WEEK 3

Community Mural Paint Day is rescheduled to TOMMOROW, MONDAY, AUGUST 18th 5pm -6pm

Dear Hawthorne Elementary Families,

As we begin Week 3 of the 2025–2026 school year, our Hornets are truly soaring!

Thank you for your continued support in helping us boost daily attendance. Every day counts, and your partnership plays a vital role in ensuring our students are present, engaged, and ready to learn.

A special thank you to the parents who were invited to and attended our first Attendance Round-Up! We appreciate your commitment to understanding our attendance policy and the important role it plays in student success.

Our focus remains on academic excellence, student well-being, and strong school-family connections. Whether you're volunteering, participating in the PTA, attending school events, or staying in regular contact with your child’s teacher, your involvement truly makes a difference.

📌 Please return the No Bullying Pledge form and the Bus Rider Agreement form.
Take a moment to review both documents with your child(ren), sign them, and return them to school. These forms are part of our commitment to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment—both in the classroom and on the school bus.

📌Community Mural Paint Day is rescheduled to TOMMOROW, MONDAY, AUGUST 18th 5pm -6pm

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Shoutout to our amazing 4th & 5th grade parents who signed up for Track & Cross Country! 🎉 We’re gearing up for an exciting season filled with energy, teamwork, and fun competition.

Our coaches — Ms. Martin (Boys’ Coach) and Ms. Shegog (Girls’ Coach) — will be reaching out soon with all the details you need: practice times, season updates, and ways to keep our athletes motivated.

Let’s make this season one to remember! 🏅🔥

Please see below, two important Reminders Regarding Carpool:

Pet Policy and Safety: Parents, while we appreciate that your dogs are an important part of your family, we must prioritize the safety of our staff and the efficient retrieval of your students during carpool time, please maintain control of your dogs or leave dogs at home so that our staff can assist your child safely and efficiently. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. This measure will help us maintain a smooth flow of traffic and minimize any potential distraction.
Preparation for Safe Exit: As you approach the carpool sidewalk, students should be ready to exit the vehicle promptly and safely. Have backpacks, lunchboxes, and other belongings organized and ready to go in preparing students to exit the car quickly to minimize delays and ensure a smooth flow of traffic.

Also, a Reminder for these important dates

PBIS Sprit-Week (Monday, August 25th - Friday, August 29th
Hawthorne Curriculum Night is on Wednesday, August 27th at 5 p.m.

Lastly, parents we want to continue have your presence and partnership in our school building and for field trips, please see DCSD's volunteer training and levels link below to support.

Thank you for allowing us to nurture and educate your children!

Proud to Serve,
Principal Henley
#OneTeamOneDream #WeAreALLIN

TWITTER

Curriculum Night

Reminder that Wednesday, August 27th is our Curriculum Night, an important evening to kick off the school year and set your child up for success.

What is Curriculum Night?

It’s our educational open house, held by grade level, where parents receive essential information that will support their child’s learning all year long.

AGENDA

5:00–5:15 – Introduction of HES Staff

5:15–5:45 – Annual Title I Meeting

5:45–6:15 – School-Wide PTA Meeting

6:20–6:50 – 1st Classroom Session

7:00–7:30 – 2nd Classroom Session

**** It is Important to Note: Times may adjust slightly if our general meeting ends early sessions will begin immediately after.****

During Curriculum Night, you can expect:

*Teacher presentations on the DCSD curriculum

*An overview of classroom routines and expectations to help students thrive

*Information about school-wide resources and supports available to your family

We look forward to your presence and partnering with you to make this an amazing year for your child!

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

7:00 am

Tardy bell 7:45

Morning announcements begin at 7:40

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

🚗✨ Arrival & Dismissal Reminders ✨🚶‍♀️

Reminder: As we kick off a successful school year, please review and follow our arrival and dismissal expectations to ensure a smooth and safe day for all students:

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

After School Activities Are Back! 🎉

Afterschool Clubs that still have spots available!!!

Opportunities include:

EIM Dance (Various grade levels)

Use the link below to explore and sign up today, spots may fill quickly!

EIM DANCE, Fridays: 2:30 - 4:00 (PRE-KK - 5TH)

Please complete Meal Application Information 2024-2025. Only 1 Application Needed per Family:

Please ALL complete this application process even if you plan to bring lunch for your child daily or believe that you will not qualify. This is very important, this impacts funding for Title 1.

Please click link for English/Spanish application.

https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/featured-news/free-reduced-meal-applications-sy-2024-2025/

Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer for the DeKalb County School District! 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.

Steps to Complete the Volunteer Process:

Complete the Volunteer Application and Release Form:

Review and Complete the DCSD Volunteer Code of Conduct:

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

Fall 2025 Volunteer Training Dates

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

August 20 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
August 27 – 12:00 PM
September 10 – 12:00 PM
September 17 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
September 24 – 12:00 PM
October 1 – 12:00 PM
October 8 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
October 22 – 12:00 PM
October 29 – 12:00 PM
November 5 – 12:00 PM
November 12 – 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM
December 3 – 12:00 PM
December 10 – 12:00 PM

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!

pdf

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DCSD Volunteer Public Safety.pdf

Volunteer Flyer 2025.pdf

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This form includes critical information regarding your child’s dismissal plans and any medical needs, both of which are essential to ensuring your child’s safety and well-being on the first day and every day after.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter, we appreciate your partnership in keeping our Hawks safe and supported!

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE HES STUDENT INFORMATION FORM

DO you know someone passionate about education and leadership? Encourage them to declare candidacy for the 2025–2026 Principal Advisory Council (PAC)! We need 1 parent to join us!

Candidate declaration is open now through Friday, September 5, 2025.

PAC members:

Promote transparency & shared decision-making
Review the Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP)
Help shape the school’s vision
Serve as liaisons between school and community

👉 Declare candidacy here: Candidate Declaration Form

https://form.jotform.com/electionbuddy/2025-dekalb-fall-pac-declarations.

Questions? Contact schoolgovernance@dekalbschoolsga.org or (678) 676-0718.

Let’s build strong parent and staff leaders across DeKalb!

There are also additional resources for potential candidates on our website (https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/principal-advisory-councils/) and below:

Additional Resources for Council Elections

Hawthorne ES has the BEST events—hands down! From unforgettable family nights to, spirit wear, staff appreciation, and more… our PTA is behind it all!

But we can’t do it without YOU.

Whether you can volunteer your time, share your ideas, or simply stay connected, your involvement makes a huge difference in our school community. Every parent is welcome and every voice matters!

🦅 Why join the PTA?
✔️ Help plan amazing events
✔️ Support teachers and students
✔️ Build community
✔️ Stay in the loop

Let’s work together to make this the best year yet at Hawthorne ES!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE HES PTA

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HAWTHORNE PTA