WEEK 23

Greetings Hawthorne Hive families!

It's week 23, can you believe it? We proudly welcome February as we celebrate 100 years of Black History Month. Throughout the month, students will engage in learning that honors the achievements, contributions, and lasting impact of Black Americans. Families are warmly invited to join us for our culminating African American History program on February 27 at 9:00 a.m. as we celebrate this meaningful milestone together. All are welcome to attend!

Thank you to all of our parents who joined us last week for the 4th/5th Grade Data Talks and the Georgia Milestones Presentation! Additionally, parents of students in grades K-5 we truly appreciate you answering your child’s teacher’s invitation to attend and actively participate in Parent-Teacher Conferences. Your partnership is essential as we work together to support your child’s academic growth and success.

As we head into February, Hawthorne ES is excited to continue to provide students with targeted interventions and learning extensions designed to meet their individual needs. To help students take full advantage of these opportunities, we kindly ask for your support in dropping students off by 7:10 a.m., allowing them to benefit from additional instructional support before the school day begins.

Looking ahead, we are excited to Welcome ALL 3rd grade PARENTS TOMMORROW, Monday, February 2nd, from 8:30–9:30 a.m. for the Student Data Talks and a brief GA Milestones presentation.

Attendance at this session is critical because:

• It is the first time your 3rd grade student will take the GA Milestones assessment, which has been completely revised from previous years.

• Your participation ensures your student has an adult to discuss their data with, helping them understand their progress and growth.

• You will learn about key changes to the GA Milestones assessment, allowing you to better support your child’s preparation and success.

We strongly encourage all 3rd grade parents to attend. Your presence makes a meaningful difference in your student’s learning journey and ensures you are fully informed about these important assessment updates. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow as we continue this essential collaboration to support student success!

Thank you for your continued support, partnership, and commitment to helping our students thrive!

📅 THIS WEEK

-February 2nd-Ground Hog Day

-February 2nd-6th- National School Counseling Week

-February 2nd - 3rd Grade Data Talks & GA Milestones Presentation -8:30 -9:30 am

-February 2nd - K-5 Parent/Teacher Conferences -Please contact your child's teacher

-February 4th - KONA ICE/ PBIS Incentive Day

February 7th - DCSD DANCE Area Championship Competition

📅 FEBRUARY

-February 11th - PTA Board Meeting (8 am)

-February 11th - PAC Meeting PAC Meeting (5:00 pm)

-February 12th - 2nd/3rd Grade Concert (6 pm)

February 14th-DCSD DISTRICT DANCE Championship Competition

-February 16th-20th - DCSD February Break (NO SCHOOL)

-February 23rd-February 27th - Scholastic Book Fair

-February 25th -(K/1st Grade Round Up & Interest Tour - (8:30 am)

-February 25th - HES Talent Show Auditions - 2:30 pm

-February 26th - HES Talent Show Auditions - 2:30 pm

-February 27th - African American History Month Program (9 am – in-person)

Go Hornets 🐝
Proud to Serve,
Principal Henley
#OneTeamOneDream #WeAreALLIN
TWITTER

Groundhog Day is Monday, February 2! This fun, cultural traditional predicts the arrival of spring based on whether the groundhog sees its shadow. While it’s all in good fun and not a reliable weather forecast, we encourage parents to have their child practice making their own predictions at home just for fun! It’s a great way to celebrate the tradition and get kids thinking about observation and reasoning in a cool way.

On this day, a groundhog is said to predict the weather:

• 🐾 If the groundhog sees its shadow, it means six more weeks of winter.

• 🌸 If it does not see its shadow, it means an early spring.

The tradition began with German immigrants in the United States and became famous in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, home of Punxsutawney Phil, the most well-known groundhog.

While it’s not scientific, Groundhog Day is a fun cultural tradition that celebrates:

• Seasonal change

• Folklore and history

• A little joy in the middle of winter

This week, we are excited to celebrate Dr. Woods in honor of National School Counseling Week! We are incredibly grateful for all that our school counselor does to support our students, staff, and school community. Throughout this month, Dr. Woods will be delivering required Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons focused on emotional regulation, empathy, and conflict resolution. These lessons play an important role in helping us maintain a safe, supportive, and positive learning environment for all students.

