WEEK 34

Week 34 (May 5 - May 9)

Greeting World-Class Parents and Guardians,

This week, we are excited to honor the heart of our school—our incredible teachers—during Teacher Appreciation Week! Our educators go above and beyond every day to inspire, nurture, and support our students, and now is the perfect time to show them just how much they mean to us.

We invite you to join in the celebration by reviewing the flyer below, which offers fun and simple ways you and your child can express appreciation throughout the week. Whether it’s a heartfelt note, a small token of gratitude, or a kind word—every gesture matters and makes a difference.

Let’s come together as a community to celebrate the amazing teachers who help our children grow and shine. Thank you for being such an important part of what makes Hawthorne Elementary so special!

Additionally, we are also celebrating National Speech-Language-Hearing Month—a time to recognize the vital work of those who support communication and learning across our school community. See Newsletter below.

I would like to extend my heartfelt and sincere thanks to our amazing parents and dedicated staff for the outpouring of love, cards, thoughtful gifts, and stunning floral arrangements in celebration of National Principal Day on Thursday. Your generosity and kind words touched me deeply, and I am truly overwhelmed with gratitude.

Serving as your principal during this inaugural year has been one of the greatest honors of my professional journey. Each day, I am inspired by the commitment of our staff, the resilience and brilliance of our students, and the incredible support of our families. Your trust, encouragement, and partnership have made this year not only memorable but truly transformative. Thank you for believing in me and in the vision, we share for Hawthorne Elementary School. Together, we are building something exceptional—a school community where every child is seen, supported, and celebrated.

A special thank you to Mrs. Denson & Mrs. Hawkins and everyone who played a role in administering the Georgia Milestones assessments—your attention to detail and professionalism resulted in zero testing irregularities. Outstanding work!

Gratitude also goes to the Dr. Woods, Mrs. Denson, Mrs. Hawkins, Mrs. Elliot & Ms. Brown for the thoughtful Principal’s Day Celebration—your kindness and appreciation truly mean the world to me. Thank you also for celebrating our cafeteria staff on Friday!

Congratulations to our outstanding boys’ and girls’ flag football teams on their victory over Kittredge Magnet School! We are so proud of your teamwork, dedication, and sportsmanship—way to represent Hawthorne with pride!

Important Testing Reminders:

This week, we continue GA Milestones testing for students in grades 3–5. The schedule is as follows:
• Monday: Make-up testing
• Tuesday: ELA Section 1
• Wednesday: ELA Section 2
• Thursday: ELA Section 3
• Friday, May 9: Science Sections 1 & 2 (5th Grade only)

• Please ensure students arrive at school on time. Testing will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. Students should be in place by 7:45 a.m. to allow for a restroom break and final preparations.
• Students who arrive late may have to test in an alternate location at a different time, with another test examiner as we want all students to feel comfortable and confident in their regular testing environments.

Testing Reminders for Parents:
• Maintain a consistent bedtime routine to ensure students get plenty of rest.
• Encourage your child with positive words each morning.
• Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast either at home or at school.
• Minimize morning rush by preparing clothes, backpacks, and supplies the night before.
• Remind students that they are well-prepared and to simply do their best!

We are so proud of our scholars and all the hard work they have put in this year. Let’s finish strong Thank you for your continued support of teaching and learning at Hawthorne Elementary School!

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Spring Planting Days in the STEM Garden- May 15th and 16th. We are looking for parents to volunteer to either supervise or help with gardening for your child's class/grade. We will be planting seeds and seedlings in our STEM garden bed by the gym, and possibly other beautification tasks. Sign up Genius to come soon. On your child's scheduled day, please dress your child in clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting dirty.

Thursday May 15th

3rd grade: 9:25-10:20

1st grade: 11:20-12:10

2nd grade 12:30-1:20

Friday May 16th

4th grade: 7:50-8:45

K-10:25-11:15

5th grade-1:25-2:00

Lost & Found - Please take a moment to visit our Lost and Found to retrieve any of your child’s missing items—jackets, sweaters, hats, lunchboxes, water bottles, and more. Unclaimed items will be donated to Goodwill at the end of each month, so be sure to check before they’re gone. Thank you for your help in keeping our Lost and Found clear and your student’s belongings where they belong!

As we move forward, I want to emphasize the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful campus environment. Please remind your children that while we are committed to providing enriching opportunities for growth, this can only be achieved when positive behavior is consistently demonstrated. We’ve made great progress, but we must remain vigilant—especially during carpool hours. I kindly ask that everyone continue to follow staff instructions during both AM and PM carpool to ensure the safety of all students and staff.

Additionally, I’d like to highlight the critical role of consistent student attendance in supporting academic success. Our goal is for no student to miss more than 18 days of school, aiming for a 95% attendance rate this year—up from 93% last year. Your support is key to achieving this target, as consistent attendance lays the foundation for providing the best education possible for every student.

Once again, thank you for your support and dedication. It’s truly an honor to collaborate with each of you in educating and nurturing your children. Let’s finish strong and continue the great work we’ve been doing together! Let’s make this week count—on purpose as we continue to Go for G.O.L.D - Growing Our Learners Daily!

