Hilltop Happenings
August 10, 2017
Summit Hill Elementary
Website: http://school.fultonschools.org/es/summithill/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 13855 Providence Road, Milton, GA, United States
Phone: 470-254-2830
Twitter: @summithillhusky
Welcome back!
For all of those who are new to Summit Hill ES we are so excited you are here. This newsletter will be a great way for you to receive all of the important information we have coming from our school. We are excited for a great school year!
Welcome new staff!
Laura Williams- Assistant Administrator
Melissa Herring- K-2 Curriculum Support Teacher
Ansley Watt- Kindergarten
Ayumi Bryan- Second
Krissy Landers- Third
Dismissal and The Solar Eclipse Monday, August 21st
Summit Hill Elementary School is very excited about the once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the Solar Eclipse. As you are aware, on Monday, August 21st at approximately 2:35 p.m. the Atlanta metro area will experience a 98% solar eclipse event. This is a significant event from an instructional standpoint.
Fulton County Schools has previously communicated to parents that the school day for elementary school students will be extended. Dismissal will begin at 3:05 instead of 2:20. The decision to extend the day ensures student safety since the eclipse will take place during or close to our dismissal time.
Our school is preparing many educational activities for the day, including a live feed and STEAM related activities. Each grade level will take part in the events during the day within their classrooms. Fulton County Schools gave principals very strict guidelines for viewing and outlined safety precautions for watching the solar eclipse outside. We take your children’s safety seriously, as such upon reviewing Fulton County’s solar eclipse protocol carefully, we have decided to view the eclipse inside.
If you and your child decide to view the Solar Eclipse as a family, any student absence or check out on August 21st will be marked excused. If you are checking a student out of our building we ask that you please do so before 12:30 if possible.
Again, we are very excited for our ability to educate our Huskies about this wonderful event and look forward to the activities we have planned.
Request For Flexibility Dates
Mark your calendars and plan your vacations!!!
Request for flexibility dates are professional development days requested by individual schools in order to focus on initiatives and/or address the needs of their specific school.
For the 2017-18 school year, S.H.E. has submitted 3 dates for approval:
- 9/1/2017
- 10/5/2017
- 3/8/2018
Curriculum Nights at Summit Hill
Who: Parents and Guardians of K-5 Huskies
When: Tuesday, August 22nd (Grades K, 1st, and 2nd) and Tuesday, August 29th (Grades 3rd, 4th , and 5th )
Time: 6:00 pm-7:30 pm
Where: See Below for Designated Area
In order to accommodate Cambridge High School’s curriculum night on 8/24 and possible travel plans after school on 8/31st, curriculum nights have been scheduled one week a part. Each grade level is prepared to share curriculum expectations as a team in the assigned location listed below. Parents and guardians will have the opportunity to go to the individual classrooms following the presentation. We are expecting a large number of parents to attend Curriculum Night, so please plan for a crowded parking lot.
Special Area Teachers and PTO will be available in the atrium, with information regarding specials, school spirit wear, volunteer opportunities, and Huskies for Excellence. Please see the attached schedule for the evening.
Tuesday 8/22
Kindergarten will be in the Cafeteria
1st will be in the Gymnasium
2nd will be in the Media Center
Tuesday 8/29
3rd will be in the Cafeteria
4th will be in the Media Center
5th will be in the Gymnasium
For any parent or guardian that is unable to attend, we will be posting the video and grade level presentations on the website.
We look forward to seeing you on your designated Tuesday!
Principal Gray
Lunch On The Stage
Please help us by waiting TWO WEEKS before coming to lunch with your child. This time allows us to set our routines and expectations. After Monday, August 21st, you are more than welcome to have lunch with your child on the stage. You will be notified if the stage is occupied with Summit Hill events on certain days. Thank you for your support!
Attendance Policy Reminders
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year. With all the excitement the new school year brings, below are a few reminders about attendance.
Student school hours are 7:40 AM to 2:20 PM
Students who arrive after 11:00 AM or leave before 11:00 AM are considered absent for the day.
Students who arrive to their classroom after 7:40 AM are considered TARDY
Students who ride the bus to school are not considered tardy even if their bus arrives after 7:40 AM.
1. Within 3 days of the last day of the absence, a written excuse (email preferred) from a parent/legal guardian or doctor is required upon returning to school.
2. Excuses can be submitted by email to teacher and data clerk, handwritten note, and fax
Please provide a doctor’s note for each doctor’s visit
If a student has been diagnosed with a communicable disease (strep, chicken pox, etc.) and a doctor’s visit has occurred, please request a doctor’s note with the diagnosis noted. This helps the county keep tract of illness trends.
3. Students accumulating 10 or more parent excused absences may be required to provide additional written verification (physician documentation) for the remainder of the school year.
4. If a student is going to be absent for an extended period of time, please email or send in a written request to the principal. Request must state the number of days to be approved, dates of absence, and reason.
Pre-approved absences are a maximum of 6 days for a student in good standing in regards to attendance.
Classwork cannot be distributed in advance.
Request must be submitted 3 days in advance of absence.