We invite families to join us in showing appreciation by encouraging your child to create a card or draw a picture for Dr. Woods as a special thank-you for the care and dedication she shows every day. Thank you for helping us celebrate and uplift those who support our students’ well-being!

Please help your child take care of their school-issued Chromebook by handling it gently, keeping it clean, and storing it in a safe place when not in use. Chromebooks should be used for school purposes only and kept away from food, drinks, and pets.

When we return to school Tomorrow Monday February 2nd, all Chromebooks must be brought back and accompanied by the charger that was issued with the device. Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep our learning tools in great condition.

📣 Second Semester Attendance Challenge: Your Presence Is Power! 💪

From January through April, Hawthorne ES is participating in a districtwide attendance challenge that encourages students to show up, stay engaged, and finish the school year strong. Led by our very own Attendance Avenger, students will enjoy grade-level activities, school spirit events, and friendly competitions that celebrate the importance of being present every day.

We are especially excited because Hawthorne ES won the district attendance contest last year—and this year, we’re aiming to do it again! Our district is closing in on its strategic goal of 95% attendance, and your continued partnership plays a vital role in helping us reach and maintain that goal.

🌳 February Attendance Celebration
Throughout the month of February, we will celebrate daily student attendance by adding leaves to our Attendance Tree each day students are present—watch it grow as our commitment to showing up grows too!

Hawthorne ES January 2026 Attendance Percentages

1st Place- 1st grade 95.06%

2nd Place- 3rd grade 94.47%

3rd Place- 2nd grade 94.11%

4th place- 4th grade 94.09%

5th place- 5th grade 92.88%

6th place- KK 92.41%

7th place- Pre-K 92.11%

Below is a morning checklist that was provided to each student to take home and use daily as a helpful tool in establishing consistent routines, supporting on-time arrival, and promoting strong attendance habits.

World Read Aloud Day is Wednesday, February 4! This day celebrates the power of reading aloud and building a love for literacy.

We invite all parents and guardians to participate by reading a book in your child’s classroom. Please contact your child’s teacher to schedule a time.

Black History Month Door Decorating - We are excited to celebrate 100 years of Black History Month this year! To commemorate this milestone, our Instructional Advisory Committee is inviting parents—to help educators decorate their classroom doors making our hallways vibrant, engaging, and culturally enriching spaces.

We would love to have all doors ready by Friday, February 6th, so we need your help! You can assist another teacher if your child’s teacher has already finished their door.

Please reach out to your child's teacher soon to be involved in the planning and creation process.

🚗✨ Arrival & Dismissal Reminders ✨🚶‍♀️

As we continue a successful school year, please review and follow our arrival and dismissal expectations to ensure a smooth and safe day for all students. Our late student arrivals are starting to become a huge disruption to our classrooms and are impacting teaching and learning. Please make it a daily priority to have your child arrive to school on time, please see below.:

🌅 Morning Arrival:
🕖 7:00 AM – School doors open and breakfast begins.
🍽️ 7:15 AM –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:

• Dismissal ends at 2:45 PM.

• Any student not picked up by 2:45 PM, upon arrival -parents will need to complete the Late Pick-Up Roster.

• 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!

🌟 Parents, we need your feedback! So far, 147 GA Climate Surveys have been completed, but our performance level is still low. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and help us boost parent engagement. ✅ Your feedback matters and directly supports our school’s growth!

PBIS Day is rolling in with a sweet surprise! Kona Ice will be on campus on Wednesday, February 4th to help us celebrate PBIS Day.

This special day is all about recognizing and rewarding our students for positive behavior, great choices, and showing respect, responsibility and safety throughout our school community.

🍧 What to Expect:

• Shaved ice, w/ a variety of flavors
• A fun and tasty way to celebrate positive behavior

⭐ DOJO Points: Please check with your child’s teacher for the number of DOJO points needed to participate and assigned times.

✨ Students can look forward to positive incentives as we continue to build a positive and supportive school culture.

Let’s keep up the great work positive behavior makes a difference! 👏🎉

We are excited to invite our families and community to cheer on our students as they compete in the districtwide dance team competition!

