Principal's Message

October 10, 2018

Dear Hanlon Families,

This beautiful October weather has children playing outside during recess and during PE.  We make it a point to get kids outside into the fresh air a little bit every day as long as weather permits.  Outdoor play is important for a number of reasons. Physical exercise, appreciation of nature, and increased creativity are just a few things that come to mind.  With today’s ubiquitous access to screens, it’s more important than ever to schedule time out in nature for both children and adults. Here is a link to an article from the Child Mind Institute that makes a compelling case for getting children outside to play.  

In that vein, I wanted to give a quick update about the Hanlon playground.  WPS is working with a playground equipment company and we are in the process of getting quotes on a number of pieces.  We hope to add a slide to our existing structure and a net-climber to the space where the Moon-climber was. Although the process is slow, we are working to get replacements in as quickly as we can.  In the meantime, children are enjoying the swings, playing ball games, exploring the small area of woods, jumping rope, and playing on the existing structure. I will continue to update you on the progress of the playground.

PTO Meeting

All Hanlon Families are invited to a PTO Meeting on Monday, October 15th at 7PM in the Hanlon cafeteria.  Attending PTO meetings is a great way to connect with other parents and to find out what is happening at school.  We hope you can join us!

Student Council

Student Council members are elected by their classmates and their responsibilities include: sponsoring community service projects, gathering input from students K-5, choosing Spirit Day themes, and helping to emcee All School Meetings.  

Congratulations to this year’s Student Council members and to all who ran this year:

4R: Rhys, Campbell

4FB: Claire, Zach

5V: Emma, Sam, Maggie, Julia

5B: Henrik, Narawut, Bella, Moira

Spirit Day

At their first meeting, this year’s Student Council decided that our first Spirit Day will be a Westwood Day.  All Hanlon students are invited to wear green and white on Thursday, October 18th. Please keep hats and sports equipment at home.

Halloween Costume Drive

Fifteen years ago, a Downey family began a Costume Drive to help children in need.  The first year, 25 children received new costumes. Through the generous support of our town, 12,000 children who would not be able to dress up for Halloween have had the chance to do so.  There are many more children waiting for costumes. If you have gently used or new costumes or accessories to donate, please bag them, label them (ex: Spiderman Boys’ Size 5), and drop them off in the orange bin by the main office. Donations will be accepted through the morning of Monday Oct. 29th. No donation is too small! To see the flyer, click here.

Halloween Party

Hanlon PTO is looking forward to seeing many families at our Halloween Party Friday, October 26th from 6:30 to 8PM.  Whether your kids are drawn by the DJ, the photo booth, or the Haunted Hallway, there is sure to be something fun for everyone.  The party is not a drop-off event, and parents are responsible for supervising their children the entire time. Please help us keep things safe by ensuring that your child does not run around the gym, nor in the hallways. The Haunted Hallway is always very well-done, but it can be scary for some children. Parents are the best judge of whether or not to bring younger children through.  Due to space constraints and safety, we ask that only current Hanlon students and their younger siblings attend.

In order to put on the Halloween Party, we rely heavily on volunteers. Here is the link to sign up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4FAEAE22A4F49-hanlon3

Thank you in advance to those who have already volunteered to make the night a success!

Donate Unwanted Halloween Candy

Hanlon has been invited to join Wellesley Dental Group's 11th Annual Community Candy Drive to benefit the U.S. Troops serving overseas. From November 1st to November 8th, we will be collecting candy, handwritten notes, and cards for our soldiers.  Our goal is to teach the kids lessons in giving by encouraging them to share their extra Halloween candy with our troops overseas. These sweet treats and the handwritten cards are a reminder of home for these soldiers, and a reflection of our gratitude. The packages will be sent via CarePacks, a non-profit organization, along with oral hygiene supplies.  Let's keep this fun tradition going! Drop off candy in the box in front of the Main Office.

Can I send Halloween candy into school for my child to eat?

While there is no rule about bringing in candy to eat at school, families are strongly discouraged from sending Halloween candy in snacks and lunches.

Health Room Notes from Ms. Galvin

Health Questions or Concerns-Does your child need to take medicine during the school day? Is there a change in their health status? Is your child having surgery? If you have any health questions or concerns, please call Eileen Galvin RN 781 326-7500 Ext 8424.  You can also check out the Westwood website in the health office section for forms and answers to frequently asked questions.

Screenings-Vision screening has begun for 4th and 5th graders. The school screening program is not a diagnostic service but provides screening for vision problems.  If your child needs further evaluation, a letter will be sent home. The results are kept in your child’s health record. Please feel free to call the nurse’s office with any questions regarding screenings.  Any written requests can be sent to egalvin@westwood.k12.ma.us The next grade for screenings will be the 3rd grade with vision and hearing. 4th graders are also screened for height and weight.

Westwood Annual Family Flu Clinic-The flu clinic is available to Westwood residents ages 5 and older.  Children Under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. The flu clinic will run from 9A-12N Saturday, October 20th in the Westwood High School gymnasium on a first come first served basis.  Residents may receive the vaccine free of charge, but are asked to bring insurance cards with them so insurance can be billed.

OT Tips from Ms. Fass- Handwriting

Make handwriting fun at home!  Try liquid erasable window markers.  Car dealers use them to write on car windows.  The writing wipes off with a paper towel or wipe.  Draw for fun or have tiny writing contests to see who can write the smallest. Write their name for them to trace with a different color than the one you used.  Stand in your house in front of a window and write or draw something for them to trace on the outside of the window. Write their name backwards so they will see it correctly on the other side of the window. This will improve your own perceptual skills - it's not so easy to write backwards!

Book Fair

Hanlon’s PTO is partnering once again with Park Street Books to host our annual Book Fair on November 8th from 8:30AM-5:30PM in the Gym.  Every classroom will visit the Fair that day. Stay tuned for more information from your child’s teacher!

Picture Retakes

Picture Retakes are scheduled for the morning of November 14th.  If your child was dissatisfied with their picture, bring in the unsatisfactory pictures to return to Coffee Pond.  If your child was absent for Picture Day, you can order online or request an order form from Ms. Goldstein: agoldstein@westwood.k12.ma.us.

Used Recess Equipment Welcomed

Hanlon School accepts donations of gently used playground balls (soccer, basketball, kickball, tennis, football), sand-pails, small shovels, beach toys, plastic trucks, hula hoops, skip-a-longs, jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, etc.  Simply drop your donations off in the main office.

Hanlon School on Twitter

Did you know that we started a Hanlon School Twitter account?  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