The Howler November 8th, 2019
Newsletter for the Shadow Hills Elementary School Community
Principal Point
How to explain Veterans Day to your kids
Nov. 4, 2019
For kids, especially the young ones, Veterans Day might not seem like much more than a day off from school. And, if your kids are anything like my 4-year-old, they have little to no awareness of the important role that veterans play in our everyday lives. This time of year, therefore, presents parents with the perfect opportunity to teach our smallest citizens about the significance of such a holiday like Veterans Day.
When I felt that my daughter was at the right age to begin learning about the sacrifice and courage of our military men and women, I put together a list of questions to help her understand who they are and why it's important to honor them. Hopefully, these questions and answers can help you as you broach the subject with your kiddos.
Who is a veteran?
Answering this question is important because it helps kids understand the honorees behind the holiday. A veteran is a former member of the armed services or military. Branches of the military include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and veterans may have served during times of war or peace.
Perhaps a member of your family is currently serving in the military. Or maybe a grandfather, aunt or distant cousin is retired from the armed forces. To get the conversation started, try to find a picture of them in uniform and explain the importance of their job to your kid.
If you know anyone who’s a veteran, consider asking them to set up a time to chat with your child. They might be willing to show them their service memorabilia, photos or stories or even wear their uniform to help your child better understand the concept of what it means to serve.
Remember, veterans aren’t just friends and family; they’re everywhere! They don’t always wear uniforms or talk about their service, but that makes it all the more important to acknowledge them and the sacrifices they made, whether on Veterans Day or any other day.
What is Veterans Day?
Veterans Day is a U.S. federal holiday that honors American veterans of all wars — whether or not they currently serve — and gives us the opportunity to show our gratitude for the sacrifices they made to protect our freedoms. Your kids might’ve noticed that Veterans Day lands on the same day every year: November 11th. That’s because it actually started out as another holiday, known as “Armistice Day.”
Armistice Day commemorated the day in 1918, when Germany and the Allied nations signed a temporary truce that became the symbolic, yet unofficial, end of World War I. (The official end of the war came about with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.) According to the History Channel, the truce (or “armistice”) was signed “on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.” For this reason, Armistice Day was observed by many countries on or close to November 11th. In fact, this day was so important that the U.S. government declared it a legal federal holiday in 1938, “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.’” In addition to its focus on peace and goodwill, it was also meant to be a day of gratitude for the sacrifices made by the veterans of that war.
In 1954, the U.S. government legally changed the name of Armistice Day to “Veterans Day,” in an effort to honor the veterans of all wars (including those of World War II and the Korean War), and not just those of World War I.
What’s the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?
Many people confuse Veterans Day and Memorial Day, but it’s an important distinction to keep in mind.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.
"While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military — in wartime or peacetime.”
6 ways to teach your child about Veterans Day
In addition to looking at pictures and talking to a veteran (if possible), your little one might find that hands-on activities help them better understand the meaning behind Veterans Day and the importance of honoring our country’s veterans. Here are several options to consider:
1. Attend a Veterans Day parade: Oftentimes, communities host a parade to celebrate and honor members of the military. Check your local city or town’s event guide to see if there’s one scheduled where you live.
2. Read a book: Books on a variety of topics related to Veterans Day, military families and soldiers are available for all ages. Visit the local public library or a nearby bookstore with your child and pick out a few books that they find interesting.
3. Raise money: Find veteran organizations near you, start a neighborhood lemonade stand or other fundraiser and donate the money to a local veterans group. This is a great way to help your child take action to support our veterans.
4. Talk about freedom: What freedoms do you enjoy? Discuss these with your child to help make them aware of the everyday liberties they have thanks to veterans.
5. Talk about sacrifice: Members of our military often go long periods of time away from loved ones and sometimes even miss important holidays and birthdays with their families to fight for our freedom.
6. Say 'thank you': If you and your child are out in public and see a man or woman in uniform, let your child know that it’s a nice gesture to say 'thank you.' Those two simple words can mean a lot to a service member. If you're at a coffee shop or a restaurant and feeling generous, you might also consider paying for their cup of coffee or meal.
