WEEK 5
Greetings Hawthorne Elementary Families,
I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful and restful Labor Day weekend!
On Tuesday, we will begin our fifth week of the 2025–2026 school year can you believe how quickly time is flying? We are so grateful for your partnership and support.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Jason Topping -> pictured here w/ his daughter Brinlee for generously sponsoring a Coffee Cart for our staff last Friday. Your thoughtful gesture brought joy to our team and served as a wonderful reminder of the value our educators bring to the community. We are truly grateful for your kindness and continued support of our teachers.
✨ A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for Curriculum Night. Your involvement is key to student success, and we truly appreciate your time and commitment.
✨ Thank you to our amazing PTA for providing snacks for our staff last week. If you have not yet joined PTA, we encourage you to do so your membership makes a difference!
✨ Thank you to all students and families who participated in PBIS Spirit Week. Your energy and enthusiasm truly show what makes our school such a special place.
Upcoming Events
-PBIS/Kona Ice Day – This Wednesday, September 3rd
Students who have earned the required grade-level PBIS points for the month will have the opportunity to purchase a $5.00 Kona Ice treat during our PBIS celebration on September 3rd. Congratulations to all who met their goals! - Please check with your child's teacher to see whether your student has met their individual goals and to learn how you can continue supporting their progress.
-Attendance Superhero Avenger Dress Up Friday - September 5th
-Grandparents Day - September 8th
-Fall Picture Day -September 11th
-Attendance Superhero Avenger Dress Up Friday - September 12th
-International DOT Day - September 15th
-Attendance Superhero Avenger Dress Up Friday - September 19th
--Attendance Superhero Avenger Dress Up Friday - September 26th
-DCSD School Expo - September 27th
-Fall Teacher Conferences - Starting September 29th
📌 Important UPDATES:
📌 Attendance Awareness Month: September is Attendance Awareness Month! Being at school every day and on time is one of the biggest factors in student success. Please help us by making sure your child is present daily, arriving on time, and that absences are only for when absolutely necessary. Every day counts!
We are excited to move forward in partnership with you as we remain focused on academic excellence, student well-being, and strong school family connections.
Here’s to another successful week of teaching, learning, and growing together.
Go Hornets 🐝
Proud to Serve,
Principal Henley
#OneTeamOneDream #WeAreALLIN
September is Attendance Awareness Month, and this year our theme is “Attendance Avengers!” We are excited to celebrate students who show up to school every day and on time.
As part of the celebration, EVERY Friday in September, (September 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th) students are invited to dress up as their favorite Superhero Avenger! This is a fun way to recognize consistent attendance and remind our students that showing up is a superpower.
📌 Reminder: At the end of the semester, we will host our NBA (Never Been Absent) Party to celebrate students who have maintained perfect attendance.
Let’s work together to build strong attendance habits and make this month a success. We can’t wait to see our students in their superhero attire!
We are excited to announce that KONA ICE will be on campus this Wednesday, September 3rd for PBIS DAY! - a cold treat for our students to enjoy.
Price: $5.00
DOJO Points: Check with your child’s teacher to see how many DOJO points are needed to participate.
We can’t wait for our students to enjoy this fun treat!
The Instructional Advisory Committee Presents Literacy and Family Day/DEAR Day
We are excited to announce that Monday, September 8th will be our Literacy and Family Day/DEAR Day (Drop Everything and Read) at Hawthorne ES!!! 📚✨
This special day is dedicated to celebrating the joy of reading with our students and families. Throughout the day, students will participate in reading activities, enjoy shared stories, and have the opportunity to “drop everything and read” together as a school community. To make the day even more fun, students are invited to wear their pajamas while we cozy up with our books! In addition, parents are welcome to sign up with their child’s classroom teacher to come in and read aloud to the class.
We encourage you to also continue the celebration at home that evening by setting aside time for family reading.
"Thank you for your partnership in building strong readers! Together, we are creating a buzz and helping our students STING with success like true Hornets!"
We are excited to invite all grandparents to Hawthorne ES on Monday, September 8th as we celebrate Grandparents Day!
Our wonderful PTA is sponsoring a delicious breakfast just for you. Breakfast will be served from 7:00 am–7:45 am in the cafeteria. Your grandchild will pick up their regular school breakfast from the breakfast line and join you to enjoy this special time together.
