HILLTOP FAMILY NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2017
JANUARY AT A GLANCE
- SCHOOL RESUMES: Tuesday, January 3rd
- KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION: Monday, January 9th
- GRADE 4 FIELDTRIP: Tuesday, January 10th to Physics Force
- PTSA MEETING: Tuesday, January 10th at 6:30pm
- NO SCHOOL: Monday, January 16th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- LIMO RIDE: Wednesday, January 18th for Fundraiser Winners
- CONFERENCES: Tuesday, January 24th, Thursday, January 26th, Friday, January 27th
- NO SCHOOL: Friday, January 27th
LOOKING AHEAD AT FEBRUARY
- GRADE 5 FIELDTRIP: Kindness Retreat, Thursday, February 2nd
- PTSA MEETING: Tuesday, February 7th at 6:30pm
- TITLE I/WIN PARENT MEETING: Tuesday, February 14th
- JUMP ROPE FOR HEART: Thursday, February 16th
- EARLY RELEASE DAY: Friday, February 17th, Dismissal at 11:45am
- NO SCHOOL: Monday, February 20th
- GRADE 1 FIELDTRIP: Science Museum, Wednesday, February 22nd
HILLTOP ELEMENTARY INTERNATIONAL NIGHT!
The Hilltop Elementary Equity Team is looking for volunteers that would like to help with the first International Night this March. International Night will be an evening for all families to represent their culture and come together for a fun event. The goal is to create an awareness and better understanding of our families at Hilltop Elementary. We are in need of artifacts representing culture and history, performances, and food ideas. If you are available to help or have ideas contact Assistant Principal Mr. Cooper at 651-306-7401 or email at quennel.cooper@isd199.org
NURSE'S OFFICE
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Please review the following guidelines when trying to determine if your child should stay home from school.
Should My Child Stay Home from School?
Parents and students frequently have questions about when it is appropriate to stay home from school because of illness. Follow these guidelines to help with your decision:
- If your child has had a temperature of 100.0ºF or higher in the past 24 hours
- If your child has vomited or had diarrhea within the past 24 hours;
- If your child has a new, undiagnosed rash;
- If your child has pus-like eye drainage;
- Symptoms of severe illness such as unusual fatigue, uncontrolled cough and difficulty breathing;
- If your child feels ill enough that he/she would not be able to benefit from being at school.
Please contact the health office if you have any questions. 651-306-7402
TITLE I/WIN
Happy New Year from Title I/WIN! We hope this finds everyone refreshed and energized for the New Year. We would like to invite families to attend the PTSA Meeting on Tuesday, January 10 at 6:30 p.m. in our IMC (Library). We will be reviewing our Compact and District Title I plan during this meeting. We look forward to seeing you there. If your student is receiving support services from one of our staff, we look forward to sharing your student’s skill progress during your Winter Conference with your child’s classroom teacher.
KINDERGARTEN
Kindergarten had a lot of fun in December with Pajama day and BINGO with our 5th grade buddies. In the new year we begin some new math concepts. We will be learning how to make a graph and add numbers together. We keep practicing our letters and new sight words too! There will be time for snowy stories and fun snowy science.
GRADE 1
In the month of January, first grade will be working on explaining the differences between fiction and non fiction texts in literacy. In writing, we plan to continue adding detail to our stories. In math, we will work on place value to 100, ten more and ten less, as well as composing and decomposing numbers to 12 with an emphasis on making ten. We'll also begin a science unit of study about pebbles, sand, and silt.
GRADE 2
Second grade students are finishing a project called “Me on the Map” based on the book written by Joan Sweeney. Check out this project in the hallway during conferences! Also, students are continuing to master their addition and subtraction facts using many different strategies. If you would like your child to get additional practice at home, some great apps (FREE) include Sushi Monster, Make 10 Plus, Math Wars, and Hungry Fish. Students need to remember to bring all of their winter gear each day including a coat, boots, snow pants, gloves, and hat.
GRADE 3
Third graders have been working hard on combining Writing and Art. Over this past week, they have worked on Snow Globe Projects. After break, students will combine Writing, Art to create a "How to Blow a Bubble" project and in math we will finish graphing. Then, we will move onto Multiplication and Division. In January, we will be starting a new Social Studies Unit.
GRADE 4
4th grade classes will be attending Physics Force at the U of M on Wednesday, January 11th. Students will watch many exciting and entertaining science experiments lead by professors from the University and area high school teachers. Chaperones are not needed for this field trip. Buses drop us off a couple blocks from the auditorium, so students will need to be dressed for walking outside before and after the presentation. We will be back at school in time for lunch. We are excited for this fun field trip!
We also look forward to seeing everyone at January conferences, which take place the week of January 23rd!
GRADE 5
In December our 5th graders celebrated all of their hard work for the first trimester of the school year. We celebrated by playing Bingo for prizes and enjoying a snack too. A big thank you to families for all of the donations you sent in to make this possible! We as 5th grade teachers are very proud of all our students and the success they have in 5th grade.
This trimester we look forward to enhancing our learning by implementing many new technology resources and apps. Examples of the 5th grade technology we are beginning to implement are kidblog, keynote, iXL, and Schoology. We are very fortunate to have ipads in our classroom for daily instruction of our curriculum. Our students look forward to the multiple times we use them with instruction each day!
PHY ED NEWS
Hilltop will also be participating in Jump Rope For Heart on February 16, 2017. The event will take place all day during Phy Ed classes and all grades K-5 will be participating. Information will come out next month, please consider taking part in this great event.
Remember to always have tennis shoes for Phy Ed, and appropriate clothes. Stay active during the winter months as much as you can, a good long walk can be very beneficial for all.
IMC NEWS
THE BOOK FAIR!
Happy Camper Book Fair: S’more Fun With Books!
The book fair is coming! We need volunteers...we need YOU! Volunteering at the Book Fair is the perfect way to stay connected to your child at school and help students find the books they can't wait to read. It also helps to provide books for your child's classroom. Sign up now and get ready for a fun and rewarding volunteer experience. Use the link to sign up now!