Seven Hills Elementary News
A Home-School Connection
September 20, 2018
Join Us As We Honor 20 Years of Dedicated Service to Seven Hills Elementary!
Destination Imagination Registration Due Friday, September 21:
- Contact Mrs. Wallis
- Visit https://sites.google.com/nisdtx.org/nisddi/home
Big Kahuna Fundraiser Begins Today!
Are you aware that campus activities, resources, and programs are funded using a variety of financial resources? These resources include the SHES PTA, NISD Education Foundation, annual campus operating budget, and the campus activity budget. You may be interested in knowing what types of things each funding source might support and how they receive monies.
- SHES PTA: The PTA partners with the campus to support campus initiatives and programs, as well as capital improvements. For example, the PTA brings programs like visiting authors to the school for students. In order to provide this incredible amount of support, the PTA fundraises annually through a variety of events, the largest of which is the Carnival.
- NISD Education Foundation: Each year the Education Foundation offers opportunities for campuses and staff to write grants for special initiatives and professional learning. We will continue to write grants to support campus initiatives and professional learning aligned with the district mission and vision.
- SHES Operating Budget: Funds for this budget are distributed by the district and based upon data such as student enrollment, average daily attendance, and special programs. This budget is used to provide the professional learning opportunities and the teacher/student materials, resources, and supplies necessary to support student instructional programs.
- SHES Activity Budget: The campus activity fund is primarily used for student incentives, student activities, guest speakers and/or programs, and resources/materials for classrooms and instruction. Specifically, the campus activity account supports The Leader in Me program, student incentives, and Sharpen the Saw Clubs, reading programs, and more. This budget is fully funded through fundraising efforts, separate from PTA fundraisers.
Each year, we host a campus fundraising event to add funds to the campus activity account in order to continue to support student activities and continuous improvement. We are excited to announce that on Thursday, September 20, 2018, students will participate in a pep rally to kick – off this year’s fundraising event with Big Kahuna! You may be familiar with the Big Kahuna fundraising program, featuring cookie dough, wrapping paper sales, and more. There are so many great items to choose from!
Our campus fundraising goal this year is $10,000. The money raised will support The Leader in Me initiative, a Reading Adventure, Sharpen the Saw Clubs, and other campus programs such as Dance Team, Tech Club, etc. We appreciate your support of this fundraising effort, as well as your support of our campus programs and activities! To show our appreciation, students will be individually recognized for their fundraising efforts through a variety of prizes, including fun NEW collectibles and a party bus trip to CiCi’s Pizza! In addition to the individual prizes, classroom incentives will also be awarded! The classroom incentives will be unique and developed by the students in the class.
This year, Big Kahuna is offering a “Family Plan” for incentives! For families with more than one student attending SHES, if one child sells 15 items, each additional child needs to sell a combined total of 5 items to earn the party bus incentive! For example, a family with 2 or more students would sell 20 items for all students to go on the party bus.
Attendance is Important:
When parents make school attendance a priority, they help their child get better grades, develop healthy life habits, avoid dangerous behavior and have a better chance of graduating from high school.
When students are absent for fewer days, their grades and reading skills often improve—even among those students who are struggling in school. Students who attend school regularly also feel more connected to their community, develop important social skills and friendships, and are significantly more likely to graduate from high school, setting them up for a strong future.
When kids are absent for an average of just two days of school per month—even when the absences are excused– it can have a negative impact. These absences can affect kids as early as Kindergarten.
For example, young elementary school students who miss an average of just two school days per month often have difficulty keeping up with their peers academically and tend to fall behind in reading. But when students are able to read on grade level by the end of third grade, which is when kids transition from learning to read to reading to learn, they are three to four times more likely to graduate high school and attend college, post-graduate, or professional development classes than their peers who struggle with reading.
School Lunch Information...Deadline Approaching:
October 9th is the 2018-2019 Free & Reduced Application Deadline
If your children received free or reduced-priced meals last school year, they are automatically receiving the meal benefits for the first 30 days of the 2018-2019 school year. On October 9th, only students whose parents submitted a 2018-2019 application and qualified for the program, will receive free or reduced-priced meals.
At any time during the school year, you may apply for your children to receive free or reduced rate breakfast and lunch meals. If your household income changes or a new member joins your family, you may apply for the first time or reapply with the update information.
To apply online
· Go to http://northwestisd.schoollunchapp.com
· Please follow the application directions carefully so your application can be processed quickly. If you have more than one child attending NISD schools, combine their names on one application.
· A new application must be completed each school year.
· An application cannot be approved until all requested fields have been completed and signed by an adult household member.
· If your Pre-K child was automatically enrolled on the free and reduced program, your other children will NOT automatically be on the program. You must complete an application for all other children.
Paper applications are available at all schools or at the NISD Food Service Office.
If you have any questions, please contact Christina Day,Free & Reduced Specialist:
- cday@nisdtx.org
- (817) 215-0053
Grading Period Leadership Assemblies and Awards:
Each grading period we will also host Leadership Assemblies, one for K-2 grades and another for 3 -5 grades. During these assemblies, one student from each homeroom class will be awarded the distinction of Star Leader. This award recognizes students who consistently demonstrate leadership qualities for the 6 weeks. Parents of these students will be notified in advance so that they can make plans to attend the assembly.
At the end of the year, we will have an awards assembly to honor students for the year of hard work, perseverance, and leadership. This assembly will include recognition of honor roll, attendance, etc. for the entire school year.
