Hollywood Hill Happenings
September Edition
From the Principal
As the season begins to turn we here at Hollywood Hill find ourselves settling in to the routines of our new academic year. We have spent much of our time this first month building positive and productive learning communities where all students experience a sense of belonging and a confidence that their dignity is respected. Several weeks ago we began in earnest the implementation of our new reading curriculum, which incorporates the most scientifically well-validated knowledge about effective reading instruction (see more HERE). Meanwhile, we continue our emphasis on providing all of our students with a solid foundation in mathematics, as well as ensuring that we provide our students with a healthy balance of exposure to the whole spectrum of age-appropriate learning opportunities.
A few items of note that I'd like to draw to your attention:
- Please consider taking a moment to investigate whether your family is eligible to apply for free or reduced priced meals. Especially with the inflation we have seen recently it has been tricky for many families to make ends meet, and we want to make sure your child or children is ready to learn with a full stomach. Application HERE
Picture Day is Wednesday, October 5th!
Upcoming Cross Country Meets
Here are the dates for our upcoming Cross Country Meets:
10/4: 4:45pm at East Ridge Elementary
10/11: 4:45 at Hollywood Hill Elementary
10/18: 4:45 at Northshore Middle School
10/25: Finals - 5 pm at Sunrise Elementary
For Kindergarten Parents
Welcome to the 2022-23 school year and your child’s first year in Northshore School District. We are delighted to serve your child and family as we embark on this educational journey, together, and support your child’s educational experience. Our kindergarten teachers aim to provide a smooth transition into school and they’ve appreciated the recent family connections and meetings spent getting to know you, your child’s family, and building relationships as you both partner in your kindergartener’s journey.
At the start of each school year, our kindergarten teachers conduct an observational assessment with all kindergarten students within our district. This is an assessment known as the Whole-Child or Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) assessment. It is conducted in all public schools across our state.
The WaKIDS assessment is designed to serve as an opportunity for kindergarten teachers to observe students engaging in activities and interactions as they learn about their young learners. Teachers look at ways students demonstrate what they can do; identify their strengths, interests and choices; and notice areas students might need support. WaKIDS provides an opportunity to host these observations and get a snapshot of where our kindergarten students are in their early learning development, early on in the school year.
The WaKIDS observational period begins now and ends October 31st. There will be valuable time spent with students as kindergarten teachers observe and take note of each child’s development over many weeks. Teachers will observe and take note of each student’s skills and abilities based on the following six domains of early child development: 1) social-emotional, 2) cognitive, 3) language, 4) mathematics, 5) literacy, and 6) physical ability. They will also be looking at what the child is able to do with independence.
Our kindergarten teachers have attended extensive training on observing and assessing students for this beginning-of-the-year assessment. They will be having students engage in a variety of activities with the whole class, in small groups, and individually as they learn about each child’s readiness to learn. Please know that we are delighted to partner with you, as we collaborate together this year, on your child’s learning experience
Required Electronic Forms
Dear Northshore Families,
Annually the District provides parents/guardians with notification of electronic forms that must be acknowledged, including:
· WA State Attendance Letter
· Rights and Responsibilities Handbook
· Weapons Letter
· Student Housing Questionnaire
· Technology Use Agreement
· Permission to Withhold Student Directory Information
We ask that you login to ParentVUE : (https://wa-nor-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login_Parent.aspx?regenerateSessionId=True)
to view and sign these forms. You will be prompted to download, read and take action for each of the forms listed above.
Please make sure you have signed all of the documents for every student. Your access to ParentVue will eventually be blocked if the documents are not signed.
If you have any questions about these forms, please contact Student Services at (425) 408-7725 or by email at studentsvcs@nsd.org.
If you have never logged in to ParentVue and need an access code, please email:
From the Music Room
I have a very exciting news to share -
Through the sponsorship of our wonderful PTA, I will be offering choir experience to ALL grades (K-5th grade) this year! YAY!!
