Blackhawk Parent News
November 2023
Blackhawk Mission
Blackhawk is committed to partnering with families and the community to provide a welcoming, safe, and engaging environment where all students feel a sense of community, accountability, and purpose as they grow and develop into critical thinkers who desire to solve problems and have fun while learning.
Important Dates
11/3 - Report Cards Go Home
11/5 - Daylight Savings Time Ends
11/7 - 12:30 Early Dismissal
11/9 - Picture Day
11/10 - No School Veteran's Day Observed
11/13 - 6:00 pm Board Meeting Finance Committee and 7:00 pm Regular Session
11/13 - 11/21 ---Scholastic Book Fair
11/16 - Primary Reading Night at Blackhawk 6:00 pm
11/20 - Parent/Teacher Conference 2:00-8:00 PM
11/21 - Parent/Teacher Conference 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
11/22-11/24 - Fall Break
11/30 - Student of the Month Celebration
November 20th (2:00-8:00) & November 21st (8:00 am-1:00pm)
Please contact your child's teacher to schedule a conference time
It’s a chance for you to ask questions about the class or your child’s progress. It is also a time for you and the teacher to work together as a team to discuss ways you can help your son or daughter. Parent-teacher conferences are essential whether your child is in elementary, middle, or secondary school. If your school does not schedule regular conferences, you can request them. Teachers need your help to do a first-class job. Together, you can help your child have a great school year.
BEFORE THE CONFERENCE
Schedule an appointment – A parent-teacher conference is not the only time when parents and teachers should make contact. Parents may want to schedule a special meeting with their child’s teacher for various reasons. If you need to schedule an appointment with the teacher, make a phone call or e-mail a quick note to the teacher, and let him or her know if you have particular issues you would like to discuss.
Talk to your child – Find out which subjects your child likes best or least. Ask why. Also, ask if there is anything your child would like you to talk about with the teacher. Help the child understand that you and the teacher are meeting to help him or her. If your child is in middle or high school, you may want to include him or her in the conference.
Gather input from others – If your spouse, another caregiving adult, or someone with pertinent information or insight (doctor, counselor, other guardian) can’t attend the conference, ask for that person’s concerns and questions before the conference.
Make a list – Before the meeting, list topics to discuss with the teacher. Along with questions about academics and behavior, you may want to talk to the teacher about the child’s home life, personality, concerns, habits and hobbies, and other topics that may help the teacher in working with the child (e.g., religious holidays, music lessons, part-time jobs, or a sick relative).
DURING THE CONFERENCE
Establish rapport – As an icebreaker, take notice of something that reflects well upon the teacher. For example, thank the teacher for making thoughtful notes on your child’s homework or for the special attention in helping your child learn to multiply.
Ask questions – Questions you ask during the conference can help you express your hopes for the student’s success in class and the teacher. It’s a good idea to ask the important questions first in case time runs out. The teacher’s answers should help you work together to help your child. If your child receives special services (e.g., gifted and talented programs, speech or occupational therapy), be sure to ask about the frequency of services and your child’s progress.
Addressing problems – Parent-teacher conferences are an excellent time to discuss any difficulties (either academic or behavioral) a child might be having at school. When problems arise, parents will want to avoid angry or apologetic reactions. Instead, ask for examples. Ask what is being done about the problem and what strategies help at school. Develop an action plan that may include steps that parents can take at home and the teacher's steps when the problem comes up at school. Schedule a follow-up conference and decide on the best way to stay in touch (phone, email, or letters sent to the home).
Develop an action plan – If the student needs help with a behavioral or an academic issue, you and the teacher should agree on specific plans—that you both will work on—to help your child do better. Be sure you understand what the teacher suggests. If it’s not clear, ask him or her to explain. Set up a way to check on your child’s progress. You and the teacher can decide how best to stay in touch through phone calls, notes, or additional meetings.
AFTER THE CONFERENCE
Please end the conference by reviewing your discussion and restating your action plan. This is also an excellent time to set up your next meeting.
When discussing the conference with your child afterward, stress the good things covered and be direct about the problems identified. If an action plan is in place, explain to the child what was arranged.
When an action plan is in place, consider the following: watch your child’s behavior and check on classwork and homework. Ask how the student feels about schoolwork. Stay in touch with the teacher to discuss your child’s progress. Express appreciation as progress is made. An excellent way to promote a continuing relationship with the teacher is to say “thank you” with a note or a telephone call. Even if things are going well, keeping in touch with the teacher can be critical in helping the child do better in school. When a child knows parents and teachers are regularly working together, the child will see that education is a high priority, requiring commitment and effort.
QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING THE CONFERENCE
- What subject does my student like most? Least?
- What can I do to help my student with subjects he finds difficult?
- How can I help my student study? Prepare for class? Improve his work? A good time to ask these questions is when the teacher gives you samples of your son’s or daughter’s work.
- Is my student trying as hard as he can
- Does my student participate in class discussions and activities?
- Is my student in different classes or groups for other subjects? Which ones? How are the groups determined?
- How well does my student get along with others?
- Has my student missed classes?
- Have you noticed changes in the way my student acts? For example, have you seen squinting, tiredness, or moodiness that might indicate physical or other problems?
