Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year
The School District of Philadelphia is excited to announce the 6th Annual Back-to-School Celebration & Bus Tour! We cannot wait to hit the streets and help families prepare for the first day of the 2026-2027 school year – Monday, August 24, 2026.
This summer’s Bus Tour is powered by Independence Blue Cross and Live Nation and will continue the tradition of providing critical Back-to-School information and services in neighborhoods across Philadelphia. This year’s tour will include 4 fun-filled Mega-Events hosted in partnership with Radio One, Comcast, Roosevelt Mall, The City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, and more. And while we will host fewer events this year, we have invested in ensuring the events are more accessible, organized, family-focused, and entertaining than ever before.
So join us at one of our events on August 3, August 7, August 11, or August 15 where you’ll be able to:
* enjoy snacks and frozen treats
* participate in fun games and raffles
* chat with our Street Team Ambassadors to get the back-to-school information you need
* register your child for PreKindergarten through 12th grade
* sign up for a Parent Portal account
* find out about School District of Philadelphia job openings
* get a free backpack and school supplies
* receive critical information from dozens of our partner organizations from around the city
* at select locations, have your child receive, at low cost, immunizations and school physicals required to attend school.
Find the full Bus Tour schedule, latest back-to-school updates, immunization opportunities, and other important information at philasd.org/ringthebell. Click the Let’s Talk button on the website if you have additional questions. I hope to see you at one of the bus tour stops, and cannot wait to ring in a new school year this fall.
Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year
We hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. As we embark on a new academic year, we are delighted to extend a warm welcome to all our students, both returning and new, along with their families to Henry W. Lawton Elementary School. It is with great anticipation and excitement that we begin this journey together, with a shared commitment to educational excellence and personal growth.
As we move forward, the well-being, safety, and educational progress of our students remain our top priorities. We have implemented comprehensive measures and equitable practices that promote a productive learning environment. Our dedicated team of educators and support staff have been working diligently to prepare for the academic year. With a focus on engagement and rigor to ensure that we meet the diverse needs of our students.
This year, we will continue to foster a culture of learning which involves collaboration, inclusion, and equity within our school community. We believe in the power of teamwork and the importance of bridging the gaps between home, school, and community. We encourage you to be actively engaged in your child’s education. It is also important to establish communication with your child’s/children’s teacher and other support staff. We ask that you participate in school activities and events whenever possible. By providing the support guidance, our students need they will thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
“It takes a village.”
Arnetta Imes,
Principal
What You Need to Know Now!
School-wide Information:
School officially begins at 9:00 a.m. The gates will open at 9:00 a.m. to begin admission/supervision and students will have until 9:10 to get to their classroom. Your child will be marked late if they arrive after that time. Breakfast will be provided to all students as they enter and will be eaten in class.
Dismissal will begin at 3:20 p.m. for Kindergarten and Special Education programs. Students in grades 1st through 5th will be dismissed at 3:30 p.m. daily.
All students will be dismissed from the doors that they enter from. Please be sure that all pick up information is current by advising teachers and the Main Office of any changes.
Please ensure that all child care agencies are fully aware of dismissal times, procedures and expectations.
All students should be picked up promptly by 3:30 PM. We do not have staff/programs to supervise students who are picked up late. Students that have not been picked up on-time will be brought back into the building and must be picked up at the front door as the “C” door will be closing promptly. Any family that does not adhere to the pick up time will be required to meet with the principal to discuss further actions.
Lawton’s Student & Family Handbook
Academics:
The goal is to ensure that every child is challenged and experiences academic success. This cannot be done by the teacher alone; parents also play a significant role in reaching this goal. We are looking forward to working with you to prepare students to imagine and realize any future they desire. For additional information about curriculum and instruction, visit: Curriculum and Instruction – The School District of Philadelphia
Behavior:
All children are expected to act in a manner that will ensure safety and with consideration for the feelings of others. Students are expected to follow the School District of Philadelphia Code of Conduct (philasd.org) and the Lawton School Student handbook that includes our PBIS Norms and expectations. Please ensure that you speak with your child about appropriate school behaviors and expectations continuously so that they are prepared to begin school. Links to the behavior documents will be shared once they are distributed at the start of school.
Attendance:
Daily attendance directly impacts your child’s success. The District’s and Lawton’s goal is to strive for 95% for our average daily attendance. In alignment with the School District of Philadelphia Policy, all absence notes need to be submitted within 3 days of the student returning to school. Coming to school every day is extremely important for all students. As a reminder, students in Philadelphia are expected to be in school for a minimum of 95% of the time. That means that your child cannot miss more than 8 days of school per school year. Both excessive absences and latenesses can result in a truancy/DHS referral. Please ensure that your child is here every day at 9:00 AM.
For more information visit: Attendance & Truancy
Title 1 Parent Information:
The 2025-2026 Lawton School Plan is now available for public review.
Access the district’s academic calendar to obtain important information for the 2025-2026 school year.
Henry W. Lawton School 2025-2026 School Plan. School Plan Link
Henry W. Lawton School 2025-2026 School Plan. Monthly Data Snapshot Link
Request for School Plan Translation. Translation Request Link
If you need to contact your child’s teacher, please send them a message via Class DoJo, Google Classroom, email, or phone call.
Lawton School Counselor: Ms. Bender
Families are invited to contact our certified counselor, Ms. Nicketia Bender (215) 400-3340 or via ClassDojo to discuss their child’s academic, personal, and social growth which may potentially affect their child’s success in school.
As a reminder, the Philly HopeLine is available M-F from noon to 9 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. to provide counseling services for students, parents and guardians who may need additional support during these difficult times. Phone or text 1-833-PHL-HOPE (1-833-745-4673).
MISSION, VISION, and VALUES
Mission
The mission of Henry W. Lawton Elementary School is to create a safe and nurturing learning environment. Students will achieve academic excellence, positive self-awareness, and social responsibility through exemplary teaching that incorporates differentiated and data-driven instruction. Teachers will model and share best practices using effective team planning and collaboration. As life- long learners, the school staff, students, parents, and community members pledge to create an environment where our scholars will be safe, respected, and academically empowered to become goal oriented, self-motivated leaders.
Vision
The vision of Henry W. Lawton Elementary School is to educate our students to become life-long readers, creative and authentic writers, critical thinkers, and problem solvers.
Core Values
We strive to engage in culturally responsive practices within CR-PBIS implementation to: enhance relationships between student-teacher, school-family and community, decrease disproportionality, and improve educational equity.
We follow PBIS-Norms:
We are SAFE
We are RESPECTFUL
We are RESPONSIBLE