HAWKINS HAPPENINGS

Chris McAuliffe - Principal

Address: 8900 Lee Road, Brighton, MI 48116

Website: https://www.brightonk12.com/Domain/52

First Bell: 9:01 AM

Second Bell: 9:05 AM

Dismissal Time: Begins at 3:55 PM (Final Bell 3:58)

10/13 - 11/14 - Gleaners Food Drive

11/10 - 12/4 - Toys for Tots Collection

11/26 - 12/1 - THANKSGIVING BREAK

12/1 - Brighton Ford Window Painting

12/4 - Brighton Ford Toys for Tots Santa Night 6-8pm

12/22 - 1/2/2026 - HOLIDAY BREAK (School Resumes 1/5/26)

1/19/26 - NO SCHOOL

1/26/26 - NO SCHOOL

Lunch/Recess Schedule

JK/K - 11:10 - 11:55

1st - 11:40 - 12:25

2nd - 12:10 - 12:55

3rd - 12:40 - 1:25

4th - 1:10 - 1:55

Happy Friday Hawkins,

I am so happy with all of the wonderful things going on here at Hawkins. The effort led by Mrs. Beach, with Gleaners Food Bank has been phenomenal! It is our goal that no family goes without for the holiday season. Teachers have been hard at work as routines have been settled into and students are making so much progress. A huge thank you to all who came to conferences, this is such an important part of the educational process. Our crossing guard has been at her post now for 2 weeks and it seems to be working well. The crossing guard times are 8:15-8:45 in the morning and 3:45-4:15 in the afternoon.

At this week’s PTO meeting a vote was made to remove our current board members. Let me start by making sure you know this has NO EFFECT on any of the family assistance programs. At this time, we will start the process to elect a new board. Please see the information below for job descriptions and the process for moving forward. Those who know me know I am not a social media person. With that being said I want to caution you from believing everything you read. Myself and the staff at Hawkins always put students first, and strive to make your experience at Hawkins incredible. We will always have bumps in the road, but I hope you feel I am always approachable and willing to work through things with you. If you have questions about something you read, just ask. The PTO event planned for tonight has been cancelled. If you have paid for this event I am more than happy to work to get you your money back, I am just waiting for a list of who those families are. If you paid and want to reach out to me I am fine with that. Looking forward, we have our Brighton Band coming on November 24th to do a performance for the students. This will be an outside event, I will send a reminder when we get close so that students can dress appropriately. We just received the information for the Brighton Ford Toys for Tots Campaign. We will be collecting toys from 11/10-12/4. Toys can be sent into school with your child, or dropped off at the main entrance to Hawkins. Look for a Toys for Tots box or they can be dropped with Officer Roy. The actual event at Brighton Ford will be December 4th from 6-8 pm. For more information, please see the flyer below. I will be thinking up a fun incentive to help motivate the students.

Today we celebrated with our students who ran a ½ marathon during our running club. They enjoyed a pizza lunch and were presented with a certificate. Thanks so much to all of the parents who made this possible, and especially Molly Jourdan and Lisa Piegdon who led the charge. We will also be running our Holiday Shop again this year to help students get gifts for their families. We will be offering during school and after school opportunities for that. Hawkins is a wonderful place with an amazing staff. As we step into the holiday season, I want to celebrate all the good that is going on here. It is so easy to get pulled into the negative, Lets not let that happen. Together we can make this the best year ever for our Hawkins Community.

Mr. McAuliffe

I have taken from the current PTO Bylaws, the process for a new board as well as the requirements for each position. At this point we are looking for a President, Vice President, Secretary and a Treasurer. If you are interested in any of these positions please reach out to me by email. Once I have a list of those interested we will call a special meeting to hold an election. Nominations can be taken at that meeting also.

