The Hiawatha Buzz!

*Click on the Hiawatha Buzz image above for a mobile-friendly view or table of contents on a computer

Dear Hiawatha Families,

This week, we welcomed everyone back for the first day of school, and what a wonderful start it was! On Wednesday morning, our campus was buzzing with excitement as children reunited with friends, greeted former teachers, and began learning in their new classrooms. A school simply doesn’t feel complete until our students are here, filling the halls with energy and joy.

The first few days are always a big adjustment as students and teachers build up their stamina for full days of learning. As we head into the long Labor Day weekend, I hope you find time to rest and enjoy the extra day with family and friends. We look forward to seeing everyone back on Tuesday, ready for the week ahead!

With excitement,
Kolby Snellenberger
Principal

Friday August 29th - Popsicles on the Hiawatha playground from 2:30 to 5:00pm

*** IMPORTANT ***

Please make sure to include Ms. Michelle, our Office Manager, in all communications regarding attendance or change in after school plan for the day, she is who does attendance for the school, not the teachers. Teachers may be absent, or may not get to email to pass your message on to her. Please remember to include the reason why your student is going to be absent.

Please be sure to let Michelle know before 7:30 AM if your child is going to miss school.

There are many ways to contact her regarding your student's attendance or change in after-school plan.

1. Call the Attendance line at 802-857-7007 (for Attendance only)

2. Call Michelle at 802-878-1384

3. Email Michelle at: hiawathaoffice@ewsd.org

4. Go to our website and click on the Report an Absence button.

*** If you need to make a change to your student's after-school plan, please contact Michelle directly before 2:00 PM (1PM on Wednesdays) on any given day. ***

Throughout the 2024-2025 school year we will continue to work with small student groups, classrooms, and our school as a whole to teach and foster social emotional learning. We will meet as a whole school to build community and highlight our social emotional learning standards.

In order to support a respectful learning environment we have three school wide expectations: Be Kind, Be Safe, and Be Curious. We recognize specific positive behavior by giving students bees and have classroom and schoolwide celebrations.

Individuals interested in volunteering must register online every year using a link provided by a school employee. Individuals may sign up for multiple schools within the EWSD when registering. After you complete the online registration form, you will receive an email confirmation of your submission and must confirm receipt of this confirmation before your registration can be processed. Please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher for a volunteer link. Learn more on our district webpage at https://www.ewsd.org/page/volunteer

Powerschool Mobile App is built to help families easily view and fill out forms in the mobile app on any device.

PowerSchool Mobile can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Search for "PowerSchool." PowerSchool apps should be the first results that appear. Sign in to the PowerSchool Mobile App for iOS

After you have downloaded the mobile app to your device, configure the app to recognize the server at your school district: EWSD code is MSBF. Then sign in to the app with your PowerSchool Student and Parent Portal username and password.

If you do not have a PowerSchool Student and Parent Portal account, tap I Need An Account at the bottom of the first screen for complete information on how to get an account.

To get to the Forms navigate to the "More" section on the bottom navigation pane and select "Forms." Find and complete the desired form. Please make sure that you Submit all required forms.

Children need healthy meals to learn. The Essex Westford School District offers healthy meals every school day. In the 2025-2026 school year, all children will get free breakfast and lunch at school without any concern about your household income or ability to participate. Menus are posted to MealViewer on the district website each month and a link to the menu is always included in our Hiawatha Buzz newsletter every week.

All children will receive free breakfast and lunch regardless of your household income eligibility.

Breakfast Schedule:

Kindergarten - 7:45-8:15 AM
First Grade - 7:35 AM
Second Grade - 7:35 AM

Lunch Schedule:

Kindergarten - 11:20-11:45 AM
First Grade - 11:25-11:50 AM
Second Grade - 10:50-11:15 AM

You are always welcome to join your child for lunch! We will have a specific table that families can eat at with their children. Students are welcome to bring a friend to this table to eat with their families. (No reservations required, just stop at the Front Office to sign in and get a visitor pass)

EWSD promotes a healthy learning environment by supporting good nutrition and regular physical activity as part of an overall wellness policy. Birthdays and other celebrations bring anticipation and excitement to all students. Due to allergies and promoting healthy choices, we do not allow families to provide outside food for celebrations, including birthdays. Thus, we respectfully ask families to follow these standards. Please see this letter for more information: Food For Celebration Letter.

Join us for the “Four Winds” natural science program at Hiawatha! Calling all volunteers! We invite you to share your passion for the natural world and inspire our students by participating in hands-on activities in the classroom. Your expertise and enthusiasm can make a significant impact on their learning journey. We'll instruct four lessons throughout the year with optional in-person training (it's fun) or a video of the training, if you can't attend, to watch at your leisure.

Sign up today and be a part of this enriching experience!

For more information, contact Rob Liberty at fourwinds@robliberty.com or join our Facebook Group. Let’s make a difference together!

Popsicles on the Playground

Join us Friday, August 29 at 2:30 - 5:00 PM on the Hiawatha playground for a cool snack and to connect with other families!

Week of August 25:

Monthly PTO Meetings
Save the date! PTO meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM in the Hiawatha gym. First meeting is 9/2. All are welcome—come share your ideas, meet other parents/caregivers, and stay involved! Email hiawathaPTO@ewsd.org for more info.

Week of September 1 & 8:

PTO Speaker Series: Student Safety

Join us Thursday, 9/11 at 6pm for a special event with Garry Scott, Director of Facilities & District Safety for the Essex Westford School District. Garry is responsible for the culture of safety and emergency preparedness for students, teachers and staff. He will share expert training and safety protocol insights from his decades of experience, how Hiawatha prioritizes student safety, drill information, and answer questions. This is a great opportunity to learn about what students experience during safety drills.