Thursday 17 December 2015

Thursday, December 17


FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18th
Please note that there are a few special events scheduled for tomorrow, Dec. 18th.  We are hosting our final Walk to School event for 2015 along with a hot lunch.  Our PAC will also be hosting a festive event after school, offering hot chocolate and treats for students outside our front office.  It should be a fun day!

CHRISTMAS BREAK
Please note that our Christmas break begins tomorrow (Dec. 18) at 3pm and students return to school on Monday, January 4th at 8:50am.   We hope that you have a great holiday filled by warm memories shared with family and friends.  Merry Christmas!

HEAD LICE
Head lice is a constant challenge in Ladner schools and we have experienced a number of cases at Hawthorne over the last few weeks.   During the first term,   you may  have  received  a l etter advising that lice has been found on a student in your child's classroom.  Within such a letter parents are provided with  information regarding lice checks and the procedures to follow if your child has lice.  For more information on lice click on Fraser Health.  We would also like to thank Mrs. Barnes and Mrs. Barton for their work in providing "lice checks" for classes.  We ask that parents check their children over the holiday break so that we can limit the spread of head lice in January.  

HOUR OF CODE
During the month of December, many of our students were engaged with the "Hour Of Code" and some of them were featured in a story on Delta's website.  You can read more at the following link: http://www.deltasd.bc.ca/news/591.

FREE BASKETBALL CLINIC
There will a free basketball clinic for interested students in grade 4-7 on Saturday, January 16 and 23 from 9-12noon at DSS.  Families that are interested should send an email to deltapacers@gmail.com.


IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, Dec. 18th
Hot Lunch / Walk to School

Monday, January 4th
Return From Winter Break

Friday, January 8th
Monthly Assembly
11am Gymnasium

Friday, January 22nd
Walk To School Day

Friday, January 29
Hot Lunch Day

Friday 11 December 2015

December 11, 2015


CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
As of November 30th,  our office was magically transformed into Santa's workshop.  We would like to thank Mrs. Ranu, Mrs. Pryce and Mrs. Lawless for their creative touch.  Their efforts have lifted the spirits of staff, students and anyone else who walks through the front door.  Thank you!

CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Thank you to all the parents, grandparents, friends and relatives who joined us for the Christmas concert yesterday.  It was a great event and the support was appreciated by all of our staff and students.  I would like to thank Ms. Cherry, Ms. Emigh and Mrs. Robinson for their extra efforts in support of this event.  It was a lot of festive fun and we are glad that so many of you could be a part of it. 

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL


As in past years,  our PAC will be providing hot chocolate to families at the end of the day on Friday, December 18th.  We may also have a "special" guest.  It has become a tradition at Hawthorne and makes for a nice send off as families get set to enjoy the holiday season.  We hope you and your family can join us.


GRADE 5 BOTTLE DRIVE
Please mark your calendars and spread the work ~ Grade 5’s will be in your neighbourhood Saturday January 10th for a bottle drive! They are raising funds for the annual Grade 5 trip to Camp Elphinstone in September.  If you wish to donate your bottles and cans please:
    1) leave outside your door or curb with ‘Hawthorne Grade 5’ clearly marked
    2) drop off at the front of the school on Saturday Jan 10th from 9am – 2pm
    3) contact Shari Li – sharilli@telus.net or 604-808-7310 to arrange pick up
The students and families sincerely appreciate all your support! Thank you!!

HOMESTAY FAMILIES IN LADNER
Int'l Student Program is looking for host families for students in the Hawthorne area. Each student must have a private bedroom. Homestays receive   $900/month per student. Double placements are accepted. Students will arrive   Feb. 1st and be with us until the end of June/16. If you are interested in thisopportunity please contact Tracey at tteixeira@GoDelta.ca

RED CROSS BABYSITTING COURSE
So you want to be a babysitter? Or, your parents want you to take this course so they feel confident leaving you at home alone? Babysitting with First Aid Hero emphasizes learning through real life scenarios. information covered includes: Exploring the business of babysitting, creating safe environments, safely caring for ages 0-12, and first aid skills.

