The HillTop Times January 2024
"We Believe...Success for ALL!"
From Principal Adams
Happy New Year, Eagles! I hope you have had an amazing holiday season with much relaxation. We are super excited to kick off our second semester. Midyear is always a time of reflection and goal-setting as it can seem, for some, like a redo to the beginning of the year. For others, midyear can seem like prime time to keep the momentum going. For our Eagles, WE ARE READY to keep the momentum going. Students will continue to engage in learning during field studies throughout the Midlands (e.g. Drew Wellness Center, McEntire Joint National Guard Base), enjoy guest readers during the 100 Men and 100 Women Read events, and showcase all they've learned on district and state assessments. As a reminder, students will begin their science projects for this school year. Although there will not be a district science fair, we will have a school science fair this month. Students in Preschool-2nd grade will create a class project; only one project will be submitted for the entire class. Students in 3rd-5th grades will create their project individually, with a partner, or in a group of no more than 3 peers. More information will be sent through your child's teacher.
Teaching and learning will be especially critical this semester. Starting this month, all students will participate in midyear assessments. Results will be used to gauge skills they have retained and mastered from the first semester and set goals for the remainder of the year before end of year assessments. I ask that you not only ensure your child comes to school every day and on time, but please revisit expectations provided in the Parent Student Handbook published at the beginning of the year. A digital copy can be found below. Within it, you will also find what it means to SOAR - demonstrating self-control, being on task, being accountable for our actions, and being respectful to each other/self/and school property. This will be helpful to ensure all students are ready for instruction.
I encourage you to stay connected by visiting our school website and interacting with our school page on Class Dojo, Facebook, and Twitter. Reviewing your child's grades on Parent Portal continues to be an expectation so you can monitor their growth and consult with your child's teacher to address any declines before the end of the grading period. Report cards will continue to be published there with paper copies available upon request. Volunteering in your child's classroom or around the school is always encouraged, especially those who would like to participate in R1 CHAMPS, the district's new initiative to incorporate positive role models on campus. This year, the program is open to anyone. Volunteers must undergo a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) background check and a Department of Social Services (DSS) Child Abuse Registry check. If you are interested in volunteering for R1 Champs, contact Kerry Abel at 803-231-7182, 803-553-0072 or kerry.abel@richlandone.org.
Last but not least, I would like to send well wishes to Mr. Quincy Samuel, assistant principal, who has moved on to pursue other endeavors. We are very grateful for the years he has poured into our Eagles and school community. We wish him much success, and as always, "ONCE AN EAGLE, ALWAYS AN EAGLE!"
Please contact me if there are questions, concerns, feedback, or ideas to help our Eagles continue soaring.
🦅 #MountUp #WatchUsSoar 🦅
Upcoming Events
- Thursday, January 11th - STAR Math Assessments
- Thursday, January 11th - Report Cards available in Parent Portal
- Friday, January 12th - Early Release for Students (Professional Development for Teachers)
- Monday, January 15th - MLK Holiday: No School
- Tuesday, January 16th - PTO Meeting @ 5:30p.m.
- Wednesday, January 17th - STAR Reading Assessments (rescheduled date)
- Thursday, January 18th - 2nd Quarter Awards Assemblies
- Friday, January 19th - Federal Impact Aid forms due
- Saturday, January 20th - District Job Fair for Certified and Classified Positions (10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Eau Claire High School)
Federal Impact Aid Forms due January 19th
Federal Impact Aid forms can be accessed in Parent Portal for you to complete. Impact Aid is a federal program designed to assist local school districts that enroll federally-connected students. Federally-connected students are children of active duty uniformed services personnel, children who live on federal property, and children whose parents work on federal property. Please contact your child's teacher if you wish to complete the form on paper. See images below for assistance and contact our school counselor, Ms. Whitaker, at 803-783-5545.
January Programs at Richland Library Lower Richland
Join upcoming events at Richland Library Lower Richland. Visit staff at the front desk for more information and individual fliers for each event at 9019 Garners Ferry Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061.
Visit RichlandLibrary.com or call 803.509.8372 for additional information.
Happenings at "The Hill"
South Carolina Family Friendly Standards
The SC Family-Friendly Guides to the Academic Standards have been updated to include the new Science standards. These tools are available online at ExpectMoreSC. The family-friendly standards by grade and subject include websites, books, and activities to keep students engaged and having fun while they are learning. Resources are available in both English and Spanish. Please update link for the Family Friendly standards on our website. Thanks!
Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) ~ School Improvement Council (SIC)
Our next PTO/SIC meeting will be held Tuesday, January 9, 2024. SIC/PTO meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. We are continuing to accept $5 membership dues and sponsorships. The president, Ms. Jessica Green, can be contacted at horrellhillpto@outlook.com.
Welcome Coach Aaron to our PE Department!
Congratulations, Ms. Allyson Osborne, our 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year!!!
R1 Winter Career Fair
The Winter Career Fair will be held Saturday, January 20th at 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Eau Clair High School (4800 Monticello Road, Columbia, SC 29203). Persons interested for teaching positions should have or be eligible for a South Carolina Teaching Certificate. Please register for the fair and upload your application by January 18th at the following link:
https://www.applitrack.com/richlandone/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=JOB+FAIR%2fINTERVIEW+DAY
Contact Dr. Felicia Richardson at felicia.richardson@richlandone.org or visit https://www.richlandone.org/careers for additional information
Attendance
Please remind your child to check the Lost and Found on the cafeteria stage if they are missing an item. It will be helpful to label their name inside garments so it can be returned to the rightful owner if the opportunity presents itself. Parents are encouraged to look through Lost and Found when coming to school for lunch or events.
Miscellaneous Files and Forms
Stay Connected!
Email: shannon.adams@richlandone.org
Website: https://www.richlandone.org/Domain/20
Location: 517 Horrell Hill Road, Hopkins, SC, USA
Phone: (803) 783-5545
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hhes517
Twitter: @HHESEagles