Hopkins Elementary Newsletter
HES HAPPENINGS---OCTOBER 2022
Principal's Corner
Greetings Family,
It is hard to believe that September is already over. Last week we celebrated Attendance Awareness Month with a school spirit week. Below you will find a few pictures from this week.
October 12th marks the end of the 1st nine weeks. Report Cards will be issued at our parent/teachers conferences on Monday, October 24th. Your child’s teacher will send a sign-up link for you to register for a conference. We encourage you to bring your child to join the conversation.
Since the weather can be unpredictable during this time of year, we ask that you send your child with a jacket to wear each day.
We have begun to practice our different safety drills, and students are doing a great job! Please be sure to talk with your child about what they learned to do in these emergencies. Our staff is preparing students in developmentally appropriate ways about the meaning and importance of these drills.
Below you will find several important dates. Please mark your calendars.
With Great Hippo Pride,
Audrey White-Garner
Principal
Mrs. Mitchell (School Counselor)
In my role as the School Counselor, I visit each classroom to talk and teach a range of skills. We have recently begun to discuss the topic of Conflict Resolution. In our lessons, we start off by examining what conflict is and where it can occur. Then we discuss some strategies to help resolve the conflict in a way that makes the situation better. Some of these strategies are: getting the facts, listening, and talking it out. Other important things to consider and discuss are how our emotions and feelings affect our behaviors as well.
The Stoplight Strategy is a way for us to work together to reinforce healthy relationship building and conflict resolution. I encourage each family to continue the conversations at home and discuss how your child(ren) can best apply this strategy.
Stoplight Strategy:
- Red: Stop! How are you feeling? What can you do to calm down? Take a few slow deep breaths.
- Yellow: Think. What is the problem or conflict? What are your choices/options? What will you say or do?
- Green: Act! Choose the option that will make the situation better.
Teaching children to stop and think about the conflict or situation can play a huge role in how the situation is handled.
Math @ Hopkins Elementary
The weather is changing and it gives us so many opportunities to talk math! You can talk about what the meteorologist is saying on the local news. (record it if you won't be home 🙂) What is the temperature? What is the high/low? Which number is greater? What is the difference between the highs and lows? What would be the total if we added Tuesday's high to Wednesday's low? What if it was 43 degrees for 5 days in a row, what would the total be? How many tens/ones? Draw a model of the numbers you see on the news. You can even talk about the wind speed and lake levels. There is measurement and numbers EVERYWHERE!!!!!
ELA @ Hopkins Elementary
The weather is changing and it gives us many opportunities to talk about reading and writing! You can go outside and read in the relaxing fall temperatures. You can talk about the colors of the leaves and think about your five senses--what do you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch....and even write about your reading adventure. Fall into a good book! Remember reading and writing is everywhere.
AVID @ Hopkins Elementary
AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. Its mission is to “close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.” Using AVID Elementary, our students will learn about Note-taking, Organization, and Collaboration Skills—and they will continue to think about their educational path to college/career and beyond. Each month we will share a "strategy of the month" for each of you to implement in your AVID Elementary classrooms.
Strategy of the Month - WRITING & FOCUSED NOTETAKING
Writing is a strategy that can be implemented in all subject areas to engage students in higher level thinking, including making connections to personal experiences and among subject areas. We will focus on both writing to learn and reflective writing strategies. Writing-to-learn activities are short and informal writing tasks that allow students to express their thinking and make connections to academic content. As a part of this process, students will create S.T.A.R. Notes that are focused on 2-or-3 columns. S.T.A.R. Notes uses the process of 1) Set up Notes; 2) Take notes; 3) Add to notes; and 4) Review Notes.
SIC/PTO Corner
The School Improvement Council (SIC) serves as an advisory committee to a school's principal and faculty. Unlike PTOs and other voluntary school organizations, councils are mandated by law to exist in every public school in South Carolina. SICs play a vital role in the education of our state's children, bringing together parents, educators, and community stakeholders to work collectively to improve their local schools. Some of the key functions of the SIC include:
- assist in developing and implementing a five-year school improvement plan (school renewal plan);
- monitor and evaluate success in reaching the plan's goals and objectives;
- write an annual report to parents about the progress of the plan; and
- assist the principal in writing the narrative for the School Report Card
All SIC/PTO meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month. The next PTO/SIC meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday, October 5th, @ 6:30pm on ZOOM.
- Meeting ID- 805-137-7207
- Password- 210904
Download the Box Tops App
FOUR-WEEK LOOK AHEAD...
October 3-7, 2022
- October 3- World's Teacher Day
- October 4- HOUSE Meetings @ 8:30am (Students are encouraged to wear their HOUSE colors)
October 10-14, 2022
- October 12- End of Nine Weeks
- October 13- Caring Is Sharing (Students will have an opportunity to share their published writings with a student in a number grade and class)
- October 14- No School (for students)
October 24-28, 2022
- October 24-28- Red Ribbon Week
- October 24- Half Day- Parent/Teacher Conferences @ 3:30pm-6:30pm (Report Cards issued)
October 31- November 4, 2022
- October 31- Storybook Character Dress-Up @ 8:30am
- November 4- Honor Roll Parade @ 9:30am
STAY CONNECTED
Email: elemhopkins@richlandone.org
Website: https://www.richlandone.org/Domain/19
Location: 6120 Cabin Creek Road
Phone: 803-783-5541
Facebook: facebook.com/elemhopkins
Twitter: @elemhopkins