Red Cross Babysitting Course
Hawthorne, Feb.19th, 2016, 8:30-3:30                        
Grade 6+     
$60 + GST online registration
http://www.firstaidhero.com/babysitting-vancouver.html

IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, Dec. 18th
Hot Lunch / Walk to School

Monday, January 4th
Return From Winter Break

Friday, January 8th
Monthly Assembly
11am Gymnasium

Friday, January 22nd
Walk To School Day

Friday, January 29
Hot Lunch Day

Thursday 26 November 2015

November 26th

NEW SCHOOL CURRICULUM
As many of you may already know,  the Ministry of Education is in the midst of rolling out a new curriculum for B.C. students.  This has been phased in slowly over the last two years with full implementation to begin in September 2016.  The district has created a helpful parent resource for information on the new curriculum and you can find it by clicking here.

CRAZY HAT DAY

Our student council will be hosting it's second Spirit Day on Friday, December 4th.  With this in mind we would like to invite staff and students to wear a "crazy" hat.  Some examples could be: a bowler, a sombrero, a grad cap, a tiara, etc.  Some students may want to make their own hat out of paper or accessorize one that they already own.  In the end,  any hat will do as long as it is appropriate.  We look forward to what should be a fun day/

DELTASSIST
Our student "We Day" committee will be collecting food and money for Deltassist beginning on Monday, November 30th until Friday December 11th.  We are hoping for donations of non-perishable food items and/or a loonie or twoonie to support Delta families in need. Your support would be greatly appreciated. If you, or someone you know, is in need of extra support during the holiday season, please consider Deltassist's Christmas programs.   Registered families can have access to food and toys. You can click here for more details and to check the eligibility requirements.

LADNER STUDENT
A Ladner Elementary student by the name of Tru Wilson was recently profiled in Vancouver Magazine's Power Top 50 list.  She is a transgendered girl who has courageously challenged conventional views on gender.   You can read more about her story by clicking here.    You can find the Delta School District's Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity procedures by visiting this link: SOGI procedures.

HOUR OF CODE
The Hour of Code is a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries and serves as a 60 minute introduction to computer science designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics.   We are encouraging students, staff and parents to check out the following website for some very easy to follow tutorials: www.hourofcode.com.  Our gr. 2-3 students will be engaged with this initiative during the week of December 7-11th and their parents are invited to attend the sessions.  This schedule will be confirmed soon and parents will be notified.

ZINC SAVES LIVES: BATTERY RECYCLING
Our "We Day" committee is currently collecting used batteries for the Zinc Saves Lives program.  Each year, nearly 450,000 children die due to complications associated with zinc deficiency.  On AA batter contains the amount of zinc that can save the lives of six children.  This We Day,  Teck has partners with Call2Recycle to help keep batteries out of landfills and get zinc to the children who need it.  For every battery recycled, Teck will donate the value of zinc it contains to UNICEF in support of our Zinc and Health partnership.   Hawthorne has had  great response so far to this initiative and any support from families would be greatly appreciated.

FREE PARENTING WORKSHOPS
Deltassist provides parenting support through its "Nobody's Perfect" course.  This programming is free with babysitting services provided.  You can find out more on the Deltassist website.

IMPORTANT DATES


Friday, Nov. 27
Professional Day
School Closed

Friday, Dec. 4th
Crazy Hat Day
All Day

Friday, Dec. 4th
Monthly Assembly
11am Gymnasium

Thursday, Dec. 10th
Christmas Concert
1:30pm and 6:30pm

Friday, Dec. 18th
Hot Lunch / Walk to School

Thursday 12 November 2015

Thursday, November 12


Hawthorne enjoyed a very successful Family Game Night on Thursday, November 5.  Families were engaged in a wide variety of activities and we had almost 200 participants.  Thank you to the many families who attended and a special thanks to our PAC volunteers,Ms. Ranu and Ms. Barnes, for their work in coordinating this great event along with the door prizes.  Well done Hawthorne!


