Hillside News Brief
9-27-19
Literacy Corner: Resources for You
Last week’s installment of Literacy Corner addressed text levels or lexile levels and their role in determining appropriate books (in terms of challenge) for students. This week, I’d like to give you a resource to use if you are interested in finding out text levels of many popular books. Many teachers use Scholastic Book Wizard. This resource doesn’t list every book out there (how could it?), but it does have a pretty robust list. Here is the web address for Scholastic Book Wizard:
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bookwizard/
When you get to the page, be sure to click “Guided Reading Level” to see levels of text. I have also included in this newsletter a chart that will tell you grade level equivalents for ranges of text levels. As an educator, I have found this resource useful when visiting the library with students to help them locate “just right” books (within a range of ability). I hope you find this resource helpful.
Cynthia Bailey, Principal
Scholastic Book Fair: October 11-16
Our Scholastic Book Fair is just around the corner! The hours of operation are
10/11 3:30 - 4:00pm
10/14 3:30 - 8:00pm
10/15 3:30 - 4:00pm
10/16 3:00 - 8:00pm
This year at our Scholastic Book Fair you will be able to set up an eWallet for your students. This new digital payment option allows you to create an electronic wallet for your students to shop the fair with. Visit our Scholastic Book Fair website to set up an eWallet or shop online @ https://www.scholastic.com/bf/hillsideelementaryschool1
Community Club Title I Meeting
Family Picnic on the Hillside
Halloween Fun! Volunteers needed!
October 25 is the Halloween Trunk or Treat at Hillside from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This event is always lots of fun: kids dress up and "trunk or treat" in the big circle out front. Families park in the circle, decorate their car trunk , and hand out candy. We hope you will consider decorating a trunk and/or attending this event.
We also have Hillside's Halloween Parade that day just before the Halloween parties (or a Harvest Festival for those who choose not to celebrate Halloween). The parade starts at 2:00 p.m. inside and will proceed outside. The best photos can be taken outside in front at the circle drive.
Community Club has created some links to help volunteers to get involved:
Classroom Party Volunteers:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DA5A922A0F49-2019
Trunk Volunteers:
PBiS News
Why PBiS? PBiS creates a culture for conducive to learning and achievement. PBiS maximizes academic engagement and achievement for all students. It also fosters positive adult-to-student relationships and provides strategies to students to prevent challenging behaviors.
A PBiS culture emphasizes recognition and celebration of positive behavior!
Turn markers into ENERGY with COLORCYLE!
I’m excited to tell you about a very special program I’m running at our school in conjunction with Crayola. It’s called Crayola ColorCycle – an amazing program devised to repurpose used markers rather than sending them to landfills! The ColorCycle program has repurposed more than 70 tons of expended markers in the United States and Canada since 2013, and uses the most advanced plastic conversion technologies available today to make wax compounds for asphalt and roofing shingles as well as to generate electricity that can be used to heat homes, cook food, and power vehicles. All around Hillside, students and teachers will be collecting used markers that are ready to be discarded. Please help support our efforts by sending your kids in with any used markers you may have around the house- even non-Crayola brands! Highlighters and dry erase markers can also be included. Drop-off boxes are located in each classroom. Thank you in advance for participating! With the help of parents like you across the country, the Crayola ColorCycle program can continue to keep tons of plastic out of landfills each year.
Remember, don’t throw out that used marker—ColorCycle it! Last year Hillside recycled over 1,000 markers!
If you have any questions please contact me at foster.jill@westside66.net
Thank you, Jill Foster