Hawlemont News

Dear kind community,

We're doing a great job explaining our thinking as we explore stories, solve math problems, notice weather patterns, and predict what's next. Keep asking your child what they think and why they think that. The very complex skill of articulating our thinking comes with practice, practice, practice. And, the more we talking about our thinking, the more we develop our understanding about the world around us. Our hard work gets us ever closer to the goal that all of our students will independently and confidently articulate their critical thinking across content areas through robust academic writing!

I imagine you have a busy and fun-filled weekend ahead of you. Despite the excitement for events tonight and this weekend, our students worked hard to keep focused on their learning and saved their sharing for social times. I'm impressed with their growing focus. Have so much fun this weekend and stay safe.

Remember, there is no school Monday as our staff are in our own learning for the day.

Take care,

Amber Tulloch

Picture retake day is 11/5, here is the LINK to preorder.

11/2 - District PD day, no school for students

11/11 - Veterans Day, no school

11/12 & 11/13 - 12:30 dismissals (noon preK), conferences

11/25 - 12:30 dismissal (noon preK)

11/26 & 11/27 - Thanksgiving Break, no school

12/9 - 12:30 dismissal (noon preK)

12/23 - 12:30 dismissal (noon preK)

12-24- 1/1/27 - Winter Break, no school

1/4/27 - First day back to school!

We have a new Fax number - Hawlemont Fax: (413) 826-7999

Student Conferences are coming: November 12 & 13. These are early dismissals for students.

Child-care will be offered upon request, so please let the office know if you need it when you sign up.

E-mail Mrs. LeBeau to sign up - slebeau@mtrsd.org

Surprise monthly attendance days- We will have a surprise attendance day once a month to celebrate strong attendance. All students who arrive before the morning bell, 8:45 am, will receive a prize for that day and a stamp for the month from October-May. Our goal is to have 85% of students earning all 8 stamps for the year. We will continue to have special celebrations for 100% attendance, like our 9/23 dance party. We will also continue the PTO sponsored monthly class attendance prize. Why do all of this? Well, for one, they are fun, community-building activities. For another, the more our students are present, the more they will grow and learn during the school year. We are also continuing to support attendance rates. As of today, our 36th day, we have 101 absences and 69 tardies. This past year, we had a chronic absenteeism rate of 10.5%. Our goal this year is to be under 8%.

Please note that students have to be in by 8:45 to earn this surprise attendance prize. Tardy arrivals will not qualify for this. Late bus arrivals are the exception- those students will still earn a prize.

We have new before and after care staff!

Ms. Tracey Kelleher will be welcoming before care students, and Ms. Jessica Webber will be our after school coordinator!

Before and after care will start on Thursday September 3. Before care is available starting at 7:15am, and after care is available until 5:30pm. Prior sign up is required.

ALSO - new this year - we enrollment forms! These must be filled out and returned before your student can join. Please request them from the front office and they will be sent home for you to fill out and return.

To print the forms at home- please use this link.

Please see the following attachment with notes from Nurse Julie.

Should they stay or should they go?

When to keep your child home from school and when they will be sent home from school for respiratory symptoms and other conditions.

Keeping our students, staff, and community healthy

Presently there is a respiratory illness circulating. Help keep our school community as healthy as possible by following these recommendations if your child is not feeling well. Consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s symptoms or if their symptoms persist. In addition, please reinforce proper hand hygiene technique and cough etiquette with your child.

If your child has any of these respiratory symptoms, please follow guidelines below:

COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV can have similar symptoms. Seek medical care as needed for testing and treatment. Symptoms may include but are not limited to chest discomfort, chills, cough, decrease in appetite, diarrhea, fatigue (tiredness), fever or feeling feverish, headache, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or smell, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, vomiting, weakness, and wheezing.

Halloween is a convenient opportunity for families to spend time together and with their community. To ensure your children stay safe, please discuss the following tips with them:

Eat healthily and well before you go so that you are not tempted to eat too many sweets.

Eat sweets in moderation and choose a healthier option when you can, i.e., a box of raisins.

Wear only flame-retardant costumes.

To prevent the spread of germs & illness. Bring hand sanitizer and wash frequently.

Never trick-or-treat alone - go with a trusted adult or group of friends.

Carry a flashlight.

Go only to houses that have their lights on.

Stick to sidewalks and driveways instead of the side of the road.

Always use the crosswalk when crossing the street.

Don’t eat any of your treats without having a trusted adult check them first.

Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste after eating sweets and at least twice a day.