Looking for more ideas? Here are several Veterans Day activities for kids.
Most important of all, listen when your child wants to talk about Veterans Day or what it means to be a veteran. While they may be young, their emotional intelligence is high. Using kid-friendly, age-appropriate language and activities to teach them about respecting and honoring our veterans — and appreciating the freedoms we enjoy as Americans — will go a long way toward instilling a sense of patriotism and empathy.
Source: https://www.care.com/c/stories/12470/veterans-day-101-how-to-explain-veterans-day-to-your-kids/
Shadow Hills Elementary School
We are PK-6th Public Elementary School in Boise, Idaho! We serve the community of NW Boise and parts of Eagle and Garden City. We have excellent community support for our outstanding teachers and staff! Thank you!
Mission
Inspiring curiosity and building integrity to cultivate a positive learning community.
Vision
We believe the most promising strategy for achieving the mission of Shadow Hills Elementary School is to develop our capacity to function as a professional learning community. We envision a school in which staff:
Inspire curiosity
Build integrity
Cultivate a positive learning community
Unite to achieve a common purpose and clear goals
Work in collaborative teams
Seek and implement best practices that result in student growth and achievement
Monitor student progress
Demonstrate a personal commitment to the overall success and well-being of all students
(Vision based on P. 135 of the following book - Eaker, DuFour & DuFour. (2002). Getting Started: Reculturing Schools To Become Professional Learning Communities. Bloomington, Indiana: National Educational Service.)
Values
We live the values of: Respect - Dignity - Honesty - Responsibility - Teamwork
Purpose/Goals
SMART Goals updated annually
Email: gale.zickefoose@boiseschools.org
Website: https://shadowhills.boiseschools.org/
Location: 8301 West Sloan Street, Boise, ID, USA
Phone: 208-854-6060
Facebook: facebook.com/ShadowHillsWolves
Twitter: @ShadowHillsElem
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES
August 2019
Dear Parent/Guardian:
In the event of a school emergency, please understand that each school in the Boise School District has an Emergency Response Plan that has been carefully developed and addresses a multitude of emergency situations. All of these plans have been developed through a coordinated effort with Ada County Emergency Management. If there is an emergency at your child’s school, your cooperation is necessary to help us respond effectively to such situations.
In the event of an emergency, please help us by doing the following:
Please do not call and do not go to the school.
In an emergency, onsite staff are focused solely on getting everyone to a safe location. Showing up to the site can create unnecessary traffic, preventing emergency vehicles from responding quickly. You could also put yourself or others in danger.
If you get a call or text from your student, help him or her remain calm. Remind your student that school staff know what to do in an emergency situation, and will work to keep everyone safe.
Please know we will communicate with parents/guardians about reunifying you with your child and that this reunification site may not be at the school.
Check the Boise School District homepage at www.boiseschools.org, the District Facebook page or our Twitter feed.
We will provide credible, accurate and useful information to the public as soon as possible. Please be aware that information received from sources other than the school administrator or Boise School District may be inaccurate.
Expect to see our posts updated as necessary. We will also provide updates to local news media, but emergency situations can change rapidly. Typically, multiple agencies are involved, so communication is coordinated through the “lead agency,” which may cause a delay in notification.
Sign-Up for Emergency Text Messaging:
We will use our emergency text notification system to contact parents and guardians. Please make sure your emergency contact information is always up to date at your child's school.
Parent/guardians whose contact information is on file with your child’s school may sign-up for emergency text messaging.
Simply text SUBSCRIBE to the number 67587. You'll know you were successful if you receive the following reply message in English:
“You're now registered with School Messenger notification service. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. Msg&data rates may apply.”
Repeat the opt-in process for any wireless numbers that you wish to include.
In addition to performing the opt-in process above, please ensure that the District has your wireless number(s) in our student information database. If you haven't already provided that information to your school please contact them as soon as possible.
Non-parents may receive emergency text messages by downloading the Boise School District’s Mobile app. The app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Familiarize yourself with the terms that can be used during any emergency situation:
Shelter-in-place: Used to secure the building from a potential threat outside the building, such as when an unauthorized person is loitering on school grounds or when there is criminal activity in the neighborhood. Exterior doors are locked, but normal activities continue inside the building. Used during severe weather or other environmental threats (e.g., air contamination due to a local fire) to keep people safe while remaining indoors.
