Lions Lines
October, 2015 * Hamilton Elementary School
UPCOMING EVENTS
October Family Movement Calendar: http://tinyurl.com/1516movementOCT
October
5 Vision/Hearing Screening during Lg. Groups
7 College Day
Watch Dog Dad Mtg. w/ Ms. Erickson at 7:30 AM & 5:30 PM
Author Jeff Mack visits Kdg. & 1st Gr.
8 7:45 AM Choir Practice
9 Spirit Day - wear a Hamilton shirt and show your school spirit
2nd Gr. Garden Day
7:45 AM Choir Practice
9:15 AM PTO Mtg.
12 Parent/Teacher Conference Day - Student Holiday
13 Fall Portrait Day by Lifetouch Photographers
15 7:45 AM Choir Practice
16 Spirit Day - wear a Hamilton shirt and show your school spirit
7:45 AM Choir Practice
8:00 AM StuCo Mtg. for Reps/Officers
19 Read Across the Globe (District breaking Guinness World Record)
21 Book Fair Opens in Library thru 10/28
Late Night at the Book Fair 4:30 - 7:30 PM
22 7:45 AM Choir Practice
Fit Girls Meet 4:10-5:15 PM
23 Spirit Day - wear a Hamilton shirt and show your school spirit
End of 1st-Nine Weeks
4th Gr. Garden Day
7:45 AM Choir Practice
PTO Neon Circus at Cy-Fair Exhibit Center 6-10PM
26 Red Ribbon Week thru 10/30
27 Fit Girls Meet 4:10-5:15 PM
Late Night at the Book Fair 4:30-7:30 PM
28 Book Fair closes at 11 AM
29 Spirit Day - wear a Hamilton shirt and show your school spirit
7:45 AM Choir Practice
1st. Gr. Pumpkin Activity w/ Parents 9:00-9:45 AM in Cafeteria
Fit Girls Meet 4:10-5:15 PM
30 Storybook Character Dress Up Day
7:45 AM Choir Practice
Reminder - Before School Drop-Off
Students that are arriving early for tutoring, Choir or a Club meeting should be dropped off at the back of the school by the cafeteria entrance. Please do not drop your child off early as there is no adult supervision at this time.
Lunch Visitor Policy - Revised
We love having visitors for lunch! It is a special treat for your child to be able to spend a few minutes with you during the day.
To eat lunch with your child, please check in at the front office. Your driver’s license will be required per state law and district policy. Due to food allergy and safety concerns, students will only be allowed to have lunch with their parent/guardian. Students may not have lunch with a friend's parent(s).
Parents wishing to allow a relative, such as a grandparent or sibling, to have lunch with their child must either accompany the visitor to lunch or send a note to school with the child.
Please sit with your child at the designated visitors table. You are welcome to bring lunch for your child if you are eating with him/her that day. Bringing lunch or food items for other students is not permitted by state guidelines.
Five minutes before lunch is over, teachers will signal to students to return to their assigned table. Parents are asked to exit the cafeteria at this time.
Adults needing to use the restroom may use the restroom in the front office area. Adults should not be using the student restrooms in the cafeteria or instructional areas.
October 12th - Parent/Teacher Conference Day
During the month of October, teachers will be requesting a conference with you to share information about your child. During your conference, the teachers will provide you with information about your child's strengths, what they enjoy doing at school and how they are progressing academically.
Dr. Henry has provided a work release letter for parents to attend their child's conference. Please click on the link to access the letter:
English version: http://tinyurl.com/PTconferenceLetterEN
Spanish version: http://tinyurl.com/PTConferenceLetterSP
Below are some tips to help you prepare for your conference. The full article can be found at: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/parent-teacher-partnerships/make-most-your-teacher-conference
Before the Teacher Conference
- Start preparing early. Don't wait until the night before to get organized. Create a folder at the beginning of the year in which you store test scores, big homework assignments, and your notes (about things your child has told you or any other topics you want to address).
- Talk to your child. Ask how she's doing in class, what's going on during lunchtime, recess, and when she goes to special classes like music or gym. "You want to find out both the positive and negative," says Rozea. If you don't like what you're hearing, investigate. Talk to other parents to see if their children are expressing similar concerns. "You need to find out whether your child is perceiving everything accurately or if she's misunderstanding a situation," she says.
