The Hiawatha Buzz!

Dear Hiawatha Community,

This morning we had our second whole school celebration for filling our beehive for being kind and safe! We turned our field into a Hiawatha Pumpkin Patch! We had pumpkins for all kids to choose, bubbles, music and even a finger "corn maze." What a fabulous way to end the week!

Have a great weekend,

Katherine

* October 19, 2024 - Cardboard Challenge from 1:00 to 3:00 PM

* October 29th - Green Mtn Sing from 8:15 to 8:45 AM

* November 1st - NO SCHOOL - please plan accordingly

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In order to help our planet and the health of our students and Faculty & Staff, please turn off your cars when you are parked outside while waiting during pick up or drop off time.

Thank you

Dear Hiawatha Families,

We have seen an uptick of lice in our school over the past month. In order to prevent the spread of this nuisance condition, I wanted to share our EWSD Lice Information Letter.

Pediculosis (head lice) is a common problem in school-aged children. It is estimated that 6 million to 12 million infestations occur each year, in the United States, among children 3 to 11 years of age. The main mode of transmission of head lice is head-to-head contact with a person who is already infested. Contact is common during play (sports activities, playgrounds, at camp, and slumber parties). While it is a nuisance and inconvenient, having lice does not carry significant medical risks. Weekly checks at home are a great way to detect head lice early and to keep them from spreading.

HEAD LICE FACTS

• Anyone can get head lice, no matter how clean they are.

• Head lice do not carry disease. Secondary skin infections can occur from excessive scratching.

• Lice crawl. They cannot jump or fly. They are spread by head-to-head contact.

• Lice live for 1-2 days on pillows, furniture, stuffed animals, and clothing.

• Head lice do not infest pets and pets do not spread head lice.

WAYS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF LICE

• Do not share combs, brushes, towels, hats, barrettes, sports uniforms, or pillows.

• Avoid head-to-head contact with anyone suspected of having head lice.

• Keep long hair up or pulled back.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• Excessive scratching of the head, especially at the back of the head just above the neck.

• Nits on the hair. These are usually pearly-gray in color and are attached to the hair shaft near the scalp. Nits are distinguished from dandruff because they stick to the hair shaft instead of flaking off when brushed.

• Adult lice are about the size of a sesame seed. Lice are active at night so your child may have trouble sleeping.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND NITS OR LIVE LICE

• Check all family members in the household.

• Treat your child with a recommended lice shampoo following the package directions. Apply a second treatment when directed.

• Do not use a combination shampoo/conditioner, or conditioner before using lice medicine. Do not re–wash the hair for 1–2 days after the lice medicine is removed.

• After each treatment, check the hair and comb with a nit comb to remove nits and lice every 2-3 days. Continue to do this for 2-3 weeks.

• For resistant infestations, contact your medical provider.

• Machine wash and dry clothing worn in the previous 2 days and all bed linens. Use hot water at 130 degrees for 20 minutes and use a high heat setting on the dryer. Dry clean items, as needed.

• Place all non-washable items such as stuffed toys and pillows in a sealed plastic bag for at least 2 weeks.

• Soak combs and brushes in hot water (at least 130 degrees) for 5-10 minutes. Do not share combs, brushes, and hair accessories with the person who has head lice.

• Vacuum rugs and upholstered furnishings.

• Do not use fumigant sprays or fogs. They are not necessary and can be toxic.

WHEN CAN YOUR STUDENT RETURN TO SCHOOL?

• Students found with head lice may remain in school for the remainder of the school day. The expectation is the student will be treated prior to returning to school the following day.

Resources:

• CDC Head Lice Treatment

• EWSD Lice Protocol

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Nurse Reyna

rmaher@ewsd.org

802-857-7740

Dear families,

Second and third-grade artists are finishing up their Heather Galler-inspired masterpieces, which are stunning! Through these paintings, students learned that even when we follow the same steps in art, each masterpiece is different and unique. Students who finished with their paintings created symbol stories to honor Indigenous People's Day. Some of them even chose to read their stories to the class!