Don’t forget to thank your neighbors for your treats & the trusted adult for taking you! 😊

For more information – go to: Halloweensafety.com or Centers for Disease Control: cdc.gov

We may be heading into the long dark days of November, but Hawlemont fifth-graders continue to shine with their perseverance through challenging work and their collective care and support for each other. They demonstrated incredible respect towards community volunteers who turned them all into capable weavers after their first lesson, with one student able to assist already with his advanced weaving skills. Many have shown their brightness by not only using different multiplication strategies, but explaining why and how they used a specific strategy to be a more efficient problem solver. This crew has also lit up with excitement outside during Science class as they pretended to be a single water droplet adventuring through the water cycle... stay tuned for that developing story! No doubt, many more bright spots await this year as we continue to push our thinking, learn from mistakes, and hold ourselves accountable each day.

As the first frosts have brought an end to the outdoor gardening season, we are sheet mulching the gardens to "put them to bed" for the winter, digging up dahlia tubers and planting the last of the spring bulbs. Meanwhile, in the greenhouse students have planted lettuce, carrots, beets, and radishes that are thriving. Students are learning to save seeds, preserve food, and be good stewards of the land and our animals. Fifth and sixth graders are building hill models to experiment with planting willow for erosion control.

Welcome to (almost) November! This year, I am sharing practical strategies for social-emotional skills designed to help students thrive both in and out of the classroom and as we move further into the school year, this is the perfect time to focus on Gratitude & Growth Mindset. November invites us to pause and reflect on what we're grateful for—and to help our children see challenges as opportunities for growth. Research shows that practicing gratitude improves mental health, strengthens relationships, and increases resilience. When we pair gratitude with a growth mindset (the belief that abilities can be developed through effort), children learn to appreciate their progress and embrace mistakes as part of learning. This month, let's cultivate thankfulness and a love of learning in our homes and classrooms.

Top 5 Ways to Foster Gratitude & Growth Mindset:

1. Share daily gratitudes at dinner or bedtime – Each person names one thing they're thankful for

2. Model growth mindset language – Say "I haven't figured this out YET" or "Mistakes help my brain grow"

3. Celebrate effort, not just outcomes – Praise hard work, persistence, and trying new strategies

4. Keep a family gratitude journal – Write down things you're thankful for throughout the month

5. Reframe challenges together – Ask "What did you learn from that?" instead of focusing on what went wrong

Which way will your family try first this month? As always, thank you for supporting your child's success at home!

Regards,

Paula MacLean

Special Education Teacher

Educational Team Leader

MTRS is putting on a Spring Musical to be performed on March 12th and 13th 2027. We would love to involve students in Grades 5 & 6 in this show and at this stage we would like to find out who might be interested. Please fill out this survey.

Middle and High School auditions will take place in November before Thanksgiving break and the production team will reach out to caregivers of Grade 5 & 6 students after the break.

2026/2027 Charlemont Basketball Registration (Grades 3-6, boys and girls) is open!

Register your student today!

Mary Lyon Foundation, Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB), and M&T Bank are partnering once again on the Holiday Giving Tree. Trees will be on display at the banks in Shelburne Falls starting the week of November 23 with a big celebration during Moonlight Magic to encourage community members to participate in gift giving through the Holiday Giving Tree.

Families can sign up to receive gifts for children this holiday season using this form. Please share the form with families in your school or community.

The deadline for families to complete the form in time for an ornament to be added to the tree is end of day Wednesday, November 18.

ML Foundation staff and volunteers will deliver gifts to family homes between December 15 and December 22.

Each December we invite alumni back to share their post-Mohawk Trail Regional School experience with the current student body in a panel format. This year, we are shakin' things up!

Instead of hosting an Alumni Panel, we would like to host an "Opportunities Fair" where YOU, the Mohawk Trail Regional Alumni, are the reps! Yes, that's right - think tables with info about your college or training agency and, instead of an admissions rep behind the table - YOU are repping your school, program, or career. Whaddaya say?

This event is scheduled for Monday, December 21 from 9 a.m. to 12:45 pm.

Are you in college or a recent grad? Perfect! - come set up a table representing your college. Working on a certificate or recently completed one? Great! - come set up a table representing your program. Did you enter the world of work? Love it! - come set up a table representing your employer.

Please fill out this google form if interested!

Shannon LeBeau - Office Manager

Amber Tulloch - Principal

Email: slebeau@mtrsd.org
Website: https://hawlemont.mohawktrailschools.org/
Location: 10 School Street, Charlemont, MA, USA
Phone: (413) 339-8316
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HawlemontElementary