WEEK 22

Greetings Hawthorne Hive families!

As we move into Week 22, first and foremost, we hope that all of our Hawthorne families are safe and warm following the winter storm 🧤🧣.

While virtual learning was the initial recommendation shared prior to the district’s most recent update, the latest communication from DeKalb County School District (DCSD) indicates that all DCSD schools, centers, and offices are CLOSED 🏫🚫.

In alignment with DCSD inclement weather guidance, Hawthorne Elementary School will be CLOSED on Monday, January 26, 2026 ❄️📅. As a result, all school activities and athletic events scheduled for that day will be rescheduled 🔄🏀🎭.

At this time, we are awaiting additional guidance from the district regarding whether Tuesday, January 27, 2026, will also be impacted ⏳. DCSD will continue to closely monitor weather conditions, and a decision regarding Tuesday’s operations will be communicated by 5:00 p.m. on Monday ⏰📢.

Please know that the safety of our students, staff, and families always comes first 🛑. We will share updates as soon as they become available and appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. Stay safe, stay warm, and thank you for your continued support ❄️

Last week our school proudly celebrated the 100th day of school. Students and staff participated in engaging activities and creative projects to commemorate this milestone, reflecting on the learning and growth achieved thus far in the school year. Additionally, We extend our sincere appreciation to the parents who braved the cold weather to join us for another successful Coffee in the Garden event.

Second Semester Attendance Challenge: Your Presence Is Power! 💪

From January through April, Hawthorne ES is participating in a districtwide attendance contest designed to encourage students to show up, stay engaged, and finish the school year strong. With our mascot, the Attendance Avenger, leading the way, students will take part in grade-level activities, school spirit events, and friendly competitions that celebrate the importance of being present every day.

We’re especially excited because Hawthorne ES won the district attendance contest last year—and this year, it’s personal! We’re aiming to keep our attendance streak going and continue setting the standard for excellence. Our district is also very close to reaching its strategic goal of 95% attendance, and your partnership plays a critical role in helping us get there.

Each month will spotlight a special focus, from resetting routines and strengthening relationships to building attendance streaks and celebrating academic achievement.

Let’s work together to keep our students learning, connected, and thriving. Your presence truly is power! 💙✨

📅 THIS WEEK

-January 26th - School is Closed due to Inclement Weather

-January 26th - 3rd Grade Data Talks (8:30 -9:30 am)/Parent Teacher Conferences - Will be rescheduled

-January 27th - 4th Grade Data Talks (8:30 -9:30 am)/Parent Teacher Conferences

-January 28th - 5th Grade Data Talks (8:30-9:30 am)/Parent Teacher Conferences

-January 31st- Participants Arrival: 11:30 AM & Performance Start: 12:30 PM

📅 FEBRUARY

-February 4th - PBIS Day

-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 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

Please be advised that due to inclement weather, all DeKalb County School District schools, centers, and offices will be closed on Monday, January 26, 2026. All school activities and athletic events scheduled for that day will be rescheduled.

The district will continue to closely monitor weather conditions, and a decision regarding school operations for Tuesday, January 27, 2026, will be communicated by 5:00 p.m. on Monday.

For families who may need assistance during this time, DeKalb County government has activated 24-hour warming centers beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 24, through Monday,

January 26, 2026. Anyone in need of a warm, safe place is encouraged to seek shelter.

For warming center locations in DeKalb County, please visit:
www.dekalbcountyga.gov/weather

For warming centers in other counties, please visit:
www.nghhc.org/warming-centers

The safety of our students, families, and staff is always our top priority. Please continue to check for updates.

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, 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.

“Power Up Your Day!” – Morning Routine Month

This month, we energized our mornings by building strong habits through our Power Up Your Day! initiative. Students were greeted with a Morning High-Five Line led by admin staff in superhero capes, decorated Attendance Shields while setting personal attendance goals for the semester, and watched a 1-minute “Attend, Apply, Achieve” video during morning announcements.

On January 30, we will celebrate Superhero Day, and students are invited to wear their favorite superhero gear as the Attendance Avengers Team visits our school to inspire and motivate students around the importance of daily attendance.

The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) administers the Amira Assessment to students in grades K–3 three times during the school year: Fall, Winter, and Spring.

We are continuing the Winter Amira Assessment testing this week, within the testing window of January 20–January 30, 2026. Amira is a digital reading platform designed to support early reading development. During the assessment, students read aloud while Amira listens and analyzes their reading in real time. The assessment measures key early literacy skills such as letter and word recognition, as well as oral reading fluency for students who are ready.

Amira provides immediate and accurate insights into your child’s reading abilities. These results help teachers identify strengths and areas for growth so instruction can be tailored to meet individual needs. Families also receive valuable information to support reading progress at home.