We are excited about these opportunities to recognize the greatness in our Star Leaders!
The Leadership Assemblies for the first grading period are Friday, October 5, 2018 in the gym:
- K-2 8:00 - 8:30
- 3-5 8:30 - 9:00
We LOVE Volunteers:
We believe that parents and volunteers are a vital part of our success here at Seven Hills Elementary, and we encourage you to be an active participant in your child’s learning. There are many opportunities for you to become involved, and we encourage you to consider joining one of the following volunteer groups:
- PTA
- Watch D.O.G.S.
Each year, volunteers are required to complete an online background check. If you plan to attend a field trip, work in the classroom, help in the library, or any other responsibility that puts you in contact with students, you must complete the application. Background checks from last year will not roll forward. ALL volunteers MUST complete a new form each year. To complete the form: http://www.nisdtx.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=232201&pageId=1139074
Calling All Watch D.O.G.S.
PTA Reflections Art Program:
The Reflections Art Program has been a staple arts program in many schools for 50 years. Through the efforts of our Local PTAs, millions of students have found a creative outlet in the areas of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. We encourage all artist to create and submit entries for this years theme “Heroes Around Me.”
Ultimate Book Challenge Sign-Ups:
Save the Date:
- Thursday, September 27
- To Sign Up: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/409044ca8aa28aaf85-teacher
End of the 1st Grading Period:
- Friday, September 28
PTA Family Fun Night:
- Friday, September 28 at 6:30 pm
1st Grading Period Leadership Assembly and College Colors Day:
- Friday, October 5
50's Day is Friday, October 12:
Campus Reminders:
- The doors to the school will open at 7:20 a.m., and students may go either to the cafeteria to eat breakfast or to their classrooms to begin their day. To ensure student safety, please do not drop students off at school before the doors open at 7:20.
- Our school day begins promptly at 7:40 a.m. Students are expected to be present in their classrooms and ready to begin “Habit Huddle” when the 7:40 tardy bell rings. Any student who is not in their classroom, or arrives after the tardy bell, will be counted tardy. Please encourage your child to be proactive and arrive at school on time.
- The safety and security of students, staff, and visitors is a priority. All visitors must sign-in with the front office using the Raptor system to receive a visitor badge. Any visitor without a badge will be redirected to the front office. All new guests will need to scan their ID the first time they visit this year. We appreciate your patience and understanding with this safety measure.
- Please contact the school office if your child will be absent from school. This helps us verify our overall attendance for the day and properly account for all students. When your child returns to school after an absence, please be sure to send a note explaining the reason for the absence.
- For information on lunch menus and accounts, visit the NISD website at: https://www.nisdtx.org/cms/one.aspx?portalId=232201&pageId=268259
Arrival and Dismissal Routines:
Car riders will drop off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon using the back circle drive.
- Students will not be released to parents who walk-up to the back door during dismissal.
- Student leaders and staff will be assisting with morning drop-off in the back. In the morning, please make sure you are pulling all the way up to cone one. This helps us unload 7 cars at the same time, and clears the large drain opening at the end of the circle.
- Seven Hills issued hangtags are required for car rider dismissal. These are available in the front office.
Buses will drop off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon using the front circle drive.
- For bus route information please call or email MV Reliant at Reliant Transportation at 817-698-1287 or transportation@nisdtx.org.
Daycare and Pre-K/PPCD/PACEE (and their siblings) will use the front “L” drive for morning arrival and afternoon dismissal.
Please notify the school of any transportation changes before 2:30 pm. This will help ensure that your student receives the information and makes it home safely.
- If you need to pick your child up early from school, you need to do so before 2:45 pm. There will be no office pickups after 2:45.
Student safety is a priority. Please do not drop students off at school before 7:20 am. Staff and student leaders assisting with arrival in the back circle drive will go inside at 7:40 am and the back doors will be locked. If you arrive after 7:40, please bring your child to the front of the school so they can enter through the front office.
Lunch Visitors:
Because student safety is a priority, Northwest ISD and Seven Hills Elementary have implemented several guidelines regarding lunch visitors:
- All lunch visitors are required to sign in at the front office and obtain a visitor’s badge prior to proceeding to the cafeteria.
- Lunch visitors may be parents, immediate family members and campus mentors. If you wish for your child to have lunch with anyone other than an immediate family member, a written note must be submitted prior to the lunch visit.
- Lunch visitors may not bring food or drink to school for anyone other than their own children.
- There are designated tables set aside for the visitor and student to enjoy their lunch.
- For the safety of all students, visitors are only able to eat lunch with their children. Please do not invite other students to join you at the visitor table.
We appreciate your understanding, cooperation, and support of these safety guidelines
Seven Hills Will Offer AlphaBest After School Childcare This Year:
Seven Hills is excited to begin offering AlphaBEST after school childcare this year. AlphaBEST programs deliver a safe, exciting, enriching environment, including homework support, STEM, dramatic and visual arts, fitness, language and cultural discovery opportunities. For more information about fees, enrollment, etc. please visit the AlphaBEST website: http://www.alphabest.org/northwest/
NISD Information:
- See What’s Going on in Our Communities: As a service to our families, the district provides the Community Folder for non-school groups or organizations to post information that may be of interest or a benefit to students and families. Click here to see approved flyers.
Stay Connected!
Website: http://northwestseven.ss10.sharpschool.com/
Location: 654 FM3433, Newark, TX, United States
Phone: 817-215-0700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SevenHillsElem/
Twitter: @7HillsNISD