HILL HAPPENINGS
#HillHasHeart Edition - October 2, 2020
A Note from the Principal
Hello Hill Families,
Autumn has arrived! It's hard to believe that it's October already! We are off to a great start at Hill School. We can't thank you enough for all of your support as we have started our unique school year. Our students have settled in amazingly well. I'm really proud of all of them!
Parent drop-off and pick-up is running smoothly and we appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation! in the morning, it would be helpful if your child was ready with their backpack, mask, and unbuckled, ready to get out of the car to keep our line running smoothly. Also, great job on using our car signs. It certainly helps with our process. Kudos to all of our families.
We will be celebrating Halloween with our students on Friday, October 23rd. Students should plan to wear their costumes to school. We will be planning activities throughout the day and students will celebrate with their classmates. Please look for more information from classroom teachers as to if they will be seeking any donations etc. for food/treats etc.
In consideration of student safety, enjoyment, and school policy, some reminders regarding costumes follow:
- Toy weapons are not allowed: this includes guns, knives, swords, pitchforks, laser swords, martial arts weapons etc.
- Costumes depicting violence, blood, or scary creatures are not school appropriate
- Students will still need to wear their face masks (with the exception of eating, recess, mask breaks, any time outside)
I know by now you have probably read or heard that Governor Whitmer signed an Executive Order last Friday that now requires all students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade to wear a mask while at school. This Executive Order goes into effect on Monday, October 5th. As always, students will not have to wear their masks while eating lunch or snack. They will still be allowed to take their masks off while outside for recess or outside for instruction with their classroom or specials teacher if they choose. Additionally, students will have short 'mask breaks' throughout the day at times when the teacher takes them for a short walk or break outside.
One other note regarding masks, it is important that students have a clean mask each day. It is also a good idea to have a 'back up' mask in your child's backpack. If at any time throughout the day a mask is broken or becomes wet or too dirty, we have extra masks here at school for them. I will also add that I am so proud of how well the students are doing with wearing masks and being responsible with them.
Lastly, I am happy to announce that we are partnering with The Positivity Project, which helps us teach about the importance of using our character strengths to become our best selves and building positive relationships. Please check out the letter below for more information.
Again, I sincerely appreciate all of your support this year! Even with it's challenges, it has been a wonderful start to the year!
Respectfully,
Mrs. Burke, Proud Principal
Music Notes from Mrs. DuPrey
We are off to a great start in music class! It has been great to be back and to see all of the kids again! In music class, we have finished our assessments from the start of the year and are diving into the curriculum. In fourth grade, students have received their recorder. Recorders should come to music class every day, and I have encouraged the kids to keep them in their desk so they do not forget to return them to school. In third grade, we are beginning to read simple music notation and starting to identify patterns in music. In kindergarten, first, and second grade we are working to use our singing voice and keeping a steady beat to a song.
We have really enjoyed using our outdoor classroom in the pavilion that CustoJoe worked to create for us! I will continue to take the kids outside as much as possible. That being said, it can be a bit chilly in the morning. Please keep this in mind and maybe send a sweatshirt or a coat for your child to wear while we are outside.
Sincerely,
Mrs. DuPrey
Fitness Fun with Mr. Whitman
It’s been great having everyone back in school, I missed seeing the students on a daily basis!
In PE class, we’ve been going outside whenever possible. In grades 2-4 we are working on soccer. We spent a week working on skills and the next week we have been able to play some games. In grades K-1, we introduced some basic soccer skills. However, in the lower grades our focus during the first semester is a lot of throwing and catching related activities. Students have also begun to take their beginning of the year fitness tests.
We will continue to go outside whenever possible until the snow shows up. It is important that students are dressed to go outside. They also need to have PE shoes daily. Wearing boots, shoes with big heels, sandals, etc are not safe for playing in class.
We will be switching every 2-3 weeks between music and PE for the foreseeable future. Students in Ms. Robertson, Mrs. Fulcher, Mrs. Schaepkens, Miss Richards, and Ms. Turkovics will all have PE again starting on Wednesday, October 7th. Please plan accordingly, this next rotation will take us right through intersession.
Thanks!
Go Cards!Mr. Whitman
jdwhitman@davisonschools.org
Library Corner
You’re invited to shop our Scholastic Book Fair online from October 12, 2020 - October 25, 2020! All purchases benefit our school and connect kids with new books, favorite characters, complete series, and more. You’ll love the NEW option to shop for Book Fair exclusives directly from the interactive booklist and enjoy these special online shopping features:
- Over 6,000 items, including new releases, best sellers, and value packs All orders ship direct to home
- FREE shipping on book-only orders over $25*
- All purchases support our school and earn 25% in rewards Visit our Book Fair Homepage and click “Shop Now” to get started: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/hillelementaryschool6
Siple/Hill Media Center Paraprofessional
*Free standard shipping is available on book-only orders of $25 or more, after all discounts are applied. Free standard shipping (books) must be selected during checkout. Orders containing products other than books are not eligible for this shipping promotion
Homecoming Spirit Week: October 5th - 9th
The week of October 5th is Homecoming Week in Davison. While this week will look different at DHS, the spirit of the week will remain the same at Hill Elementary!
