School Information

Through the Eyes of a Child!

Dear Hawley Parents / Guardians,

A five year old child enters Hawley Elementary School on his first day of Kindergarten.  He is nervous but excited. Coming to school is a sign that he is growing and maturing. He's heard that school is a wondrous place filled with books, exploration, and play.  He's always been curious to learn, just like most children his age. He loves to draw, to sing, to run. He wants to create and build. He wants to read and write and compute just like his older sister.

This child is lucky because he has entered a school where his uniqueness will be respected and honored, where staff believe that children are naturally inquisitive.

Hawley Elementary School is dedicated to the development of literacy.  Children gain power and fulfillment from their ability to communicate. Literacy is learning to read, wanting to read, appreciating the written word, finding excitement in a good book.  Literacy is crafting one's own words, speaking from the heart and mind, moving others to new levels of understanding. Literacy is understanding the meaning of a great artist, or musical, or choreographer, and communicating your own ideas and feeling through art, music, and dance.

Hawley Elementary School is dedicated to the development of authentic and engaging learning.  Through Teaching to the Edges, we challenge and support students at their ability level and beyond.  Students become reflective learners who can assess their strengths and weaknesses. 

Hawley Elementary School is a community of learners.  Students, teachers, and parents work as a team. Older students assist younger children, and the community regularly celebrates the many achievements of its members.  Children and adults work collaboratively in an environment which strongly encourages personal best in all tasks. The expectation is simple, Work Hard & Be Nice!

A ten year old child enters Hawley Elementary School on her last day of fourth grade.  Leaving the elementary school and moving to the intermediate school makes her a bit nervous, but she knows it is a sign that she is growing and maturing.  She thinks back on her five years at HAW, and she smiles with the many wonderful memories. She remembers the supportive and creative teachers she encountered.  She recalls the excitement she felt when her classroom chicks hatched in Kindergarten, the pride when she saw her artwork in the Art Show in Grade One, the thrill when her poem was chosen and presented at the Veteran’s Day Assembly in Grade Two, the fun when in Grade Three she attended her first STEAM Night, and she recollects the exhilaration of her solo in the Grade Four Chorus Concert.

Hawley Elementary School was a home.  She knew people here cared about her. She had awakened each day of the past five years eager to climb on a school bus which would take her to a place of challenge, creativity, and involvement.  This would always be a place of fond memories.

Best regards,

Dear Hawley Families,

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year!  I am happy to report that I will be the new Lead Teacher at Hawley. While I am new to the position, I am not new to Hawley. I was fortunate enough to have both of my children complete their elementary education in this wonderful environment. In fact, my oldest daughter’s artwork still hangs in the building--and she’s 21! My younger daughter is at the high school and has fond memories of Hawley’s teachers. Both of my children built their artistic and academic foundations here at Hawley.

Some of the memories that come up most at the dinner table are the community service projects Hawley supported. From food and clothing drives to hands-on experiences in the world, my daughters learned the importance of community engagement. True to their motto, “Work Hard and Be Kind”, Hawley’s support of community service projects allows kids to build important interpersonal and civic skills. Empathy, compassion, and responsibility are just a few that come to mind. These opportunities to serve others are truly life changing. Hawley is committed to the development of the whole child.  Providing students opportunities to pursue interests, develop skills, and grow into global citizens is our foremost concern.

In addition to being a Hawley parent, I have been an educator in Newtown for 25 years. I have served at the kindergarten, second and intermediate levels. In each experience, I learned the importance of the foundational years. I value creativity, collaboration, and perseverance in the learning process.  With parents as partners, I will work to develop those ideals in your children.

Warmly,

Carla Tischio

Lead Teacher, Hawley Elementary School

In the early twentieth century, the old academy building served as a high school for Newtown. In 1920 the old academy building, mysteriously caught fire and was burned to uselessness. In the aftermath, Arthur T. Nettleton, president of Newtown Savings Bank and financial advisor to Mary E. Hawley, convinced her to donate a new High School building to the town. This became the first of several benefactions to the town from that exceedingly generous woman. The school, which was to be named for her parents, was completed in 1921 and was considered to be one of the most advanced school buildings in the state at that time. In addition to having central heating, it was completely fireproof and contained a state-of-the-art chemistry lab and full auditorium for community meetings. The building continued to be used as a High School until 1953 when a new High School was constructed on Queen Street. The Hawley School subsequently became a K-8th grade elementary school and after the conversion of the Queen Street building into a Middle School in 1974, it became a K-5th grade elementary school. The building is situated on a level 1.2-acre plot that adjoins Taylor Field which it uses for playground facilities. Taylor Field was the former Newtown Fairgrounds and it was donated to the town by Cornelius B. Taylor in the 1920's. The remains of the old fair race track can still be seen in the woods to the north of this field.

Daniel Cruson

Town Historian