Lockdown: Used when there is a perceived danger inside the building. Doors are locked, windows are closed and locked, blinds are closed. People are directed to move away from windows and doors. Hallways are cleared of students and school staff.
Evacuation: When students and staff are moved out of the building to a pre-designated safe location.
Reverse Evacuation: Used when there is a perceived danger outside the building. Students are brought in from outside. Lockdown procedures may be followed once inside.
Reunification Site: An alternative site other than the school where school administrators will check-out students to the child’s parent/guardian. Students will only be released to authorized parents/guardians with proper identification (e.g. driver’s license, state identification, etc.)
All Boise School District staff members, parents, students and community members are encouraged to report anything they see, hear or are made aware of that may impact a school or school program. If you see or hear something, say something: call 911 or Boise Police Department at 208-343-COPS.
Please discuss these matters with your immediate family. Planning ahead will help alleviate concern during emergencies. Thank you in advance for following these steps to ensure our students, staff members and public remain safe and secure.
Sincerely,
Gale Zickefoose
Principal
Annual Notification Regarding Public Release of Student Directory Information
The Boise School District complies with federal law (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) as it relates to the release of student directory information to the public. To learn more, log on to www.boiseschools.org and navigate to Parents & Patrons > Parent Information > FERPA Form. Or, you may pick up a FERPA form at your school, or call the Clerk of the Board at 208-854-4123 to obtain a copy of the FERPA form.
Thank you to our Veterans!
BOOK FAIR NEWS!
What's New in the Library?
Shadow Hills Library
Is Now On
Instagram!
Follow us and keep up to date
on all the happenings in our library!
School Psychology Awareness Week
Next week, Nov. 11th-15th is School Psychology Awareness Week!
This is a great opportunity to say thanks and show your appreciation for all the support our school psychologist, Mrs. Elliott, provides to students, families and the staff!
We appreciate Mrs. Elliott here at Shadow Hills!
BOX TOP INFORMATION
Clip and send Box Tops with your students to school! No more clipping is needed. Just download the Box Tops app. Shop as you normally would, then simply scan your store receipts to find participating products. The app will automatically credit our school's Box Tops earnings online!
LOST and FOUND
NEWS FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
GUIDELINES FOR KEEPING SICK CHILDREN HOME
Each day many parents are faced with a decision: should they keep their sick child at home or send them off to school? Often the way a child looks and acts can make the decision an obvious one. Please consider these guidelines:
- Colds: Please keep your child at home if he/she has a fever over 100 degrees or is experiencing discomfort that would interfere with his/her ability to perform in school. (i.e. uncontrollable coughing, severe lack of energy). If your child experiences green nasal discharge that continues throughout the day, or a cough lasting longer than ten days, or is accompanied by fever or chills and is productive of discolored sputum, consult with your physician.
- Conjunctivitis (Pink-eye): Following a diagnosis of bacterial conjunctivitis, the child may return to school after the first dose of prescribed medication. Students with viral infection may return when eyes are clear.
- Diarrhea/Vomiting: A child with diarrhea and/or vomiting should stay at home and return to school only after being symptom-free for 24 hours.
- Fever: A child should remain at home with a fever greater than 100 degrees. The child can return to school after he/she has been fever free for 24 hours (without fever-reducing medicine such as Tylenol or Motrin).
- Impetigo: A child with impetigo may return to school 24 hours after treatment has begun. A doctor's note of proof of prescription is recommended.
- Rashes: Common infectious diseases with rashes are most contagious in the early stages. A child with a suspicious rash should return to school only after a health care provider has made a diagnosis and authorized the child's return to school.
- Strep Throat: A child with strep throat may return to school 24 hours after antibiotic treatment has begun.
A sick child cannot learn effectively and is unable to participate in classes in a meaningful way. Keeping a sick child home prevents the spread of illness in the school community and allows the child an opportunity to rest and recover.