We look forward to celebrating our grandparents and hope to see you there!
International Dot Day 2025 will be celebrated on Monday, September 15th! This annual event encourages creativity, courage, and collaboration, inspired by the beloved children’s book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. The story highlights the journey of a girl who “makes her mark” with a single dot, showing that even small efforts can lead to big accomplishments.
Millions of people around the world—including students, teachers, and families—participate by creating their own marks and sharing them with others.
Here’s how your family can participate:
Learn – Read The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds to discover the story behind the celebration.
Register – Visit the official International Dot Day website to access free resources and a downloadable educator’s handbook.
Create – Make your own mark! Share your creations online using #InternationalDotDay and #MakeYourMark.
Join – Become part of a global community celebrating creativity and positivity.
We hope your child will join us in celebrating International Dot Day and making their mark on the world!
This form includes critical information regarding your child’s dismissal plans and any medical needs, both of which are essential to ensuring your child’s safety and well-being on the first day and every day after.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter, we appreciate your partnership in keeping our Hawks safe and supported!
The drop-off times in front of the school are below:
7:00 am
Tardy bell 7:45
Morning announcements begin at 7:40
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.
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)
Walker Dismissal Protocol Update
The dismissal process for the Walker group is being slightly adjusted to ensure a smoother and more secure experience. Students will continue to dismiss from the side door; however, we will now be implementing a numbered tag system.
Each walker will be assigned a unique number. Parents or guardians must walk to the designated walker door and visibly display their child’s assigned number. This number will correspond to the student’s walker tag, which will be attached to their backpack.
For safety and accountability, students will only be released once the matching number is presented at the door.
Attendance & Dismissal Procedures Update
To ensure accurate attendance records and to maintain a safe and orderly school environment, we are updating our arrival and dismissal procedures:
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Late Arrival: Students arriving after 7:45 AM must be checked in by a parent/guardian inside the school office.
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Early Check-Out: If a student needs to leave school early, parents/guardians must come into the building to sign the student out prior to the start of dismissal.
These updates are in place to support accurate attendance documentation. We appreciate your cooperation and commitment to helping us ensure that your students are safe during arrival and dismissal from 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
🚗✨ Arrival & Dismissal Reminders ✨🚶♀️
Reminder: As we kick off a successful school year, please review and follow our arrival and dismissal expectations to ensure a smooth and safe day for all students:
🌅 Morning Arrival:
🕖 7:00 AM – School doors open and breakfast begins.
🍽️ After breakfast – Intervention & Enrichment starts. This is a critical time for academic support and acceleration—please ensure your child arrives on time.
⏰ 7:40 AM – Breakfast service ends.
📣 7:40 AM – Morning announcements begin.
📘 7:45 AM – Instruction begins promptly.
🏁 Afternoon Dismissal:
🕝 2:15 PM – Dismissal begins & typically follows this order:
➡️bus riders
➡️ van riders
➡️ car riders
➡️ walkers
➡️ aftercare
Please remember that our buses must be in line first.
🕝 2:35 PM-2:40 PM – All students should be fully dismissed from classrooms.
🕒 2:45 PM – Students not picked up by this time will be sent to aftercare, and a drop-in fee will apply. Communication is key!
Late Pick-Up Procedures
In order to ensure the safety and supervision of all students, Hawthorne Elementary has established the following late pick-up procedures:
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Dismissal ends at 2:45 PM.
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Any student not picked up by 2:45 PM, upon arrival -parents will need to complete the Late Pick-Up Roster.
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Three (3) late pick-ups may result in a referral to the school’s social worker for additional support and follow-up.
Your partnership helps us create a safe and focused environment for all hornets. Thank you for your attention and cooperation!
Please complete Meal Application Information 2024-2025. Only 1 Application Needed per Family:
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.
Please click link for English/Spanish application.
https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/featured-news/free-reduced-meal-applications-sy-2024-2025/
SOCCER SEASON COMING SOON
⚽ Ready to KICK OFF the season? ⚽
Attention #DCSD parents! Registration is OPEN for the 2025 Elementary Soccer season!
All 4th and 5th graders can join this FREE program, perfect for building teamwork, skills, and fun with friends on the field.