5. If a student is absent for 10 or more “consecutive” school days with no notification the student WILL BE WITHDRAWN and need to re-enroll upon returning to school.
6. Please note the following about UNEXCUSED absences:
3 unexcused absences = Administrative contact made via letter
5 unexcused absences = Administrative contact made via mail/School Social Worker notified.
TRUANCY: Any child, who during the school calendar year, has more than 5 days of unexcused absences is considered truant.
Please plan vacations, trips, doctor, and dental appointments when they do not interfere with school.
Please refer to the Summit Hill attendance policy in the student handbook for more information.
Gifted Services
NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS OF THE SCREENING AND REFERRAL PROCESS
FOR GIFTED SERVICES
The consideration for gifted services may be reported or automatic as defined by the GaDOE Resource Manual for Gifted Education Services. The Fulton County School System screens all students for eligibility for gifted services twice a year and uses a systematic approach to identify highly capable students who may qualify for gifted services.
The gifted teacher routinely reviews available data to refer students for further assessment. Students meeting either the automatic screening OR the classroom screening criteria AND have supporting data gathered from test history, products, and/or advanced content levels are referred for additional testing to determine gifted eligibility.
I. Automatic Screening- identifies students who score at specified levels on a norm-referenced test as defined in the GaDOE Resource Manual for Gifted Education Services, for further assessment to determine eligibility for gifted services. At the beginning of the school year, TAG teachers review existing test data.
Standardized Tests
Students must have minimally a combination of scores that include > 85th percentile and > 90th percentile in two of the three areas on a standardized, nationally norm-referenced achievement test: Total Reading, Total Math, and Complete Battery.
STAR Assessment – (Spring 2017 Assessment)
• Grade 1- 8: Students must score 90% or greater on system’s STAR assessment for Math or Reading. Supporting data is needed.
Acceleration Assessments- Students must score 80% or greater on system’s Acceleration Assessment in:
• Grades K: English/Language Arts and Mathematics. No additional supporting data is needed.
• Grades 1-3: English/Language Arts or Mathematics. Supporting data is needed.
Georgia Milestones End of Grade Assessment-
• Grades 3-8: Students must score at the Distinguished Learner achievement level (4) for English/Language Arts or Mathematics. Supporting data is needed.
Grades
• Grades 10-12 -students must have an overall cumulative average of 95 or greater. Supporting
data is needed.
II. Classroom Screening- Local schools select a two-week period from January-February to review all students in the school (Grades K-11).
• Classroom teachers use the Characteristics Instrument for Screening Students (CISS) to identify students with superior abilities in five or more of the following areas: motivation, interests, communications skills, problem-solving abilities, memory, inquiry, insight, reasoning, creativity, and humor.
III. Reported Referrals- All reported referrals (parent, teacher and/or administrator) are completed through the two system- level screening and referral processes each year. All referrals are first reviewed by the local Eligibility Team to consider if existing information warrants a formal testing for eligibility.
Students who meet either the automatic screening OR classroom screening criteria AND who have supporting data gathered from test history, products, and/or advanced content levels are referred for gifted placement testing.
Once referred to testing:
§ Parents receive the Parent Notification for Testing Consent Form.
§ Student is tested for the gifted program.
§ Parents receive test results.
§ If state eligibility is determined, students are placed in the gifted program with parental consent.
Parents may request to view their child’s screening results. For more complete information regarding Fulton County Schools Gifted Services, please visit the Advanced Studies page at: http://www.fultonschools.org/en/divisions/acd/learnteach/Pages/TAG.aspx
2017-2018 SHE Chorus Information
Calling all 4th and 5th grade singers! If your child is interested in becoming a member of the 2017-2018 SHE Chorus, please be on the lookout for information coming home in Friday Folders this week. For more information, including the 2017 SHE Chorus Application form, please visit us online at www.shemusic.weebly.com/chorus. Please contact Ms. Goldfuss at goldfussl@fultonschools.org with any questions or concerns regarding SHE Chorus. We’re looking forward to another fun year with these incredible musicians!
Engineering and STEAM Supplies for Media Program
Parents,
I am need of supplies this year for various projects in the media center. Please collect and send to media center any of the following items:
- Paper towel rolls
- Toilet towel rolls
- Paper cups
- Newspaper
- Foil
- Masking Tape
Thank you for your help,
Mrs. Howard
Summit Hill Fall Picture Day!
Transportation Changes
Changes in dismissal must always be communicated with your child's homeroom teacher prior to the start of his/her school day.
- Bus changes will only be permitted for child care emergencies. (A note from home must be provided)
- Students having a play date will be dismissed as car riders (A note from home must be provided).
- All early checkouts must be completed prior to 2:00 p.m.
Cub Scout Recruitment Night!
Wednesday, Aug 23, 2017, 05:30 PM
Summit Hill Elementary School, Providence Road, Alpharetta, GA, United States
Summit Hill Professional Development Day - Students Off
Friday, Sep 1, 2017, 12:00 AM
Summit Hill Elementary School, Providence Road, Alpharetta, GA, United States
Holiday - Schools Closed
Monday, Sep 4, 2017, 12:00 AM
Summit Hill Elementary School
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