📅 Saturday, February 7th - DCSD DANCE Area Championship Competition
🕛 Participants Arrival: 11:30 AM
🕐 Performance Start: 12:30 PM
📍 Location: Redan High School- Address: 5247 Redan Rd, Stone Mountain, GA 30088

This is a special for our dancers as they showcase their hard work, talent, and school pride. We would love to see our families in attendance to help encourage, celebrate, and support our students. Come out and be part of the Hawthorne Hornet Pride!

We are excited to invite you to our February Principal Advisory Council (PAC). A virtual option will be available through the link provided, making it easy for everyone to join.

The Principal Advisory Council (PAC) brings together parents, teachers, and community members to work alongside school leadership. The PAC provides input, shares ideas, and helps guide decisions that impact student success, school improvement, and family engagement. This is a great way to learn more about what’s happening academically in our school and to share your voice.

👏 Thank you to our PAC board members this year!

📅 Date: Thursday, February 11th
🕕 Time: 5:00 PM
💻 Virtual Link to join below

We look forward to working together and hearing your input to make our school better.

Hawthorne Elementary is proud to invite our families to a special evening of music featuring our 2nd and 3rd grade students on February 12th at 6:00 PM.

Our students have been working hard to prepare a joyful performance that showcases their creativity, confidence, and love for music. This concert is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their growth, talent, and teamwork while creating lasting memories together.

We hope you will join us for an evening filled with smiles, songs, and school spirit. Your presence means so much to our students and makes the experience even more meaningful.

🎵💙 We look forward to seeing you there!

📢 February Break Reminder for Families

This is a reminder that school will be closed for February Break from Monday, February 16 through Friday, February 20. There will be no school for students, and the building will be closed during this time.

Classes will resume on Monday, February 23.

We hope you and your family enjoy a safe, restful, and enjoyable break. Thank you for your continued support!

We are excited to welcome the Book Fair back to Hawthorne ES during the week of February 23–27! This special event is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate reading and inspire a lifelong love of books in our students.

Students will have the chance to explore a wide selection of engaging titles and discover new stories that spark imagination and curiosity. Every purchase supports our school and helps strengthen literacy experiences for our students.

We invite our Hawthorne families to join us in encouraging reading at home and making this Book Fair a meaningful and memorable experience for our students. Thank you for your continued support in helping our scholars grow as readers and learners.

📖💙 We look forward to a great week of reading at Hawthorne!

The Hawthorne ES Instructional Advisory Committee invites staff and students to participate in Black History Spirit Week, February 23–27. As we celebrate 100 years of Black History Month, this week will honor the achievements, contributions, and lasting impact of Black Americans through schoolwide participation and themed activities. We look forward to celebrating this meaningful milestone together!

🎭 Hawthorne Talent Show Auditions — Sign Up Now! Is your child ready to shine on stage? Auditions for the Hawthorne Talent Show are coming up on February 25th & 26th @ 2:30 pm.

✨ You’re Invited! ✨

Join us for our African American History Month Program on
📅 February 27th
⏰ 9:00 AM

You are in for a real treat as our students take the stage to celebrate history, culture, and excellence through powerful performances. Their hard work and talent will truly shine!

🎤🎶 We can’t wait to see you there and cheer on our amazing students. Don’t miss this special event!

We’re excited to share that your child will soon begin a new STEM Challenge as part of our schoolwide STEM program! These challenges encourage creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking across science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. We invite you to reach out to your child’s teacher to learn more about the challenge and to find out how you can support your child at home or volunteer to assist with the project. Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to provide engaging, hands-on STEM learning experiences for all students.

We know many of you have young artists at home, and this is a wonderful opportunity for them to shine! The Georgia Recycling Coalition is hosting its Third Annual America Recycles Day Art Contest for students ages 5–19, and we would love to see OUR students participate.

🌎 Contest Theme: Recycling Really Works
📅 Submission Deadline: February 18, 2026 (by 11:59 PM)
🖥️ How to Enter: The online entry form must be completed by a parent and submitted with electronic file(s) of the artwork.

This is a great way for students to showcase their creativity while learning about the importance of recycling and caring for our environment.

