HPES Weekly Newsletter
09/02/2019
Welcome back...
I hope you had a wonderful three-day break with your loved ones! Well, we made it through the last couple of weeks and have August under our belt! In these last couple of weeks, HPES absorbed a 2nd-grade class, added a kinder class, welcomed a 5th-grade bilingual teacher, hired an IBC teacher, and an IBC EA! Wow, it's no wonder we were exhausted! I really appreciated the three day weekend and got some much-needed rest, I hope you did too! Thank you for all your hard work. I am so blessed to work with such an amazing staff, and truly appreciate you!
Staffing
Please welcome Ms. Zeidler to our Kinder team, and Ms. Villacreces to our 5th Grade team. Both will begin with their students this week. Thank you to everyone who was able to lend a helping hand, I know they truly appreciated it. That is part of what makes HPES such a wonderful place to be, everyone takes care of each other.
We have also just recommended a SpEd. teacher and an EA to serve in our SpEd. IBC unit. We are so excited to have them join our HPES bulldog family. As soon as they are approved to begin, I will forward you their info. So exciting!
And... we are still in search of a Bilingual and a Monolingual SpEd. teacher to serve as Resource/Inclusion teachers. We will continue to search for candidates this week. If you know of anyone, send them our way.
HPES Recognized as Healthiest School!
STAR 360 Assessment
This year, there is a big push to make sure we get valid data from our universal screener Star 360. We need to make sure we are giving the test with fidelity and that the same expectations are set in all classrooms. We will be putting a set of directions in your mailboxes. There is a directions script that everyone will receive for all the tests that your grade level gives. Please use these directions. Also, since this is a testing situation, please have students have a book to read after they are done testing. Students should not go onto other websites or games as it tends to make other students feel like they should rush through their test.
Back to School Dance this Friday!
Friday is our Back to School Dance put on by the PTO. This is your first opportunity to volunteer and earn points towards your grade level team winning the Teacher Participation Grant! (If you are new to HPES and don’t know what that is… ask your Team Lead! It’s worth $$$)
If you can do one shift, please sign up below!
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/70a0d45acaa29a6ff2-back1
Grandparents Luncheon
CAAC Nominations
Staff, we only have three representatives nominated for CAAC, and we need more. :) Please use the link below to submit the name of a representative that you would like to nominate. The person nominated must be in agreement with serving on this committee. You may also self nominate yourself. I will close the window tomorrow at 4:00. Thank-you!
SWAT
Since we were off this Monday, all teams will meet for SWAT on Thursday 09/05. We will be focusing on looking at our new adoption for Language and the curriculum unit maps.
Also we pushed back our impact cycle video to this week. Don't forget to record your lesson this week as we will reflect on our videos ton 09/09 & 09/12 during SWAT.
Video suggestions:
What to use:
- Phone or iPad
Where to point the camera:
- Up to you, but the students and their engagement should be seen.. you will want to make sure the students and yourself can be heard from where you are recording from. You might do a mini test on the location.
How to:
- Propped up against stuff or use a Tripod. If you want Gina to record or help you get started let her know.
Length:
- Minimum of a 20 min. lesson
Vision and Hearing Screeners
Vision and hearing screenings will be on Wednesday, Sept. 4th. We will be using Rm 301 for hearing and the science lab for vision. A couple of our volunteers have graciously offered to help run students through these rooms for the screenings.
Please see the attached tentative schedule. We may have to make some adjustments depending on how long each class takes and we may not be able to get to all classes. We will work around specials and lunch and try to be mindful of recess. See tentative schedule below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E-wPp2ZuJnudj0yMYhqE3-2CFIRWo3Qw/view?usp=sharing
Remember...
- You may wear a college shirt on Wednesdays and a school shirt on Fridays with jeans.
- This Tuesday will be our first school-wide TUTU/TIE day. What do you do? Simply wear a tutu over your clothes or a fancy tie and join the school-wide spirit! Don't forget to take pictures and send them to Mima so she can post on facebook!
- Take attendance at 9:30 promptly.
- Be on time when dropping off and picking up students at specials and lunch.
Teaching Tip
Quick checks for understanding along the way can be a huge time saver in the end. This also works well with Frequent Small Group Purposeful Talk and Critical Writing.
Behavior Tip
Monitor your line closely when transitioning from place to place. When a line gets too spread out, it is difficult for you to monitor their safety and their behavior.
Kudos
- Shout out to Ms. Contreras, thank-you for going above and beyond in supporting our 5th-grade bilingual classroom since meet the teacher night! I know our admin team and the 5th-grade team appreciated it! You rock!
- Shout out to our intervention team, for assisting all classes wherever needed, and still finding the time to sneak in a psst meeting. You're amazing!
- Shout out to our Special's team, for already starting their extracurricular activities for students and morning get-togethers with parents! Way to be there for our kiddos, and get the year going!
