What's Happening??!!

Dear Hawley Parents/Guardians, Teachers, and Staff,

What a START! We were so excited to welcome students. The Kindergarten Bus Run and Student Walkthrough are my favorite ways to begin. Our building becomes a school once Teachers, Staff, Students and Families are together. We have been building Climate & Culture while establishing Routines and Procedures. This ALL Improves Learning!!!

Buckle up, stay seated, and keep your hands and feet in the car at all times, as you read on to find out What's Happening at Hawley .....

You are cordially invited to our Hawley Elementary School Open House on Tuesday, 9/10 for Grades K-2 and Wednesday, September 11 for parents of students in Grades 3-4. We ALL will begin in the Gym for a Principal’s Conversation followed by Classroom Presentations.

Open House is an evening planned for adults only, to receive generic overviews of protocols/procedures, expectations, and curriculum. If you feel that there is a need for a more individualized conversation with your child’s teacher, please share that with them so a meeting at a future date can be arranged.

Our program will begin promptly at 6:30 PM in the Gym where I will review some Important Information with you. My presentation is the same both evenings, so you only need to attend one time if you are coming both nights. Classroom Presentations will begin at 7:00 PM, with our evening concluding at 8:00 PM.

We are looking forward to seeing you and strengthening the home-school connection that defines Hawley.

Each day, students have a Special. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to experience a variety of opportunities and tap into skills they may enjoy.

This coming week, we will be practicing every drill that we have. It is imperative that this information is current in our minds as well as experienced by new students (including kindergarten). These drills will be announced to students prior to being held – both by the classroom teacher, and by me via the public address system. Our goal is to ensure that all students feel safe and supported as we work through these first practices. Throughout the year, drills will continue to be held and will typically be unannounced.

The following drills will be practiced at Hawley this year:

• Fire Drill: The alarm goes off; staff and students exit the building using designed routes and report to a designated area. The Building is closed to visitors.

• Evacuation Drill: Staff and students exit the building using designed routes and report to a designated area. We then use 1 of 3 routes to exit the school campus. The Building is closed to visitors.

• Shelter-In-Place: Staff and students either stay where they are or are directed to a specified location such as the multi-purpose room, library or gym to await additional directions. Campus is closed to visitors for the duration.

• Safe-School Mode: Students and staff are kept within the confines of the building but are free to move about and conduct business as usual. Depending on the emergency, the campus may be closed to visitors.

• Lock-Down: This entails being in locked rooms and out of eyesight from doors and windows. Students and staff will walk through what to do in an imminent emergency that presents physical danger. Campus is closed to visitors for the duration.

Phones are not answered during the duration of any of the above drills.

We fully understand that some of our students have not yet experienced some of our drills, and we will provide any necessary supports leading up to the drill to ensure that students are able to successfully and confidently participate.

We also recognize that participation in drills may be particularly challenging to some children. Should you need to discuss specific concerns regarding your child’s ability to participate in drills or have your own questions, please feel free to contact me, our lead teacher, counselor, or your child’s teacher.

As I shared earlier in the week, we are beginning our Fall Assessments. These assessments help us understand where students are with academic skills, what are their strengths, what are their areas of need and where we will target our instruction.

The District Testing Window runs through 9/20. That is the time we are allotted to get all testing completed. It includes make-ups. Students are not tested all day, everyday, and not during the entire Window.

• DIBELS assesses literacy skills. We give this to students 1:1 in grades K-3, and grade 4 as needed. We will give this assessment in the Fall, Winter and Spring to monitor growth. The assessment ranges from 10-20 minutes (the longer time is for older students).
• iready is an assessment that determines reading and math levels, areas of strength and areas of need. It is an adaptive assessment meaning the level of difficulty adjusts based on a student's answers. There are 3- 40 minute reading sessions and 3- 40 minute math sessions. This is given to Grade 2 in Fall, Winter and Spring. Grades 3-4 will take iready in the Fall and Winter and take the State SBA assessment in the Spring.