SENSORY ROOM
For a number of years Hawthorne students and staff have enjoyed the benefits of a Sensory Room.  This room was initiated by Mrs. Hodgson (educational assistant) and sponsored by our PAC.  It features a wide array of equipment designed to help students self-regulate during the day.  Students who are using the Sensory Room (5 minute per visit) are asked to identify where they fall within the zones of regulation.  Visits are tracked by our education assistants and the data that has been collected indicates that most students are able to return to the classroom and engage in the task at hand.  Please check in with your child's teacher if you would like to learn more about how this learning tool is being used within the classroom.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT
We are pleased to announce that Hawthorne will be hosting its annual Christmas Concert on Thursday, December 10th.  There will be two shows (1:30pm and 6:30pm) and a reply form will be sent home in late November so that parents can indicate which show their family plans to attend.  Please keep in mind that due to our gym's capacity,  families will only be able to attend one of the shows and we will be restricting families to 2 seats for the evening show or 4 seats for the afternoon performance. We look forward to what should be a fun day of holiday cheer.

DELTASSIST
Our student "We Day" committee will be collecting food and money for Deltassist beginning on Monday, November 30th until Friday December 11th.  We are hoping for donations of non-perishable food items and/or a loonie or twoonie to support Delta families in need. Your support would be greatly appreciated. If you, or someone you know, is in need of extra support during the holiday season, please consider Deltassist's Christmas programs.   Registered families can have access to food and toys. You can click here for more details and to check the eligibility requirements.

STUDENT COUNCIL
Hawthorne's Student Council met for the first time two weeks ago and their first responsibility was hosting a Halloween costume day on October 30.  We enjoyed a great level of participation for staff and students which made for an action packed day with prizes for two students from each class.  We look forward to our next Spirit Day.  In the meantime, here are the student council members for 2015:

Joshua Gowler, Jake Williams, Jovin Dhaliwal, Aja Friesen, Casey Kitagawa, Ryley Ferguson, Amorey Cronmiller, Helix Hunter, Turner Broad, Colton Mclean, Jessica Khuu, Kaity Morris, Taylor Halkett, Lexy Granum, Ryan Begg, Lauren Amundsen, Chloe Koekemoer, Nathan Pannell

SNOW PASSES: Grade 4 and 5
The snow is beginning to fall and winter is just around the corner. Get a Grade 4 & 5 SnowPass for your nine and ten year olds  and get them out on the slopes this winter! Pick up a SnowPass for your 4th or 5th grader and save this winter. Snowstorms are already starting to hit parts of Canada and with all this snow comes all sorts of fun! Don't let your kids spend the winter indoors, get them out and active; try skiing and snowboarding this winter with the Grade 4 & 5 SnowPass.

Your kids have never skied or snowboarded before? No problem!  It's the perfect time to get them started. The Canadian Ski Council has everything you need to make it easy and affordable for your children to learn. Just register for a Grade 4 & 5 SnowPass for your child and receive three free lift tickets at each and every participating ski area, all across Canada. With over 150 locations participating in the program, there are hundreds of opportunities for your kids to ski and snowboard this winter!

Registering your child for a SnowPass is easy and open to any child in grade 4 or 5. Application forms are being distributed at most elementary schools across Canada and can also be found online at: www.snowpass.ca. Online registration is fast and easy, just visit www.snowpass.ca, upload your child's picture and proof of age, enter your method of payment and presto, your child's personalized SnowPass will be mailed directly to your home in days.

The Grade 4 & 5 SnowPass is a national program and is valid at over 150 ski areas across Canada including 32 ski areas in British Columbia, 19 ski areas in Alberta, 1 ski area in Saskatchewan, 2 ski areas in Manitoba, 33 ski areas in Ontario, 57 ski areas in Quebec, 8 in Atlantic Canada and 1 in the Yukon.  With ski areas participating across Canada, families will not have to travel far to put the SnowPass to use. Kids can easily track how many lift passes they have left by visiting www.snowpass.caNo matter where you live, everyone can take advantage of this fantastic offer. The only cost is a small administration/postage fee of $29.95 including taxes.

If this is your child's first time skiing or snowboarding, the Canadian Ski Council has it covered.  Sign up for a Discover Learn to Ski or Snowboard lesson package, which includes a lesson with a certified ski or snowboard instructor, lift ticket and equipment rental, all for a very low price. Check out www.skicanada.org for a full list of ski areas that offer Discover lesson packages and their package prices.

