Hello Hickory Families!

The PTA's Staff Appreciation Committee is busy planning for Teacher Appreciation Week May 4-8. This year's theme is "Farmers Market", and we need your help bringing it to life. There are a couple of ways you can contribute:

Purchase an item from our Amazon Wish List

Sign up to donate an item for the luncheon we're planning

Both links are included below for your convenience.

We will also be looking for volunteers to help decorate and help with our teacher meals that week. Keep an eye on your email as well as our social media pages for those opportunities.

Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/23QDYEFGTMS9Q?ref=cm_sw_sm_r_un_un_TXg4GBLpjVdtv&content_source=fb&fb_content_id=Q9-wBQGv5zl9I0lGmyjBVpMkB6dg8cdq6TUdFzcyzP2tXXz1gAf13aAsKeAtCLIo&channel_type=fb&fbclid=IwY2xjawRUjLhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVNklScXprdU94T2o2Smpkc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHgU4Yc12MncPCSBeOxNpEza2ruf-MxthQOZScXialorAdexWFV6wCc-DEHVm_aem_tZJ03en7GD-sQ7G94gf8UQ

Teacher Luncheon Sign Up:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C084AACA82BA6F85-63555972-farmers?useFullSite=false

Thank you for your support!
4 days ago, Hickory Elementary
HES kindergarteners made waves tonight with their adorable performance of "Songs from the Sea." #WatchMeSOAR 🎼🌊🐬
4 days ago, Hickory Elementary
Students singing happily.
Kindergarten students performing hand motions and singing.
Teacher with flowers for a job well done
Students dancing
Student introducing a song
Students singing
Today is Administrative Professionals Day, and we are shining a massive spotlight on the incredible trio that keeps HES running: Charlene Brueggeman, Kalley Fletcher, and Robin Phillips.

They are the first friendly faces we see each morning, the calm in the middle of the chaos, and the true heartbeat of our school. From juggling endless tasks to supporting our students, staff, and families, they handle it all with grace, patience, and expert skill.

Thank you for all that you do for our school! 🩵
5 days ago, Hickory Elementary
HES Administrative Professionals

What does student-centered learning look like in your child’s classroom? In Chesapeake Public Schools, our teachers are creating engaging, meaningful learning experiences for students. In our latest episode, nationally recognized educator, author, and speaker Dr. Catlin Tucker joins us to highlight how this work is taking shape in our classrooms, from increasing student voice and choice to building stronger connections that support learning. 🎧 Listen at cpschools.com/amplified or wherever you get your podcasts.

5 days ago, Chesapeake Public Schools
Dr. Tucker smiling proudly in front of the School Administration Building.
Making the Shift with Dr. Catlin Tucker - Amplified: The Chesapeake Public Schools Podcast. Dr. Tucker smiling sitting on a chair. Episode 29
The big countdown begins! Join us for our Kindergarten Kickoff to get your little learner ready for their first big milestone. On April 30, 2026, at 5:30 PM, we'll discuss registration, health forms, and childcare resources to make sure you're all set for day one! Learn more on our website: https://www.cpschools.com/page/kindergarten
5 days ago, Hickory Elementary
Kindergarten Kickoff April 30, 2026 at 5:30
A huge round of applause to our incredible HES Teacher Team! They competed in the Battle of the Books and brought home FIRST PLACE!
Not only did they show off their amazing reading superpowers, but they also won $1,000 for our school library! We are so proud of the hard work and sportsmanship that defines our school.

Way to go, teachers! You make reading look like a championship sport!
7 days ago, Hickory Elementary
HES teacher team for battle of the books
Teacher team winning 1st place
Huge cheers for our Battle of the Books team! This past Saturday, our students went head-to-head with teams from all across Chesapeake, and let’s just say—they were amazing!

We are so incredibly proud of the way our students represented HES with heart, hard work, and top-tier sportsmanship. You all showed us what happens when you dive deep into a good book!
7 days ago, Hickory Elementary
Battle of the Books Team
Battle of the Books Team getting ready for the competition
Battle of the Books Team talking through a question
It’s Assistant Principals Week, and our hearts are full because we have the absolute best! Mrs. Haist isn't just an assistant principal; she is the heartbeat of our hallways. 💓

From her warm, welcoming hugs to the way she remembers every student's name, she makes our school feel like one big family. Mrs. Haist is thoughtful, brilliant, and incredibly dedicated to making sure we all shine our brightest.
12 days ago, Hickory Elementary
Assistant principal Mrs. Haist

Our Chesapeake Preschool Initiative (CPI) program is accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year. 🚸 CPI is a free, full-day program that gives eligible children a head start on their education.

What makes a child eligible?
Must live in the City of Chesapeake
Must be 4 years old by September 30, 2026
Must meet program eligibility criteria

Visit our website to review the details and start your application today: http://cpschools.com/cpi

13 days ago, Chesapeake Public Schools
Child is excited for the open registration of the Chesapeake Preschool Initiative
A huge shout out and thank you to all of the families who donated to our Share the Fair fund during our recent Book Fair. Because of you and your generosity, we collected close to $2,000 for ALL of our HES students to have the opportunity to participate and purchase items from our Book Fair. Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." It is community partners like yourself that embody this belief. We are grateful for your generous spirit and to be able to share in helping our students develop and flourish!
13 days ago, Hickory Elementary
students sitting on a stack of books reading
Kickoff the excitement of kindergarten! Join our school on April 30, 2026 at 5:30pm to discuss registration, health information, childcare resources, and more. Learn more on our website: https://www.cpschools.com/page/kindergarten
13 days ago, Hickory Elementary
Kindergarten kickoff

Important Calendar Updates & Reminders! 📅

April 6 - 10 is Spring Break. Schools will be closed. We hope everyone has a safe and relaxing break! 🌸

April 13 is a Teacher Workday. No school for students.

