Hartwood's Weekly Newsletter
August 13, 2024
Happy New School Year!
It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces at our Open House last week!
We are thrilled to welcome all of our Hornets back to school this week! Our teachers and students will be busy getting acquainted and setting up routines to ensure a successful year ahead.
To keep you updated, Hartwood Elementary will send out a weekly newsletter every Tuesday, which will feature:
Important dates for upcoming events
Latest news from the PTA
Updates from the Front Office
Tuesday, August 11 - K Transition Day - We loved seeing those smiling K faces today!
Wednesday, August 12 - First Day of School - We can't wait to see EVERYONE at school tomorrow!
Monday, August 17 - PTA General Meeting 4:30pm
Thursday, September 3rd - Fall Picture Day
Friday, September 4 & Monday, September 7 - No School - Labor Day
Arrival begins at 8:20 am. Students arriving after 8:45 am are considered tardy.
Students should not be dropped off in the back of the building if an adult is not present to open the car door.
AM Drop-off
- Please pull up as close as you can to the car in front of you through the whole line
- Have your child ready to get out of the car as soon as a staff member opens the door
- Do not drop off your child if there is not a staff member present in the back
PM Pick-up
- Please have your child learn their car rider number. In order for car rider dismissal to run smoothly, students need to know their number and be ready to line up as soon as their number is called.
- Pay attention to staff member directions
- If your child needs assistance being buckled in, when the line moves to exit, you must pull around back to assist your child. (If you have questions please ask!)
Thank you for your help in making car rider arrival and dismissal run as smoothly as possible. As we have over 100 cars, and space is limited, we greatly appreciate your help!
A: Fill out the Report Absence in ParentVue. Be sure you have reviewed your ParentVue account to complete the Annual Verification if you have a student who is returning to Stafford County this school year.
OR call the school 540-752-4441 as early as 7:30am.
*See also "Notes from the Clinic" below.
Q: My child will need to be picked up early from school. Who do I need to tell?
A: All students needing to leave school early should be picked up by 2:30 pm. Please send in a note or call the office by 1:00 pm if there will be a change in transportation.
Q: Do I need to do anything special to enter the school building?
A: All visitors must present their ID at the front door. Please remember to bring your ID with you to show to the camera when you ring the bell.
Kindergarten & First Grade Students - Please place an extra outfit in your child’s backpack. This helps with those unforeseen accidents and most children feel more comfortable changing into their own clothes.
Health concerns- Please make sure to let the clinic and teacher know of any health problems and/or medications. Please feel free to talk to me about any needs your child may have.
Medical Alert List
Please make sure that the school is aware of any allergies or medical concerns (ex.- asthma, diabetes, seizures, food allergies, etc.)
Medications- All medication, whether over the counter (ex. Tylenol, cough medication, cough drops, etc.), or prescription medication (This includes 10-day or shorter prescriptions, ex. Antibiotics) needs a permission form filled out and signed by both a doctor and parent/guardian. Medication needs to be brought in by a parent or responsible party. Students are not allowed to transport medication to or from school. Medication brought in by a student will not be accepted and a parent will be called to come to the school to formally check in the medication. All medications prescribed by the physician and Over-the-Counter must be presented in their original labeled container with the student’s name, name of medication or pharmacy Rx #, name of prescribing health care provider, and dosage with beginning and ending date. If there are any changes in the medication order, the doctor needs to rewrite the order and it needs to be brought or faxed to school before changes can be made. If your child has a history of headaches or is having dental work, you may want to consider getting a doctor’s order for Tylenol for the school year. If your child has any allergies requiring special medication (ex: bee-sting, asthma) please make sure to have the form filled out and be sure the medication is in the clinic for your child. Medication permission forms need to be filled out yearly.
Dietary Issues- If your child has any dietary issues, a doctor's form (Special Dietary Needs) for these needs to be filled out by the doctor. After the form is complete, I will inform the Cafeteria.
Birthday Treats-If you want to send in anything for your child's birthday, it is very much recommended to send in a non-food treat (stickers, fun pencils/erasers, etc). If you still would like to send in a treat, it must be store-bought with an ingredients label and should be made in a peanut and tree-nut-free facility.
Guidelines for Sending Students Home and for Staying Home or Returning to School - Nurse or parent discretion
Temperature 100.4 degrees or greater within the past 24 hours
Active vomiting within the past 24 hours
Diarrhea within the past 24 hours
Swollen or painful joints from injury
Severe earache
Suspected contagious disease
Flu or viral symptoms
Conjunctivitis (pink eye) with drainage
Pediculosis (head lice)
Untreated and uncovered ringworm
Any undiagnosed skin rashes
Any injury or illness requiring further immediate treatment (antibiotic treatment of less than 24 hrs & possibility student may spread germs to others)
Suspected chemical abuse
Continual yellow or green drainage from the nose that is unable to be contained or cared for by the student
ParentVue is where you will find your child's Grade Report each quarter and where you can report an absence online. If your student attended school in Stafford County last school year, be sure you have completed your Annual Verification in ParentVue. The Stafford County website provides more information about ParentVue and has tutorials.
If you need an activation key to create a ParentVue account, you can call the front office for assistance at 540-752-4441.
JOIN THE PTA
The Hartwood Elementary Parent Teacher Association's mission is to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. We do this by supporting the school, the staff, the students, and our community. We are a volunteer-run, non-profit organization that facilitates parent/caregiver participation in school.
To join the PTA: https://hartwood-pta-families-membership-2026-2027.cheddarup.com
Membership Dues until September 28: $9 (single) $13 (family)
Membership Dues after September 28: $12 (single) $16 (family)
SAVE THE DATE
PTA Meetings at 4:30 in the HES Library:
August 17th
October 26th
February 1st
April 26th
Upcoming events:
Fun Run- our biggest fundraiser of the year!
September 25th
Hartwood Elementary PTA
Shelly Zappia, President
Jon Petri, Vice President of Oversight
Lauren Isenberg, Treasurer
Jen Neundorfer, Secretary
Hartwood PTA Socials:
Hartwood Contact Information
Email: hewebmaster@staffordschools.net
Website: https://hes.staffordschools.net/
Location: 14 Shackelford Well Road, Fredericksburg, VA, USA
Phone: 540-752-4441
Facebook: facebook.com/HartwoodES
Twitter: @HartwoodES