Hanlon Core Values
Welcome to the Paul R. Hanlon School, a K-5 elementary school where we strive to foster the best possible environment for teaching and learning. At Hanlon, we celebrate and honor the similarities and differences of individual students while building a learning community where children feel safe, known, and challenged. The Hanlon staff is committed to seeking continuous improvement, supporting high expectations, and providing challenging learning experiences that facilitate each child's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth. We value collaboration, perseverance, and risk-taking. We encourage all children to give their best, and to view their mistakes as learning experiences that build character and resiliency. Our core values guide how the Hanlon community learns, works, and plays together.
THE HANLON SCHOOL’S CORE VALUES
Achieve academic success in a safe and nurturing environment
Develop knowledge and understanding through exploration and discovery
Demonstrate effort, pride, respect and responsibility
March 19, 2019
Dear Hanlon Families,
It’s been an exciting couple of weeks here at Hanlon! Spring officially begins this week, and the days are getting longer!
Healthy and Strong at Hanlon
March is a month where we are celebrating being Healthy and Strong in body and mind. Ms. Jennings (PE Teacher), Ms. Galvin (Nurse) and Ms. Sharpe (1st Grade Teacher) have dreamed up a calendar of events and experiences to get kids thinking about being healthy and active. Topics include fueling your body with healthy foods, getting your body moving, mindfulness, and making healthy choices such as washing hands, getting enough sleep, drinking water, and wearing sunscreen. A special food tasting is planned for next week, and we will have a Healthy and Strong Celebration outside at the end of the month!
Parent Workshops
Westwood Public Schools has done a series of Parenting Workshops this year. On Tuesday, March 19th, Danielle Murray, a Safe and Welcoming Schools presenter and member of the Boston Public Schools Equity Office, will be presenting a workshop on preventing bias-based bullying in the Little Theater at Westwood High School. Participants will look at bullying in schools and develop techniques to empower students to become leaders in creating healthy school environments.
On Thursday, April 4th at 7PM at the Deerfield, WPS will host Lynn Lyons who will be speaking to parents on How to Emotionally Equip our Kids: Patterns to Foster, Patterns to Watch For, and Why Prevention Works. Lynn Lyons is a clinical social worker and psychotherapist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adults and children. She will talk to participants about the skills we can (and should) be teaching our children. Many thanks to the Hanlon PTO for their generous support of this speaker.
Student Council Announcements
Our next Spirit Day will take place on Tuesday, March 26th: Student-Teacher Flip Day. Students can dress like a teacher and teachers will dress like students.
Student Council is sponsoring a gently-used book drive to benefit More Than Words, a youth-run book store located in Waltham. Books will be collected through April 5th.
Whole School Enrichment
Thanks to the generosity of our PTO, Hanlon students will be treated to two exciting dance groups. On March 15, the Harney Academy of Irish Dance showcased their Irish step dancing. The performance included balletic soft shoe reels, exciting hard shoe jigs, and highly coordinated team dances. The children were mesmerized by the young dancers! On March 25, the Bamidele Dancers and Drummers will visit Hanlon. This Afro-Brazilian/Caribbean group will perform songs and dances from Africa and explore the migration of African culture to the Caribbean and Brazil. Having these two dance groups is sure to get children excited for Hanlon’s first International Fair which is scheduled for May 23rd.
Black History Month
Have you seen the beautiful murals hanging in the Hanlon hallways? One of several experiences planned during Black History Month, each classroom created a collaborative mural of an influential person of color. Be sure to stop by to see Nelson Mandela, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Michelle and Barack Obama, and more! Still looking for ideas? Check out this flyer created by Inclusive Westwood outlining some great books, museums, and ideas for Black History Month and beyond!
Kaleidoscope of Friends
During Inclusive Schools Week in December, we read a book called The Day You Begin. Hanlon students and staff thought about something that makes each one of us special or unique. Here is a short video that is sure to warm your heart!
InvestWrite Challenge
Many of our Hanlon 5th graders participated in the InvestWrite Challenge this year. For this optional essay contest, students had to choose an entrepreneur and give that person investment advice. Hanlon had two NATIONAL winners! Julia Drainville won first in the country with her essay on the advice she would give to Clara Barton of the American Red Cross. Grace Meuer won ninth place for providing TOMS Shoes with her financial advice. The winners were surprised with a Prize Patrol visit from the SIFMA Foundation. Click here to read more! Congratulations to all students who submitted essays, and to Mr. Goguen, Ms. Velluti, and Ms. Burke for their hard work!
Notes from the Health Room- by Ms. Galvin
What do I do if my child will need to take medicine during the school day or will need to stay inside for recess due to illness or injury? If you have any questions. please call Mrs Galvin at 781 326-7500 ext 8424. You can also check out the Westwood Public Schools website under the health office section for forms and answers to frequently asked questions.
Emergency Information-Please check your emergency information in Aspen and update if necessary. It is very important that you can be reached in case of an emergency. If your phone number or email has changed, please make sure you change it in Aspen.
Hand Hygiene-Please remind your children to wash their hands frequently during the school day. This helps reduce illness for your child as well as the school community, Also, please remind them to cough into their elbow instead of their hands. This helps reduce the spread of illness.
Fever and Vomiting Guidelines-If your child has a temperature greater than 100, please call Mrs. Galvin at 781 326-7500 ext 8424 or e-mail egalvin@westwood.k12.ma.us We ask that students with a fever stay home for 24 hours after the fever is gone without taking fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol or Advil. Likewise, please keep your child at home for 24 hours after vomiting. Often a parent will ask if an illness is going around. We only know what is reported, so please let me know. All information is kept strictly confidential.
Healthy Habits-During the month of March, I will be visiting classrooms to discussing topics related to optimal sleep habits, adequate hydration, mindfulness. . Please ask your child what they have learned!
Hanlon School on Twitter
Follow @HanlonSchool_ps to see photos of our #HappyatHanlon kids!
School Committee
Did you know that Carol Lewis is Hanlon’s School Committee Representative? If you have questions, contact Ms. Lewis at clewis-sc@westwood.k12.ma.us
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