👉 Click the links below for contest details and the entry form.

We can’t wait to see our students’ creativity shine good luck to all of our young artists! 🌟

La Amistad is continuing services for Hawthorne Elementary students and currently serves 22 enrolled scholars. The program provides free academic support, including homework assistance, reading and math support, and engaging educational activities designed to support Latino students.

Enrolled students are conveniently picked up by La Amistad on Mondays and Wednesdays, making participation accessible for families.

If you are interested in enrolling your child or would like additional information, please refer to the contact information located on the enclosed flyer and call to sign your child up.

The HES basketball team is ready to take the championship this year, and the excitement tips off soon! 💪🔥

📅 First Game: February 14, 2026
🏫 Location: Henderson Middle School

⏰ TIME: TBD

We need everyone to come out, show school spirit, and cheer on our team as they start their championship run! 📣. Let’s pack the gym and support our HES Basketball teams!

We are excited to inform our families about this opportunity for their child! Chamblee High School is hosting a youth softball summer camp for rising 3rd–8th grade students. Please see the flyer below for dates, times, and registration details.

Exciting news! The new lacrosse season is kicking off this February at Tucker Rec, and we’re looking for more local kiddos to join the fun!

✨ Who Can Join: Boys and girls in Kindergarten through 8th grade
✨ Where: Tucker Recreation Center
✨ When: Season starts February!

DLYLA (Decatur/Lakeside Youth Lacrosse Association) is all about teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership—a perfect way for students to grow on and off the field.

📣 Don’t miss out—sign up today and be part of a team that plays hard, supports each other, and makes new friends!

📄 See flyer below for details!

#YouthLacrosse #StudentLeadership #Teamwork #DLYLA #K8Sports

The Division of Information and Instructional Technology is excited to announce the upcoming 2026 DeKalb County School District Technology Competition, themed “Dare to Dream: The Future is Now.” This inspiring event will take place on Saturday, February 7th, at Dr. Ronald E. McNair Middle School (2190 Wallingford Dr., Decatur, GA 30032). More details to come.

Thank you for supporting Dekalb County's Digital Dreamers!

• Arabia Mountain High School, 6610 Browns Mill Rd., Stonecrest, GA 30038, on Saturday, February 7th, @ 7:45 a.m.
• The Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Committee is starting a new tradition called Banner Bash, which will begin at 8:00 a.m. in the gymnasium.

Join us for the last Parent Tech Café for the 1st semester! Parent Tech Cafe' is a virtual series designed to empower parents, guardians, and stakeholders with insights into the digital tools supporting teaching and learning across DeKalb County School District. See flyer to learn when sessions takes place. This is a great opportunity for families to explore the resources that enhance student success. Please help us spread the word to your school communities. Click here for more information: https://its.dekalb.k12.ga.us/TechCafe_202581813581964.aspx

The FY27 Budget Survey is now open, and we invite you to share your input as we begin planning for the upcoming fiscal year. Your feedback will directly contribute to enhancing the school experience for students and families.

Please take a moment to complete the survey by February 13, 2026. The survey is available in 16 languages to support all members of our community. Survey Link: https://survey.sogolytics.com/r/NJ7MYV

Thank you for your participation and continued partnership as we work together to support student learning

Please see the flyers below for more opportunities to engage with your child and support family learning at home. These resources are designed to provide additional support, activities, and tips for parents to help students succeed both in and out of the classroom. We encourage you to explore these opportunities and get involved your participation makes a meaningful difference!

Please click on the flyers below to learn more about additional opportunities to engage with your child and support learning at home:

• Parent & Engagement Partnership Series

• Virtual Parent Education Sessions

• Gifted Education Information Nights

These resources are designed to provide tips, activities, and support to help students succeed both in and out of the classroom. We encourage you to explore these opportunities and get involved—your participation makes a meaningful difference in your child’s learning journey!

The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) proudly offers 128 Georgia Lottery-funded Pre-K classes across 76 locations. Governed by Bright from the Start, the program provides age-appropriate instruction that prepares children socially, emotionally, physically, and academically for kindergarten success. DCSD also offers 25 lottery-funded Pre-K3 programs at 12 locations. These programs help close readiness gaps by strengthening early cognitive and language development. Overall, DCSD’s Pre-K programs support children in becoming confident, independent learners while encouraging positive routines and child-centered instruction tailored to each student’s needs and interests.