IMPORTANT DATES:


Friday Nov. 20th
Hot Lunch/Walk To School Day

Wednesday, Nov. 25th
PAC Meeting 
6:30pm Library


Friday, November 27th
Professional Day
School Closed

Thursday, Dec. 10
Christmas Concert
1:30pm / 6:30pm



Thursday 29 October 2015

Thursday, October 29th

TRAFFIC AT HAWTHORNE
As we enter our third month of school, parents are reminded to avoid driving their child to school whenever possible. The increased congestion does create a genuine safety concern for our students and taxes the skills of our crossing guards.If you must drive, please consider the following alternatives: dropping off at the pathway on Grove Avenue or at the parking lot for Hawthorne Park. Thank you in advance for your attention to this issue.


HAWTHORNE'S HAUNTED HOUSE
Our grade 7 students are currently hard at work setting up the 2015 edition of Hawthorne's Haunted House. Classes will be touring through the "House" during the day on Friday, October 30th. There will also be an opportunity for parents or former students to tour through from 3-3:30pm on that same day.  This is a fundraiser for our grade 7 classes and a $1-$2 donation is suggested.  Please note that the Haunted House will be hosted in our gym this year. It should be scarrrrry kids:)

COSTUME SAFETY FOR HALLOWEEN
We will be hosting a "Halloween Spirit" day on Friday, October 31st and we are encouraging all of our staff and students to participate by wearing a costume.  Prizes will be drawn for some lucky participants. We are looking forward to what should be a fun day.  Coming up with a creative disguise doesn't mean that safety needs to be forgotten, so here are some safety tips to keep in mind.
  • PLEASE NOTE THAT TOY/REPLICA WEAPONS ARE NOT PERMITTED AT HAWTHORNE
  • October 31 can be a chilly night so make sure that costumes are loose enough to be worn over warm clothing but not so baggy or long that trick or treaters can trip over their costumes.
  • Trick-or-treaters should wear sturdy walking shoes.
  • Choose brightly-coloured costumes that will be clearly visible to motorists. For greater visibility, add or incorporate reflective tape into the costume.
  • Make-up and face paint are better than wearing masks which can restrict breathing and/or vision. If you choose to use a mask make sure it is one that allows the child to see and breathe easily.
  • Swords, knives and similar accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.
  • Look for costumes, beards and wigs labelled "Flame-Resistant" -- nylon or heavyweight polyester costumes are best. Flame Resistant does not mean 'fire proof'. Avoid costumes with baggy sleeves or flowing skirts to minimize the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources. Costumes made of flimsy materials have been found to burn more quickly when exposed to fire sources.
Think twice before changing the colour of your eyes with cosmetic contact lenses. These cosmetic lenses should be used only under the supervision of an eye-care professional. In addition, wear time should be limited to the shortest duration possible. The lenses must never be worn while asleep, and cosmetic contact lenses should not be shared with others. 

FAMILY GAME NIGHT
Families are invited to attend our Family Game Night scheduled for Thursday, November 5 from 6:30-8pm. Our PAC has hired an outside group to host this night filled with a great range of activities for families to enjoy and plenty of door prizes. We will have a variety of stations set up with student helpers providing assistance where necessary.  We hope that your schedule allows you to attend.  Please be sure to return the RSVP if you are planning to join us.

COLDER WEATHER
As the weather begins to take a negative turn, we are asking parents to ensure that our students are coming to school with clothing that is appropriate for the conditions.  As well,  it would be helpful if your child had a change of clothes left at the school to account for those occasions when they might get wet or muddy from outdoor play.  Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
During the first two months of school,  our students and staff have been engaged in some emergency planning.  We began by reviewing our fire drill procedures in September. We also participated in the "Shakeout B.C." initiative on October 15th and hosted an  earthquake drill. The drill consisted of an initial "duck, cover, hold" response followed by an evacuation. Students and staff then mustered on the gravel field while our building assessment, search, rescue and command centre teams carried out their duties. We will be conducting another full-scale emergency drill in May to practice our student release systems. Student release is the term used in reference to how schools re-connect families during an emergency. For Hawthorne's student release, parents or other caregivers will be directed by our command centre to an area for student pick up.  With this in mind,  we ask that all parents have provided the school with a list of people that their child(ten) can be released to.  As well, we would like to have an "out of province" contact that we can share information with if necessary.  This information can be updated on Parent Connect.

