Dear Hoover Hawks and Families:

Welcome to another exciting year of learning at Hoover Elementary School! I hope that all of you are enjoying the last bit of summer before school resumes and are as eager as I am for another incredible year of learning.  I am Jennifer Capitulo and it is with great pride and enthusiasm that I’m writing this letter as your new principal!  I am very excited to work with you as a partner in education to ensure our students’ success. 

The Hoover staff and I are working hard to continue the legacy of success established on campus by building strong relationships with parents, students, staff, and community partners.  We are focusing on character education, commitment to the arts, 21^st Century skills, fostering a nurturing safe environment for children, use of data to inform instruction, consistent implementation of the state adopted curriculum and the Common Core State Standards to increase students’ achievement, and in providing exciting and challenging enrichment opportunities for all students. It will be a most successful year as our team supports the academic, social, and emotional growth of your child here at Hoover Elementary School of Fine Arts.

Here are several reminders to guarantee our students’ success at Hoover: 

• Class lists will be posted in the front of the school on Monday, August 15th, by 8:00 a.m. 
• School supplies list can be found in the school website: https://hoover.whittiercity.net/
• The first day of school is Wednesday, August 17, 2022 for all students from Kindergarten to 5th grade. It is a Minimum Day and students from grades K-3 will be dismissed at 12:25 p.m., while students from grades 4-5 will be dismissed at 12:35 p.m.
• Please ensure that students arrive on campus before 8:00 a.m.  Students line up to go to class at 7:55 a.m. and our goal is to attain Perfect Attendance.  Being absent more than two times a month results in Chronic Absenteeism, which prevents our students from developing good habits of attending school and developing through their learning experiences.
• Students must wear uniforms to class every day (red, navy blue, or white polo/top and khaki or blue bottoms), with closed toe shoes for their protection.
• Our Hoover H.A.W.K.S. know their expectations at school (Have Respect, Act Responsibly, Work Together, Keep Trying their Best, and Stay Safe)
• Students are prepared when they come to class, by being ready to learn and by following the expectations of teachers and staff
• Have fun while learning!

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures: 

• Gates will be open every morning at 7:40 a.m. with supervision.  Students line up by their classrooms as they enter the campus and walk to class by 7:55 a.m. Students are not allowed on the playground before and after school.
• To ensure safety, Hoover Elementary School of Fine Arts is a closed campus; parents are not authorized to stay on campus or in classrooms.  All visitors must report to the front office.  All gates will be locked by 8:10 a.m.  Our instructional time is from 8:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. for Grades K-3, and 8:00 a.m. to 2:25 p.m. on a regular day schedule.  
• Please do not go into the classrooms without permission and keep in mind that students are dismissed by the teachers, and not by the bell. We need to ensure that learning is going on throughout the day and homework is discussed prior to leaving the class. Please be mindful of schedule changes and arrange for proper pick up in a timely manner.
• Additional announcements and updates regarding procedures and safety will be shared with parents throughout the year.  Please make sure to adhere to school rules and procedures.  Our goal is to promote and provide a safe and efficient environment for our students, parents, and staff.  
• Kindergarten is dismissed at 12:25 p.m. from August 17th to September 6th, to allow for their smooth transition to school. 

Safe and Effective Environment:

• Please adhere to entrance and exit gates.  All visitors, after school has started, are to enter through the front gates and check in the front office. Please have proper identification ready and available upon request. 
• Cell phones are NOT ALLOWED on campus.  For emergencies, we have classroom and office phones available for student use.
• If your child brings their own lunch, we highly encourage healthy lunches and prohibit items identified as “unhealthy” snacks, such as hot chips, energy drinks, sodas, Takis, and candy.  Water is the only beverage we allow in the classroom.
• Uniforms are to be worn daily unless we have special events or celebrations; a letter/flyer will be sent home during these incidents.
• To protect our instructional time and safety of students, we prohibit celebrating birthday parties in the classrooms.  Please make sure that allergies are reported to your child’s teacher and/or front office.
• Please avoid early pickups and schedule doctor/dentist appointments after-school or on weekends.  Later arrivals and early pickups can affect your child’s attendance and academic progress.
• Please complete all school forms and submit them in a timely manner.
• Check your child’s daily work and communicate with your child’s teacher or staff for any needs.  If you would like to speak with your child’s teacher, you may call, email or Parent Square your child's teacher. If you need your child's teacher's email address, please check their grade level website and you will find their email address.
• If you have any concerns, please fill out a Parent Concern Form so that we are able to help you quickly and appropriately. We will respond via email, phone call, or schedule a meeting to further discuss the issue at hand. Thank you for your support and understanding regarding this request. 

Communication:

• Please download the Parent Square app through www.parentsquare.com to get the latest news and updates from Hoover School and the Whittier City School District
• Follow our social  media through Facebook and Instagram (@hooverhawksrock)
• Bookmark our website https://hoover.whittiercity.net/ for important information regarding our school

We look forward to working with you and your child in their educational journey.  We are excited to continue our mission at Hoover as we move forward with in-person instruction:  “To produce well-rounded, life long learners by providing a quality education, so that the students can become successful and productive members within their community.”  Thank you for your continued support of your child’s education.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our office at (562) 789-3150 or send an email to [email protected].

Sincerely,

Jennifer K. Capitulo

Principal of Hoover School of Fine Arts