Dear Hershey Elementary Families,

As we enter the month of May, we are officially in the home stretch of the school year — with only 13 student days remaining! Spring has arrived in full force, bringing warmer weather, longer days, and a calendar full of events and celebrations. From field trips to Field Day, Bump Up Day to summer break, these final weeks will be filled with joyful moments and continued learning.

✅ NSCAS/NWEA District Benchmarking is now behind us, and we shift our focus to celebrating growth, preparing for next year, and finishing strong. Your continued support in helping your child stay on track academically, despite the springtime busyness, is greatly appreciated.

🙌 A Special Thank You

I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you for your commitment to HPS and your child's education. Your partnership throughout the school year has been tremendous. It truly takes an entire team to make a school year successful — and your support has made a lasting difference. We are grateful to walk alongside you and your children every step of the way.

05.04-05.08 - Teacher Appreciation Week

05.04.26 - 6th Grade Invention Convention (5:30 PM)

05.05.26 - Academic Achievement Celebration (8:20-9:20)

05.06.26 - School Nurse Day

05.06.26 - TK Field Trip

05.06.26 - Seniors Walk Hallway

05.08.26 - AM + PM PK Together

05.08.26 - Bump-up Day (PK-6)

05.09.26 - Graduation Class of 2026

05.11.26 - Fire Drill

05.11.26 - School Board Meeting

05.12.26 - Elementary Spring Concert (K-3 6:00-6:30 PM | 4-6 7:00-7:30 PM)

05.13.26 - 1st, 6th, Kdg, PK - Field Trip

05.14.26 - 3rd - Field Trip

05.15.26 - Spring Pep Rally

05.18.26 - 2nd Field Trip

05.18.26 - PK Graduation (2:00 PM)

05.18.26 - Speech Pathologist Day

05.19.26 - Elementary Field Day (12:30-3:30 PM)

05.20.26 - Students’ Last Day (11:30 AM Dismissal)

🌞 Summer School Enrichment Program

At this time we do not have staff members to provide summer school enrichment.   Details will be shared, if anything changes.

📖 Summer Library Days

We're thrilled to announce that our Summer Library will be open on select days to keep reading alive!  Details will be shared soon!

📚 Library Dates to Remember – May 2026

As we approach the end of the school year, here are some important library dates and reminders for all elementary students and families:

📖 Monday, May 1 – Last Day to Take AR Tests
Be sure to finish your Accelerated Reader quizzes by this date to count toward your goals!

📗 Tuesday, May 7 – Last Day to Check Out Library Books
All book checkouts will close after this day to help us begin our end-of-year inventory.!

💰 Tuesday, May 8 – Millionaire Party
We’ll be recognizing our incredible readers who hit one million words or more—what an achievement!

📚 Wednesday, May 8 – All Student Library Books Due
Please return all borrowed books by this day. Help us keep our library in tip-top shape for next year!

TK-6 HPS April Student of the Month Nominees

This month, we take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our incredible students. Through the Hershey Public School Student of the Month program, we recognize those who go above and beyond—students who exemplify kindness, dedication, and a positive attitude in everything they do.

From September through April, teachers nominate students who consistently demonstrate qualities such as hard work, respect, and a commitment to making our school community a better place. These nominations highlight students who shine as leaders, friends, and learners.

Congratulations to all our April classroom nominees! Your efforts, positive attitude, and dedication to excellence set a powerful example for your classmates and our school as a whole. We are so proud of each of you!

Hershey Public Schools is proud to congratulate our April HPS Student of the Month nominees—students recognized by their classroom teachers for consistently modeling Respect, Ownership, Attitude, and Responsibility across our classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and playground. This recognition is sponsored by the district and celebrates Panthers who set the standard every day.

🎉 April Nominees:

TK - Bentlee McCuiston

KJ - Mila Battershell 

KM - Elliot Grandel

1J - Maverick Biere

1W - Guinevere Collins

2H - Nevaeh Troyer

2S - Maria Guzman

3K - Brynlee Thomsen 

3KO - Devin Sterner

4A - Tinley Rousey

4H - Andy Walter

5B - Chloe Terry

5T - Dalary Munoz-Antillion 

6C - Kyler Grimes 

6M - Tate Wray

TK-6 HPS April Student of the Month: Tate Wray

Congratulations to Tate Wray (6M), who has been chosen as the overall April HPS Student of the Month! Tate is an outgoing student who loves to talk about sports and all things BYU. He is easy to talk to and is always ready to share interesting statistics about his favorite players or teams.

Tate has worked hard this year to improve as a learner. While math skills come relatively easily to him, he has learned the importance of not only providing an answer, but also showing his work and explaining his problem-solving strategies. Most importantly, Tate consistently shows kindness and respect to both classmates and teachers. Congratulations, Tate—keep working hard!

Our school is incredibly fortunate to have dedicated, talented, and caring staff members who make a tremendous impact on our students every day. Throughout April and May, there are several important dates set aside to honor these remarkable individuals. We encourage everyone—students, families, and colleagues—to take a moment to express your gratitude with a kind message, a thoughtful phone call 📞, a quick text 📱, or a handwritten note ✍️. Let's show our heartfelt appreciation!