SECTION 5. VACANCIES. IF THERE IS A VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT WILL BECOME THE PRESIDENT UNLESS AGREED UPON BY THE ELECTED BOARD. AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING, A NEW VICE PRESIDENT WILL BE DELETED AND OR THE POSITION THAT WAS TRANSITIONED (SECRETARY MOVED TO PRESIDENT THEN THE SECRETARY POSITION SHALL NEED REPLACEMENT). IF THERE IS A VACANCY IN ANY OTHER OFFICE, MEMBERS WILL FILL THE VACANCY THROUGH AN ELECTION AT THE NEXT REGULAR OR SPECIAL MEETING.

A. PRESIDENT. THE PRESIDENT SHALL:

1. BE THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE ORGANIZATION AND SUBJECT TO COUNSEL OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THE DIRECTION OF THE ORGANIZATION.

2. SUPERVISE ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION.

3. PRESIDE AT ALL MEETINGS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ALL MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD.

4. BE AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER OF ALL COMMITTEES EXCEPT THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE.

5. COORDINATE, WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT , THE ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEE IN

ORDER THAT THE PTO OBJECTIVES AND MISSION MAY BE PROMOTED.

6. ESTABLISH AD HOC COMMITTEES AS NEEDED TO FULFILL THE OBJECTIVES AND MISSION OF THE PTO.

7. DEVELOP AGENDAS FOR ALL GENERAL MEETINGS AND PROVIDE TO THE RECORDING SECRETARY AT LEAST 3 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF ANY MEETING.

8. PERFORM SUCH DUTIES AS PRESCRIBED IN THESE BYLAWS OR ASSIGNED ORGANIZATION.

B.VICE PRESIDENT. THE VICE PRESIDENT SHALL:

1. ACT AS AIDE TO THE PRESIDENT AND PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT IN THEIR ABSENCE OR INABILITY TO SERVE.

2. WORK WITH THE PRESIDENT TO COORDINATE THE LISTING OF VOLUNTEER FOR EACH COMMITTEE, AND WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR DUTIES, PTO OBJECTIVES, AND THE PTO MISSION.

3. BE AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER OF ALL COMMITTEES EXCEPT THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE.

4. PERFORM SUCH DUTIES AS ARE ASSIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT AND THE EXECUTIVE BOARD.

C.SECRETARY. THE SECRETARY SHALL:

1. KEEP ALL RECORDS OF THE ORGANIZATION, TAKE AND RECORD MINUTES.

2. HANDLE CORRESPONDENCE, AND SEND NOTICES OF MEETINGS TO THE MEMBERSHIP.

3. THE SECRETARY ALSO KEEPS A COPY OF THE MINUTES BOOK, BYLAWS RULES, MEMBERSHIP LISTS, AND ANY OTHER NECESSARY SUPPLIES, AND BRING THEM TO MEETINGS.

4. SHALL POST MEETING MINUTES ONLINE BY THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY AT 8:00PM AFTER A MEETING.

5. SHALL DO ALL SOCIAL MEDIA ALONG WITH THE PRESIDENT.

D.TREASURER. THE TREASURER SHALL:

1. HAVE CHARGE OF AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL FUNDS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND SHALL RECEIVE AND GIVE RECEIPTS TO MONIES DUE AND PAYABLE TO THE ORGANIZATION FROM ALL SOURCES AND SHALL DEPOSIT SUCH FUNDS IN SUCH BANKS AS SELECTED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD.

2. MAKE DISBURSEMENTS AS AUTHORIZED BY THE MEMBERSHIP IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUDGET ADOPTED BY THE ORGANIZATION.

3. KEEP AN ACCURATE RECORD OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES AND A PRESENT

FINANCIAL STATEMENT AT EVERY MEETING AND AT OTHER TIMES REQUESTED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD.

4. AS THE OUTGOING TREASURER, MAKE A FULL FINANCIAL REPORT AT THE FIRST EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING AT WHICH NEW OFFICERS OFFICIALLY ASSUME THEIR DUTIES.

