Hawthorne Elementary School -

Harley absolutely loves when the kids read to him. 📚🐶 He listens so patiently —storytime is definitely his favorite part of the day!

📚🎉 Shoutout to the incredible readers in Classroom 402 who read over 1,768 books during the month of March for Everybody Reads! 🙌 As the top-reading class, they earned a special reward — two lucky students got to smash a whipped cream pie into the faces of our principal and assistant principal! 🥧😄 Huge thanks to Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Greenfield for being such great sports and showing their love for literacy in a fun (and messy!) way. 💙 Way to go, readers — we’re so proud of your dedication during this year’s Everybody Reads campaign! Keep turning those pages! 📖✨ #HawthorneReads #EverybodyReads #ProudPrincipalMoments

Kathy Dang from Hawthorne Elementary received the 46th Public School Proud Grant this morning! She will use $2,270.17 for her proposal, “Imaginati-ON.” With the funds, Kathy plans to purchase watercolor pencils, acrylic paint, gelli printing materials, shape hole punchers, paintbrushes, embroidery hoops, cardstock, and figurines for photo projects that will be used by 300 K-5 students. In the application, she wrote, “I would like to purchase a variety of art making materials to help increase curiosity and imagination. The elementary art curriculum covers a wide range of art themes and concepts. This grant would help me to encourage hands-on learning in a variety of mediums and would provide the interest and novelty in art materials to keep my students engaged, creating, and imagining. I truly believe that first our students need to learn the foundational skills to create, and then they can start being imaginative through the art-making process. Being able to sustain activity and think outside the box are crucial skills for all students to cultivate at a young age.” The Winker family donated $100,000 to the Education Foundation to enhance visual arts programming, and we love seeing the creative projects we have been able to support with their gift!

Thursday, April 10th, Hawthorne Band, Orchestra & 2nd Grade chorus held a Matinee for students.

Dakota Academy of Performing Arts (DAPA) performed for 4th & 5th grade students. A NEW NORM is a musical based on the children's book, A NEW NORM by Tom Roberts. It is about coping with anxiety, depression, grief, anger, doubt, shame, fear and more. The performance was followed by a discussion led by their facilitator. During this discussion, students could ask questions and had the chance to voice their thoughts and opinions about the show..

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Third-grade students recently completed an economics project where they researched an item they wanted to create, then made it using paper products. After crafting their items, they marketed and sold them to their classmates, while also buying products from others. This hands-on experience allowed students to learn about production, marketing, and basic economics in a fun and engaging way

AI in Education - Let’s talk about it! Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world, and education is no exception. The Sioux Falls School District invites all families and community members to join us for a series of district-wide Family Listening Sessions focused on the use of AI in education. All sessions run 6-7 PM and are open to everyone in our community! Led by District leaders, these sessions will explore important questions, including: 🤖 How is AI being used in classrooms today? 🤖 Can AI personalize learning experiences for students? 🤖 Does it help or hinder the quality of student work? 🤖 Should teachers use AI tools when planning lessons? 🤖 And most importantly, how should AI be used in education? Join us at one (or all) sessions: 📍Tuesday, April 15th at Laura B. Anderson Elementary 📍Thursday, April 17th at George McGovern Middle School 📍 Tuesday, April 22nd at Roosevelt High School

Classroom 103 – Skol Vikings! – are the champions of our Hawthorne Attendance March Madness tournament! They battled through four exciting rounds and came out on top, earning this well-deserved title! To celebrate their dedication and teamwork, they enjoyed a delicious pizza party! Let’s give a big shoutout and round of applause to Classroom 103 for their amazing effort and commitment! Way to go, 103!

During the March science classes with Ms. Bierstedt, 3rd grade students had a chance to do a fish dissection. Students worked for several months learning about animal traits and adaptations. During the dissection, we looked at scales, fins, and gills. Students used dissection scissors to find some of the internal adaptations including the liver and water bladder. Hands on activities like this are important as students connect what they've learned with the natural world. And they had a lot of fun!

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If you have a child heading to middle school, please make sure to update vaccines. Tdap and Meningococcal vaccines are required to students entering middle school.

South Dakota Assessment Schedule for 3rd, 4th & 5th grade students Testing Schedule: April 8 - 11 5th Grade Science and English Language Arts Testing April 14 - 18 5th & 3rd Grade English Language Arts Testing - 4th Grade Math Testing April 22 - 25 5th & 3rd Grade Math Testing - 4th Grade English Language Arts Testing To help your child feel confident and ready for the South Dakota Assessment, make sure they get a good night’s sleep before testing days and start each morning with a healthy breakfast to fuel their brain. Encourage your child with positive words and remind them that all you expect is for them to try their best. A calm, supportive environment and a little extra cheerleading can go a long way in helping your child feel prepared and capable!

National Assistant Principals Week - April 7-11 From supporting teachers and encouraging students to navigating the unpredictable and helping schools run smoothly, our APs do it all! They are stead leaders, trusted problem-solvers, and champions of our school culture. Please join us in thanking our APs for their dedication, leadership, and commitment to making every day better for students and staff. Thank you Mrs. Greenfield, your impact does not go unnoticed!

Hello Sioux Falls School District Families, Preparations for the 2025-2026 school year are underway! With a district our size (25,000 students), it is vital we have an accurate student count so we can staff appropriately and create teacher and student schedules. #1: None of our information has changed since last year. Do I still need to complete the Annual Update? Yes! Every child who will attend school in the Sioux Falls School District for the upcoming school year MUST have an annual update completed. This is REQUIRED every year to assure student information such as data privacy, emergency, and health information is correct and up to date. #2: Have you moved in the last year? If you have moved since your last annual update, enter your new address in your annual update. Address verification is required and can be emailed or brought to your child’s school. The following are accepted: One (1) document in the name of the parent/guardian clearly indicating the address. Document provided must be current and dated the current or previous month. Verification examples include Lease Agreement, Utility Bill, Mortgage Document, or Homeowner’s/Rental Insurance Please note that annual updates will be placed on hold until proof of address has been provided. #3: Are you leaving the Sioux Falls School District? Please contact the school your child attends to let them know your child won’t be returning in the fall and where your student will be going. The Annual Update is quick and easy! The annual update can be completed in just a few minutes through your Infinite Campus parent portal account here: Parent Portal If you need a password reset, please call your child’s school or the Student Records and Registration Office at 605-367-7952 during normal business hours.

We have officially reached our goal of reading 10,000 books! We are currently at 13,961 and we haven't even collected all the papers yet! WAY TO GO HAWTHORNE HUSKIES!!!

We are grateful for our amazing EA's and appreciate all  the support you offer to our students and Hawthorne!

Dates- May 29 - Aug 14th Hours- 6:30am - 6:00pm Rates- $370 bi-weekly, per child Hot Lunch/afternoon snack included. Swim passes are not included and must be paid for by the family. Age Requirements- Students must have completed Kindergarten - 5th grade during the 2024/25 school year. Students that attended Junior Kindergarten PLUS+ through the Sioux Falls School District can enroll. PLEASE NOTE: Incoming Kindergartners for the 2025/26 School Year Program are NOT age-eligible, as they do not meet the age requirements for the 2025 Summer Program. Tuition Assistance- Applications are being accepted NOW! See email confirmation for more details once this application has been submitted.

We are officially in the home stretch of the 2024-2025 school year, and every school day counts! Being present, both physically and mentally, sets students up for success now and in the future. Consistent attendance equals better learning, stronger habits, and more opportunities. Missing just a few days can add up and make it harder to stay on track. Let’s finish strong by showing up, staying engaged, and making these last months count! See you in school!