will attend with the AM class from 7:55 AM - 11:20 AM.

May 2025

• May 16 – Class Field Trip to the Children’s Museum: Both AM & PM classes will attend from 9:30 AM - 2:20 PM.

• May 21 – Preschool Graduation Day: Both classes will arrive at 12:05 PM, with the ceremony beginning at 2:30 PM.

We appreciate your flexibility and support in ensuring our preschoolers have a smooth and successful end to the school year. If you have any questions, please reach out to the preschool team.

Thank you for being a part of our school community! 🎓🎉

Hey Panther families! 🐾 Get ready to celebrate the joy of reading with Read Across America Week at Hershey Public Schools! We have a fun-filled week planned with exciting dress-up days to encourage a love for books. 📖✨

📅 Here’s the schedule:

📢 Monday 03.03 – Reading "JOGS" the mind 🏃‍♂️
👉 Wear your favorite athletic gear or sports gear!

📢 Tuesday 03.04 – Reading is FUN in the SUN! ☀️
👉 Bring sunglasses and a beach towel to enjoy reading in your classroom!

📢 Wednesday 03.05 – Reading Rainbow 🌈 (Class Color Wars)
👉 Each grade level wears a different color to show their reading spirit:

• PK & TK – Blue 💙

• Kindergarten – Yellow 💛

• 1st Grade – Purple 💜

• 2nd Grade – Orange 🧡

• 3rd Grade – Red ❤️

• 4th Grade – Green 💚

• 5th Grade – Pink 💖

• 6th Grade – White 🤍

📢 Thursday 03.06 – HATS OFF TO A GOOD BOOK! 🎩
👉 Wear your favorite hat to school!

📢 Friday 03.07 – Cozy Up with a Good Book 📖💤
👉 Wear pajamas and bring a stuffed animal to be your reading buddy for the day!

Let’s make this a week to remember by celebrating our love for reading together! 📚🐾

#HPSPanthers #ReadAcrossAmerica #PanthersLoveReading

Mark your calendars! The annual HELP Club Carnival is coming back to Hershey Public School on Friday, March 28, 2025. This exciting event is a community favorite, bringing families together for an evening full of games, prizes, food, and fun!

📅 Event Details:

• Supper: 5:00 – 6:00 PM

• Carnival Games & Fun: 6:00 – 8:00 PM

• Location: Hershey Public School

🎟️ Unlimited Play Wristbands & Tickets:

• Pre-Sale Wristbands: $15.00 (Available March 17-27)

• At the Door Wristbands: $20.00

• Individual Tickets: 4 for $1.00

👉 Pre-sale wristbands available at:

• The School Office

• Hershey Village Office

• Hershey Super Foods

• Any HELP Club Board Member

🎯 What’s New This Year?

• BINGO Challenge – Complete your BINGO card to win one of over 300 prizes!

• 20+ Games, including exciting new options!

• Prizes at every game!

• Silent Auction – Great items for all ages!

🍪 Sweet Treat Donations Needed!

The popular Sweet Treat Walk is back! To make it a success, we need donations:

• Pre-K – 3rd Grade: Please bring sweet treats (cookies, candy, granola bars, homemade treats, etc.).

• 4th – 6th Grade: Please bring drinks (Capri Sun, Gatorade, bottled juice, pop – all sizes).

🎁 Drop off by March 25th at the school office. Homemade items may be delivered on March 28th or brought to the event.

🙌 Volunteers Needed!

This event is only possible with the help of our incredible Hershey families. We need volunteers for:

• Running games

• Assisting in the kitchen

• Managing the prize table

• Taking tickets

• Helping with the silent auction

📌 Sign up by March 7th by returning the volunteer form to school with your child or scanning the QR code on the flyer.

If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Jacobson at (308) 367-7553.

Thank you for supporting the HELP Club Carnival – we can’t wait to see you there! 🎠🎈

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the incredible individuals and groups who continue to make a difference in our school community:

• Josh Connell – Thank you for organizing and running our new Panther PAWS program. Your leadership and dedication are making a positive impact!
• ESU 16 Staff – We appreciate your efforts in leading a productive PLC Day on February 17. Your support and collaboration are invaluable!
• Mrs. Margritz – Your kindness never goes unnoticed! Thank you for spreading joy with chocolate bars in honor of Random Acts of Kindness Day.
• Maple Park Dental (Mandy Williams, Ashley Streeter, and Verna Engbrecht) – Thank you for presenting to our TK-2 students on the importance of dental hygiene. Your time and knowledge are greatly appreciated!
• Mrs. Sarah Ostmeyer (Pronouncer), Mrs. Lindsay Stier (Judge), & Mid Plains Community College – Thank you for assisting with the Lincoln County Spelling Bee. Your support helped make the event a great success!
• Mrs. Tyan & Mrs. Stenger – Your creativity brought the 100th Day of School celebration to life with a fantastic 100th day backdrop. Thank you for making this milestone extra special!
• Mrs. Stier – Your dedication to organizing HAL for our students fosters creativity and problem-solving. Thank you for inspiring young minds!
• Our Amazing Bus Drivers – Your dedication to ensuring students arrive safely to and from school every day is truly appreciated. Thank you for all you do!
• Substitute Teachers, Paraprofessionals, and Support Staff – Your unwavering commitment ensures that learning never stops, no matter the challenges. Thank you for always stepping in when needed!

We appreciate each of you for the time, effort, and heart you pour into our school. Together, we make a difference! 👏

Hershey Public Schools is proud to share the results of the 2025 Lincoln County Spelling Bee! 🐾📖

Students from six school districts—McDaid, Hershey, Wallace, Brady, Sutherland, and Our Redeemer—competed in a showcase of dedication, preparation, and academic excellence.

We extend a huge thank you to all participants, teachers, and staff who helped make this event possible, as well as Mrs. Sarah Ostmeyer (Pronouncer) and Mrs. Lindsay Stier (Judge) for ensuring a fair and exciting competition. Special thanks to Mid Plains Community College for hosting!

🏅 Division Winners:

✅ 5th Grade: Jax Pierce (Hershey Public Schools)
✅ 6th Grade: Austin Hubbard (Hershey Public Schools)
✅ 7th Grade: Karlee Johanson (Hershey Public Schools)
✅ 8th Grade: Mollie McConnell (Wallace Public Schools)

🌟 🥇 Overall Winner: Jax Pierce (5th Grade, Hershey Public Schools)

Jax will proudly represent Hershey Public Schools & Lincoln County at the Omaha Sports Commission Spelling Bee at UNO on March 15, 2025!

👏 Congratulations to all participants for their incredible efforts—your hard work does not go unnoticed! Best of luck to Jax as he moves on to the next stage! 🐾💙

#HersheyPanthers #SpellingBee2025 #PantherPride #AcademicExcellence

We’re thrilled to remind all kindergarten through 6th-grade families about the exciting opportunity to kickstart your child's savings journey! The Panther Branch is open every Thursday morning from 7:50-8:05 AM in the cafeteria/commons area.

This program offers a fantastic way for our young Panthers to develop healthy saving habits early on. Whether it’s spare change from allowance, birthday money, or a small weekly deposit, every contribution helps teach the value of saving for the future.

Why participate?

• Build Essential Skills: Your child will learn budgeting, goal-setting, and financial responsibility.
• Plan Ahead: Saving even a little can add up quickly, teaching the importance of preparing for both exciting goals and unexpected needs.
• Fun & Engaging: The Panther Branch makes saving an enjoyable experience for students!

It’s never too late to start. Encourage your child to join us and take the first steps toward building a strong financial foundation. Let’s make saving a part of their routine—one deposit at a time!

🐾 Go Panthers!

As the school year progresses, maintaining regular attendance is key to your child’s academic success. Consistent attendance not only helps students stay on track with their learning but also allows them to fully engage in classroom activities, build strong relationships with their peers, and develop essential social and academic skills. Missing just a few days can create gaps in understanding, making it harder for students to catch up.

Once your child has accumulated 10 or more unexcused absences, you will be asked to join Mr. Thomsen for an attendance meeting. This is a state statute that all school districts follow. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

This year, we've implemented a new procedure where all students head outside for recess before going to lunch. Research shows that recess before lunch can lead to better behavior in the cafeteria, improved focus in the classroom, and students eating more of their lunch. To ensure a smooth transition, students arrive at recess in a 10-minute staggered timeframe, starting with transitional kindergarten at 11:00 AM and ending with 5th and 6th grades at 12:00 PM. This staggering not only reduces the number of students on the playground at one time but also allows for more adult supervision, as both teachers and paras are actively involved. Students have 20 minutes scheduled for lunch but can take up to 30 minutes to finish eating, ensuring they don’t feel rushed. As we continue to settle into this routine, I'm confident that it will become even smoother as the week goes on.

K-6 Lunch Times

Hershey Public Schools utilizes Rooms, a tool for parent-teacher chat and classroom announcements. If you weren’t able to link your child, please email your teacher and they can get you added. Parents are encouraged to download the HPS Panthers App; once downloaded, parents will be able to toggle between the school app & rooms.

https://www.hpspanthers.org/