- How are you measuring my student’s progress? Through tests? Portfolios? Class participation? Projects?
- What kinds of tests do you give? What do the tests show about my student’s progress? How does my student handle taking tests?
Greatness at Blackhawk
Parent Communication
Blackhawk Means of Communication
How Blackhawk Communicates with Parents
- Weekly Thrillshare messages from Principal
- Monthly Blackhawk Parent Newsletter (Located on the Blackhawk page on the district website)
- Flyers
- PTO Meetings
- Phone Calls
- Emails
Attendance Matters
Let's continue to ensure our students come to school daily and on time. Students who attend school regularly have been shown to achieve higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. This relationship between attendance and achievement may appear early in a child's school career. If your child(ren) cannot attend school, please call our secretary, Ms. Albright, at (708)668-9502.
Our School Day:
8:15 a.m.--3:00 p.m.
Breakfast Begins:
7:50 a.m.
Early Dismissals
8:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
November SEL Strategy: Cooperation
Use social awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.
Why this goal is essential: Building and maintaining positive relationships with others is central to success in school and life and requires recognizing the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of others, including those different from one’s own. In addition, establishing positive peer, family, and work relationships requires skills in cooperating, communicating respectfully, and constructively resolving conflicts with others.
Students will be able to identify and practice active listening skills, be able to share & take turns, & work together to accomplish a goal.
Character Trait - COOPERATION
Definition – 1) working with others in a supportive, peaceful way toward a common goal. 2) Joint operation or action 3) mutual effort– noun
Synonyms – combined effort, harmony, teamwork, teaming, unity, give-and-take, agreement, encouragement, comfort, helping”.
Word Analysis – prefix “co” – together; root “operate” – effort, action, labor; suffix “tion” – the act of
Ideas to Do as a Family
- Have your child share with you about times they worked with someone else to make or do something. Emphasize that working together requires compromise and listening to others’ ideas.
- Share with your child about something you did that required cooperation. Explain how you worked together with others.
- Schedule household chores at a time when all members of the family can work together to finish them. “Catch” your child cooperating and offer your encouragement by verbally showing your appreciation. Initiate a family project or activity that all family members can have a role.
- Select a hobby that interests the family and invite all family members to work together.
- Watch a movie or TV program together and discuss how the characters cooperated with each other. Volunteer as a family to do a community service project together.
- Remember that the best teaching tool is to always model the behavior you want your child to learn.
November Reading Strategy of the Month
Compare and contrast is an important reading comprehension strategy for elementary students to become proficient in. When readers compare and contrast elements of a story, they think about how two or more things are alike and different. This process helps readers better understand and enjoy stories they read and listen to.
Why Is Comparing and Contrasting an Important Comprehension Strategy?
The ability to compare and contrast is important across all subject areas. This strategy is an important building block towards students developing high-order thinking skills because it is typically the first way we introduce this type of thinking to students. Compare and contrast activities engage even our youngest students in critical thinking which in turn deepens their comprehension of a text.
In regard to reading, there are many benefits to using this strategy. First, it helps students to pay close attention to the details in a story. When they do this, their comprehension is strengthened. Second, this strategy requires students to have attention to details within the text which then helps them to retain the information they read. Finally, using the strategy teaches students to organize information as they read and write. This will help them to think clearly and express their ideas more effectively.
How can you help your child with this strategy at home?
1. When comparing two items discuss likenesses and differences of what is being compared. Begin comparing two people or places and then move on to comparing the characters or settings in a story.
2. Look for clue words in text or use these words when comparing texts.
Comparing words
- Clue words: like, as
- Simile – than, as
Contrasting words
- Clue words: but, unlike
3. When reading to your child, model this strategy by thinking out loud. This may sound like, “This story is a lot like _____ because _____. I noticed _____ and ____ are very similar. I also noticed a few differences. Some things that were not the same are_____.”
4. After reading two different stories, discuss the following:
• How are these stories the same? How are they different?
• Compare the characters in each story.
• How might you compare these stories?
XSTEAM Afterschool Program
Light's On Afterschool in X-STEAM took place at Blackhawk on Friday, October 27th. The event was to call attention to the importance of afterschool programs for America's children, families, and communities. We celebrated with a "Taste of Measurement," where children made recipes using their math skills!
Come and have a great time at our Primary Reading Night, held at Blackhawk on Thursday, November 16, 2023, from 6:00-7:30. We will have fun literacy-based activities for you and your child(ren) to participate in. Family Literacy Night is an exciting way to engage students and parents in meaningful literacy activities while building community spirit and strengthening the partnership between school and home.
During our Reading Night on November 16th, we would love for you to stop in the library and visit our Blackhawk Scholastic Book Fair. Our Scholastic Book Fair is being held from November 13th - November 21st.
I want to "Thank" all the parents/guardians who attended Blackhawk's 2nd PTO meeting on Wednesday, October 11, 2023. We are looking forward to having more parents join our meeting. Our next PTO meeting will be held at Blackhawk on November 8, 2023, from 6:30 p.m.- to 7:30 p.m. The PTO is working hard to make sure that our students have some wonderful activities to participate in. Come share your ideas and offer support.