Hamlow Viking News

As we step into February, it is a great time to reset goals, reflect on progress, and dive into new learning opportunities. January has been a tough month for all of us. As we come back from winter break with the extreme cold weather, snow, smaller amounts of light during the day, and lots of illness, we recognize how hard it is for everyone to come to school. Through that all, we have persevered and made it to the end of the month and we have to celebrate all of the hard work that has led us here. We are continuing to encourage students to stay motivated as they embrace new challenges and move into a new month of learning. Thank you for your continued partnership in helping your children thrive. Let’s continue to make this a fantastic year!

As we move into February, our focus remains steady and intentional. We are continuing our work toward our goal of having 80% of our students reach reading proficiency by the end of the year.

Since midyear, teachers have been using data to refine instruction, strengthen learning targets, and provide timely supports that meet students where they are.

Classrooms are back into strong routines, and we are seeing students engage more deeply with their learning each day.

The progress we’ve made so far reflects the collective effort across our building, and we remain committed to pushing forward together to reach our goal.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! We are SUPER excited for our upcoming ODOB Reading Event and Library Fundraiser in February!

All three District 145 Elementary Schools will be participating in a One District, One Book Reading Event. The 3-week Unit will include EVERY Pre-K to 5th Grade student in our district! It will include plenty of opportunities to celebrate reading. Students, staff and families will be reading The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown together. We will have a lot of activities at school to expand on the reading and bring the book to life! Thank you to the Hamlow/WIS PTO & Eagle PTE for purchasing the books for every student and staff member.

Along with our Reading Event, we will be participating in a Read-a-thon Fundraiser. Students will be able to count their reading minutes at home and school to earn awesome prizes as well as help us raise money for our Elementary School Libraries. More information will be coming home soon!

The fun begins Monday, February 16, 2026!

Please be on the look out for an email from your student's teacher with a link to sign up for Parent Teacher Conferences. Parent Teacher Conferences are being held Thursday February 12, 2026 and Tuesday February 17, 2026.

• Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and we are looking forward to celebrating this fun and festive day with our students on February 13, at 2:30.

• If your child would like to bring valentines to share with their classmates, we kindly ask that they bring one for each student in the class to ensure everyone feels included.

• Additionally, if your child would like to include a treat with their valentines, please adhere to the District 145 Approved Treat List to ensure all items are safe for our students. You can find the approved list here. However, treats will not be opened and eaten during school hours. Treats given to and received from friends will ONLY be brought home and NOT consumed at school.

• Non edible treat items are always encouraged!

• A holiday treat for classroom parties will be provided by the school kitchen, students will be able to enjoy their yummy treat during their class party.

• Thank you for your support in making this a special and inclusive celebration for all! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

At Hamlow, Viking Bucks and We CAN Awards are used to recognize positive behavior, good choices, and efforts that show respect, responsibility, and kindness. Students can use their Viking Bucks to shop the Viking Van, earn classroom privileges, or participate in special activities and school-wide events. Students demonstrating positive behaviors also have the opportunity to win a We CAN Award and be celebrated in their classroom with a picture up on the We CAN Wall of Fame! Check it out when you come for conferences in February. There have been a total of 108 awards given out!

We also continue to use Calming Spots and Think Sheets and Buddy Rooms as part of our proactive approach to supporting students when they need help with self-regulation. These tools focus on teaching skills and protecting learning time.

• Please send home/cold lunches to school with your children right away in the morning. Last minute drop offs can cause some worry and stress for students.
• If your student will have a visitor eating with them for lunch, it is helpful if you let the office know ahead of time. This helps us be prepared with how many guests we'll have during each lunch.
• If your student has a visitor for lunch, they may invite ONE friend to eat with them. We have a one friend rule to help control movement and keep our lunch structure and routine working well.
• The microwave in our lunch area is not available for students to use. This microwave belongs to VDP and is for their use only.

Thank you for your partnership to adhere to these guidelines so we can help keep our lunch routines minimally interrupted for all students! We appreciate your help!

• We understand that some families choose to send their children to school with communication devices, such as smartwatches, for added peace of mind. While we support your decision to prioritize your child’s safety, we are noticing that these devices can sometimes become a distraction during the school day. Messages, lights, and sounds from these devices interrupt learning and make it harder for students to focus during instruction.

• To help maintain a calm and focused classroom environment, we ask that students keep these devices in their backpacks or lockers during the school day. This ensures that your child can fully engage in their learning without unnecessary distractions.

• We appreciate your understanding and support as we work to create the best possible learning environment for all students. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out!

• Below you will find a link to our Student/Parent Handbook that outlines expectations for electronic devices. For specific information see page 63.

• Link to Student Handbook

• If there is a change in dismissal plans for morning EC students, please contact the office by 10:45 AM.
• If there is a change in dismissal plans for afternoon EC or any Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd Grade student, please contact the office by 2:30 PM.
• If your student needs to leave school early for any reason (i.e.- appointments, vacation, etc.) please give the office at least ONE hour of notice so we can be prepared to get your student when you come to pick them up.

You can reach us at 402-786-2341 or via email at hes.office@district145.org.

These are also great ways to reach us if should you need to report an absence or early pick up!

The season of increased illness is upon us. We are seeing cases of Strep, Influenza A, Influenza B, gastrointestinal symptoms, and colds. Many of these are exhibiting the same or similar symptoms. We always recommend taking your child to their provider if they are ill or not feeling well enough to come to school. Please continue to follow our general illness protocols so we can stop the spread of illness. Students should be 24 hours vomiting and diarrhea free and 24 hours fever free without the use of medication before they return to school. We also recommend they be just be feeling better and well enough to make it through an entire day of school before they return, especially with how severe some of these illnesses have been this year.

Weekends are a great time to wash coats, gloves, hats, sweatshirts, backpacks, lunchboxes, and water bottles! It’s best to wash them all on a sanitize cycle or in as hot of water as you can stand with soap for a deep clean to kill germs.

Please check your students breakfast/lunch balance and feel free to send money to the school office or you may go online and deposit money if you have that set up.

Lost and found is overflowing! Please check with your child about lost items and feel free to stop by or check during parent teacher conferences for items that may belong to your student.

February Dates

• February 12 & 17-Parent Teacher Conferences

• February 13-Valentine's Day party at 2:30

• February 16-PTO meeting at WIS at 6:30

• February 19-no school K-5

• February 20 & 23-no school

March Dates

• March 12-17-no school
• March 23-report cards emailed
• March 23-PTO meeting at WIS at 6:30
• March 26 Kindergarten Round Up Parent meeting TBA
• March 27 Kindergarten Round Up for class of 2026-2027

No school for current Kindergarten class on March 27