5. REQUEST THE ACCOUNTS EXAMINED ANNUALLY OR UPON CHANGE OF OFFICER BY AN AUDITOR AND AUDITING COMMITTEE OF NOT FEWER THAN THREE MEMBERS.

6. TREASURER PREPARES AND PRESENTS THE PRELIMINARY PTO BUDGET,AS PRESCRIBED IN ARTICLE IX, SECTION 1, AT THE FIRST GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND PRESENTS ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET THEREAFTER.

7. BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING AND PUBLISHING THE MONTHLY REPORT OF INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR PTO MEETINGS.

8. PERFORM ALL DUTIES INCIDENT TO THE OFFICE OF TREASURER AND SUCH OTHER DUTIES AS MAY BE ASSIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT OR EXECUTIVE BOARD.

9. MUST PROVIDED YEAR AT A GLANCE APPROVED FINANCIAL BUDGET ON WEBSITE.

E. FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR. THE FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR SHALL:

1. FIND SPONSORSHIP FROM MAY UNTIL A DEADLINE PROVIDED IN AUGUST.

2. OVERSEE THE COMMITTEED GROUPS.

3. ORGANIZE AND PLAN ALONG WITH THE PTO THE UPCOMING FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALIGN WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE PTO MISSION.

4. OVERSEE SPONSORSHIP CONNECTION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR EVENTS AND SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS.

5. PROVIDE ALL LOGOS TO SECRETARY AND PRESIDENT TO COMPLETE WEBSITE AND ITEMS NEEDED TO BE COMPLETED.

6. PLAN TO BE AT NEAR ALL EVENTS THAT ARE FUNDRAISERS.

F .ALL OFFICERS. ALL OFFICERS SHALL:

1. ATTEND ALL PTO MEETINGS. IF AN OFFICER FAILS TO ATTEND 3 CONSECUTIVE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS OR 3 CONSECUTIVE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS HE/SHE WILL BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE WITHOUT REASONABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.

2. SELECT AND APPOINT THE CHAIRPERSONS OF ALL STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES.

3. PERFORM THE DUTIES OUTLINED ABOVE AS WELL AS ANY OTHER DUTIES PRESCRIBED IN THESE BYLAWS AND SUCH OTHER DUTIES AS MAY BE DELEGATED TO HIM/HER.

4. UPON EXPIRATION OF THEIR TERM OF OFFICE OR IN THE CASE OF RESIGNATION, EACH OFFICER SHALL TURN OVER TO THE PRESIDENT, WITHOUT DELAY, AND IN

GOOD ORDER ALL RECORDS, BOOKS, AND OTHER MATERIALS PERTAINING TO THE OFFICE, AND SHALL RETURN TO THE TREASURER, WITHOUT DELAY, ALL FUNDING PERTAINING TO THE OFFICE. ALL TURN OVER SHALL BE COMPLETED WITHIN 14 DAYS.

5. AT LEAST ONE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER MUST STRIVE TO OVERSEE MAJOR EVENTS.

SECTION 2. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS.

ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WHICH SHALL TAKE PLACE IN MAY. THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE SHALL SELECT A CANDIDATE FOR EACH OFFICE AND PRESENT THE SLATE AT A MEETING HELD ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THE ELECTION. AT THAT MEETING, NOMINATIONS MAY ALSO BE MADE FROM THE FLOOR. VOTING SHALL BE BY VOICE VOTE IF A SLATE IS PRESENTED. IF MORE THAN ONE PERSON IS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, A BALLOT VOTE SHALL BE TAKEN. VOTING SHALL BE IN PERSON ONLY.