🗓️ Season: September 22 – December 13, 2025
✅ Requirements: Sports Physical
📲 Registration is open NOW through September 12, 2025. Don’t miss out! Sign up today below
DCSD SCHOOL EXPO SAVE THE DATE
The DCSD School Expo is coming up on Saturday, September 27th from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM!
This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase all the amazing things happening at our school. 🌟 Come out, bring your Hornets pride, and help us REP OUR SCHOOL at this exciting district-wide event!
Let’s show the community why our school is the best place for students to learn, grow, and thrive. 💙💛
#DCSDExpo #WeRepOurSchool #TeamHornets
After School Activities Are Back! 🎉
Afterschool Clubs that still have spots available!!!
Opportunities include:
EIM Dance (Various grade levels)
Use the link below to explore and sign up today, spots may fill quickly!
Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer for the DeKalb County School District! By signing on as a volunteer, you become a member of our team of professionals that proudly provides educational services to more than 93,000 students in our DeKalb County School District.
Steps to Complete the Volunteer Process:
Complete the Volunteer Application and Release Form:
Review and Complete the DCSD Volunteer Code of Conduct:
Complete the Mandated Reporter Training:
- Watch the Mandated Reporter Video and complete the quiz before attending a training session.
- Steps to complete the training:
- Create a free account
- Select State: GA
- Click on Child Abuse and Neglect Course: Mandated Reporter
- Start the course and complete the quiz
- Save or print your certificate and email a copy to DCSDvolunteer@dekalbschoolsga.org
- Training link: Mandated Reporter Course
Upcoming DCSD Volunteer Training (via Zoom):
Join a Zoom Session That Fits Your Schedule
Fall 2025 Volunteer Training Dates
Please select the Zoom session that works best for you from the options below:
September 10 – 12:00 PM
September 17 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
September 24 – 12:00 PM
October 1 – 12:00 PM
October 8 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
October 22 – 12:00 PM
October 29 – 12:00 PM
November 5 – 12:00 PM
November 12 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
December 3 – 12:00 PM
December 10 – 12:00 PM
Join the DCSD Volunteer Training Zoom Meeting:
🔗 Join Zoom Meeting
📌 Meeting ID: 857 5784 5773
🔑 Passcode: 598219
Thank you for your dedication to supporting our schools! We look forward to your participation!
DO you know someone passionate about education and leadership? Encourage them to declare candidacy for the 2025–2026 Principal Advisory Council (PAC)! We need 1 parent to join us!
Candidate declaration is open now through Friday, September 5, 2025.
PAC members:
Promote transparency & shared decision-making
Review the Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP)
Help shape the school’s vision
Serve as liaisons between school and community
👉 Declare candidacy here: Candidate Declaration Form
https://form.jotform.com/electionbuddy/2025-dekalb-fall-pac-declarations.
Questions? Contact schoolgovernance@dekalbschoolsga.org or (678) 676-0718.
Let’s build strong parent and staff leaders across DeKalb!
There are also additional resources for potential candidates on our website (https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/principal-advisory-councils/) and below:
Additional Resources for Council Elections
As a Title I, Part A school, Hawthorne Elementary—together with our students and families—shares a commitment to student success. The School Parent and Family Engagement Policy, School-Parent Compact, and the DeKalb County School District’s Parent and Family Engagement Plan outline how parents, students, and school staff will work in partnership to support and strengthen student learning. These documents also highlight how we will continue building meaningful family school relationships that help every child meet and exceed Georgia’s challenging academic standards.
We ask that you please take time to carefully review the attached documents for this school year. A copy of the School-Parent Compact will also be provided tonight at Curriculum Night, and all documents will be available in the next SMORE for your reference.
To acknowledge that you have received, reviewed, and agree to the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy, School-Parent Compact, and the District’s Parent and Family Engagement Plan, please sign and date below. This commitment serves as a reminder of the vital role we each play in your child’s education. We will revisit this agreement together during school-family events throughout the year as we work to ensure your child’s success.
Attached below:
-Hawthorne ES School-Parent Compact (hard copy at Curriculum Night)
-Parent Family Engagement Plan for the current school year (hard copy at Curriculum Night)
-DeKalb County School District’s Parent and Family Engagement Plan:
District Parent & Family Engagement Plan-https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/parent-family-engagement/
Email: kia_henley@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: https://www.hawthornees.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 2535 Caladium Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30345
Phone: 678-874-2802