DAVIS HILL COMMUNITY UPDATE
April 29, 2019
I hope that the wet and cold weather didn't impact your weekend plans too much. Keeping my hopes up that the sun will be more present in May.
Quick note: Square 1 Art orders have all been sent home- so please check backpacks if you did order.
Have a great week everyone!
Kindly,
Jay C. Norton, Principal
*Don't forget to read through the entire update... there are always more dates in the Upcoming Events Section. If you have any questions/ concerns- please don't hesitate to contact me/ the office.
UPCOMING EVENTS THIS WEEK
Tuesday and Wednesday, April 30 and May 1: MCAS Grade 3 ELA
Wednesday, May 1: Food Pantry Donation Day
We are excited to continue our Davis Hill tradition of supporting the Wachusett Food Pantry and helping our neighbors who might need an extra bag or two of groceries to get by. Your monthly generosity makes a HUGE difference! Davis Hill is one of the largest contributors to our local food pantry (see www.wachusettfoodpantry.org for more information)! The 'suggestions' on this list are JUST THAT-- suggestions. We will happily take any non-perishable, non-expired items. Collections are held the first Wednesday of each month from 8:45-9 am. (A bin will be left in the lobby for afternoon Kindergarten students and will remain in the lobby until Thursday for students who many have forgotten their donations that day).
May Theme: Wacky- Hawaiian Day
May Suggestion: Canned and dried fruit, pineapples, mangos, fruit cups.
*Dressing up is optional and should honor the school's dress code policy in regards to modesty and safety.
Thursday, May 2: SIMCO
Friday, May 3: Picture Day and 5th Grade Panorama Picture
ALSO.... the 5th Grade Panorama Picture will be taken on this day.
PARENTS/ GUARDIANS OF 5TH GRADE STUDENTS TAKE NOTE: Please make sure 5th Graders are ON TIME in the morning as we take the picture first thing in the morning.
Friday, May 3: School Store Open During Lunch
Golf Tournament
Mayo, Dawson and Davis Hill PTA are working together on a golf tournament to support all three PTAs.
Registration for the Golf Tournament is open! You are able to sign up online and then pay either online or send in a check. If you send in a check, please make check payable to "DAVIS HILL PTA"
Each school has 48 spots to fill. Once they are fill there will be a waiting list and we will fill from there.
As always, thank you for your support!!!
VOLUNTARY PLACEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Due Date for this form is Monday, April 29th.
Link: Voluntary Questionnaire
Penny Wars and Field Day T-Shirt Ordering
Penny Wars Voting will continue through May 9th (See link to flyer).
Field Day T-Shirt orders are also due on May 9th (See order form link below).
MCAS SCHEDULE (Grades 3-5)
Once again this year our students will be taking the MCAS on the computer. This is the second year that students will be using computers for the assessment.
For more information on MCAS, please see the link from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Link: DESE Information on Student Testing
GENERAL NOTES ON MCAS ASSESSMENT:
It is understood that standardized testing can create anxiety for some students. The Massachusetts Statewide Parent Information and Resource Center has provided the following list of guidelines for parents to help prepare their child for the testing:
Make sure your child is well rested and eats breakfast.
See that your child arrives to school on time and is relaxed.
Encourage your child to do the best work possible and to have a positive attitude.
Dress comfortably!
Remind your child to read all test taking directions carefully and listen to the teacher’s directions.
Encourage your child to take his/her time and check work for accuracy.
To help reduce anxiety:
Talk about the test in a positive way.
Encourage best efforts rather than perfection.
Encourage your child to focus on his/her strengths, such as good memory.
Assure your child that the test is only one measure of academic performance.
Emphasize that test scores do not determine a person’s worth.
At Davis Hill, our message to students reinforces the following:
-Be confident and ‘relax’! It is an opportunity to ‘Show What You Know!’.
-You are prepared and ready!
-The MCAS does not define who you are as a student and/ or a person.
Our hope is that at the end of the MCAS assessment, Davis Hill students will feel a sense of pride in themselves that they have put forth their best effort and feel proud of themselves for meeting the challenge.
*Please note the following re: MCAS:
Students are not allowed to have electronic devices (cell phones/ SmartWatches) during assessment. If your child owns/ wears a SmartWatch to school, they will have to take it off during the assessment.
If you have any questions/ concerns regarding MCAS, please contact your child’s classroom teacher and/ or administration.
MCAS SCHEDULE CHANGES
Provided our responsibilities in regard to the MCAS assessments, there will be some schedule changes (recess/ lunch and special changes) that will be taking place for some grade levels on the listed assessment days.
Thank you!
PARENT/ COMMUNITY INFORMATION
Information shared in this section is not associated with Davis Hill Elementary School (DHES) and is not affiliated or recommended by DHES in any way. Simply- we are attempting to provide community members with information that they may be interested in.
4/30-MCAS Grade 3 ELA
5/1-MCAS Grade 3 ELA
5/1-Food Pantry Donation Day
5/2-SIMCO (4:00-4:45/ Community Room)
5/3-5th Grade Panorama Picture (Don't Be Late- Picture is taken first thing in morning)
5/3-Spring Pictures
5/3-School Store Open
5/9-Last Day for Penny Wars
5/9-Field Day T-Shirt Order Form Due
5/9-MCAS Grade 5 Math
5/10-MCAS Grade 5 Math
5/13-NO SCHOOL/ Voting/ Teacher Professional Development Day
5/14-MCAS Grade 4 Math
5/15-MCAS Grade 4 Math
5/16-MCAS Grade 3 Math
5/17-MCAS Grade 3 Math
5/21-MCAS Grade 5 STE
5/22-MCAS Grade 5 STE
5/23-PTA Meeting (6:30/ Community Room)
5/24-Professional Development Early Release Day (12:20 Dismissal for Students)
5/27-NO SCHOOL/ Memorial Day
5/30-SIMCO (4:00-4:45/ Community Room)
5/31-Kindergarten Orientation
5/31-Last day to check out books from Library
6/5-Food Pantry Donation Day (Crazy Hat/ Hair Day)
6/7-All books returned to Library
6/7-Family Picnic (More info TBA)
6/10-Field Day (Rain Date 6/12)
6/14-Last Day of School (12:20 Dismissal for all students)
Davis Hill Elementary School
Email: jay_norton@wrsd.net
Website: http://www.wrsd.net/davishill/
Location: 80 Jamieson Road, Holden, MA 01520, United States
Phone: 508-829-1754
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011661587115
Twitter: @DHPrincipal