WEEK 10
Greetings Hawthorne ES Community,
We’ve made it to Week 10—just one week away from Fall Break!
October is Bullying Prevention Month! Along with the Second Step program, students will also participate in the Bullying Prevention Unit, where they’ll learn how to:
Recognize and report bullying
Refuse bullying for themselves and others
Be an upstander and part of the solution
🍂🎉 Thank you for all of your support! Your involvement and encouragement make our school community stronger and help our students thrive every day. We want to celebrate the hard work of our students, staff, and families. Let’s keep the momentum going as we finish strong and prepare to enjoy a well-deserved Fall Break! Thank you to all the parents who attended Parent/Teacher Conferences for students in 1st–4th grades! Your engagement and support play a vital role in your child’s learning and growth. We truly appreciate your partnership in making our school community strong and successful.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for Spirit Night at Napoleon’s last Tuesday—your support means so much! We also extend our gratitude to the parents who attended our Lakeside Cluster event,Vikings: Read Across the World, at Pleasantdale ES on Thursday, October 2, 2025. Your participation helps strengthen our school community and makes these events truly special.
Thank you to all the families who sent in notes and treats for our custodians during National Custodian Appreciation Day! Your thoughtfulness and support truly made them feel appreciated and loved.
📢 Public Appreciation (newsletter/social media):
A big thank you to Mrs. Terese Sanders for her outstanding leadership, and to the Hawthorne Foundation Board & Community—Mrs. Elisha Smith, Mrs. Murff, and Mrs. Topping—for your incredible support in making our Blood Drive a success! ❤️💉 We are so grateful for your dedication, teamwork, and commitment to making a positive impact on our school community.
Huge shout-out to Ms. Shegog and Ms. Martin for their amazing support of our track & field athletes this weekend—and an even bigger cheer for our athletes for showing up with heart, hustle, and team spirit! We’re proud of you! 🎉👏🏅
Congratulations to our athletes for their incredible performance at the District Finals against every elementary school in the county!
✨
Layla, Alisson, Clara, & Tinsley– 2nd place in the 4x100 relay
Gabriel, Taylor, August, & Kai - 4th place
We are so proud of how our athletes competed!
📌 Reminder – Next week is Fall Break. There will be no school for students. We hope you enjoy a safe and restful break.
Mark your calendars THIS WEEK:
Parent/Teacher Conferences for 5th grade students will take place on Monday, October 6th, and for Kindergarten students on Tuesday, October 7th. We look forward to connecting with you in-person to celebrate your child’s growth and discuss ways we can support their learning journey together!
This week, we are also thrilled to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Spirit Week, GA Pre-K Week, Walk & Bike to School Day – Wednesday, October 8th and International Night on Thursday, October 9th.
We celebrate the BEST Pre-K team around! We are so thankful for the incredible work they do each day to build strong foundations for our youngest learners. ❤️ As part of our GA Pre-K Week Celebration, we’ll host special guest readers to share stories and smiles with our students. It’s going to be a wonderful week of learning, laughter, and love for Pre-K! 🌟
🚶♀️🚴♂️ Walk & Bike to School Day – Wednesday, October 8th! 🌟
Join us for a fun and energizing morning as we celebrate Walk & Bike to School Day! The Safety & Wellness Committee will be out front at 6:30 a.m. cheering on all students who walk or bike to school. 🎶 Expect music, snacks, and special treats to kick off your day with positivity and school spirit! Students in grades K–2 will also participate in engaging Pedestrian Safety Sessions to learn how to travel safely and confidently in our community.
Let’s get moving, stay safe, and show our H-Pride as we walk and bike together!
🌍 International Night – Thursday, October 9th at 6:00 PM! 🎉
Our much-anticipated International Night is almost here! Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with music, food, performances, and cultural displays. This special event brings our Hawthorne community together to celebrate and showcase the rich diversity of cultures that make our school so unique while we honor the many traditions that make Hawthorne shine!
