All the Buzz
News and Info from HCS -- February 21, 2023
From Your Superintendent
Hornet Nation,
Over the course of this school year, our K-12 ELA teachers have been hard at work after school to complete a comprehensive curriculum document and review possible new teaching resources. Most curriculum is on a 5-7 year review cycle, but like many other districts across the nation, our cycle was interrupted by the pandemic.
The state provides us with our academic standards for ELA, math, social studies, and science. It also provides us with standards for areas like art, world languages, and P.E. The standards are worded as learner outcomes, and range from surface level (for example, "identify"or "define") to much more complex (for example, "interpret" or "adapt"). Within our district, we collaborate to sequence those state standards into our own core academic curriculum, which is approved by our local Board of Education. Our Board also approves curricular resources (textbooks, assessments, online tools, etc.) to support teachers' implementation of our HCS curriculum.
As a district, our mission is to inform, involve, and invite you into positive conversations around our curriculum. Through different communications (Google Classroom, Friday Folders, email, etc.) we seek to build awareness and trust with you by informing you of what your child is learning, what they will do to learn it, what they will use to help them learn it, and how they will demonstrate their learning. We also seek to involve you through suggestions on how you might best support your child's learning at home. Last but certainly not least, we invite you to ask questions when our learning targets or methods are not clear.
You are your child's first and best teachers. Together, we make an unbeatable team in preparing them for life beyond school.
Hornet Pride,
Judy
989.539.7871
Reading Aloud: Kindergarten Through Twelfth Grade
As children are learning to read, we all do our best to read aloud to them. Educator Jim Trelease has great advice on reading aloud with kids no matter what their age, because:
- language in books tends to be richer than the "verbal shorthand" we often use at home
- a child's reading level does not catch up to their listening level until eighth grade
- reading aloud with your child is a good way to grapple with and discuss difficult issues
- we want to build lifetime readers, not just school-time readers
Michigan Achievement Scholarship
High school students and families interested in learning more about the Michigan Achievement Scholarship are encouraged to register for an informational webinar provided by Michigan Department of Treasury’s MI Student Aid team. Participants will be able to gather the following information:
- Michigan Achievement Scholarship eligibility requirements
- Michigan Achievement Scholarship award amounts
- Important action items for students and families
- Additional resources and program information
All sessions are free of charge and open to the public.
High School Happenings
Hornet Gear
The school store is undergoing a remodel, courtesy of Mr. McCrimmon's classes.
Physics
The hallway was a great place for Ms. Loper's students to measure rates of speed.
Basketball
Our players gave their all against Shepherd.
Signing Ceremony
Congratulations to Malea Gardner, who has signed to play softball with Lansing Community College!
Prom Information: April 22
Please note that no tickets will be sold at the door - they are presale only.
Ski Team
Great quick turn at the gate.
Middle School Magic
English Language Arts
Writers in Mrs. Byce’s class engaged and collaborated in a hexagonal pre-writing activity.
Cheers for Cheerleaders
The MS cheer team took first place in their panel and third place overall on February 11!
Teachers as Learners
On Friday, February 10, our middle school teachers took time to dive into data in order to better support all students.
Celebrating Kindness
During February, we highlight Black History as an integral part of American History. Students in the middle school chose this quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to be part of an overall kindness focus this month.
Eighth Grade Night
Thank you to all students and families who were able to make it to the meeting with Mr. Ashcroft and Ms. Houghton.
Eighth Grade Night
Graduation information for the Class of 2027.
Larson Learning
Straight Outta D.C.
Every fifth grader received a National Statuary Hall Collection booklet from the Office of the Clerk for the US House of Representatives (Cheryl L. Johnson). A huge shout out to Harrison alum Ashlee Laubon for making this possible!
Author/Illustrator Visit
Ruth McNally Barshaw and Charlie Barshaw visited fifth graders to explore the ins and outs of writing stories and drawing characters.
100 Days of School
Combining math and hands-on learning, students celebrated their 100th day of school this year.
Math Pride
Once you know how to add, you can multiply!
Sweetheart Dance
Great turnout on February 18 for the Beyond the Books event.
Where In The World...?
Fun with geography.
Board of Education Meeting
The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by students from Larson Elementary. Principal Andrea Andera will present an instructional/school highlight.
Monday, Mar 13, 2023, 05:30 PM
Hillside Elementary School, North 4th Street, Harrison, MI, USA
DISTRICT INFORMATION
Upcoming Calendar Events
March 27-31: spring break -- no school for students or staff
April 7: no school for students or staff
School Contact Information
- Larson Elementary, 989.539.3259 (Principal Andrea Andera, aandera@harrisonschools.com, Assistant Principal Sandy Hargraves, shargraves@harrisonschools.com)
- Middle School, 989.539.7194 (Principal Jennifer Thrush, jthrush@harrisonschools.com, Dean of Students Stacey Van Antwerp, svanantwerp@harrisonschools.com)
- High School/Hive, 989.539.7417 (Principal Joe Ashcroft, jjashcroft@harrisonschools.com, Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Brad Carlstrom, bcarlstrom@harrisonschools.com)
Health Information
COVID-19 protocols for positive cases, staff or student:
- With a positive case, the person must isolate for 5 days and not attend or be in school. In counting those days, the first date of symptoms (or the test, if no symptoms) is day 0.
- The COVID-positive person may return to school on Day 6, assuming symptoms are subsiding. We recommend, but do not require, masking for days 6-10 in school.
We are also attaching a handy resource from public health officials that provides guidance on when to keep a child home from school in a variety of illness-related situations.