Upcoming Appreciation Dates:

Teacher Appreciation Week – May 4-8, 2026 ✏️📖
Teachers nurture, inspire, and motivate our students every day. Let’s make this week extra special by showing our gratitude for their passion and dedication.

School Nurse Day – May 6, 2026 🩺❤️
School nurses care deeply for the health and wellness of our students. Express your thanks for their compassion and expertise.

Speech Pathologist Day – May 18, 2026 🗣️💬
Speech pathologists make a profound difference in students' communication skills and confidence. Help us honor their impactful contributions.

Together, let’s ensure each staff member feels valued and celebrated for their incredible commitment to our students! 🌟

Weather Preparedness: Spring in the Air!🌸☀️

As we step into the month of May, we find ourselves in the home stretch of the school year! The days are warmer, the sun is shining longer, and our students are enjoying every moment of spring before summer break arrives.

While the weather continues to warm up, mornings can still feel a bit cool, and the temperatures can shift throughout the day. Please help your child dress in light layers—like a sweatshirt or jacket in the morning that can be easily removed by afternoon.

As always, we are committed to keeping students safe and comfortable during outdoor play. Here are a few friendly reminders:

🧥 Layer Up: On cooler mornings (below 50°), a sweatshirt or light jacket is still recommended.
👟 Play-Ready Attire: Tennis shoes and comfortable clothes help students move safely and confidently during recess and P.E.

🎶 Hershey Spring Sing – Mark Your Calendars! 🌿🦁

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Spring Sing performances on Tuesday, May 12 in the Activities Center! Our students have been working hard and can’t wait to share their performances with you.

🕕 PK–3 Performance

6:00 PM (Students arrive at the competition gym by 5:45 PM)

Students will perform “It’s a Jungle Out There”

Dress themes by grade:

TK/Kindergarten – Hyenas (brown or black)

1st Grade – Elephants (gray)

2nd Grade – Monkeys (brown)

3rd Grade – Cheetahs (cheetah print or yellow/tan)

🕖 4–6 Performance

6:45 PM (Students arrive at the competition gym by 6:30 PM)

Students will perform “The Lion King Kids”

Dress themes by grade:

4th Grade – Hyenas (black or brown)

5th & 6th Grade – Animals, flowers, or foliage (bright colors or jungle/savanna theme)

🎭 Students with main roles will receive additional costuming information.

🌺 We are also looking for help with tropical décor (large flowers, faux plants, etc.) to help transform the stage into a jungle setting. If you’re able to help, please reach out!

📢 Note: Due to streaming rights, there will be no live stream of the performances.

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating our students’ hard work!

— Mrs. Anderson

Stay sharp this summer by participating in our IXL Summer Challenge! IXL is a trusted and proven learning platform used by millions of students nationwide. It offers interactive skill practice tailored to each learner.

📍 Who: Students who completed Kindergarten–6th Grade
📅 Challenge Dates:

Starts: June 1, 2026 (12:15 AM)

Ends: August 1, 2026 (11:45 PM)

🎯 Goal: Correctly answer 2,500 questions!
🎉 Reward: Pizza Party with Mr. Thomsen at the start of the 2025–26 school year!

To log in, go to: https://www.ixl.com

Available on desktop, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Kindle.

If you need your child’s login, please contact the school office or email me directly at jared.thomsen@hpspanthers.org.

Let the Summer IXL Leaderboard Challenge begin!

We’re so proud of everything our Panthers have accomplished this year. Let’s finish strong and make these last few weeks memorable, meaningful, and fun!

On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, our school will be conducting a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) Evacuate/Relocation Drill. This drill helps us prepare for situations where it may be necessary to safely exit the building due to a potential concern inside.

There is nothing your child needs to do to prepare. Teachers will review expectations with students ahead of time so they feel comfortable and understand the process.

During the drill, all students will be evacuated to designated locations outside the building and will then return to their classrooms. The remainder of the day will continue as normal, including regular dismissal procedures.

Thank you for your support as we work to ensure a safe environment for all students.

As we enter the month of May, we are filled with appreciation for the incredible growth and accomplishments of our students throughout this school year. This final stretch is always a special time—one that brings reflection, celebration, and excitement for what lies ahead. The energy in our classrooms remains strong as students continue to learn, grow, and demonstrate the progress they’ve made.

We are truly grateful for the partnership we share with our families. Your continued support, encouragement, and involvement play a vital role in creating a positive and successful learning environment for all students. Together, we have built a school community grounded in kindness, respect, responsibility, and strong Panther pride.

As we finish the year, our focus remains on ending strong while also celebrating the many achievements of our students. May is a time to recognize hard work, enjoy special moments, and prepare for a well-deserved summer break.

Thank you for your continued support of Hershey Public Schools. We are proud of all that our students have accomplished and look forward to celebrating these final weeks together. Wishing you and your family a joyful end to the school year and a safe, relaxing, and fun-filled summer ahead.

Go Panthers!

Jared Thomsen
Elementary Principal

📞 (308) 368-5572
📧 jared.thomsen@hpspanthers.org

Empowering All Students to Reach Their Full Potential.

"Learn, Grow, Thrive - Hershey Public Schools"