There is no preparation for these assessments. Here is how you can help:

• Make sure your student has a pair of working headphones
• Gets a good night's sleep
• Eats something in the morning
• Is at school on time and in school all day
• Encourage them to take their time and do their best

All scores are shared with parents upon completion. We are happy to answer any questions that you may have upon receipt.

We encourage and welcome Parent Involvement at Hawley School. There are many opportunities for you to come and help out. For example, Kindergarten Bus Run, Book Fair, Field Day, Classroom Parties / Activities, and Field Trips.

To Volunteer you do need to fill out a Volunteer Form. This is a YEARLY Form. We have made it so easier than in the past. It is now Online ;0)

Go to our Website, then the Top Parents Link, then Volunteering. You then click on the form. You can also click HERE. I encourage everyone to fill one out as soon as possible. You never know when an opportunity to help arises and this will need to be submitted and approved before you can come help.

We Thank You for all of your help and support.

As we begin a new year, I want to share with new families and remind returning families that there is a Newtown Board of Education Policy that prohibits food as a celebration of Birthdays. We also do not accept Goodie Bags.

That being said, we definitely Celebrate Birthdays. I announce them over the PA as part of Morning Announcements and deliver a Birthday Card and Hawley Pencil. We even do 1/2 Birthdays for those in the Summer when school is out.

Each Grade Level Team will share at Open House how they will acknowledge birthdays. Some have extra recess, a PJ Day, or a Guest Reader just to name a few.

Invitations to parties can only be distributed to either all classmates, all girls or all boys in the class.

The Hawley PTA is already off to an amazing start! They hosted our Popsicles on the Playground for our Kindergartners and provided lunch for the staff. Here is what is on the horizon...

• The Ice Cream Social is planned for Wednesday, 9/18, 6:00-7:00 PM. Park and walk around to the playground. Hawley Staff is scooping Ice Cream in the gym for students to enjoy as well as fun with friends. Click HERE for more information.
• Hawley Wear is now available online through next Friday, 9/13. Terrific items, many new. Click HERE to order.

Our PTA is Terrific and does so much for Hawley. They can only do so with your support. Become a Member, it is a yearly membership. Click HERE for the form to join.

• Please make sure your child eats something before school and has a SNACK. Some lunches are early and there is an afternoon snack. Some lunches are later in the day and there is a morning snack.
• Update PowerSchool with the most current information (names, emergency contacts, emails, phone numbers)
• What's Happening Newsletters: All Newsletters are archived for the year on the Hawley Website under the ABOUT Section.

• Tues, 9/10: Open House- Grades K-2, 6:30 PM Parents in Gym w/Principal, 7:00 PM Parents to Classrooms
• Wed, 9/11: Open House- Grades 3-4, 6:30 PM Parents in Gym w/Principal, 7:00 PM Parents to Classrooms
• Wed, 9/18: Ice Cream Social, 6:00-7:00 PM, Playground / Gym
• Wed, 9/25: No School for Students- Professional Development

Mr. M was sitting at his desk with the window open.

Students were walking by on their way to recess.

" That is Mr. M's Jeep " said a student

" How do you know? " asked another

" The NY Mets tire cover " the child responded, " Mr. M likes the Mets "

" Do you think he knows they are not doing very well? " the other student asked

The fist student answered, " Oh..... he knows! "

Click Here to view our Twitter page.

*For us to use your child's likeness, we need your permission. Permission must be granted annually via the ParentPortal.

Twitter: @hawley_school

Our website contains a tremendous amount of information and has the answers to most questions, PLUS, a staff directory/emails, handbooks, forms and more. Click Here to check it out!

Inspired Hawley Principal

Email: morettic@newtown.k12.ct.us
Website: http://newtown.hawley.schooldesk.net/
Location: 29 Church Hill Road, Newtown, CT, United States
Phone: (203) 426-7666
Twitter: @cmoretti66