• Monday—We the People Hero Day—Wear Red, White and Blue
• Tuesday—Opposite Day—Be the Villain or the Hero
• Wednesday—Reading is My Super Power! -Wear a shirt with words or favorite book on
it or Zoom into Student Count day, wear business on top/casual on the bottom!
• Thursday—Louis Lane & Clark Kent Day— Dress Your Best
• Friday—#Davison Made! - Dress like a Cardinal Super Fan
PTO NEWS
Our next PTO meeting is on Monday, October 5th at 5:30. The meeting is virtual and the link for our meeting is below.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7145281177?pwd=K3R5aTlhWEJ6cjdtZzhlUG1iclIxZz09
Meeting ID: 714 528 1177
Passcode: Hill2020
PTO email: Hillptogroup@gmail.com
20/21 PTO Officers
PTO President: Jill Lobban
PTO Vice President: Drianna Keltner
PTO Secretary: Lindsay Brandon
PTO Treasurer: Danielle Wenzel
ALICE Training
Last school year, Davison Community Schools implemented a new safety protocol called ALICE to train staff and students in what to do in the unlikely event of an armed intruder. This training encourages staff and students to respond based on their situation, rather than rely on centralized instructions in dynamic times of crisis.
ALICE is a federally endorsed safety protocol. The letters ALICE stand for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate:
● Alert – inform people of the threat, giving as much information as possible.
● Lockdown – Students and staff can choose to lockdown and barricade the room that they are in if they determine that it is not safe to evacuate.
● Inform – pass on as much information as possible to others and to First Responders, including calling 911.
● Counter – an effort of last resort, if an armed intruder is able to get into the space they are in, individuals can counter with distraction or other tactics. Staff are being trained to use every effort, instead of relying on the traditional lockdown and hide response.
● Evacuate – If it is safe to do so, all are encouraged to evacuate the building, and remove themselves from the threat.
During ALICE training, staff and students are trained in different options for responding to a school intruder who is intent on doing harm. In certain circumstances, the “lock the door and hide” strategy might be appropriate. ALICE is not intended to be a checklist of things to do. It is a list of choices, with accompanying strategies that are options for our staff to help themselves and students stay safe in the highly unlikely event of an armed intruder.
We believe that all of our school buildings are the safest place for our students to be. Just like practicing what we should do in a fire with our fire drills, we want to be sure that we will know what to do if an armed intruder is in a school. All our schools are equipped with a number of safeguards, some seen and others unseen, to keep our students safe
Staff will share the safety procedures with our students in an age appropriate way, and will teach them the ALICE procedures through the course of the year. We want our children to be prepared for everything, including if an unsafe person was to enter our school. Teachers and staff will take the principles and tactics taught in the ALICE training and present the information in non-fearful, empowering ways. We will take into account a children’s developmental readiness to ensure that students feel safe and have opportunities to talk about their feelings and reactions. We will not plan to have simulated shooters in our buildings while students are learning about ALICE. All learning will be staff-directed and student-centered.
It is our recommendation that parents engage in age appropriate conversation with their child or children following all safety drills. Should a parent have a specific question please contact your child’s building principal.
Attendance Line: Please report your child's absences
For Students: An October Favorite!!!
Brown's Blog
Mark your calendar:
October 5th-9th Homecoming Week!
Monday, October 5th —We the People Hero Day—Wear Red, White and Blue.
Tuesday, October 6th —Opposite Day—Be the Villain or the Hero. Wear a Super Hero T-shirt, mask, or cape.
Wednesday, October 7th —Reading is My Super Power! -Wear a shirt with words or favorite book or words on it OR Zoom into student count day and dress for a zoom meeting, business on top/casual on the bottom! Today is student count day, your child's attendance is very important!
Thursday, October 8th —Louis Lane & Clark Kent Day—Dress Your Best.
Friday, October 9th—#Davison Made! - Dress like a Cardinal Super Fan
- October 12th-25th-Hill Virtual Book Fair...see the Library News section for more details.
- October 23rd - Halloween parties, end of first marking period
- October 26 - October 31 - Intersession: No school for students or staff
- November 2nd school resumes, 5:30 PTO meeting, 7:00 School Board Meeting
- November 5th: Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-7:30
- November 6th: No School for students, Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00-5:00
Connect with Hill Elementary
Email: jburke@davisonschools.org
Website: https://www.davisonschools.org/
Location: 404 Aloha Street, Davison, MI, USA
Phone: 910-591-0839
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavisonCardinals/
Twitter: @proud_principal