DAVIS HILL COMMUNITY UPDATE
April 16, 2019
I hope that everyone is enjoying their vacation week! I wanted to send out an update earlier this week with additional dates/ information for the remainder of the year and a few reminders.
Looking forward to seeing our students again on Monday the 22nd!
Kindly,
Jay C. Norton, Principal
*Don't forget to read through the entire update... there are always more dates in the Upcoming Events Section. If you have any questions/ concerns- please don't hesitate to contact me/ the office.
UPCOMING EVENTS THIS WEEK
Tuesday, April 23rd: Bus Evacuation Drill
Thursday and Friday, April 25 and 26th: MCAS Grade 4 ELA
Fourth Grade Students will be taking MCAS on Thursday and Friday.
Golf Tournament
Mayo, Dawson and Davis Hill PTA are working together on a golf tournament to support all three PTAs.
Registration for the Golf Tournament is open! You are able to sign up online and then pay either online or send in a check. If you send in a check, please make check payable to "DAVIS HILL PTA"
Each school has 48 spots to fill. Once they are fill there will be a waiting list and we will fill from there.
As always, thank you for your support!!!
FOURTH GRADE PARENTS: ECOLOGY SCHOOL PAPERWORK PAST DUE
If you have not returned your Ecology School Paperwork:
We need to know if there is a commitment from the majority of 4th Grade Students/ Families if we are to plan the trip. Please return your paperwork ASAP! We'll extend the deadline to April 26th.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to me and/ or your child's teacher (Mr. Vincent, Ms. Poh and Mr. Miner have all chaperoned the trip in the past and have knowledge about the trip). If you need paperwork/ packet- Please see the link below. If you need a hard copy sent home- Please let the office know. If there are financial concerns- Please reach out to me.
VOLUNTARY PLACEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Link: Voluntary Questionnaire
MCAS SCHEDULE (Grades 3-5)
Once again this year our students will be taking the MCAS on the computer. This is the second year that students will be using computers for the assessment.
For more information on MCAS, please see the link from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Link: DESE Information on Student Testing
GENERAL NOTES ON MCAS ASSESSMENT:
It is understood that standardized testing can create anxiety for some students. The Massachusetts Statewide Parent Information and Resource Center has provided the following list of guidelines for parents to help prepare their child for the testing:
Make sure your child is well rested and eats breakfast.
See that your child arrives to school on time and is relaxed.
Encourage your child to do the best work possible and to have a positive attitude.
Dress comfortably!
Remind your child to read all test taking directions carefully and listen to the teacher’s directions.
Encourage your child to take his/her time and check work for accuracy.
To help reduce anxiety:
Talk about the test in a positive way.
Encourage best efforts rather than perfection.
Encourage your child to focus on his/her strengths, such as good memory.
Assure your child that the test is only one measure of academic performance.
Emphasize that test scores do not determine a person’s worth.
At Davis Hill, our message to students reinforces the following:
-Be confident and ‘relax’! It is an opportunity to ‘Show What You Know!’.
-You are prepared and ready!
-The MCAS does not define who you are as a student and/ or a person.
Our hope is that at the end of the MCAS assessment, Davis Hill students will feel a sense of pride in themselves that they have put forth their best effort and feel proud of themselves for meeting the challenge.
*Please note the following re: MCAS:
Students are not allowed to have electronic devices (cell phones/ SmartWatches) during assessment. If your child owns/ wears a SmartWatch to school, they will have to take it off during the assessment.
If you have any questions/ concerns regarding MCAS, please contact your child’s classroom teacher and/ or administration.
MCAS SCHEDULE CHANGES
Provided our responsibilities in regard to the MCAS assessments, there will be some schedule changes (recess/ lunch and special changes) that will be taking place for some grade levels on the listed assessment days.
Thank you!
HOLDEN ELEMENTARY PTA GOLF TOURNAMENT
PARENT/ COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Information shared in this section is not associated with Davis Hill Elementary School (DHES) and is not affiliated or recommended by DHES in any way. Simply- we are attempting to provide community members with information that they may be interested in.
4/22-Welcome Back
4/25-MCAS Grade 4 ELA
4/26-MCAS Grade 4 ELA
4/30-MCAS Grade 3 ELA
5/1-MCAS Grade 3 ELA
5/2-SIMCO (4:00-4:45/ Community Room)
5/3-5th Grade Panorama Picture (Don't Be Late- Picture is taken first thing in morning)
5/3-Spring Pictures
5/3-School Store Open
5/9-MCAS Grade 5 Math
5/10-MCAS Grade 5 Math
5/13-NO SCHOOL/ Voting/ Teacher Professional Development Day
5/14-MCAS Grade 4 Math
5/15-MCAS Grade 4 Math
5/16-MCAS Grade 3 Math
5/17-MCAS Grade 3 Math
5/21-MCAS Grade 5 STE
5/22-MCAS Grade 5 STE
5/23-PTA Meeting (6:30/ Community Room)
5/24-Professional Development Early Release Day (12:20 Dismissal for Students)
5/27-NO SCHOOL/ Memorial Day
5/30-SIMCO (4:00-4:45/ Community Room)
5/31-Kindergarten Orientation
5/31-Last day to check out books from Library
6/5-Food Pantry Donation Day (Crazy Hat/ Hair Day)
6/7-All books returned to Library
6/7-Family Picnic (More info TBA)
6/10-Field Day (Rain Date 6/12)
6/14-Last Day of School (12:20 Dismissal for all students)
Davis Hill Elementary School
Email: jay_norton@wrsd.net
Website: http://www.wrsd.net/davishill/
Location: 80 Jamieson Road, Holden, MA 01520, United States
Phone: 508-829-1754
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011661587115
Twitter: @DHPrincipal