Hillside Family Newsletter
2nd Quarter Edition
Principal's Corner
As the first semester of the 2017-18 school year draws to a close, it is a pleasure to once again share with you some of the accomplishments of our students and teachers. The focus we committed to this year was: HMS teachers will learn, lead, and take risks together; we will address building priorities through a restorative and growth mindset. Those priorities are:
- Priority 1: HMS will be a supportive, welcoming environment for all staff and students -Guided by the Learner Profile, all teachers will work to create a culture of kindness, acceptance, and self-awareness.
- Priority 2: Relentless focus on teaching and learning - HMS teachers will accurately report student proficiency while maintaining students’ confidence in their continued growth.
Through our weekly Learner Profile focus, and regular discussion between students and teachers, we have heightened student awareness of the value of character. Academic success is important, but who you are is just as important as what you accomplish. We continue to use Raider Pride cards to recognize students for all the good they do and we look forward to rewarding all of our students at our upcoming Quarterly Celebration on Friday. We will also be holding class meetings with each grade level next week to reflect on the first semester and revisit our priorities.
Teachers continue to improve their craft both individually, in collaboration with other IB schools, and through an upcoming opportunity to learn from their peers through Instructional Rounds. They have also been working with their Meads Mill counterparts to build common assessments and refine the common units they created last year. In classrooms, one goal of every teacher's professional growth this year has been to improve how we communicate the criteria for success. As education continues to move away from compliance and task completion toward true, measurable learning, we must be clear about what that learning entails. In short: We continue our relentless focus on teaching and learning.
Thank you in advance for your continued partnership and support. Hillside remains a strong community of learning because the adults here and at home are committed to working together for student success. It is a pleasure to share in your children's growth and we look forward to a second semester even better than the first.
Gratefully,
William R. Jones
Principal
Marking Period 1 PBIS Celebration A Success!
Marking Period 2 PBIS Celebration will be held on January 26th, a half day for students. Students will attend their 1st and 2nd hours and then celebrate from 9:15-11:15. Many of the same activities will be help as well as a couple new ones, including juggling and sketching. We will need parent donations again next marking period, as well as parents to help chaperone the halls and help out where needed. If you have an activity you would like to host for the Quarter 3 Celebration, or you would like to chaperone, please contact Assistant Principal Melissa Provo at provome@northvilleschools.org or at 248-344-3606.
Making Friendship Bracelets in Ms. Eyler's Room
Chillin' in the Library
Minute to Win It Games in the Forum
Culture, Character and Service at Hillside
#HMSKindness Challenge
Most Creative Act of Kindness Winner Emily Fokken
Most Creative Honorable Mention Winner Hannah Weyburne
Most Creative Honorable Mention Winner Gregory Braun
Most Random Acts of Kindness Performed Winner River McCorry
River Leaves Letters around Northville
Most Random Acts of Kindness Honorable Mention Winner Eve Tanaskoska
Community Service Winner
6th grader Krista Van Dis collected $365 for an elementary school in Detroit by selling hot cocoa and selling homemade soaps. She bought footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, jump ropes, nets, basketball nets, and cones for their school's gym.
She donated $1,200 to Gleaner's Food Bank by selling her homemade chocolate and helped many families get through the summer with food.
Each Saturday she wakes up at 5:00 AM to go and serve food to the homeless in Detroit. First she goes to her Church to prepare the food, then she goes downtown to serve the food. One Saturday morning while she was down in Detroit, she noticed a 7 year old girl with thin, little gloves; she took her gloves off of her hands and gave them to her. Later on, they became friends.
In December, she printed off 250 flyers about how she needed help collecting books for kids in Detroit. She put them out in her neighborhood mailboxes. She ended up collecting 2,544 books in total and donated them to Rx for Reading, an organization that gives out books for families in need)
Student Initiated Service and School Store
Candy for the Troops
Coat Drive
Penny War!
Student Council Mans the Schools Store
Checking Out the menu of Choices
Busy Grand Opening
Spelling Bee Champ
School Board Recognition Month
Take time to thank Northville Board of Education members during School Board Recognition Month
January is School Board Recognition Month – a time to formally honor the crucial role Northville Public Schools Board of Education members play in the lives of our children, our schools and our community. Public education is the backbone of American society and local school boards are rooted in this tradition. They ensure that decisions on school programming are made by people elected to represent the community’s values, culture and circumstances. They are citizens whose decisions affect our children and build our communities.
The Northville Board of Education establishes the district’s vision, mission and goals and develops policies to achieve them; they encourage continuous improvement in student learning; and advocate at the local, state and national level in support of public education. This work includes an endless string of meetings and school functions to attend; reams of reports, agendas, proposals and other documents to read and study; and a never-ending commitment to thoughtful consideration of the issues, balancing perspectives, and making difficult decisions that are both fiscally responsible and focused on what is best for students.
“As a community, we are fortunate to have an actively involved, deeply committed Board of Education dedicated to leading and supporting our ongoing quest to open A World of Possibilities for and with our students that will prepare them for work and life in the 21st century,” said Northville Superintendent Mary K. Gallagher. “The seven members of the Northville Board of Education develop policies and make tough decisions that help shape the future of our school district. Together with district leaders, our educators and staff, they bear the responsibility and oversight for an annual general fund budget of approximately $78 million, 7,470 students, 850 employees, and 11 buildings.”
“While we make a special effort in January to show appreciation to our school board members, we realize their many contributions reflect a year-round commitment,” Gallagher added. “With this in mind, we invite our community to join us in taking a moment to let our Board of Education trustees know that their hard work, dedication and commitment of time on behalf of our community’s children has been noticed, and is truly appreciated and valued.”
The individuals serving on the Northville Board of Education and their years of service are:
Mr. James Mazurek - seven years
Ms. Cynthia L. Jankowski - six years
Mr. Matthew Wilk - five-and-a-half years
Ms. Ann Kalass - four years
Mr. Roland Hwang - three years
Ms. Sarah Prescott - two years, four months
Ms. Laurie Doner - one year
Academic Games
Table winners were: Jayden Johnson, Natasha Kobelsky, Nila Muthusamy, Anda Brie, Grant Hu, Vishalakshmi Meyyappan, Stephen Fu, Zahra Kagal, Dillan Lau, Winston Wong, Joshua Chacko, Ishan Ghosh, Syona Gupta, Sana Singh, Isaac Song, Bianca Brie, Caroline Chacko, Grant Flynn, Zhane Yamin, Shreyas Akkaraju, Ayush Rayathatha, Charlie Sands, Mahek Verma and Jason Ye.
Congratulations to the Academic Games Team! Good luck in February!
HMS Swim Team
Most Valuable swimmers were Ava Jurkiewicz and Ocean Taylor in 6th grade, 7th graders were Julia Tuinaman and Ryan Halberg, Emily Roden, and Laney Barritt, 8th graders were Nolan Gressens, Leo Simoncini, Austin Waller, Luke Crain, Justin Yu, Haylie Pohlman, Shea Lucas, Noah Eckenroth, and Ethan George.
Most improved Swimmers were Evan Scotto Divetta and Lizzie Yamine. Congratulations to all swimmers and divers on a very fun and successful season! Next up is the Middle School State Meet in Holt Mi, on January 27th! Good Luck to all who qualified and GO RAIDERS!!