Hawes Highlights 3/30/26

Posted Date: 03/29/26 (05:00 PM)

Be Hawesome

Congratulations!

Dear Hawes Families,

A huge congratulations to Theo (Kindergarten-Largey), who earned the Film Production Award in this year's PTSA Reflections Program. We are incredibly proud of his courage to share his creativity and his impressive talent behind the camera.

Thank you to Theo's family for attending and supporting him, and to our PTS President, Kristen Hardin, for being there with me to celebrate all the student artists throughout HBCSD.

We hope Theo's achievement encourages even more Hawes Hawks to participate next year and share their voices and talents through the arts.

Intent to Return to Hawes Survey

Please take the time to complete the survey if you have not already done so. The link is included here for returning TK-5 students. Please click on the link below if your child will be in this grade band for the 2026-2027 school year. You can enter multiple siblings on one survey.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeIfY67XHyiMis3COmCP-1mBStFeozc9MxRsniW8zGQ2EDdfA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=108647446683732231904

Early Literacy Screening for K–2 Students

Starting in the 2025–2026 school year, California law (Senate Bill 114) will require all school districts to screen students in grades kindergarten through second grade (K-2) for potential reading difficulties.

Last year, in preparation for this statewide requirement, the Huntington Beach City School District (HBCSD) formed a pilot committee of K-2 teachers and specialists to evaluate two state-approved screening tools. After a thoughtful review, the committee recommended Multitudes, a free and research-based screener developed by the University of California, San Francisco. In June, the HBCSD Board of Trustees approved this recommendation.

Multitudes is a reading screener that will be implemented this spring. The screener tool is designed to help identify early reading challenges, allowing students to receive the support they need to become confident and capable readers. The screener is conducted one-on-one between the student and their teacher, using two digital devices, and takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. It is available in both English and Spanish, and scoring is managed by the program with teacher review.

The student screening period will take place from April 13 through May 8, 2026. Results will be sent home in May 2026. If you would like to opt your child out of the reading screener, please complete this form no later than Friday, April 3, 2026, by 4:00 PM.

We will continue to share updates and resources with families as we prepare for implementation. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting student literacy.

I wish you all a very Happy Spring Break! There will be no school from 4/6/26-4/10/26.

In Partnership Always,

Dr. Fran Hansell

A Message From Hawes ‘Y’ and Director Matthew Pellet

All-Inclusive Summer Adventure Awaits at the YMCA!

Our 2026 Summer Day Camp is designed as an All-Inclusive Pass to discovery, growth, friendship building and high-energy excitement.

Weekly Skill-Building Clubs: From artistic innovation to engineering, our "club" style blocks allow campers to dive deep into specific interests and develop real-world talents.
STEM & Strategic Thinking: Whether they are participating in "Code Quests" or "The Great Build Off," your child will engage in daily hands-on STEM challenges.
Leadership Development & Service Learning: We empower our campers to lead! Through our service learning projects, kids gain "social agency" by giving back to their local community.
Weekly Championships: Every Friday, we celebrate our progress with "Playoff" challenges to make your child shine.

Field trips and ten themes all summer long! Space is limited and filling fast!

Please contact Matthew Pellett for more details:

mpellett@ymcaoc.org

Register Today: https://ymcaoc.org/summer

PBIS Ready to Learn

Testing season is approaching, and it's a great time to remind our students about one of our Hawes PBIS expectations: Ready to Learn.

Students do their best thinking when they come to school well rested, nourished, and on time. These small routines make a big difference in helping children feel confident and prepared.

Thank you for your partnership in supporting our Hawes Hawks as they continue to SOAR.

Hawes Defining Behaviors

School Information

Information and Details

Thursdays will be Early Dismissal every week!

TK - 12:10

K/3 - 1:26

4/5 - 1:35

Thank you for making a note of this and for planning to pick your child up on time.

Arrival time no earlier than 8:15 am! Please do not drop off your child early, as there is no supervision. Thank you!

Arrival Safety Reminder

If your child needs to exit the car on the traffic side, please wait for one of our valet staff members to open the door and guide your child safely to the sidewalk.

Student safety is our top priority during morning arrival, and our team is there to help ensure every Hawes Hawk arrives safely. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.

Emergency Contact Information

Please make sure you have up to date emergency contact information for your child. It is important that staff know who has permission to pick up your child every day.

Lost & Found will be donated to a local charity on 4/3/26. Please put your child's initials on their belongings, so we can return items to them.

Absent? Please contact the office We encourage you to plan your trips over the scheduled breaks. Please make plans for day trips to Disneyland etc. for the weekend. We all understand how difficult it is when we are absent from work and the same holds true for students.

If your child is absent from school, please report this absence by emailing: Hawesattendance@hbcsd.us or calling the school office at : 714.963.8302 then press 1. THANK YOU for doing all you can to bring your child to school every day and to minimize the amount of time they are absent due to vacations etc. We appreciate you taking trips during non-student days whenever possible.

Independent Study Contracts If your child is going to be absent from school due to vacation/or travel for four (4) or more days, please contact the school office to request an Independent Study Contract. Please understand that we need at least two weeks prior to the start date of the absence in order to prepare materials. Here are some key points to remember:

Independent Study Contracts are requested through Monica Jagiello (mjagiello@hbcsd.us) in the office.
By law, the maximum number of days for an independent study are 15 days for the entire school year.
In order to receive credit, your child must complete all the work for the Independent Study Contract.

Upcoming Events

Every Thursday is Early Dismissal -

TK 12:10 pm

K-3 1:26 pm

4-5 1:35 pm

We appreciate your promptness in picking up your child on time.

PTSA Updates:

Farmers Market 4/1/26 An opportunity for all classes to shop (free) for local produce

Spring Fling 4/18/26 5:30-11:30 pm at Harborside, Newport Beach Bidpal.net/HawesSpringFling2026

Used Book Fair During Earth Week 4/21-4/23.

Talent Show 6/5/26.

Inclement Weather Dismissal: All gates will be opened (back gate, TK/K gate, and front library gate). Students are picked up from the classrooms. ONLY ESN 3-5 class may enter through the front office due to mobility issues of some students and being an interior classroom. These parents may park in the valet line and enter through the office. NO OTHER PARENTS ARE ALLOWED TO WALK THROUGH OFFICE TO PICK UP SIBLINGS, RATHER THEY WALK OUTSIDE TO PICK UP THROUGH THE GATES. (If a child is in K and there are older siblings to be picked up, please exit to the front of school and walk through the library gate, not through the front office.) This will be added to the Handbook. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Hawes Elementary Website