During the Teacher Conference
- Arrive early. With only a few precious minutes to spend, you don't want to be late. It will shorten your time with your child's teacher and affect her day's entire schedule.
- Enter with the right attitude. The goal of both the teacher and the parent should be the success of the student, but sometimes parents have a hard time discussing tough issues. Rather than put the teacher on the defensive, arrive with a compliment to start the conference off on the right foot. ("My son is really enjoying the unit on space" or "We had a great time on the field trip.") Then address any concerns in a respectful way.
- Find out the communication protocol. Don't let this be the only time you talk to your child's teacher. Ask how she likes to communicate, suggests Sagarese, whether it's by e-mail, notes passed through a folder, or phone calls. "Reinforce that you are there if she wants to talk to you," she says. "Let the teacher know you want to be that kind of partner."
After the Teacher Conference
- Follow up. If the teacher brings something to your attention that needs to be addressed with your child, take steps to put the plan in motion, whether it's helping with organizational skills, getting extra help, or addressing a social issue.
- Update your child. Start with the positive things her teacher had to say, then fill her in on any concerns you and the teacher discussed. Explain how you can all work together to ensure your child has a successful year.
Picture Day is coming Tuesday, October 13
Order forms have been sent home. Order online at MYLIFETOUCH.COM (Picture Day ID: RW115120Y0) or by sending the order form with selection and payment with the student. Every student will be photographed for school record purposes.
October 23rd - Neon Circus
Here is a link to the registration form: http://tinyurl.com/NeonCircusReg
BOOK CHARACTER DRESS UP DAY!
Friday, October 31st, is Book Character Dress Up Day!! Students can dress up as their favorite book character. Please have your child bring his/her book or a copy of the cover. Please make sure your child's outfit is school appropriate, does not contain blood or gore or toy weapons.
***Counselor's Corner***
College Day - Wednesday October 7th!
On Wednesday, October 7, Hamilton Elementary will be participating in College Day. To help support college awareness, please send your child in his or her favorite Alma Mater! It is never too early to begin speaking to your children about attending college and planting the seed now. Yes, even as early as Kindergarten! Take it a step further and have a family discussion at home about your own college experiences, or your goals for your children as they move their way up through their senior year of high school, and on to Higher Education and their future careers!
GT/HORIZONS Referral Period
GT/Horizons referral period for mid-year testing opens October 1st and ends December 1st.
Parents/guardians can refer students for HORIZONS testing. Parent Survey and Permission to Test forms are available at the front office, on the Horizons website, or by contacting the counselor, Michelle Erickson. Completed forms must be returned to the campus Counselor by December 1, 2015. Late forms will NOT be honored.
· Kindergarten students will be tested on their campuses during the school day in January 2016, and students in grades 1-5 will be tested on their campuses during the school day prior to Spring Break. Specific testing dates will be provided to parents by the campuses, once the schedule has been created.
· Kindergarten students who qualify for HORIZONS will receive services beginning in March 2016 with parent permission.
· Students in grades 1-5 who qualify for HORIZONS will receive services at the beginning of the 2016-17 school year with parent permission.
Please also see the link below to the Horizons Identification Process Flow Chart for a more detailed explanation of the process that must be followed to refer your child for testing. http://tinyurl.com/1516GTflowchart
Watch D.O.G.S. - Dads of Great Students
Do you want to be a Watch Dog Dad? Our start date is right around the corner! There have been many changes this year, and one of the first changes is that you must attend a training as close as possible to the day that you signed up for. If you cannot attend a training that is prior to your sign- up day, then you will need to choose a different date to be a Watch Dog Dad. The link to sign up for a training is embedded in the main Watch Dog Sign-up Genius link. Our first training is October 7, and our start date is October 9!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090a4ea8ac23a64-hamilton3
Upcoming Watch Dog Dad Training:
Oct 7 at 7:30 am or 5:30 pm
Jan 6 at 7:30 am or 5:30 pm
March 9 at 7:30 am or 5:30 pm
Classroom Guidance
I was excited to be in every single classroom this past month! For grades K-3, I focused on positive problem-solving skills within the classroom setting, using a lesson called Kelso’s Choices. When children are together for a long period of time, every day, like they are here at school, it is typical for children to have frequent minor conflicts or disagreements. The lesson that I presented utilized my friend, Kelso, to empower children to develop effective problem-solving skills that they can use again and again. My goal is to provide several positive choices for the children to try on their own before asking for an adult’s help. This program teaches the children to try at least two of the following ideas prior to needing an adult’s assistance, when it is a minor situation:
· Respectfully talk it over and listen to each other.