The Primary Choir (K-2nd) rehearses on Thursday before school @8:30am-9:15am. Our first rehearsal will be on Thursday, October 6th. The last choir rehearsal will be Dec. 15th. To sign up, please complete this google form by Friday, Sept. 30: https://forms.gle/UDQQR1AnHJE6cc6c7
The Intermediate Choir (3rd-5th grade) rehearses on Tuesday before school @8:30am-9:15am. Our first rehearsal will be on Tuesday, October 4th. The last choir rehearsal will be Feb. 14th. To sign-up, please complete this google form by Friday, Sept. 30: https://forms.gle/GXiyyEd676UhuhAa9
Questions? Please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Lin. I look forward to a wonderful choir season together!
Musically yours,
---------------------------
Yuh-Pey Lin, D.M.A.
Music, Hollywood Hill Elementary
ylin@nsd.org
425.408.4709
From the Health Room
Emergency Preparedness at Hollywood Hill
Emergency Preparedness is a top priority at Hollywood Hill. We are training staff to make sure we all know what to do in an emergency. We will be conducting drills every month. Safe Inside, Lockdown, Fire, and Shelter in Place. The PTA needs someone to be on the Eprep team. You will help with emergency preparedness at the school in a variety of ways. If you are interested, please contact Nicolette Stocker at president@hhillpta.org.
In the event of an emergency, do not rush to the school to pick up your child. This will only create additional traffic that may impede needed emergency vehicles and your presence at the site could delay the evacuation process. Children and parents will be reunited in a safe, orderly, and timely manner.
School will not automatically be canceled in a crisis or emergency situation. School may well be the safest place for students. Officials will ensure that students are safe inside until such time that the threat has been reduced or eliminated.
Should public safety officials call for the evacuation of a school, students and staff members may be safely transported by bus to a designated alternate shelter location. Students may be held at this alternate shelter site for various reasons until release is approved by public safety or health officials, depending on the circumstances of the event.
Students will only be released to those individuals authorized on the school emergency card. Proper identification must be presented in order for students to be released.
Please see the Standard-Reunification-Parent-Handout.pdf below.
Please take this opportunity to update the emergency contacts in ParentVue and consider including trusted neighbors or others that can respond to reunification sites in case your response is delayed by other emergencies happening in our region.
From the School Counselor
Hello Hollywood Hill Families,
I have enjoyed the opportunity to be working full-time at Hollywood Hill this year! In September, I had a wonderful time visiting all classrooms to share my school counselor role. As October kicks off, so will the delivery of my classroom guidance curriculums, so I wanted to take this opportunity to share a little bit about those here.
School Counseling Curriculum for Classroom Lessons in Grades K-2
K-2 will receive many classroom lessons around conflict management through a new district-provided curriculum called Kelso’s Choice. Conflict is normal when children get together. However, hurtful words, gestures, or physical attacks are unacceptable ways to deal with conflict and disagreement at school. We want to teach students several positive ways to deal with these difficult situations using Kelso’s wheel of choices (shown above).
Kelso’s Choice starts with teaching the students to identify between a small or a big problem. A small problem is a problem that they are smart enough and strong enough to solve on their own appropriately. A big problem is something scary or dangerous, and students are coached to find an adult immediately. As adults, we know we will not always be there for the students to solve problems. Students need to learn how to solve age-appropriate issues on their own. This empowerment to solve even-powered conflicts will make it easier for students to solve uneven-power conflicts when they arrive. In other words, conflict resolution skills are the foundation of bullying prevention.
To solve those small problems, students have many different solutions they can choose from. There are nine solutions or choices total that fall into verbal and nonverbal categories:
Verbal:
Talk It Out,
Share and Take Turns,
Make a Deal (rock paper scissors, pick a #),
Tell Them To Stop
Apologize
Nonverbal:
Go To Another Game
Ignore It
Walk Away
School Counseling Curriculum for Classroom Lessons in Grades 3-5
As you may know, teachers use the Second Step program in your child’s classroom to support their healthy development. The Second Step program teaches children essential skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe, respectful place where everyone can learn.
