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Amidst the excitement of returning to familiar classrooms and the joy of reuniting with friends after a break from school, one essential element takes center stage: human connection.

As Hawthorne students journey back to their space, the significance of relationships emerges as a crucial factor in their overall well-being and academic success.

Connection or Transition Days have allowed students and staff at Hawthorne to find value in genuine human connections and ultimately serve the goal of shaping holistic development.

On a Connection Day, students engage in activities that foster human connection.

Why teachers are raving about Connection Days:

“We love connection day because it allows students to have a soft start back to school after a long break without the pressure of so much focused attention on academics. Students get to collaborate with their peers, show their creativity, and have plenty of mindfulness time to reset their brains for the rest of the week! They enjoy the relaxing and calm setting without the feeling of being rushed.” — Kelsey Fox, third grade teacher

“My EL students love connection days. It is a great way for them to come back to the classroom without being heavy on the academics while still doing meaningful work to support SEL needs. Yesterday, my EL students listened to a story called ‘Spanish is my Superpower.’ After listening to the story, students were able to identify why their native language is their superpower. My plan is to make a classroom book with each student’s language superpower in it.” — Summer Swensrud, multi-language learner teacher