First-grade artists continue exploring the elements and principles of art as they learn about geometric and organic shapes. Kindergarten artists are taking the first steps to create starlight pumpkins, which were a big hit last year.

Since many students have only been to the art room five times this year, we are still finalizing our art room expectations. Students are taking pride in narrowing down their original list of brainstormed expectations. Students are also getting comfortable with our art room routines and regulation spaces. It has been a great start this year, and I am so excited to watch students continue exploring new materials and processes.

I also want to add a special shout-out to Grace in Mrs. Morgan's class for helping make our Pumpkin Patch Celebration sign. She did an excellent job. Thank you, Grace!

Cassandra Gengras, M.Ed.

She/Her

Art Educator

Hiawatha School

Room B2/ext. 7765

cgengras@ewsd.org
(802) 881-8885

In September, all K-3 students participated in the STAR universal screener assessments for math and literacy, as well as the DESSA universal screener for social-emotional learning skills. Additionally, students completed grade-level literacy benchmark assessments. We administer these assessments three times a year to:

• Ensure students are making adequate progress.
• Identify students who may require further diagnostic assessments, indicating a need for Tier 3 interventions and an Educational Support Team (EST) plan.

Key Information for Parents

If your child is on an EST or may need one, here’s what you need to know:

• Targeted Intervention: Your child will receive focused support to help close their skill gaps. Progress towards their goals will be closely monitored.

• EST Meeting Invitation: You will receive a letter in the mail inviting you to an EST meeting to discuss your child’s goals and intervention plan. These letters will be mailed by Monday, October 21st. Your attendance at the meeting is optional.

• EST Plan Copy: Regardless of your attendance, you will receive a copy of your child’s EST plan.

• Meeting Dates: EST meetings will take place on October 29th and October 30th.

If you do not receive an invitation to an EST meeting, it means your child has not been identified as needing an EST plan. You will only receive communication if they are on an EST or require one.

Thank you for your continued support in your child's education!

Unfortunately we often find many, many articles of clothing that students leave behind. This year we are going on a campaign to encourage students and families to write students’ names in Sharpie on a tag inside of their sweatshirts, jackets, snow pants, mittens and all clothing that might get left behind.

Writing students’ names on clothing will really help us reunite students with their lost clothing. Please also check our Lost and Found in the main lobby. It already has items.

Thanks!

In case you missed it, here are our meeting notes from this month’s PTO Meeting. Check them out here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oKSrqSCr_zgP6XKpop2X-VqjfFcw8bA2iIBJ7r2P1jI/edit?usp=sharing

Don’t forget, this Saturday, 1-3 PM is our annual Cardboard Challenge. Last year it was so well attended that we had people busily building their creations in the hallway because the gym was so full. There is a reason why people choose to come back year after year, it’s a blast! We hope to see you there for fun and creativity.

Vermont has successfully implemented Universal School Meals since 2022. This program enables schools to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students, regardless of household income. However, even though meals are now free to all students, our schools still need to gather household income data.

This data helps Vermont access the maximum possible federal dollars for school meals, reducing the burden on Vermont taxpayers. Please complete the Household Income Form for your household.

This form is designed to only take a few minutes to fill out.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please email swarrington@ewsd.org or call the District Office at 802-868-8168.

Hello Hiawatha Families!

In Health and Wellness this week we began our Zones of Regulation curriculum. Sometimes, known simply as Zones, the curriculum was updated this year with new lessons and activities. We began by discussing regulation in general, and how we are constantly regulating ourselves and the things around us: we regulate water temperature, energy levels, the speed of our bodies, and our feelings. As we progress in this curriculum we will also be building our self regulation and emotional regulation skills. Have a great weekend!

Mr. B and Mr. Lester

Please click this link below to see the hot lunch menu, be sure to select the correct month you need and select lunch in the drop down in the top of the page. The menu can also be found on our website :-)

Email: hiawathaoffice@ewsd.org