SECTION 3. ELIGIBILITY. MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OFFICE IF THEY ARE MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING AND HAVE ATTENDED THREE PTO MEETINGS IN THE SCHOOL YEAR WHICH ENSURES THE MEMBER IS UP TO DATE ON ALL CURRENT STANDINGS WITH THE SCHOOL AND GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED FOR FUTURE WORK. BEFORE THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE PRESENTS ITS SLATE. IN EVENT THAT THERE IS A NEW PARENT TO THE BUILDING AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN AT THE SCHOOL LONG ENOUGH FOR 3 MEETINGS, THEY ARE STILL ELIGIBLE OR IN THE EVENT THAT THREE MEETINGS HAVE NOT BEEN AN OPTION.

Hello Hawkins Families!

Thank you to all who have already placed their ATR orders!

You should have received your artist's personalized order form for Art to Remember last Friday. In addition, students were sent home with their individual QR codes this past week.

If you have misplaced it or need their special code, no worries, just let me know and I'll send it your way:)

Orders are due 11/17 to ensure delivery of items before our holiday break!

Did you know that you can upload any additional art right from home as well!?

Thank you for your continued support with this wonderful program and art room fundraiser!

Artfully Yours,

Ms.V

Questions/Concerns

vermiglioj@brightonk12.com

Want to catch a glimpse of all the exciting things happening in the art room at Hawkins? Follow us on Instagram @

hawkinsartroom

Brighton Area Schools is pleased to partner with "Fueling Kids' Futures One Meal at a Time" program (formerly Blessings in a Backpack). This program is designed to provide students with enough food for three melas a day during the weekends. Bags are discreetly dispensed each Friday of the school year in your child's backpack. Its goal is to make sure that no child goes hungry on the weekends. If you agree to take part in the program, during the school year, your child will receive a bag filled with purchased food for the weekend. Bags will be dispensed in a discreet and caring manner. This program is run by volunteers, there is no cost to you. Please contact Hawkins (810-299-3903) or email samanij@brightonk12.com if your family can benefit from this program

We believe that regular attendance and punctuality are fundamental to your child's academic success. Consistent classroom presence allows students to fully engage in our curriculum and build strong relationships with their peers and teachers.

Attendance:

• Monitoring Absences: We closely monitor student attendance and will reach out to families once a student is out 10% of the year so far.

• Support and Assistance: If there are factors preventing your child from attending school regularly, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are here to offer support and explore potential solutions.

Punctuality:

• Prompt Start and End Times: School begins at 9:05 AM and ends at 3:58 PM.

• Importance of Timeliness: Arriving on time and staying for the entire school day ensures that your child doesn't miss out on important instruction and activities.

By prioritizing attendance and punctuality, we can create a positive and supportive learning environment for all students. Thank you for your continued partnership in helping your child achieve their academic goals.

We are currently just over halfway through the 1st trimester of school. Excessive Absences = 10% or more of the marking period. The section on Attendance (taken from the Student Handbook) is pictured below. Medically excused absences do not count against your student's attendance, so send in those doctor's notes if you have them. If you have any questions regarding your students attendance, feel free to contact Judy Samanich via email at samanij@brightonk12.com

Title: Eagle Wings & More Concert

Dear Parents,

We’d like to share some important information about Free & Reduced-Price Meal eligibility.

While all students currently receive meals at no cost through the Michigan School Meals Program, qualifying for Free or Reduced-Price Meals can provide additional benefits for your child and family—including reduced fees for school activities, athletics, and testing.

In past years, most students’ eligibility was determined through a process called Direct Certification. This automatically qualifies students without the need for families to apply. However, this year Direct Certification has not identified as many eligible students as in the past.

If your child has qualified for Free or Reduced-Price Meals in previous years but you have not received a notification this year, you may need to complete a short application. Also, if you feel that you may now qualify, you should fill out this application as well (Link to Qualification Standards). The good news—it’s quick and simple to do!

• Paper applications are available in all schools.

• Applications can also be printed from the district website.

• An online Application is available on Parent Connect

If you are unsure of your eligibility status or have any questions, please call the Food Service Office at 810-299-4175 and we’ll be happy to help.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to ensure your child receives all the benefits they are entitled to.

