Hillsdale Herald
Hillsdale Elementary School, December 2020
Dec 7, 2020
We hope the first week back in full remote has gone well. We certainly are missing having the children in school. At this time, the plan is for WCASD to resume the Hybrid Model on Monday, December 14th. Dr. Scanlon and I will communicate if this changes.
Hybrid Return Schedule for December, as of now:
Monday 12/14 and Tuesday 12/15: Cohort A in school, Cohort B remote
Wednesday, 12/16: All students virtual
Thursday, 12/17 and Friday, 12/18: Cohort B in school, Cohort A remote
Monday 12/21: Cohort A in school, Cohort B remote
Tuesday 12/22: Cohort B in school, Cohort A remote **** This is different!
Wednesday, 12/22: All students virtual - HALF DAY, instruction ends at 12:00
Report Cards: Our first trimester ended 12/2. Your child's report card (grades) will be visible on the Parent Portal on Thursday, December 17th. If you have issues logging into your Parent Portal, please try to reset your password. If that does not work, please reach out to Mrs. Clark (dclark1@wcasd.net) or 484.266.2002.
Tips for helping your child in Remote Learning:
Dec 2, 2020
Nurse Notes - Covid Questions?
Please don’t hesitate contacting me if you have any questions at all about Covid. There is a lot of information out there that can be confusing, especially as it relates to contact tracing, symptomatic individuals, what defines a close contact, isolation vs quarantine and timelines related to Covid. So again, please contact me if you have any questions.
Colette Dugan, MEd, BSN, RN, CSN
Certified School Nurse
Hillsdale Elementary (M-F – 484-266-2006) Fax-484-266-2099.
Spanish Language Phone Line
Si usted prefiere comunicarse en español por favor llame al 484-266-1690 para contactarse con personal escolar.
(If you prefer to speak to a Spanish speaking operator, please call 484-266-1690 to connect with school personnel.)
VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR
Our online Book Fair continues through this Friday, Dec 4th. This is a great opportunity for Holiday shopping. We are so grateful for funds from the book fair providing our Virtual Author Visits this year along with books and other materials for our library.
Virtual Lunch Bunch with Mrs. DeWitt
Attention 3rd, 4th and 5th grade student. Interested in joining a few other students in your grade for a social time during lunch? Sign up for a virtual lunch bunch!! The lunch will be scheduled at your regular lunch time on a day we are remote. I will send you a link through Schoology with the specific information once it is scheduled. I am excited to see you at lunch!
Pick Up Patrol - even in Remote!
Please make sure your Default for daily dismissal on your Hybrid days is up to date for when we return.
Attendance
Even in remote learning, we are taking attendance.
If your child is going to be absent for any reason - illness, appointment, vacation - please call the Safe Arrival Line 484-266-2010 and leave a message. When your child is returning to learning, please send an excuse note to Mrs. Fithian (sfithian@wcasd.net). Doctor’s notes are appreciated whenever you see a doctor due to illness.
Each student may take up to 5 vacation days per year, please email me (pmerten@wcasd.net) with vacation requests.
Understanding Your Child's Report Card
Each year parents have questions about the report card grades, particularly in grades K-2 since they are standards-based. Please read this information to have a better understanding of our report cards
As a reminder, the trimester ends on December 2nd and the report card will be available via Parent Portal on December 17th.
We hope you are excited to discuss your child's progress, growth, and learning so far this school year. The following are some reminders about the information provided on the report cards:
- In grade K-2, the West Chester Area School District (WCASD) utilizes standards-based reporting. Each child will receive a 1, 2, 2+, 3, or 4 for each standard addressed this trimester. If you see “N/A” it means that the standard has not yet been assessed. Please remember the goals are end of year standards/expectations. In December, you will likely see many 2s and some 1s which is appropriate for this time of year because the expectation is that students meet the standards with a 3 by the third and final report card in June. In addition, please know that 4s are rare to receive, even at the end of the school year. For a child to reach that level, he/she is performing significantly and consistently above the standard expectations.
- In grades 3-5, WCASD utilizes numeric grades (45-100) that correspond to letter grades (A, B, C, F) for core subjects. Please know that standard grading (1, 2, 3, 4) does not correlate to a letter grade. For example, a 3 in second grade does not mean a B in third grade. Teachers utilize various assessments, activities, and assignments to determine an overall grade. Parents are encouraged to stay abreast of progress via Parent Portal over the course of the entire trimester.
- Learning support students and reading support students will receive progress reports at the same time that report cards go live on Parent Portal in December.
- All children in grades K-5, receive needs improvement (NI), progressing (P), or demonstrates consistently (DC) for Learning Related Behaviors (LRBs). In order to achieve DC, a child needs to exhibit the expectation close to 100% of the time. Progressing (P) is completely appropriate, as it captures a behavior that is observed on a regular basis. These indicators are used for Kindergarten Special Area Subjects also
- Special Area Subjects for grades 1-5 utilize standards-based reporting as noted above for K-2.
Looking Ahead. . .
11/30 - 12/11: Remote only learning
12/2: End of Trimester 1
12/4: Online Book Fair ENDS
12/9: Fun in Flannel Spirit Day
12/14: Return to Hybrid Schedule
12/16: Spirit Day
12/23: Spirit Day
12/24 - 1/1/21: Winter Break - NO SCHOOL
Counselor's Corner
https://calendly.com/kdewitt to schedule an appointment
Click here to visit my virtual office
https://sites.google.com/wcasd.net/counseling-mh-services-site/home -Counseling and Mental Health Services Guide
In an effort to provide additional support for students and parents during remote learning, we’ve created a “Request for Academic Assistance” form for each of the WCASD schools. Students, parents and faculty may complete a form on behalf of a student who is struggling with attendance, work completion or social/emotional learning. This form will be reviewed by a member of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports Team (MTSS) and resources will be provided.
About Hillsdale Elementary
Email: pmerten@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/Domain/602
Location: 725 West Market Street, West Chester, PA, USA
Phone: 484-266-2001
Twitter: @HDEelem