  | Wylie Rotary East Fork was so lucky to meet the new Principal of our adopted Wylie school Hartman Elementary. Vanessa Hudgins was appointed as the principal of Hartman Elementary at the beginning of the 2023 school year. Hudgins was formerly the principal of Groves Elementary, a position she has held since 2018. Before joining the Gators, Hudgins served as an assistant principal at Hartman. Ms. Hudgins had lunch with us before the school year began and spoke to us about how we will be able to help Hartman Elementary and its teachers this year. Hudgins listed their top needs as: Teacher Support - Encouragement and validation for a job well done. The PTA usually provides necessities like snacks and water during events, but Rotary would be able to pick up the slack and help to fund special events for the teachers. Building a Community for Students - Pride in campus begins with belonging. To create a sense of belonging, students need to feel pride when the campus is presented on social media or at community events. Rotary will help out with maintaining the garden, providing a community outreach day, and helping to build birdhouses to decorate the garden. Create a Sensory Space - Hartman's biggest need right now is renovating a storage bookroom into a Sensory Space for students who need to reset and calm down in order to learn at the highest level of expectation. Rotary will provide soothing items such as rugs, a rocking chair, low lighting, calming textured materials, and a soothing sound machine. These sensory tools are critical for supporting the emotional needs of the students. We look forward to working with Principal Hudgins and Hartman Elementary as they celebrate their 60th Year Anniversary! As the first school in Wylie, these "Cool Cats" aspire to maintain and further their legacy as the diamond of Wylie ISD. |