If you are a parent who would like to represent your country, please let us know so we can reserve a table for you. We can’t wait to see the diversity, pride, and joy that make our school community so special!
DATES TO REMEMBER:
-Parent/Teacher Conferences for 5th grade - Monday, October 6th - IN PERSON
-Parent/Teacher Conferences for Kindergarten -Tuesday, October 7th - IN PERSON
-Hispanic Heritage Spirit Week - October 6th-10th | See Flyer Below
-GA PRE-K WEEK - October 6th-11th
-Walk/Bike to School Day - October 8th | 6:30 am
-International Night - October 9th | 6:00 pm See Flyer Below
-Coffee in the Garden @ Hawthorne ES - October 10th | 7:30 am - 8:30 am | See Flyer Below
-FALL BREAK - NO SCHOOL| October 13th -17th
-Hawthorne Foundation Fundraiser - October 25th | 6:00 pm -10: 00 pm | See Flyer Below
Go Hornets 🐝
Proud to Serve,
Principal Henley
#OneTeamOneDream #WeAreALLIN
TWITTER
Join us on Wednesday, October 8th, from 6:30 AM – 7:45 AM for Walk/Bike to School Day! Let’s celebrate healthy habits, reduce traffic, and start the day with wellness, energy, and fun.
A big thank you to the Safety & Wellness Committee for spearheading this wonderful initiative for our school community!
We look forward to seeing our students and families walking or biking together!
Do you have a 4th- or 5th-grade student who loves to dance? Don’t miss the chance to be part of our Elementary Competitive Dance Team!
📝 Registration is open now through November 18.
💃 Season kicks off December 1.
This is a great opportunity for students to showcase their talent, build teamwork skills, and represent our school with pride.
Key Dates:
- December 1st - First Day of Practice
- January 17th - First Match
- January 24th - Second Match
- January 31st - Area Championship
- February 7th - County Championship
Registration is open for the 2025-2026 Elementary Basketball season!
All 4th and 5th-graders can join this FREE program, designed to keep students active and engaged while having fun with their classmates.
Season: January 26 – April 18, 2026
Requirements: Sports Physical
Registration is open now through October 30, 2025. Don’t miss out! Sign up today at: https://survey.sogolytics.com/r/JRtcwi
This form includes critical information regarding your child’s dismissal plans and any medical needs, both of which are essential to ensuring your child’s safety and well-being on the first day and every day after.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter, we appreciate your partnership in keeping our Hawks safe and supported!
Please complete Meal Application Information 2024-2025. Only 1 Application Needed per Family:
Please ALL complete this application process even if you plan to bring lunch for your child daily or believe that you will not qualify. This is very important, this impacts funding for Title 1.
Please click link for English/Spanish application.
https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/featured-news/free-reduced-meal-applications-sy-2024-2025/
The drop-off times in front of the school are below:
7:00 am
MORNING INTERVENTIONS & EXTENTIONS TIME DAILY - 7:15 am
Tardy bell - 7:45 am
Morning announcements begin at 7:45 am
Car riders:: When picking students up, parents should have the Hawthorne ES Car Rider Tag visible in their car. If the Car Rider Tag is not visible, parents are required to park, come into the building and provide Identification. Thank you for your patience as we simply want to keep your students' safe.
The pick-up times for dismissal are below:
Bus riders-2:25:pm; Car riders 2:35 pm (front of building after buses) & walkers (Side door)
Walker Dismissal Protocol Update
The dismissal process for the Walker group is being slightly adjusted to ensure a smoother and more secure experience. Students will continue to dismiss from the side door; however, we will now be implementing a numbered tag system.
Each walker will be assigned a unique number. Parents or guardians must walk to the designated walker door and visibly display their child’s assigned number. This number will correspond to the student’s walker tag, which will be attached to their backpack.
For safety and accountability, students will only be released once the matching number is presented at the door.
