January 26 Newsletter

Welcome Back and Happy New Year!

We were excited to welcome students and families back this week from winter break. As we near the end of the second quarter and look ahead to the start of the third quarter, this is a wonderful time to reflect on progress, set new goals, and continue building on the strong learning taking place each day. We look forward to a productive and engaging winter filled with growth, collaboration, and continued success for our students.

Be sure to check our important dates section below to stay informed about the many activities and events happening here at Haymarket. As always, we appreciate your continued partnership and support!

Mrs. Mills

Principal

• January 13th - 5th Grade Marstellar MS Math/Science Specialty Program Info Night at 6:00 PM
• January 17th - PTO Movie Night at 6:30pm
• January 19th - No School (MLK Day)
• January 21st - PTO and Advisory Meeting at 6:30pm (virtual)
• January 22nd - Marking Period 2 Ends
• January 23rd - No School for Students (Teacher Workday)
• January 26th - No School for Students (Teacher Professional Development Day)
• January 30th - 2nd Quarter Den Celebration (All early pick-ups must be before 1:30pm)
• February 2nd - Grade Level Spelling Bee (Grades 3-5)
• February 9th - Author Visits HMES
• February 12th - Strings Pyramid Concert at Raegan Middle School at 6:00pm
• February 13th - Heritage Festival at 6:00pm
• February 16th - No School (Presidents' Day)
• February 18th - PTO and Advisory Meeting
• February 26th - Kids Heart Challenge Day

Pedestrians
We continue to see pedestrians crossing Somerset Crossing Drive. We strongly discourage this. If you choose to cross there, please cross in front of the school driveway and enter the school on the designated walker side (where students are dismissed in the afternoon). Do not walk past the two large cones placed on the sidewalk. This allows Mr. Parker to better monitor pedestrian crossings and safely stop traffic when needed. With up to five lanes of active traffic, it is unsafe to monitor crossings on both sides, and there have been incidents of pedestrians crossing between vehicles, making it difficult for drivers turning left into the side lot to see them.

Drivers / Motor Vehicles
Please stay to the right when joining the car rider line, as buses may pass on the left. Please yield as needed to allow buses to arrive and depart efficiently and be alert for buses turning left into the school. Arrival time at HMES is 9:20 a.m. Staff will monitor vehicles, and any families not in the car line by that time will be asked to park and escort their student inside to sign in.

The roadway directly in front of the school is reserved for buses throughout the day and should not be used for drop-offs or pick-ups. Please use the designated car rider lane.

We appreciate your support with arrival and dismissal as we address traffic challenges to ensure the safety of all students and families.

We want to bring to your attention an increasing social media trend involving incidents of

"pantsing" that are starting to show up in some of our schools. Pantsing is defined as forcibly

removing or pulling down another individual's clothing without their consent. Pantsing is a

serious violation of our Code of Behavior and may constitute “criminal sexual contact” under

Title IX. “Criminal sexual contact” replaced “fondling” under Title IX and includes a much

broader range of unwelcome touching between students. Pantsing not only infringes on

personal boundaries but also causes humiliation, distress, and potential harm to the targeted

student with lasting negative impact. Our school division is committed to maintaining a safe and

equitable environment for all students, and any incidents of pantsing will be subject to

disciplinary action and may trigger Title IX investigations. We ask for your partnership in

discussing the seriousness of this behavior with your children and reinforcing the importance of

respecting others' privacy and dignity. Together, we can foster a culture of respect and safety for

every student.

Auditions for Shrek The Musical JR. are now open on the Drama Canvas Page.

Please look over the Audition Packet for information about the production.

Auditions will be submitted online.

3rd graders can audition for the ensemble roles.

4th and 5th graders can audition for all roles and Stage Crew.

4th and 5th grade students auditioning for lead/supporting roles can pick up the additional solo music from Mrs. CW.

ALL auditions must be submitted by January 12th.

If you have any questions, please email Mrs. CW at collinav@pwcs.edu

Thank you for your interest in the show!

Join us for our annual Heritage Festival! A night of music, food and fun for all! Click the link: Heritage Festival 25/26 to sign-up for a display table and showcase your heritage or volunteer for one of our activities. We are looking for talented people to help with our Henna designs and more.

Questions, contact: Karla Chavarriaga, Parent Liaison : Chavarkc@pwcs.edu

Our PTO events are all about bringing our school community together—and we want to make sure those special moments are remembered! If you’ve snapped any great photos during recent PTO activities, we’d love for you to share them with us. Your pictures could be featured in our school yearbook!