Wednesday After School Meetings
The plan for meetings on Wednesday meetings are as follows:
1st Wednesday of the month – GLL/committees
2nd Wednesday of the month – Staff meetings
3rd Wednesday of the month – Campus PLC
4th Wednesday of the month – Vertical Teams
5th Wednesday of the month – CAAC
PTO
This year PTO would like to support a school-wide initiative. They will work hard to promote this initiative during the Fun Run and other fundraising events.
Please discuss as a team and have your grade level leader submit the google form below by Friday, September 6th.
Upcoming Events
09/03- Ms. Zeidler begins with her new Kinder class (Meet the teacher 7:20-7:40)
09/03- Ms. Villacreces begins with the 5th-grade bilingual class (Meet the teacher 7:20-7:40)
09/03- L. Ruiz at Principals PLC @ Boardroom
09/04- Moves with Mom 7:10-7:30
09/04- Vision & Hearing screenings for 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders
09/04- Olivas at Assistant Principal Meeting
09/06- Cheerleader tryouts with Ms. Clark
09/09- Grandparents Luncheon
09/09- Book Fair Preview Day- (send your grandparents :))
09/09- 09/13- Book Fair
09/06- Back to School Dance 6:00- 8:00 p.m.
09/10- L. Ruiz meets with Dr. Ohare 10:30-12:30 @ HPES
09/12- PTO Meeting @ 6:30 p.m.
09/13- HPES Spirit Store 7:15- 7:35
09/13- Healthiest School Award Ceremony at Austin City Hall. Coach Harvey and Ruiz will be out in the 1/2 day am.
09/16- DAAC meeting @ 4:45-6:45
09/17- L. Ruiz at Principal Meeting- Operations @ Boardroom 8:00-12:00
09/19- ASL 2 class @ 4:00
09/23- Jump Rope Team tryouts
09/25- Dunks with Dad 7:10-7:30
09/26- ASL 2 class @ 4:00
09/27- HPES Spirit Store 7:15- 7:35
09/27- L. Ruiz meets with Dr. Ohare 12:00- 2:00 @ HPES
10/01- L. Ruiz at Principals PLC @ Boardroom
10/02- Walk to School Day
10/03- Picture Day
10/03- Chuck E Cheese visits HPES @ 2:30 - 3:00
10/04- Chuck E Cheese Spirit Night 3:00-9:00
10/07- DAAC meeting @ 4:45-6:45
10/11- Staff Development Day
10/14- Holiday
10/15- L. Ruiz meets with Dr. Ohare 1:30-3:30 @ HPES
10/17- Fall Concert, 5th, Choir, ASL
10/18- Pink Out Day
10/18- Muffins with Mom 7:10-7:30
10/18- HPES Spirit Store 7:15- 7:35
10/18- PTO Movie Night @ 6:30
10/21- Book Club
10/22- L. Ruiz at Principal Meeting Operations @ Boardroom 8:00-12:00
10/24- Storybook Pumpkins Due
10/24- 1st Grade Fieldtrip to Georgetown Palace Theater & Creative Playscape.
10/25- HPES Spirit Store 7:15- 7:35
10/25- Bat Night
10/25- 2nd Grade Thinkery Fieldtrip
10/28- Book Club
10/28- L. Ruiz meets with Dr. Ohare 10:30-12:30 @ HPES
10/31- Kinder Fairytale Parade
11/01- 4th Grade Fieldtrip
11/04- L. Ruiz meets with Dr. Ohare 9:30-10:30 @ HPES
11/04- DAAC meeting @ 4:45-6:45
11/05- L. Ruiz at Principals PLC @ Rock Gym
11/06- Moves with Mom 7:10-7:30
11/08- HPES Spirit Store 7:15- 7:35
11/11- Veterans Concert 4th grade
11/11- Book Club
11/13- Picture retakes
11/14- 3rd Grade Fieldtrip
11/14- L. Ruiz meets with Dr. Ohare 10:30-12:30 @ HPES
11/15- Boosterthon & Fun Run
11/18- Book Club
11/18- Pet Clinic 5-7
11/19- L. Ruiz at Principal Meeting- Operations @ Boardroom 8:00-12:00
11/20- Dunks with Dad 7:10-7:30
11/21- Thanksgiving Luncheon
11/22- HPES Spirit Store 7:15- 7:35
11/25-11/29- Thanksgiving Break
12/02- Book Club
12/03- L. Ruiz at Principals PLC @ Boardroom
12/03- Kinder Fieldtrip to Elgin Tree Farm
12/05- ASL 2 ends
12/06- HPES Spirit Store 7:15- 7:35
12/09-12/12- 3rd Grade Bazaar
12/09- Book Club
12/13- Diversity Celebration
12/16- Kinder 80th day of school
12/17- L. Ruiz at Principal Meeting @ Boardroom 8:00-12:00
12/19- Winter Concert 1st, Choir, ASL
12/20- HPES Spirit Store 7:15- 7:35
12/20- 1st Grade party in cafeteria 8:15
12/20- Student Early Release @ 12:00
12/23-01/03- Holiday Break
Birthdays
I don’t have the Birthday list on me but I want to wish you a Happy Birthday if you celebrated a “Birthday” in June, July or August!