The Dapper Doughnut PTO Restaurant Fundraiser
Saturday, November 9th
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Help us raise funds for Shadow Hills!
Present the flyer below at the Dapper Doughnut and 20 percent of all proceeds will be given back to the school!
Street Address
6711 N Glenwood St,
garden city
OPERATION WISH BOOK
2019 Holiday Season
To: Parents of Boise School students
From: Operation Wish Book
Operation Wish Book is a community based project designed to enable less fortunate children to receive new books for Christmas.
Children who read, succeed.
Children who give, learn to be generous.
You can contribute books through your child’s school book club orders in October/November.
• Simply order one or more extra books.
• Fill out the form below and return it with the order.
• Your child’s teacher will donate your book to Operation Wish Book and return the form to you as your receipt.
• Please donate books by November 18th.
Books are distributed through the Salvation Army in time for Christmas.
Thank you!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Operation Wish Book Donation Form
Name of Student _________________________ School _______________
Book titles to be donated
Teacher’s name __________________________ Grade ________________
Telephone: 8169 W. Victory Rd.
(208) 854-4171 (Linda) Boise, ID 83709
See the attached flyer for information
WALKING CLUB NEWS!
Congratulations to these students who have walked/run this milestone so far:
25 Miles:
Leah A. (Plies)
Ronan P. (Erb)
Alena G., Alli H. and Nasta H. (Amoureux)
Jaeda W. and Caleb L. (Phillips)
♫ Music Dates at Shadow Hills 2019-2020
November 15th: Kindergarten Fall Program 10:30 a.m.
December 12th: Band, Orchestra and Choir Concert
December 18th & 19th: Holiday Program (1st-3rd Grades)
March 13th: All-School Talent Show
March 19th (Capital Quad Choir Festival
May 7th: Spring Band/Orchestra Concert
May 13th & 14th: Spring Program (4th-6th Grades)
Chess Club at Shadow Hills!
Shadow Hills Elementary Night with the Steelheads!
7PM @ CenturyLink Arena
Tickets are $15 ($25 value)
All friends, family and staff of Shadow Hills Elementary School are welcome to attend as your Idaho Steelheads take on the Allen Americans! $15 buys your ticket and dinner (Double RR Ranch hot dog, bag of Lay’s potato chips and small Pepsi product)!
In addition, $5 from every ticket sold goes back to the school!!
To Place an Order… Fill out the order form below and return it to school with cash, credit card number, or check made payable to Idaho Steelheads. See the attached flyer for information on ordering tickets online.
Turn order form in no later than Tuesday, December 4th. All orders placed after that will be subject to availability, & all seating is located in the upper bowl of the arena.
FAMILY STRENGTHENING SUPPORT GROUPS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!
Mark your calendars for these upcoming activities:
November 9 - Dapper Doughnuts PTO Fundraiser 8 a.m. -12 p.m.
November 13 - PTO Meeting 4:00 p.m. in the Library
November 25-29 - Thanksgiving Break - No School (Pre K-12)
December 2 and 3 - Capital High School Golden Girls Kids Clinic
December 13 - Shadow Hills Night at the Idaho Steelheads 7:00 p.m.
December 20 - End of First Semester; Early Release (Pre K-6) 1:45 p.m.
December 23-January 3 - Winter Holiday Break - No School (Pre K-12)
Chess Tournaments are here! Check out the attached flyer for information about local monthly chess tournaments!
Capital High School Baseball Fall 2019 Instructional Hitting Camp is happening in November! See the attached flyer below for information and registration.
Dance with the Capital High School Golden Girls! Check out the attached flyer below for the Kids Clinic held in December!
Be sure to check out the HOLIDAY RESOURCE LIST for FAMILIES 2019 if you are in need of assistance this holiday season. It is attached below.
The Garden City Library has begun a new program called "Tween Zone" on Monday afternoons for youth ages 9-12! See the flyer below for additional information.
Attention all Sixth Graders: 7th Grade OPEN HOUSE NIGHT at Riverglen Jr. High! Learn all about registration and junior high procedures. January 21, 2020 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. See the attached flyer at the bottom of the page for more information.