To further help our school be a safe and respectful place, I will also use the new district-provided Second Step Bullying Prevention curriculum to teach classroom lessons to all students in grades 3-5. Your child will learn specific skills to help stop bullying during these lessons.
Students will learn how to:
Recognize when bullying is happening
Report bullying to a caring adult
Refuse to let bullying happen to themselves or others
Be a bystander who stands up and is part of the solution to bullying
Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to visiting students' classrooms more regularly this year! Thank you so much for your partnership.
With care,
Hayley Azadmanesh
School Counselor
Hello HHE Families!
I am excited to be joining this community as the Mental Health Counselor. This is a new position for HHE and the other elementary schools in the East Region. I will be on site at Hollywood Hills on Fridays. I will be working with a small caseload of students 1-1 who are in need of services and unable to get connected to counseling outside of school.
I will be working closely with Mrs. Azadmanesh to get connected with students who may benefit from mental health counseling. I look forward to getting to know the HHE community!
Rachel Madding, LMHC
From the Highly Capable Department
The Accelerated Models and Programs Department is beginning our 2022-23 eligibility process for highly capable designations to begin in the 2023-24 school year.
All students in grades K, 1, and 5 will take the NNAT3 screener in their classroom with their teacher. Grades 1 and 5 will complete the NNAT3 by October 15 and Kindergarten students will have until winter break. Students new to Northshore will also take the screener sometime after October 17.
Students in grades 2,3,4,6, and 7 will have the option to take the screener if they are referred for highly capable services. If you are interested in referring a student, please click this link: https://www.nsd.org/schools/programs-services/highly-capable-services/eligibility/referral
For additional information about our eligibility process, please visit the highly capable services page on the nsd.org website.
Thank you,
Accelerated Models and Programs Department
Ready Start
Northshore Early Childhood is currently enrolling for the Ready Start Tuition Program. It is a blended multi-age, inclusive model, serving students, ages 3-5. Currently there are openings at Sorenson ECC and Woodmoor Elementary for the 2022/23 school year. Classrooms are taught and supported by a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and a paraprofessional. Inclusive classrooms create a dynamic learning environment for all students.
The average class size is 16 students, with class make-up of 8 students with IEP’s, 4 students who pay tuition, and 4 students who are income eligible. Classrooms utilize The Creative Curriculum & Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment Tool. The staff is committed to fostering student learning and cultivating friendships while creating a sense of community for our students. Utilizing developmentally appropriate teaching strategies to support a whole child approach to learning, within an inclusive environment, fosters high levels of student learning and social and emotional growth for all students.
For more information and enrollment paperwork please visit our Northshore School District website: https://sorensonecc.nsd.org/academics-programs/tuition-program or contact Sorenson at (425) 408-5570.
Return all forms including deposit to: Sorenson Early Childhood Center 19705 88th Ave NE
Bothell, WA 98011
Tuition Cost:
$300 per month
From the PTA
From the President
Help us help HHE! We are well on our way to reaching our Fun Run goal of raising $20k for PTA programs, events, staff grants, educational enrichment, emergency supplies & more that will benefit our entire Star Community this year.
If you haven't yet, please register your student(s) at www.mybooster.com & ask friends and family for lap donations - and consider a business donation or corporate matching! Let's do this, Stars!
9/30 FUN RUN DAY DETAILS
- During the school day on Friday, 9/30/22
- All students will participate & get a t-shirt sponsored by Mercury’s Coffee. Thank you, Mercurys!
- Volunteers are needed, but if you are unable to volunteer, come & cheer your student(s) on during their grade’s run! See volunteer sign up & your student(s) run schedule HERE!
9/30 CHOIR, CHESS + MORE
10/4 FIRST PTA MEMBERSHIP MEETING OF THE YEAR!
Join us for our first hybrid PTA Membership Meeting of the '22/'23 school year, either in-person in the school's library (refreshments provided) or via this Zoom link. Make sure to become a member before the meeting to be able to vote & to enter into a prize drawing that evening. Principal Cox and Dean of Students, Tanya O'Rourke will be joining us - if you'd like them to address something specific, please fill out this form. Hope to see you there!