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to help every child grow into a confident and successful reader. 📚✨

As we move through the school year, it is important to remember that flu season is among us. Schools can expect that both children and staff may get sick during this time. In a recent survey and according to the CDC, more than two-thirds of children missed at least one day of school due to illness or injury in the previous year, with about half of those absences lasting 1–3 days.

We encourage families and staff to remain vigilant by practicing good hygiene, staying home when sick, and seeking medical guidance when needed. To help keep our school community healthy, please review the CDC resources linked below for up-to-date information on flu symptoms, prevention, and care.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students, staff, and families safe and healthy this flu season.

🚗✨ 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!

🌟 Thank you for your participation in completing the GA Climate survey. So far 145 Georgia Climate Surveys are completed. Your feedback matters! (Please see the link below to complete the survey if you have not already.)

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

📅 Saturday, January 31st
🕛 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!

Hawthorne Elementary will host Parent/Teacher Conferences, Student-Parent Data Talks, and Georgia Milestones Presentation. These events are designed to inform parents about their child’s academic progress on NWEA MAP and provide strategies to support learning at home.

Georgia Milestones Presentation and Student-Parent Data Talks

No need to sign up—just join us at one of the times below with your child:

• January 26th @ 8:30 - 9:30 AM - 3rd Grade Session w/ students and parents - Will be rescheduled

• January 27th @ 8:30 - 9:30 AM- 4th Grade Session w/ students and parents

• January 28th @ 8:30 - 9:30 AM -5th Grade Session w/ students and parents

Parent Teacher Conferences at the times in the links below:

• Monday, January 26th - Will be rescheduled

• Tuesday, January 27th

• Wednesday, January 28th

Important: Please sign up using the links below to reserve your spot for Parent Teacher Conferences. If you need a virtual conference, please notate that when you sign up and your child's teacher will send you a Microsoft Teams Meeting link.

This is a valuable opportunity to gain insight into your child’s learning, celebrate progress, and work together to support their success on the Georgia Milestones.

To learn more about Georgia Milestones, please see the Parent Resources section below.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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! 👏🎉

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!

🎭 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!

Dear Fifth Grade Families,

You are invited to attend a Rising 6th Grade Parent Tour sponsored by the Henderson Middle School PTSA. These tours provide a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the middle school experience and ask questions as your child prepares for the transition to 6th grade.

Tour Dates:

• Wednesday, February 11 at 9:30 a.m.

• Wednesday, February 25 at 6:00 p.m.

All tours will begin in the school’s media center. Please see the flyers below created by the HMS PTSA for additional details. We encourage all 5th grade parents to attend if possible.

La Amistad is continuing services for Hawthorne Elementary students and currently serves 18 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.

Afterschool Clubs that still have spots available for second semester!!!

Opportunities include:

• EIM Dance (Various grade levels)

Use the links below to explore all options and sign up today, spots may fill quickly!

Hawthorne Elementary School is excited to share that i9 Sports spring sign-ups are now available! Registration must be completed by Monday, January 26th. i9 Sports is the nation’s largest youth sports provider, offering high-quality, community-based programs for kids ages 3 and up. Popular sports include flag football, soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball, lacrosse, and tennis. i9 Sports is committed to age-appropriate instruction, fun, and teaching valuable life skills, including good sportsmanship, teamwork, and confidence. See flyer for details on how to sign your child up.

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!

Join us for upcoming sessions of our Parent & School Partnership Series! These sessions are designed to provide parents with strategies to support their child’s academic growth, well-being, and success.

Upcoming Sessions:

• Mental Health Awareness & Effective Parent-Teacher Conferences
  Sunday, February 2nd | 8:00 – 9:30 a.m.

• Vision Planning for Lifelong Learning, Including Creating Testing Affirmations & Celebrations
  Monday, March 2nd | 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
  Wednesday, March 4th | 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Location (ALL sessions): Pleasantdale Elementary School

We encourage all parents to attend and engage in these meaningful sessions to strengthen learning, celebrate growth and support student success!

🌅 Join us in January for #ForwardTogether Forums with Interim Superintendent Dr. Sauce. Hear themes from his entry survey and share your voice as we shape the path ahead for DCSD.

• MLK Jr. 1/27 🕕 6–7:30 PM

#IStandWithDCSD #TheDeKalbDifference💙🧡

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

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! ✨

The ACCESS for ELLs test is an annual assessment for students learning English in grades K–12. It measures progress in listening, speaking, reading, and writing to help teachers support students’ language growth. Testing will take place in January, and results help determine students’ English proficiency and placement for the next school year. Please check out overview video below. You can learn more about the ACCESS test here: https://wida.wisc.edu

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