· Tell the person to stop the problem behavior in a calm but firm tone of voice.
· Ignore the problem behavior.
· Walk away from the problem.
· Make a deal or compromise.
· Share and take turns
· Go to another game or activity.
· Wait and cool off before trying one of the above choices.
By using Kelso’s Choices, it will help students to deal with conflicts or disagreements in a positive manner and to make appropriate decisions. Knowing what to do when a disagreement occurs, will help students reduce the stress and the number of conflicts that they have at school. Of course, an adult will immediately handle any serious conflicts that cause a child to feel threatened or frightened.
For grades 4th and 5th, I focused on our word of the month, initiative. I showed a fun PowerPoint, and gave relatable examples to empower each and every one of them to help out more at home and at school. I also left them with a challenge: All of them know what is expected of them at home and what you, as parents, are always asking or reminding them to do. I challenged them to make some changes, and to take some initiative to do the things around the house that they know that they are supposed to do, and to do them BEFORE you have to remind them! I hope you will see some positive changes in their choices to help out around the house!
October Word of the Month
Individuality- discovering who you are meant to be so that you can make a difference!
The word this month is a lot of FUN and it will be sure to bring your family together as you learn just how important each of your differences are! To get your family involved, start off with an activity that will show each family member’s individuality AND help you to remember this month’s value and what it means.
Pass out one piece of construction paper to each member of the family. Set a container of crayons, markers, or colored pencils in a central location and have everyone write the words: “Individuality—Discovering who you are meant to be so that you can make a difference.” on their papers. Then, give everyone 5-10 minutes to decorate their sheet of paper however they want. During this time, fill the creative silence with a family discussion about the unique traits that you love in each family member. When you have all finished drawing and decorating, pass around scissors and show (or help) each family member how to cut their paper into 8-10 large pieces (all uniquely shaped). Then, pass out a baggie to each family member and have them put their puzzles in their baggie. Pass the puzzles to the person to your right and see who can put the puzzle together the fastest! Exchange puzzles however many times you wish, making sure to say the value and definition each time!
Here is another activity that you could choose to do as a family to celebrate each family member’s individuality:
Everyone in your family is different. That’s what keeps things interesting in your household! But how much do you all know about each other’s individuality? Set aside some time to sit down as a family and quiz each other on the things that set you all apart from one another. See how many of the following things that you know about each member of the family:
• Eye Color
• Favorite/Least Favorite Food
• Best Friend’s Name
• Favorite Song
• Favorite Movie
• Favorite Time of Year
• Ideal Vacation
• Favorite Spot in the House
• Ideal Pet
And lastly, here are some discussion starters for your family:
• Think about your family; what is a strength you’ve been given that helps your family function well? Go around and come up with one unique strength for each family member.
• What would happen if you each decided not to use those strengths?
• Is there something about you that is different/unique than everyone else? Do you try to hide this difference from others? If so, why do you hide it?
• Why is it important to know what areas you have strengths in?
• If you could create the perfect job for yourself, using your strengths and your knowledge, what would it be?o
***News from the Library***
Library News
We had an overwhelming response to our Birthday Book program this year! Many students have already chosen their Birthday Book; however, others will wait until late October / early November until the next batch of books come in to make selections (thanks in advance for your patience!). If your child would still like to have a Birthday Book, please complete the form and send in with payment by October 30th.
Author / Illustrator Jeff Mack will be visiting with Kindergarten (2:00 p.m.) and 1st grade (12:15 p.m.) students on Wednesday, October 7th. Parents are welcome to attend, but alternate arrangements need to be made for non-school-aged children as they will not be allowed back to the presentation. Families are invited to participate in the Jeff Mack Cardboard Challenge - check out this link for more information.
https://www.smore.com/a7c11-jeff-mack-cardboard-challenge
Our 4th and 5th graders will participate in Read Across the Globe the morning of October 19th. Points of Light and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation have teamed up with other sponsors and schools around the world to help break the Guinness World Record for reading to the most children ever in a 24-hour period. Special guests will be reading Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin to our 4th and 5th grade homerooms.
