News from the Principal

It is difficult to believe that it is already May. Even though the school year is winding down, the pace of teaching and learning certainly is not. Fifth grade students are preparing for the fifth grade promotion ceremony, but they still have a solid month of learning left. Our fifth grade students will be truly missed. Most of our students will be attending Merrill Middle School, but we have students who will be going to Brody, Callanan, McCombs, Goodrell, St. Teresa's, and Weeks. We know they are leaving Hanawalt well prepared to start the next phase of their journey. We are very proud of them!


I would also like to thank the parents and grandparents who support Hanawalt through their volunteerism or through their financial support, or both. Many people have made donations, which are matched by their employers; others have mailed checks directly to school. Your financial support has allowed us to purchase three document cameras and three infocus projectors. This technology will allow us to consume substantially less paper. By the end of the year, we hope to have purchased three more sets of this particular technology. In addition, we have purchased equipment to support the literacy listening centers in the kindergarten classrooms. We have also been able to purchase sets of advanced level reading books for all of our grade levels.


We have had tremendous support from parents volunteering in the classroom this year. We truly appreciate the difference you have made. The Literacy Army this year has been lead by Nadine Patch and Sue Hetherington. More than 30 volunteers have worked one on one with children this year. Not only are children becoming stronger readers, they are developing good relationships with members of our community. If you were able to chaperone a field trip, you know how much the students learn when they leave the school campus and venture to explore Living History Farms, experience a performance at the Playhouse or the Civic Center, or perhaps learn team building skills at Greenwood Park and get to dabble in the pond and mud, or visit the Art Center to see works they have studied! These are just a few of the learning opportunities that our students have participated in within the Des Moines area. Parents make this possible not only by supporting the PTA, but also by attending the events ensuring student safety.


Thank you very much for making the 2008-2009 school year such a great one!