Please upload your photos using the link below:
👉 https://www.yearbooksspm.com/haymarket/home3/PhotoPost.jsp?ID=294T038I3B92

Thank you for helping us showcase the fun and spirit of our school! Every photo tells a story, and we can’t wait to see yours.

To support student reading growth at home, families are encouraged to explore the following websites related to the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). These resources offer helpful information, strategies, and tools to reinforce literacy skills outside of school:

• Virginia Literacy Act in PWCS – Prince William County Public Schools
• Virginia Literacy Partnerships – Resources for Families

For more information, please contact our Reading Coaches:
Erin Ebeck (K–2) or Jessica Slusher (3–5).

Prince William County Public Schools offers four specialty programs for middle school students. These programs include the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IB MYP), Math and Science programs, Traditional Schools, and World Language programs. These are great opportunities for students who hold special interests in one, or more, of those areas. There are an application process and important dates to monitor. Please see more information here:

https://www.pwcs.edu/academics___programs/advanced_academics___specialty_programs/specialty_programs/middle_school_programs/index

• 1. Save Time! Using ParentVUE to notify the school of your child's absence alerts both the office and the teacher of your child's absence.

  2. If you prefer to email about attendance, please use the office email: HMES-cubs-attendance@pwcs.edu. Using this email sends your message to everyone working in the office and ensures your message is read in a timely manner.

Whenever possible, please email your child's teacher the day before you need to pick your child up early. Doing this the day before ensures the teacher sees the email and can have your child packed up. This saves time, especially when you're picking your child up during lunch, recess or Encore. Any changes to transportation should be reported to the office by 3:15 PM. All early dismissals are required by 3:30 PM to allow for a smooth dismissal to the day. IDs are required when picking up your student for early dismissal.

PWCS Code of Behavior ensures that education is provided in an atmosphere conducive to learning, free of disruption and threat to person or property, and supportive of individual rights.

https://codeofbehavior.pwcs.edu/

Mental health telehealth services are available to PWCS students at no cost to families through Hazel Health, a well-established telehealth provider.

This initiative provides access to mental health care, ensuring students receive the support they need without delay – regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status.

Available in 19 languages.

Tuesday, January 13

Focus: Prince William County Public Schools and Northern Virginia Community College Dual Enrollment Opportunities

Target Audience: Rising 11th and 12th grades students and families

6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 – Live Zoom Webinar

Join us on Tuesday, January 13, for a webinar designed for rising 11th and 12th grade students and families to explore how NOVA Dual Enrollment can help you earn college credit while in high school. This session will discuss different dual enrollment opportunities through NOVA, eligibility requirements, and the application process. Discover how dual enrollment can help you save time and money by earning college credits, while gaining valuable experience in college-level coursework

Thursday, January 22

Focus: Advanced Academic Opportunities in Prince William County Public Schools

Target Audience: High school students and families

6:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026 – Live Zoom Webinar

Join us on Thursday, January 22, for a webinar designed for students and families interested in learning about advanced coursework options, including Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge Programme, Dual Enrollment, and International Baccalaureate. We’ll explain how these programs prepare students for college and career success, outline the unique benefits of each, and share practical tips for supporting your child’s academic journey. Representatives from the National Educational Opportunity Network will also join us to provide details about specific dual enrollment courses that may be offered at your student’s high school. Take the next step toward helping your student reach their highest potential!

Thursday, January 29

Focus: Empowering Families and Schools – Creating Shared Responsibility for Learning

Target Audience: All PWCS families and staff

6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 29, 2026 – Live Zoom Webinar

Join us on Thursday, January 29, for a webinar with Dr. Karen Mapp that will focus on strengthening family engagement practices. Strategies for building authentic partnerships between families and schools will be provided, emphasizing communication, trust, and shared responsibility for student success. Participants will leave with actionable tools to create inclusive, collaborative environments that support both parents and staff in fostering meaningful engagement.

Click Here To Register: https://www.pwcs.edu/parents/family_engagement_series/index

Language accommodations available, with advance notice.

• Shout Out to Ms. Fessner for an amazing strings concert!
• Shout Out to Julie Martin for organizing and running our Holiday Giving Tree.
• Shout Out to our fabulous PTO and Haymarket Church for providing holiday treats for our staff.

Haymarket Cubs climbing towards excellence in all that we do.

Creative Unique Brilliant Students