Sincerely,

The Brighton Area Schools Student Nutrition Department

*if the hyperlink to the qualification standards does not work, the following is the direct link: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/news-and-information/press-releases/2024/09/17/income-guidelines-for-free-and-reduced-price-meals-announced

All parent volunteers must undergo a background check in order to volunteer at Hawkins. If you have not done so yet and are planning on volunteering at Hawkins, click on the link below to access Brighton Area Schools Background Check Form.

Parents, please remember to be checking your students head for head lice. After a long summer of sleep overs and interaction with friends, family and sporting events, it is that time of year again to be diligent about checking for lice and eggs . While they are not harmful they most certainly are a nuisance and difficult to get rid of. Should you need any more information here is a link for your reference: https://www.cdc.gov/lice/about/head-lice.html

A quick reminder about the board policy regarding medication: All medication including over-the-counter medication (i.e. Tylenol, Motrin, TUMS, cough drops, etc.) must have a MEDICAL AUTHORIZATION FORM. This form requires both the parent's and the medical provider's signature. Without both signatures, we cannot give medication to your student. Also, the school cannot provide this medication. You must supply this medication for your student. The clinic does not have extra. This comes from board policy found here: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/2615

Please make sure your child has an extra set of clothes in their backpack and/or locker in case of accidents or emergencies (i.e. bathroom accidents, playground mishaps, lunchroom spills, ripped or torn clothes, etc.). We do not have extra clothes to lend out. An extra set here at school saves parents an extra trip to Hawkins during the school day. We appreciate your help!!!

Parent Connect a web-based application that allow parents/guardians to view information for your child's current school year. Logging into Parent Connect will enable you to see your child's placement (date to be determined), report card, and lunch account. In addition, parents/guardians can add or change emergency contacts. Please click on the link for more information.

Parent Connect FAQ

Parent Connect

If you need to change a contact phone number or email address you can do so through Parent. Connect at Parent Connect

If you do not know your Parent Connect login information, please follow the instructions on the Brighton Area Schools website.

PLEASE NOTE: Address changes CANNOT be completed through Parent Connect. Address changes must be completed by filling out a change of address form along with 3 copies of proof of residency. Details are listed on the change of address form which is available by clicking on the link below. Since in person drop off is not an option at this time, forms can be scanned and emailed to samanij@brightonk12.com

Title: Holiday POPs with the Phil Concert & Toys for Tots Drive

Date: Sunday, December 14, 2025

Time: 4:00pm (Approximately 2 hrs.)

Location: Brighton Center for the Performing Arts

7878 Brighton Rd, Brighton, MI 48116 (on the campus of Brighton High School)

Tickets:
$31 Adults

$26 Seniors

$21 Students

Available at www.bcpashows.com

Contact: (810) 299-4130

Description:

Get ready to deck the halls with the Michigan Philharmonic! Immerse yourself in the joyous sounds of the season as they perform all your cherished holiday favorites. This beloved tradition is the perfect way to launch your holiday celebrations. Join us and raise your voice in a festive holiday sing-along of your Christmas carols!

The Michigan Philharmonic – (or “Michigan Phil”) – is one of the most innovative and dynamic professional orchestras in Southeast Michigan. Nan Washburn, Music Director & Conductor since 1999, has won 19 ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music from the League of American Orchestras. In 2016 the Michigan Philharmonic received First Place in the American Prize for the Performance of American Music. The orchestra performs in an ever-expanding roster of Michigan communities; including Plymouth, Canton, Northville, Livonia, Brighton, Downtown Detroit, and many others. The Michigan Phil is committed to reaching out to a broad and diverse array of audiences and providing enjoyable cultural and social experiences, while encouraging anyone who loves live music events to “Spend the night with Michigan Phil.”

TOYS FOR TOTS TOY DRIVE

Help make this holiday season a merry and bright one for the girls and boys in our community. Bring a donation of a new and unwrapped toy to drop off for Toys for Tots in the BCPA lobby. Doors open at 3:00pm