START UP
We are now into our second week and most of our programs will soon be up and running. I would like to thank 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.
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. Buonanno, Education Assistant
Ms. Collins, Education AssistantMs. Yorke, Education Assistant
Ms. Wilson, Vice-Principal
Ms. Tennant, Head Secretary
Ms. Benson-Mah, Kindergarten Teacher
Ms. Grant, Grade 7 Teacher
Ms. Blachford Grade 7 Teacher
Ms. Grewal, Mainstream Support Teacher
Ms. Switzer, School Psychologist
Ms. Blachford Grade 7 Teacher
Ms. Grewal, Mainstream Support Teacher
Ms. Switzer, School Psychologist
TERRY FOX RUN
Parents are invited to join us for our Terry Fox Run scheduled for Friday, September 16th at approximately 10:10am. 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" in classrooms until Thursday, September 22nd and any support would be greatly appreciated.
OPEN HOUSE
We will be hosting Hawthorne's Open House on Thursday, September 22 from 6-7pm. Parents are encouraged to meet their child's teacher and participate in the family Scavenger Hunt. This challenge will ask families to answer a few questions around the school and submit their form for a draw. We will be drawing 5 successfully completed forms and rewarding those families with TWO front row seats to the evening performance of our Christmas Concert. We hope your schedule allows you to join us.
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
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:
- 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.
- The ability of your child to function and learn at school.
- The inability of the school to meet the emotional and physical needs of a sick child.
- 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.
LICE CHECKS
With students returning to school, we are trying to be proactive with regard to head lice. It has proven to be a perennial issue in Ladner but we will do our best to keep outbreaks under control. With this in mind, we are asking for parent volunteers to join our "Lice Check" group. We are hoping to do a check for all students early in the fall so if you are interested in helping out please contact Ms. Barnes via email: skbarnes@dccnet.com. In the meantime, we ask that families consider the following precautions:
- conduct regular checks at home
- notify the school when if you have discovered evidence of lice
- avoid sharing hats, headphones, combs, coats
- discuss this issue openly to remove the stigma that prevent disclosures
- enlist the support of our Public Health Nurse for chronic cases
- keep long hair tied up in ponytails, braids or in a bun
- consider hair products with lavender, coconut/tree tea oil (can repel lice)
- regularly clean hair care accessories
- regularly clean bedding, coats, hats and upholstery
EXTRA CURRICULAR BAND GRADE 4-7
Once again, starting Thursday, Oct 13,
two extra-curricular band programs will be offered to all Ladner children
taught by Curt Jantzen and Margaret Behenna.
Beginner Band will
be offered at the following time/location
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.
Advanced Band, will be offered at the following time/location
Hawthorne Elementary 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursdays
The Advanced program is for any student with
one year or more of Band experience. The
Advanced Band typically has children in Grades 5 – 8 who are looking to further
develop their skills and to enjoy an enrichment experience in instrumental
music beyond the Beginner level.
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 at the Rental Night,
Wednesday evening, Oct. 12 at Hawthorne. If you wish further information, please
contact:
Mrs Behenna (604 946 7304 /mbehenna@dccnet.com
) or
Mr Jantzen (604 946 7304 / cjband@telus.net
)
IMPORTANT DATES
Friday, September 16th
Terry Fox Run
10:10am
Thursday, September 22nd
Open House
6-7pm
Friday, September 23rd
Professional Day
School Closed
Monday, September 26th
PAC Meeting
6:30pm
Monday, October 3rd
Individual Student Photos
Wednesday, Oct. 5th
Walk to School Day
Friday, Oct. 7th
Monthly Assembly
11am