I would like to recognize two parent volunteers, Mrs. Barnes and Ms. Barton, for their work in re-organizing our emergency preparedness bin and taking inventory of supplies. We strongly recommend that you have an emergency plan and supplies for your home because based on the hours that students attend school (15% of the year), it is very likely to be an event that families will have to cope with. If you should have any questions or concerns with regard to our emergency planning, please contact Mr. Carruthers at the office (mcarruthers@deltasd.bc.ca).

PHOTO RETAKES 

Please note that the photo re-takes day has changed and will now take place during the morning of Friday, Nov. 6.

IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, October 30th
Halloween Spirit Day

Thursday, November 5th
Family Game Night
6:30-8pm

Friday November 6th
PHOTO RE-TAKES

Friday, November 6th
Monthly Assembly
Gymnasium 2pm

Tuesday, Nov. 10th
Walk to School Day
Remembrance Day Assembly
Gymnasium 11am

Tuesday, Nov. 11th
Remembrance Day
School Closed

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Wednesday October 14, 2015

SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS
Last week Hawthorne hosted a parent information session on social media that was presented by Safer Schools Together.  By all accounts it was a very informative discussion and our students were engaged with the same topics during assemblies the following day.  The sessions covered a myriad of topics such as privacy, safety, bullying, self-esteem, peer pressure and new smartphone apps.  It is unfortunate that we were not able to have more parents attend the evening session as this is an area that adults should be well versed in. As you are no doubt aware, our students are venturing into a world very different from the one we faced as children. While our parents likely had similar fears and concerns for us,  the primary difference for me is the omnipresence of social media and its impact on a child's stress level or self esteem. Students can expend a lot of energy worrying about what they are missing instead of enjoying the experiences they are immersed in. When they are engaged in an activity, the pure enjoyment can get overwhelmed by a desire to "post" the event and see how many people "like" it.  For many of our students, their lives are being reviewed and refined by a group of followers on Instagram or Facebook.  Too many events or photographs are rehearsed and staged so that our students can project a life that others will "like".  Pics are adjusted, filtered and perfected leaving everyone with a distorted view of what reality looks like.  

I am wary of sounding like the "grumpy old man" when it comes to technology.  I do engage with social media and enjoy its many benefits such as connecting with relatives/friends, learning opportunities and entertainment. However, as an educator, I am genuinely concerned about the impact that social media is having on our students. It is with this in mind that I encourage you to become engaged with your child's online life and perhaps set some limits if you have not already done so.  Here are two articles that may be helpful if you choose to have a family discussion on the topic of social media:  Connected with our Phones but Disconnected from Each Other  and The Effects of Social Media: Positive and Negative.  

Thank you.  

M. Carruthers
Principal

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Over the last two weeks our students and staff have been engaged in some emergency planning. We began by reviewing our fire drill procedures on September 14th. We will also be participating in the "Shakeout B.C." initiative this week with own earthquake drill on Thursday afternoon. The drill will consist of an initial "duck, cover, hold" response followed by an evacuation.  Both drills should leave us feeling better prepared for an emergency.  If you should have any questions or concerns with regard to our emergency planning, please contact Mr. Carruthers at the office (mcarruthers@deltasd.bc.ca).


SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
Mrs. Ratzlaff will once again be hosting a book fair in the library on Oct. 21 and 22.  We are in need of volunteers to assist with this event and you can contact Mrs. Ratzlaff directly (jratzlaff@deltasd.bc.ca) if you are able to help.  Thank you in advance for your support.

PARENT / TEACHER CONFERENCES
We will be hosting our parent/teacher conferences on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, October 22 and this will result in an early dismissal on both days (2pm).  Conference booking instructions will be sent home today with students. Parents can begin booking their meetings online (Parent Connect) at 9am on Friday, October 16th.

