2025-26 Harry Hoag Elementary School welcome letter
A welcome-back message for Harry Hoag Elementary School families from Principal Amy Bartholomew:
Dear Hilltopper Families,
I hope you have all had a wonderful summer! It’s been great seeing many of you around the community, and for those I’ve missed, I look forward to welcoming you back in a few short weeks. Our faculty and staff are excited for another fantastic year filled with learning, growth, and new memories for our students.
Below you will find a summary of information that will be helpful when planning ahead for the coming school year. Please note: the first day of school for students will be Wednesday, Sept. 3.
School schedule
Arrival:
7:30 a.m. – Bus drop-off.
7:30 – 7:50 a.m. – Parent drop-off and walkers.
Instructional day for students:
7:50 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – students are marked tardy after 8:05 a.m.
Dismissal:
2:30 p.m. – Bus dismissal.
2:35 p.m. – Parent pick-up begins.
Bus riders
Please be sure to review the Ride with Pride and Code of Conduct documents with your children before the first day of school. They will be sent shortly in a separate message to electronically sign.
Student pick-up at dismissal
After the buses depart, Parent Pick Up will begin. If you are early for Parent Pick Up, please park along the road to Wiles Park. For both Student Drop Off in the morning and Pick Up in the afternoon, please remain in your car and a staff member will guide traffic through the bus loop to the main entry. If you pick up your child on foot, please report to the Main Entry.
Cell phones
To keep our school day focused on learning, we ask that all students keep smartphones, internet-enabled devices, and headphones put away during the day. For our youngest learners in second grade and below, we encourage families to have these items stay at home whenever possible.
In accordance with New York Education Law §2801, students who do bring devices to school will be asked to power them down at the start of the day, and they will be kept in a secure storage cabinet until dismissal. If you ever need to reach your child, please call the main office. We’ll be happy to get your message to them right away. Thank you for partnering with us to make our classrooms calm, focused spaces for all children.
Technology
- Pre-K, kindergarten and Grade 1 students will receive iPads that will remain in the classroom.
- Students in Grades 2-6 will receive a Chromebook that can go to and from school.
- Caregivers and students (Grade 1 and above) will be asked to sign a Technology User Agreement.
Parent communication and student information forms
Please be sure to have an updated cell phone number and email address to receive information via our ParentSquare messaging system. Also, remember to visit our website and social media platforms regularly for current news and upcoming events. In addition, please update and return any student information forms that have been sent home.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel to reach me in the Main Office at 518-993-4000 or via email at amy.bartholomew@fortplain.org.
We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and look forward to seeing you on September 3rd!
Mrs. Bartholomew, Principal
Harry Hoag Elementary School
Additional 2025 -26 school year resources:
View the 2025-26 Prekindergarten Welcome Letter
View the 2025-26 Grade 5 Welcome Letter