Important Upcoming Dates

September 30th - Game Night! 4:30-6:30 PM - Fact Fluency Literacy Math Game Night.
October 1st - HES HOPE Meeting @ 615 PM
October 1st - 2nd Grade Field Trip
October 2nd - Vike Hike!
October 2nd - Popcorn Friday! No Dress Up Theme Due to Vike Hike!
October 5th - Bible Release
October 5th - Vike Hike (rain date)
October 7th - Count Day!
October 8th - Student Council Meeting after school
October 10th - Viking Day - Downtown Hopkins!
October 14th - 3rd Grade Cultural Presentation @ Camp Jijak
October 15th - Picture Retakes
October 16th - Y5's/K Field Trip
October 16th - 1st Grade Field Trip
October 19th - 4th/5th Grade Farm Science
October 19th-22nd - Book Fair
October 20th - Parent-Teacher Conferences - 4-7 PM
October 22nd - Parent Teacher Conferences - 4-6 PM
October 23rd - No School!
October 30th - 1/2 Day for Students (AM) / PM = Flex PD for Staff

Character Trait of the Month: Empathy

What is Empathy?

Empathy is the ability to be aware of, understand, and be sensitive to another person’s feelings. Instead of focusing on how these feelings impact ourselves, empathy motivates us to focus on others and respond with care and compassion.

Why Focus on Empathy?

Empathy builds a positive classroom culture. Empathy empowers students to learn to understand each other to build trust and safety in the classroom.
Empathy strengthens community. Empathy helps students strengthen their relationships with classmates, other students and adults at school, and at home.
Empathy prepares your students to be leaders in their community. The best leaders understand the people they lead and are able to show they care.

Empathy in Action:

Take a different perspective. When you take a different perspective, you put aside your own feelings and reactions to see the situation through another’s eyes.
Put aside judgment. Take a pause, and rather than express conclusions about a situation based on what you see, step back and consider other things you may still need to know or understand.
Communicate that you understand. Instead of giving advice, respond with reflective phrases like, “It sounds like you...” or “I hear that you...” to express that you understand and care.

Yearbook Orders

You can order a yearbook for your child through this link.

What Are Michigan’s Child Passenger Safety Laws?

Vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of death for young children, but you can reduce your child’s risk of death in a crash by 50 percent just by making sure they're properly restrained in the appropriate car seat, booster seat, or seat belt for their age and size.

According to updated child passenger safety laws that took effect April 2, 2025, children must be secured in a car seat that is appropriate for their weight and height as indicated by the car seat’s manufacturer. These updates state:

Infant to two years: A child must be in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer or the child is 2 years old.
Two to five years: The child can then move into a forward-facing car seat until they reach the maximum weight or height allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer or the child is 5 years old.
Five to eight years: The child can then move to a belt-positioning booster seat using a lap and shoulder belt until they are 4’ 9” or 8 years old.
All children under thirteen years: Children under the age of 13 must ride in the rear seat of a vehicle if the vehicle has one available.

The Michigan Office of Highway Planning (OHSP) created a flyer outlining the updated child passenger safety laws. This flyer is also available in Arabic and Spanish. Michigan organizations can order copies of the flyer for free by writing “Updated Child Passenger Safety Laws flyer” and the language it’s needed in on the Traffic Safety Materials Catalog online order form or emailing the request to TrafficSafety@michigan.gov.

Chili Cook Off Sign Up!

At the 2nd Annual Viking Day (downtown Hopkins) on October 10th, our HES HOPE group is hosting the Chili Cook Off! If you would like a chance to win the title, you can enter in your recipe/chili into the contest for free! Guests who want to taste and vote will pay a small fee, and every dollar goes directly to our teachers and students.

If you're bringing chili, drop it off at the Hopkins Fire Barn between 4:15-4:45 PM on Saturday, October 10th. Look for HOPE members in blue HOPE Shirts.

Tasting begins at 5 PM and ends at 7 PM. Please bring your chili warm in a crockpot with a serving spoon. Crockpots can be picked up between 7:00-7:30 PM.

We'll be announcing the top 2 winners at 7:30 PM, and yes both will be receiving prizes!

You can sign up to bring your chili by following this link.

26-27 Medication Forms

As we start planning for the next school year, we want to remind our families that if your child needs medication while at school, an updated Medication Administration form must be on file for the 2026-2027 school year. This includes over-the-counter medications and prescription medications (including EpiPens and Inhalers). If your child needs a prescription medication administered while at school, their Primary Care Provider must complete a portion of the form.

Non-Prescription Medication

https://www.hpsvikings.org/wp-content/uploads/fm5330-f1a-Permission-Form-for-Non-Prescription-Medication-revised-5-26-2023.pdf

Prescribed Medication

https://www.hpsvikings.org/wp-content/uploads/fm5330-f1-Permission-Form-for-Prescribed-Medication-revised-5-26-2023.pdf

Online registration opens February 1st. Please follow the instructions below to enroll your student.

Who needs to register?

New Students: Any student new to Hopkins Public Schools (HPS).
Incoming Young 5s & Kindergarteners: All children entering these programs for the first time.
Current Students: If your child is already enrolled for the 25-26 school year, no action is required.

Young 5s & Kindergarten "Round Up"

Date: May 22, 2026

Location: Hopkins Elementary School (HES)

To prepare for placement assessments, please complete these two steps:

Register: Complete the enrollment forms at FinalForms.
Schedule: Pick an assessment time for May 22nd via SignUpGenius.

Note: Please refer to the images below for the specific documents and items required to complete your registration.

If you would like our office to keep over the counter medications in the office. We need this form completed by the family. For these types of medications (ibuprofen, Tylenol, topical ointments), we do not need a physician to sign off. These need to be an unopened/brand new bottle. https://www.hpsvikings.org/wp-content/uploads/fm5330-f1a-Permission-Form-for-Non-Prescription-Medication-revised-5-26-2023.pdf
If our office is required to dispense prescribed medications or treatments, we will need this form completed, which requires a physician's signature: https://www.hpsvikings.org/wp-content/uploads/fm5330-f1-Permission-Form-for-Prescribed-Medication-revised-5-26-2023.pdf
Our offices do not keep a supply of medications in the office to hand out (ibuprofen, Tylenol, allergy medicine). If you child needs these, you will need to fill out the first form and bring in a brand new, not opened, not expired bottle for us to use only for your child.
We did not keep any of the medications from 24-25.

Hopkins Public Schools Non-Discrimination Notice

The District shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other legally protected category in its programs and activities, including employment. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and shall likewise not be permitted with respect to students or employees. The District shall not retaliate against a person who reports or opposes improper discrimination or retaliation. The District shall fully comply with all applicable federal and state civil rights statutes, including, without limitation, Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.