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. Click on link below, this document was created by the District and is designed to assist you in registering to be a volunteer with the DeKalb County School District. Please complete the following steps to become a DCSD Volunteer. The process for volunteering takes about 30 minutes total and includes about 20 minutes of online mandatory child abuse reporting training required by the State of Georgia for all volunteers.

Steps to Complete the Volunteer Process:

1. Complete the Volunteer Application and Release Form:

• English Application
• Spanish Application

2. Review and Complete the DCSD Volunteer Code of Conduct:

• English Code of Conduct
• Spanish Code of Conduct

3. 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

2026 Volunteer Training Dates (COMING SOON)

Please select the Zoom session that works best for you from the options below:

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!

Thanks to your efforts, through the School Store program, we are truly grateful!

Your participation takes just minutes and helps provide important resources for our students and teachers. Thank you for your support! Click link to watch video to learn more:

SchoolStore Kick-Off Video

Dear Lakeside Cluster Community, 🕺 💃🏻 🪩

Lakeside is collecting lightly used formal wear that you may have in your closets for our high school students for this year’s Prom. (See flyer) Please help us to send all our upperclassmen to the Benz, in style this March! All formal wear items should be clean and free from rips or tears. Students who need these pieces will get to shop from the donated items at the end of February. Thank you for your generosity and support!

Sincerely,

LHS Staff (supported by Junior Class Parent Sponsors)

PS - If you need an alternate donation location, or need items picked up, please email Sarah at skvisel@gmail.com and let us know what elementary school area you are in to connect you to the right volunteer.

Families in DeKalb County can access free meals at eight convenient distribution centers across the district. Meals are available to anyone in the community, and each site offers pick-up on scheduled dates each month. See below for the full list of locations, dates, and times.- Click for details:https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/divisions/wrap-around-services/food-distribution

We know that parents and family members play an essential role in students’ educational success. When schools and families work in partnership, children will succeed at new levels.

The link below, parents and family members of students in Georgia’s K-12 public schools can explore the wealth of resources and services offered through GaDOE. Discover important information on Georgia’s K-12 standards, programming to support your student, ways to get involved, and more.

Let’s keep the momentum going! Just 5 minutes a day of logging your child’s reading on Beanstack can help us climb even higher on the county-wide leaderboard!

📚 Here’s how you can help as a parent:

• Encourage your child to read daily and log their minutes in Beanstack, every minute counts!
• Parents can track progress and celebrate milestones together with their children.

Together, we can build a powerful culture of reading at HES, one page at a time! ✨

In April, students in grades 3, 4, and 5 are required to take the Georgia Milestones Assessment. This test will include Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Science (5th grade only). A practice test is available online, with questions set up and structured just like the actual assessment.

Please log on to see what will be expected of your child in April. See video below for more support. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher. We look forward to partnering with you.

https://www.gaexperienceonline.com/

1. Click "Test Practice, Guides, Samples"
2. Click "Online Testing Tools"
3. Click "End of Grade EOG"
4. Click "Test Practice"
5. Click "Online Standard Tools"
6. Click"3rd, 4th, or 5th Grade"
7. Click "Continue"
8. Click "Test Practice for 3rd, 4th, or 5th"

9. Click "Play Audio"
10. If your sound is working, click "Sound is Working"
11. Read the directions. Use the blue arrows to navigate through the directions.
12. Click "Begin Test"
(There is a tool bar at the top to assist while testing).

The drop-off times in front of the school are below:

7:00 am

MORNING INTERVENTIONS & EXTENTIONS TIME DAILY - 7:15 am

Tardy bell - 7:45 am

Morning announcements begin at 7:45 am

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:

• Late Arrival: Students arriving after 7:45 AM must be checked in by a parent/guardian inside the school office.

• 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

**** DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ****

Email: kia_henley@dekalbschoolsag.org
Website: https://www.hawthornees.dekalb.k12.ga.us/

Location: 2535 Caladium Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30345
Phone: 678-874-2802