Hillside News Brief
August 16, 2019
Principal's Message
Cynthia Bailey, Principal
Stray Animals on School Property
When you encounter a stray dog or cat, do not try to pet it or play with it. Especially with dogs, people should stand just as still as they can (we tell the students to "stand as still as a tree"). Still and quiet body language is very effective when encountering, especially, an aggressive dog. Being still can help to keep you safe.
We had two dogs on our playground just this past week; because our teachers had received information about how to handle the presence of a dog, a teacher was able to help a student to stand still and quiet while Hillside's custodian, Mr. Harris, guided the dog away from the student.
Thank you for helping us to help students remember what to do in the instance of an animal in their midst!
Cynthia Bailey, Principal
Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) for Students
Westside Community Schools continues the implementation of MTSS, which stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports.
What is MTSS? MTSS is a process of providing instruction and support to promote the academic and behavioral success of all children. Individual children’s progress & skills are monitored and results are used to make decisions about further instruction and intervention. The MTSS process is flexible and designed to meet the needs of all students. This process allows for a continuum of support based entirely on students’ individual needs. This support may be provided in a small group by the classroom teacher or other support staff, either within or outside the classroom.
What does this mean for my child? A key component of the MTSS process is that all children receive high quality instruction in their classroom. Universal screenings are used to review the progress of all students and are given three times per year. As a result of the screening, students may be identified as needing supplemental intervention in addition to instruction they are receiving in their classroom. If your child is identified as needing intervention you will receive notification. Please contact your child’s building principal with questions.
Nebraska Reading Improvement Act The Nebraska Reading Improvement Act became law in 2018 and will go into effect the 2019-2020 school year. The goal is that all Nebraska students are able to read at or above grade level by the end of third grade. The Nebraska READS initiative emphasizes the need for kindergarten through third grade students to have access to high-quality instruction and for struggling readers to receive targeted support. Our current MTSS structure in Westside Community Schools already allows for us to meet these requirements.