April 21 is now an Asynchronous Day for all students. Meals will also be available at select school sites. More information is available here: https://www.cpschools.com/events?id=53908933

As a reminder, you can full our full calendar of events here: https://www.cpschools.com/events

23 days ago, Chesapeake Public Schools
Decorative
What an incredible day of inspiration! Our school was filled with future doctors, engineers, artists, and chefs as students dressed up to represent their biggest dreams.
🌟 A Huge Thank You To:
Our Community Volunteers: Thank you for visiting and sharing your passions! You showed our students that with hard work, any career is within reach.
🌟 The Organizers: This day wouldn't have been possible without the amazing coordination of Mrs. Zook and Mrs. McNabb. Thank you for planning such a memorable experience for our kids!
Our students left today with big smiles and even bigger goals!
23 days ago, Hickory Elementary
MAD seasoning presentation for Career Day
Marine Biology presentation for Career Day
Career Day presentation
students dressed up for career day
students dressed up for career day
Park Ranger presentation for Career Day
students dressed up as fire fighter for career day
tow truck presentation for career day
student dressed up as chef for career day
toy seller presentation for career day
The whipped cream has settled, and the smiles are still everywhere! Our Kids Heart Challenge Pie Assembly was a smashing success (literally!).

It was amazing to see so many Heart Heroes! From everyone who raised $1.00+ to earn their seat, to our "Pie Pros" who raised $40.00+ and took aim at our brave staff members—thank you for making a difference. A huge round of applause to Kaden Patt, who raised the most money of the entire school! Your hard work is helping save lives and keeping hearts beating strong.
26 days ago, Hickory Elementary
student pieing teacher in the face
student pieing teacher in the face
student pieing teacher in the face
teacher with whipped cream on her face from being pied
student pieing teacher in the face
student receiving medal for raising the most money
student pieing teacher in the face
PE teacher with Whipped cream  on her face from being pied
This Friday, April 3rd, our school will be full of experts from across the community. A massive thank you to our Student Leadership Team for their help in getting everything setup and ready for our presenters.
26 days ago, Hickory Elementary
student leaders preparing for career day
student leaders preparing for career day
🌱 Coding Gardens in 1st Grade!
Our littlest tech explorers in 1st Grade are officially "planting" seeds in the digital world!

Last week, students used ScratchJr to demonstrate their knowledge of what plants need to survive. It wasn't just about drawing flowers—it was about bringing them to life through code! 💻🌷
27 days ago, Hickory Elementary
first grade students using scratchjr to code about flowers
first grade students using scratchjr to code about flowers
first grade students using scratchjr to code about flowers
first grade students using scratchjr to code about flowers
🌊Our 4th graders traded the classroom for the Elizabeth River! They spent time exploring the Learning Barge, a floating wetland classroom.

From testing water quality to learning about local wildlife, our young scientists got their hands dirty (and wet!) discovering how to protect our local ecosystem. 🦀☀️
28 days ago, Hickory Elementary
students learning with globes on the learning barge
students testing water on the learning barge
students picking up trash to learn about cleaning up our local waters
students exploring on the learning barge
students testing the water on the learning barge
students testing the water on the learning barge
students testing exploring the water in the learning barge
students exploring water on the learning barge
students exploring on the learning barge
students testing water on the learning barge
We are so excited to celebrate our March Students of the Month! This month, our school focused on the character trait of Generosity. These students have shown us that a small act of giving can make a huge difference in our hallways! Keep up the SOAR behavior!
about 1 month ago, Hickory Elementary
first grade students holding their student of the month awards
fifth grade students holding their student of the month awards
second grade students holding their student of the month awards
Third grade students holding their student of the month awards
fourth grade students holding their student of the month awards
kindergarten students holding their student of the month awards

🎡 What a Night at the Fair!
Our STREAM Night was "Some Terrific" success! We had the best time celebrating our One Book, One School, Charlotte’s Web, with a full-blown county fair right here at school.

From coding to creative crafts, our students showed off their "radiant" skills just like Wilbur!

A Huge Thank You to Our Partners
Events like this take a village (or a very talented spider web!), and we couldn't have done it without our amazing community volunteers:

🌟 Great Bridge High School National Honor Society: For being incredible role models and helpers!

🌟 Grassfield High School STEM Academy: For bringing the "STREAM" to life with awesome hands-on activities.

🌟 Chesapeake Public Library: For sharing the love of reading and local resources.

🌟 Chesapeake 4-H: For bringing that authentic farm-life spirit to our fair.

Check out some of the highlights below! 📸👇

about 1 month ago, Hickory Elementary
students coding Ozobot robots
Students coding Dash robots
Chesapeake Public Library AI robot
crowd of people a that food trucks
students getting their face painted
students playing grade level games
stuffed pigs that were found around the area
student art work of chickens and pigs
Line dancing station
farm animals at STREAM night
🎢🍿Our One Book, One School journey with Charlotte’s Web is concluding with our own County Fair! So pack up the family and join us for a spectacular STREAM Night as we bring Wilbur and Charlotte’s world to life with a little country flair.

Get ready for an evening of friendly competition, hands-on challenges, and all the fun of a good old-fashioned county fair!

🕷When: Thursday, March 26

🕷Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Whether you're testing your "terrific" engineering skills or competing in our farm-style games, it’s going to be a night full of creativity and smiles. You won't want to miss it—it's going to be RADIANT! ✨
about 1 month ago, Hickory Elementary