The Hiawatha Buzz!

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It has been a cold week at Hiawatha, with a few mornings starting in the gym and some indoor recesses due to the wind chill. Any time the wind chill is zero degrees or colder, we will keep students inside. We know how important outdoor play is, so we monitor the wind chill closely throughout the day and send students outside as soon as it is warm enough to do so.

Thank you for helping ensure students are dressed for winter weather so they can enjoy their time outside whenever possible.

As always, thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Warmly,
Kolby Snellenberger
Principal

• • December 24th - January 2, 2026 (Early Winter Break)- No School - Please plan accordingly

  
  

Hiawatha artists have been exploring a very exciting medium this week… modeling clay! Students across K–2 have been busy learning new techniques and building their fine-motor skills while creating wonderful creations.

• Kindergarten artists learned about texture and form as they created their very first pinch pots. They loved discovering how clay can be shaped, pressed, and patterned with simple tools and their fingertips.

• First graders continued their study of texture while designing little owls. Students added many details to bring personality and expression to their sculptures!

• Second graders experimented with impressions in Model Magic, pressing snowflake lines and shapes into the surface to create beautifully detailed winter reliefs. We will be finishing these up next week!

It’s been a joyful, hands-on week in the art room, and students have been so proud of the amazing pieces they are creating!

Dear Hiawatha families,

If you haven't registered yet with PickUp Patrol, you can find the link to PickUp Patrol on our website by clicking on the Report an Absence tab on our Hiawatha homepage or send an email to hiawathaoffice@ewsd.org and ask for help. Please take a few minutes to set up your account so that we can accurately dismiss your child(ren).

*** If you need to make a change in your student's default plan in PickUp Patrol, please contact the front office at hiawathaoffice@ewsd.org. ***

PICK UP PATROL IS NOT TO USE TO SEND MESSAGES TO THE REC PROGRAM- PLEASE CONTACT THEM DIRECTLY.

PickUp Patrol is helping us communicate about a change in your student's attendance or change in their after school plan for that current day. You DO NOT need to put your student's after school plan into PickUp Patrol daily if there are no changes for that day.

Absence? Early Dismissal? Here’s the “How to”

After you select the day that you want to change to an Early Dismissal, you will see your child’s default dismissal plan for that day (Pick Up, Bus 10, etc.). Select that plan and you will be brought to another screen where you can choose from a drop down of options to change the dismissal plan including options for Absence or Early Dismissal (you might need to scroll up to see all of the options available). To choose "Absent", you must scroll up.

Does your child have an appointment midday? Looking for the late arrival option?

This option is available under Leave and Return or Late Arrival towards the bottom of the main screen. In addition to the late arrival option, the Leave and Return or Midday option is where families can enter timing for a child’s appointment that is part way through the day.

Did you know that your child’s absence can be entered ahead of time?

If you know your child will be absent or has an appointment for a future date, you can enter this into Pick Up Patrol at any time by selecting the date of the appointment or absence and updating the information as needed.

Reminder: After School Plan change cut off times

Any changes to an student's After School Plan must be done in PickUp Patrol by 1:30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The cut off time for Wednesdays is at 12:30pm. After those times, you must contact the Front Office by calling 802-878-1384 or email hiawathaoffice@ewsd.org

ALL plan changes should now be submitted through PickUp Patrol. When making changes, please do not send notes, emails, or call the office, except in an emergency.​

The link to PickUp Patrol can now be found on our Home page of our website by clicking on the Report an Absence Tab

If you have any questions, please first check the PickUp Patrol Parent Guide & if you need additional assistance, contact our Front Office at 802-878-1384 or hiawathaoffice@ewsd.org

This is a reminder that during the winter months, please send your student to school with a hat, a pair of gloves or mittens, a coat, snow pants, and boots. Students go outside for recess unless the ‘feels like’ temperature is below zero degrees.

Also, please pack extra shoes for your student to wear inside the school building. Wearing wet snow boots is not only uncomfortable but makes for wet floors, which can lead to injury.

If you need assistance with obtaining winter coats, please contact me.

Thank you,

Reyna Maher, RN

rmaher@ewsd.org

802- 857-7740

Please click the 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. If needed, there is a print option. The menu can also be found on our website :-)

Menu

Essex Junction Train Hop is back! Don’t miss this annual kick-off to the holidays where we’ll celebrate community connections! Check out all the train hop "stations" throughout the Five Corners where model train displays will be in participating businesses and community partners. Catch the free shuttle to Maple Street Park to see the Winter Lights in the Park, and to take a ride in a horse drawn wagon! More trains, more stops, and more fun in downtown Essex Junction.

Location: FIVE CORNERS & MAPLE STREET PARK

Pick-up your train hop map and ticket at the information booth by the City Offices, or at any of the participating businesses. Maps will be available on our website the day before the event.

Email: hiawathaoffice@ewsd.org