Bulldog Bulletin
Elementary School News- March 1st, 2021
Feeling inspired
Dear HCS Families,
Although I have read this quote many times before, it wasn't until this year that I truly understood its meaning. If anything has become more clear, it's the importance of taking time to enjoy the little things in life- the small, unexpected moments where we can find joy, love and peace.
My hope is that we have used this opportunity to slow down, take pause, and marvel at life's beauty. To become more reflective, more patient...to take a walk more often, and to pause to look at the trees or the stars. To take a drive "just because"...and to cherish family time. If we remember to stop and take in these small yet significant moments, they can have the biggest impact...an impact that can lead to promise, positivity and hope for our children.
Feeling thankful,
Mrs. Pfluke
A Note about Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences will be held virtually on Thursday, March 25th and Friday, March 26th. Be on the lookout for further information from your child's classroom teacher.
Half-Days
Half Day dismissal times:
Grades 3-5 11:00
Grades UPK-2 12:00
UPK afternoon classes will still be held as normal
- March 12 (please note that on the original school calendar March 12th was a scheduled Superintentent's Conference Day. Is it now a scheduled half day.)
- March 25 (parent/teacher conferences)
- March 26 (parent/teacher conferences)
- April 16
SUNY Geneseo- FREE Virtual Tutoring Program
Interested in additional academic support for your child? SUNY Geneseo's Office of Community Engagement is partnering with the Ella Cline Shear School of Education to facilitate a tutoring program. Selected tutors will be teacher candidates in their Education Preparation Program. All tutors will be trained and will sign documents holding them to safety and security practices while participating in tutoring sessions.
Each flyer, linked below, has a sign-up QR Code and link that will be used to match interested students/families with a Geneseo tutor. SUNY Geneseo will match a tutor with your child based on schedules and grade level/ subject proficiency. The sign up link can also be accessed here.
Zoom will be used as the platform to conduct remote tutoring sessions, which will be recorded into a secure Google Drive. Parents will be able to access each tutoring session that is recorded upon request, and parents will also receive the Zoom meeting link so they can check in anytime during the tutoring session.
For questions, please contact Brianna McConnell, Student Coordinator at americareadscounts@geneseo.edu or Garth Freeman at freemang@geneseo.edu.
Congratulations to our Virtual Spelling Bee Participants!
William Gentry- 1st Place
Steven Burgie- 2nd Place
Sofie Hoag- Honorable Mention
Celebrating 100 days of School!
A message from your PTA President
Becoming a member of PTA gives directly back to our school, its staff and most importantly, its STUDENTS. For $12 you can help us set ourselves up for success coming into next school year and whatever it holds. The PTA plays a major role in many behind the scenes things at HCS. Please consider joining our members and growing with us. Our PTA is lining itself up for great things at HCS and we invite you to help us by being a part of that our journey.
Attached below is our new link for member hub. Our newest PTA tool. This resource is priceless and we are just beginning to learn the ways it can help HCS. Please consider donating to your local PTA! One vision, one voice!
Thank you,
Shanna Butler
PTA PRESIDENT
Check out 3rd grade's Amazon Rain Forests!
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
Spring Recess: no school March 29-April 2
Note: The Elementary School Concert scheduled for March 9th has been cancelled. However, parents can be on the lookout for an upcoming performance video of our 4th & 5th Gr Chorus, and 5th Grade Band for Music in Our Schools month.
Student Support Team
The team reviews each recommendation and works to establish tiered interventions to support students. Families may hear from a member of the SST (Mr. Carrier, Dr. Paler, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Bush, Mrs. Pfluke or Deputy Potter) to determine the best course of action for each student.
For students who are 100% Remote, implementing the same interventions pose a little more difficulty, as we do not see students physically in the building. If students are not engaging and our attempts to communicate with families fall short, we will initiate a home visit to check in on our students. If, after a home visit, we are still unable to connect with families and students, we are required to connect with Child Protective Services. This is not meant to be punishment; it simply means that we need help from outside agencies in connecting and communicating with our families. Please reach out to the Elementary Office if you have any questions about the functionality of the SST.
Incoming upk and kindergarten families
HCS Elementary wants to ensure that we don't miss any students eligible for UPK and Kindergarten for the 2021-22 school year. If your child turns five before December 1, 2021 or you know a friend or relative with an eligible child for Kindergarten in Honeoye, please share this important information with them. Students eligible for Universal Pre-Kindergarten must turn four on or before December 1, 2021.
Early notification from families of incoming UPK & Kindergarten students helps us to get families all the information they need regarding the registration process. Please notify Mrs. Kathy Hoertz in the Elementary Office at 229-5171, Extension 3018.
Remote learning success
Mindfulness Corner
Virtual Meeting Reminders
Here are a few important reminders for making your child's virtual meet successful:
A quiet place for the meet is best.
Please have your son/daughter set-up for their meet at least 5-minutes before the start time. This will allow for time to address any connection issues and for the meet to start in a timely manner.
Have your child enter the meeting with their Chromebook muted.
This time should be for your child only. Siblings should not join the meeting. Parents and guardians can be nearby, but should not be on screen.
Please be aware of what is in the background and background conversations. If there is background noise, be mindful of what can be heard. Remember, anyone in the meeting can hear what you can hear if they are not muted. You may not want everyone to hear your phone call, TV, or music you are listening to at home. The microphones are strong and we can hear more than people think on our end.
Student attire should be "school ready". Pajamas and comfy clothing are welcome, but it is important for students to be dressed to go "on camera". Remember, just like the microphone, everyone in the meet can see what is on camera.
If your child is learning in person, there is no need for a digital connection that day from the parent/guardian.
Your child's teacher will teach your child how to participate in the meeting appropriately. You can help the teacher by reinforcing these procedures when you talk to your child about their meeting.