HOT LUNCH REMINDER
Hawthorne will be hosting its first "Hot Lunch" on Friday, October 16.  Thank you to Ms. Lawton and Ms. Ranu for their work in support of the Hot Lunch program.



IMPORTANT DATES


Thursday, October 15
Shakeout BC Emergency Drill
2:30pm

Friday, October 16
HOT LUNCH DAY

Wednesday, October 21
Parent/Teacher Conferences
2pm Dismissal

Thursday, October 22
Parent/Teacher Conferences / Hot Lunch Day
2pm Dismissal

Friday, October 23
Non-Instructional Day
School Closed

Tuesday, October 27
PAC Meeting
6:30pm Library

Thursday 1 October 2015

Thursday, October 1

OPEN HOUSE
Thank you to all of the families who joined us for last week's Open House. It was a great night for people to get re-acquainted with each other and check out some of the happenings at Hawthorne.   We had a positive response to our Scavenger Hunt with hundreds of participants.   Special congratulations to the Ljungberg, Jerret, Rogers, Willford and Wischnewski families.  They successfully completed the challenges and have each won TWO front row seats to our Christmas Concert in December along with some school clothing for their children.

TERRY FOX RUN
On Friday, September 18th Hawthorne participated in its annual Terry Fox Run. Our grade seven students led us through a warm-up and then the course.   Thank you to the many parents who joined in our celebration of a Canadian hero.  Special thanks to those families who supported our fundraising efforts with all funds donated to the Terry Fox Foundation.

MONTHLY ASSEMBLIES
Parents are invited to join us for our Monthly Assemblies which take place on the first Friday of every month (with some exceptions).  These assemblies feature different discussion topics, student activities, video highlights and a group dance.  Our first assembly is scheduled for Friday, October 9th at 11am.  We hope that your schedule allows you to attend.

PORTRAIT FUNDRAISER
Professional Outdoor Portraits at Delta Municipal Hall Grounds (Oct 3/4) and Diefenbaker Park (Oct.31/Nov.1) by award winning Schurman Photography.  Back by popular demand! This fundraiser provides a great opportunity to get an awesome portrait of your family.  And it makes for a great Christmas gift!  The cost will be $40 per session - you get approx. 25 minutes (sessions booked every half hour) with a professional photographer & an 8x10 picture of your choice (colour or black and white).

Sign up for a time slot, (or 2 if you have a large group, unusually difficult toddler or just want some extra time ...note 2 time slots have to be booked back to back and the session fee will be $80 instead of $40) provide your phone number and the parent coordinator from Hawthorne will contact you.  Sign up link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4cafa62fa1fe3-portrait  Pass it on! Coworkers, neighbours, friends,  family .. the more involvement, the more successful the fundraiser will be. Need a question answered before you sign up, are interested but this date doesn't work, don't want to sign up online? ... email Leanne Pryce lpryce@telus.net or call or text 604.961.1033

GRADE 5 & 6 "REC" PASSES
Students in grade 5,6,7 and 8  can drop by any Delta Recreation facility and activate a one-year Recreation Pass. There is a $5 administration fee and student will need to present proof of birth and Delta residency. With the pass, students can skate, swim or enjoy time in the Open gym.  Accompanying youths or adults can also participate for free.  For more information you can visit www.corp.delta.bc.ca/flyers.

VISITORS
Please be sure to check in at the office whenever you visit Hawthorne during the day so that our office staff can provide you with a visitor's badge.  As well,  we ask that if you would like to meet with a teacher,  please book in advance as impromptu meetings in the hallway can lead to delays in the classroom.  Finally,  please note that student lunches can be dropped off on the table provided outside the office.

INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS
Please note that individual photographs will be taken on Friday, October 2.  Proofs will arrive back at the school then sent home for you to review. Information regarding the ordering of portrait packages will follow with the proofs.

FRENCH IMMERSION
CPF-Delta Chapter would like to invite Delta parents to an information session that will take place next week, Tuesday, Oct. 6th, at 7pm at École Burnsview Secondary School, 7658 - 112th Street. The purpose for this meeting is to inform parents, whether they have children in French Immersion, Core French, or the French IB program, about the organization and how it can provide support for students of all ages and their families, as well as to inform them of various French activities and opportunities outside of the school environment. Please refer to the attached invitation.

IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, October 2
Individual Student Photos

Oct. 5-9
Walk to School Week

Monday, Oct. 12
Thanksgiving Day
School Closed

Wednesday, October 21
Parent-Teacher Conference
Early Dismissal 2pm

Thursday, October 22
Parent-Teacher Conference
Early Dismissal 2pm

Friday, October 23
Professional Day
School Closed

Thursday 17 September 2015

Thursday, September 17th


START UP
As we approach the end of our second week, most of our programs are now up and running.  I would like to thank you parents, students and staff for making the return to school so successful.There is always a substantial amount of positive energy to be found in September and Hawthorne is off to a great start.  We are excited about the year ahead and plan to keep parents informed via our blog and website. Please note that Hawthorne will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, September 24 from 6:30-7:30pm.  We hope that you can join us and participate in a family scavenger hunt.  There will be more details sent out soon.

NEW STAFF
We are pleased to announce that a number of new staff members have joined our school community.  Please join us in welcoming:

Mr. Haydon, School Counsellor
Ms. Swenson, Grade 4 Teacher
Ms. Sundaran, Grade 2 Teacher
Ms. Bains, Grade 5 Teacher
Ms. Rennie, Learning Support Teacher
Mr. Neufeld, Learning Support Teacher
Ms. Corrigal, Learning Support Teacher





TERRY FOX RUN
Parents are invited to join us for our Terry Fox Run scheduled for Friday, September 18th at 2:15pm. We will first be gathering with all of our students in the gymnasium and then head out for a run on Hawthorne's fields. We will be collecting "Toonies for Terry" until Thursday, September 24th and any support would be greatly appreciated.


LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIES
Many families have already received a letter advising them that a student in their child's classroom has a life-threatening allergy.  These allergies vary from student to student and it is important that all of us at Hawthorne work to ensure a safe learning environment for every child.  Aside from some food restrictions we are also asking that dogs are brought to the school with extra care.  We have students who are severely allergic to canines and it is important that pets are secured on a leash and kept well away from entrances to the school building so that  everyone feels safe. Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.  

TRAFFIC REMINDER
International "Walk to School" Month is coming up in October and we are encouraging all students to walk, ride or roll to school as much as possible this year.  Walking to school has very clear health benefits, is better for the environment and creates a safer space for our school community.  We hope that you can support this initiative and continue to do so for the balance of the school year.

As students adjust to the routines and expectations of the new school year, they do not always pay attention to the safety rules when they walk to and from the school. Please take some time to discuss safety rules with your child(ren) and please drive carefully.  As you are aware, we are very concerned about the safety of our students during the peak periods of drop-off and pick-up in our school driveway.  The capacity of our driveway is not sufficient to accommodate the growing numbers of vehicles that use it for drop-off, pick-up, and visitor parking. In order to improve safety for our students and other pedestrians at school, and to increase the traffic flow in the roundabout, we are asking all drivers of vehicles including daycare, to observe the “Drop-off – Pick up” rules. These have been discussed by The Delta Police and Traffic Engineers from the Corporation of Delta. We thank you for your cooperation in this matter. We will monitor this and make the necessary changes where needed.

 DROP-OFF / PICK-UP RULES IN SCHOOL DRIVEWAY:

  • The curved lane in front of the school has been designated for "drop-off and pick-up" only.  This is a FIRE LANE and there is NO PARKING ALLOWED, however, we are allowing only drop-off, pick-up and exiting.  Do not leave your vehicle unattended, including Daycare providers.
  • Enter the “Drop-off – Pick- up” lane and proceed forward as far as possible to the next car ahead so that other cars can enter the lane.
  • Do not leave your vehicle (NO PARKING), as this blocks others from exiting.
  • Keep your place in the line up. Do not cut in front of another vehicle.
  • Please do not idle your car
  • When driving, please do not use your cell phone
  • Follow the correct flow of traffic indicated by the arrows on the road.
  • Children should use the passenger side car doors that open to the sidewalk.
Our parking lot is restricted to staff for 30 minutes before and after school. The existing parking stalls are needed for school staff as well as district staff who arrive and leave our school at different times throughout the day. If possible, please consider having your child(ren) walk to school or walk to school with them. We will continue to participate in initiatives and events that promote walking to school, teach environmental responsibility and reduce car dependency.  Please watch for an announcement, regarding our first “Walk to School” event.  