Proud to Serve,

-Principal Henley

#OneTeamOneDream

#Going for the G.O.L.D. (Growing Our Learners Daily)

TWITTER

HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK TO OUR INCREDIBLE EDUCATORS

5th Grade Teacher Appreciation Fundraiser ** Teacher Gifts! **

Looking for a simple and thoughtful way to celebrate our amazing teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week. We’ve got you covered!

On May 5th and May 6th, parents can purchase a variety of curated gift items during morning carpool to help you honor the incredible educators and staff who make a difference every day.

Let us take care of the planning for you—stop by, choose something special, and make someone’s day a little brighter. It’s an easy and meaningful way to show your appreciation without the stress. We look forward to seeing you there!

5th Grade Teacher Appreciation Fundraiser

📣 Attention ALL Parents: It's ANNUAL VERIFICATION Time! 📣

All parents MUST complete the Annual Verification process in order to register their child for the 2025–2026 school year.
This step is mandatory for ALL returning students. Please access the flyers below for additional information.

Assistance with Annual Verification & Parent Code

If you need help with annual verification or your parent code, please see or call Mrs. Elliott, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.

Spanish-Speaking Families
If you require assistance in Spanish, please visit our front office on Tuesday, as this is the only day our interpreter is available on campus.

Verification Schedule
Please follow the schedule below for your child’s grade level:
Pre-K, 1st, and 2nd Grades: May 5 – May 9
2nd and 3rd Grades: May 12 – May 16
4th and 5th Grades: May 19 – May 23

pdf

insert_drive_file

Annual_Verification_English_Pg_1-15.pdf

Annual_Verification_Spanish_Pg_1-15.pdf

Download

1.4 MB

IT'S TIME TO ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK!!!

CLICK HERE FOR A KIDS RULE THE SCHOOL UPDATE

Upcoming Events

MAY (National Speech-Language-Hearing Month)

Monday, May 5th – Friday, May 9th -Teacher Appreciation Week
Monday, May 5th- GMAS MAKE UP DAY
Tuesday, May 6th- ELA Section 1
Wednesday, May 7th- ELA Section 2
Wednesday, May 7th- PBIS/KONA ICE DAY
Wednesday, May 7th- National School Nurse Day
Thursday, May 8th- ELA Section 3
Friday, May 9th – Science Section 1 and 2
Friday, May 9th - Progress reports are reported online for parents
May 11th to May 15th - National Police Week - DCSD celebrates School Resource Officers SROs- (Office Molnar), Elementary School Associates- (Mr. Cannon), & Crossing Guards - (Ms. Jackson)
Monday, May 12th- MAKE UP DAY
Tuesday, May 13th - MAKE UP DAY
Wednesday, May 14th - KIDS RULE THE SCHOOL
Thursday, May 15th- Planting Day during STEM Specials
Friday, May 16th - Planting Day during STEM Specials
Friday May 16th - Bike to School Day
Friday, May 16th - Hawthorne Hive Benefit Basketball Game 5:30 pm
Monday May 18th- Speech Pathologist Day
Tuesday May 19th-Wednesday, May 21st- Milestones RETEST dates
Wednesday, May 21st - Lakeside Senior Walk -8 am

Friday, May 23rd -Field Day & Classroom Parties (times/locations will vary)
Tuesday, May 27th - Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten Graduation
Wednesday, May 28th -Awards Ceremony 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, (times will vary)
Wednesday, HES Sports Banquet
Wednesday, May 28th - Years of Service Celebration – Retirement -3 pm
Thursday, May 29th - Last Day of School
Thursday, May 29th- Grade posting ends
Thursday, May 29th - 5th Grade Bridging Ceremony (at Lakeside High School) -6 pm

See more upcoming dates on the PTA calendar and flyers below.

Summer school 🏫 Registration is open. Whether your child needs extra help or just wants to try something new, we’ve got something for everyone. Registration is open until April 22, so don’t wait!

Click Here to Register for DCSD Summer School / Programs

GA MILESTONES RESOURCES

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS GA MILESTONES PRACTICE TESTS

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS GA MILESTONES PARENT RESOURCES

Reading Lexile Support

As we continue to work more on Lexile levels, here are some resources that you can utilize.

What is MAP GROWTH?

MAP Fluency Student Experience Video

CLICK TO JOIN THE PAC MEETING

Click HERE TO SHOP HAWTHORNE ES SPIRT WEAR & SWAG

Click here for the DCSD VOLUNTEER TRAINING

CLICK HERE To sign off on your Child's Device User Agreement

School Safety is a SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

Click HERE to learn more about SCHOOL SAFETY

Morning & Afternoon Dismissal

Morning Arrival & Afternoon Dismissal

The drop-off times in front of the school are below:

7:00 am - Buses

7:05 am - Car Riders

7:45 am - Tardy bell

Morning announcements begin at 7:45.

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.

Early Check Out: should occur prior to 1:50 pm.

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)

Thank you in advance for your patience as we strive to ensure that your students are safe during arrival and dismissal during the first few weeks of 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

LUNCH FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR

HES will have free lunch this year however, we still need your support with completing the Meal Application Information 2024-2025. Only 1 Application Needed per family:

https://www.schoolcafe.com/

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.