Book Fair will be taking place October 21st thru 28th. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! Please sign up on the PTO Website under Fundraiser Opportunities. A Sign-Up Genius link will be emailed to those registered with PTO. We will have Late Nights on October 21st AND October 27th until 7:30. Come and have your picture taken with Leo the Lion!
Name That Book is an optional program for our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders who LOVE to read! Students wanting to participate must read at least 10 books from the 100 titles on the list by October 30th. Students will be grouped into grade level teams and work together to name books based on the given clue. Practices will take place during recess beginning in late October / early November. The list of books is attached, and next week copies will be given to students wishing to participate.
Renovations in the library have been very exciting! Thanks to the support of the PTO and last year's Boosterthon, we purchased new tables, comfortable chairs, a display stand, rug, 5 MaKeyMakeys, 10 Osmos, and iPad screen protectors and cases for ALL of our campus iPads!
October is SOCK-tober in the library. Along with Kid President, Hamilton students are invited to collect NEW socks to donate to the homeless for the winter. Socks are to be brought to the library on the child's library day, and the student will be allowed to check out a BONUS BOOK for the week. Students may participate each week in October.
Birthday Books
No matter which month is your child's birthday, the time to turn in your order form with payment is NOW! Students will select their book when they come to the library with their reading teachers and bring them home for a week. The Birthday Book needs to be returned so all students can enjoy these throughout the year.
Click on this link for the order form: http://tinyurl.com/2015BirthdayBooks
***Kind Minds & PBIS***
September's King & Queen of Kindness
Our September Kings and Queens of Kindness for September were:
Pre-K:
King Kalieb Homes
Queen Madison Yerian
Kindergarten:
King Thomas Beard
Queen Kate Guinn
1st grade:
King Brenner Wamhoff
Queen Elle Spee
2nd grade:
King Joel Valencia
Queen Alissa Sundrani-Hall
3rd grade:
King Mason Mitchell
Queen Mera Rakouki
4th grade:
King Krish Dhanuka
Queen Jordan Cheadle
5th grade:
King Spencer Lehrmann
Queen Kate Hill
Kind Minds October Challenge
Leo the Lion delivered letters to each homeroom challenging students to complete as many Random Acts of Kindness (RAKS) as possible. Students will be reading the book, The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. The tree will help them understand that acts of kindness are done often without receiving anything in return, except the satisfaction of helping someone else. Students will be collecting their RAKS for the culminating event of hanging their RAKS jars from our beautiful trees. Encourage your children to visit with you about the RAKS they have participated in or ways others have shown kindness to them.
***Birthday Book Club***
Alexis Allen
Kegan Beyer Pack
Gage Booher
Reid Booher
Samantha Campbell
Anna Chaikin
Royce Chatham
Marlowe Cohn
Blaine Davis
Wes Domingues
Parker Downer
Preston Downey
Easton Fields
Austin French
Abby Georgson
Connor Graven
Logan Herrmann
Issac Izaguirre
Jared Klaus
Naagita Sanvi Kumpatla
Wyley Mallory
Avery McSwainCora Miller
Luka Minica
Hosanna Patterson
Kevin Ramirez
Javier Rangel
Karter Rivera
Holly Scott
Zachary Turner
Mark Wittliff
Ayla Zafar
2nd Graders Learn During Garden Day!
Parent & Student Handbook
School Messenger: Text Message Sign Up
The directions for adding text messages to your School Messenger account are in the link below. Next year, instead of using Remind 101, HES will be sending text messages via School Messenger. Please stay connected by adding the text message feature to your School Messenger account.
Directions for School Messenger: http://www.cfisd.net/files/6514/1080/3632/SchoolMessenger_Contact_Manager_-_Parent_Handout_CFISD.pdf
Stay Connected
Follow HES on Twitter @Hamilton_Lions
Follow our HES on Instagram by searching for Hamilton_Lions
Don't forget to keep up to date with PTO events, news, and reminders by "liking" their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HamiltonElementaryPTO
Hamilton Elementary
Email: hamiltonelem@cfisd.net
Website: http://hamiltones.cfisd.net/en/
Location: 12050 Old Kluge Road, Cypress, TX, United States
Phone: 281.370.0990
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HamiltonLions
Twitter: @Hamilton_Lions