PARENT CONNECT
As with previous years, newsletters, school bulletins and PAC notices, will be posted on the Hawthorne website.  You can access the website by going to http://ha.deltasd.bc.ca.  There are also many other interesting and helpful links on the site for both parents and students. This is our fourth year with the Parent Connect program and it should be familiar to most of you.  For those who are new to the school,  please see the attached letter for more details.  Please make sure to sign in to Parent Connect, make the changes and then sign off on the forms before exiting the program.  Thank you in advance for taking care of these items.


ACCIDENT INSURANCE
For those families interested in purchasing insurance for the school year, you can visit www.kidsplus.ca for more information or you can pick up an application at the office.

SICKNESS AT SCHOOL
There are four important issues to consider as you try to determine if your child is too ill to attend school:
  1. The protection of your child.  Their recovery could be delayed and their resistance to other illnesses reduced if they are unable to rest and recover in their home environment.
  2. The ability of your child to function and learn at school.
  3. The inability of the school to meet the emotional and physical needs of a sick child.
  4. The protection of other children.
Please keep your child home if he/she:
  • Has symptoms such as a cough, runny nose, sneezing, etc.  If these symptoms do not clear up within a reasonable time, please see your family doctor.
  • Has a fever.
  • Is too sick to participate in all normal school activities.
  • Has a suspected or known communicable disease (i.e. strep throat, pink eye, chicken pox or any other undiagnosed rash).  Keep them home until they are no longer infectious.
  • Students who have vomited at home or school should remain at home until they are symptom free(48 hours is recommended).
  • If your child has exhibited symptoms of the H1N1 virus, they should be staying home for 5-7 days until they are able to return to day to day activities.
Should the school find it necessary to send your child home because of illness, please make sure you have made alternate arrangements when you are not available.  Please inform the school of these arrangements.

EXTRA CURRICULAR BAND GRADE 4-7
Once again, starting, Thursday, Oct 15, an extra-curricular band program will be offered to all Ladner children taught by Curt Jantzen and Margaret Behenna.  Beginner classes will be offered at the following times if there is sufficient enrollment:


Hawthorne Elementary           3:15-4:15 p.m.             Thursdays

This beginner program is mainly for children in Grades 4 & 5 but any child in Grades 4 and up interested in learning a band instrument can participate. As well, Advanced Band, will once again be offered.  This program is for any student with one year or more of Band experience.  The Advanced Band will take place at Hawthorne Elementary on Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m., also starting Thursday, October 15. The Advanced Band typically has children in Grades 5 – 8 who are looking for an enrichment experience in instrumental music.

Tuition for the year is $295 payable at or before the first class. Mr. Jantzen and Mrs. Behenna will visit your child’s school earlier in October.  They will demonstrate all the instruments that are taught in the program and will hand out registration information.  Children need to provide their own instrument and these are available for rent from major Lower Mainland Music companies at a very reasonable rate.   

If you wish further information prior to October, please contact Mrs Behenna (604 946 7304 /mbehenna@dccnet.com ) or Mr Jantzen (604 946 7304 / cjband@telus.net )
 For further information, please contact: 
Curt Jantzen                        cjband@telus.net            604 946 2309
Margaret Behenna            mbehenna@telus.net            604 946 7304


IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, September 18th
Terry Fox Run
2:15pm

Thursday, September 24th
Open House
6:30-7:30pm

Friday, September 25th
Professional Day
School Closed

Monday, Sept. 28
PAC Meeting
6:30pm

Friday, Oct. 2
Individual Student Photos

Wednesday, Oct. 7th
Safer School Presentation for Parents
7pm

Friday, Oct. 9th
Monthly Assembly
11am