Attendance & Dismissal Procedures Update
To ensure accurate attendance records and to maintain a safe and orderly school environment, we are updating our arrival and dismissal procedures:
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Late Arrival: Students arriving after 7:45 AM must be checked in by a parent/guardian inside the school office.
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Early Check-Out: If a student needs to leave school early, parents/guardians must come into the building to sign the student out prior to the start of dismissal.
These updates are in place to support accurate attendance documentation. We appreciate your cooperation and commitment to helping us ensure that your students are safe during arrival and dismissal from school. 😊Thank you!
BUS ROUTES
DCSD bus routes can be found on the district website: https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/bus-routes/. Hawthorne ES morning bus routes are below along with the district
🚗✨ Arrival & Dismissal Reminders ✨🚶♀️
Reminder: As we kick off a successful school year, please review and follow our arrival and dismissal expectations to ensure a smooth and safe day for all students:
🌅 Morning Arrival:
🕖 7:00 AM – School doors open and breakfast begins.
🍽️ After breakfast – Intervention & Enrichment starts. This is a critical time for academic support and acceleration—please ensure your child arrives on time.
⏰ 7:40 AM – Breakfast service ends.
📣 7:40 AM – Morning announcements begin.
📘 7:45 AM – Instruction begins promptly.
🏁 Afternoon Dismissal:
🕝 2:15 PM – Dismissal begins & typically follows this order:
➡️bus riders
➡️ van riders
➡️ car riders
➡️ walkers
➡️ aftercare
Please remember that our buses must be in line first.
🕝 2:35 PM-2:40 PM – All students should be fully dismissed from classrooms.
🕒 2:45 PM – Students not picked up by this time will be sent to aftercare, and a drop-in fee will apply. Communication is key!
Late Pick-Up Procedures
In order to ensure the safety and supervision of all students, Hawthorne Elementary has established the following late pick-up procedures:
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Dismissal ends at 2:45 PM.
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Any student not picked up by 2:45 PM, upon arrival -parents will need to complete the Late Pick-Up Roster.
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Three (3) late pick-ups may result in a referral to the school’s social worker for additional support and follow-up.
Your partnership helps us create a safe and focused environment for all hornets. Thank you for your attention and cooperation!
After School Activities Are Back! 🎉
Afterschool Clubs that still have spots available!!!
Opportunities include:
EIM Dance (Various grade levels)
Use the link below to explore and sign up today, spots may fill quickly!
Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer for the DeKalb County School District! By signing on as a volunteer, you become a member of our team of professionals that proudly provides educational services to more than 93,000 students in our DeKalb County School District.
Steps to Complete the Volunteer Process:
Complete the Volunteer Application and Release Form:
Review and Complete the DCSD Volunteer Code of Conduct:
Complete the Mandated Reporter Training:
- Watch the Mandated Reporter Video and complete the quiz before attending a training session.
- Steps to complete the training:
- Create a free account
- Select State: GA
- Click on Child Abuse and Neglect Course: Mandated Reporter
- Start the course and complete the quiz
- Save or print your certificate and email a copy to DCSDvolunteer@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Training link: Mandated Reporter Course
Upcoming DCSD Volunteer Training (via Zoom):
Join a Zoom Session That Fits Your Schedule
Fall 2025 Volunteer Training Dates
Please select the Zoom session that works best for you from the options below:
September 24 – 12:00 PM
October 1 – 12:00 PM
October 8 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
October 22 – 12:00 PM
October 29 – 12:00 PM
November 5 – 12:00 PM
November 12 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
December 3 – 12:00 PM
December 10 – 12:00 PM
Join the DCSD Volunteer Training Zoom Meeting:
🔗 Join Zoom Meeting
📌 Meeting ID: 857 5784 5773
🔑 Passcode: 598219
Thank you for your dedication to supporting our schools! We look forward to your participation!
Email: kia_henley@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: https://www.hawthornees.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 2535 Caladium Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30345
Phone: 678-874-2802