Hope Valley School News
April 8, 2016
Calendar of Events
April 2016
4/8 – Girl’s Choice Ice Skating
4/11-4/14 > Reading Week - see schedule below for reading spirit week
4/11 – PTO 6:30 Library
4/12 – Bank day 8:20 café/gym
4/14 – Early Release - AM pre-K attends
4/18 – 4/22 > SPRING BREAK
4/26 – Bank day 8:20 café/gym
4/29 – Gr 4 Arbor Day
New School Update Information
PARCC Update
State assessments provide us information to measure the effectiveness of our curriculum and programs, and identify areas where students may need extra support. We share the results of these assessments with you in order to provide information about your child’s progress in school and towards being on the road to college and career readiness.
Like last year year, we will once again administer PARCC (or Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) assessments in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA)/literacy.
At our school, PARCC testing will be administered on the computer beginning the end of April (see schedule below). All students in grades 3 and 4 will participate in tests that will include reading, writing, and math. There will be 4 sessions in math and 3 sessions in ELA. Our state science assessment will not change this year. All students in grade 4 will continue to take the paper based NECAP Science assessments in May, as in previous years.
Grade 3 will be testing at the same time since have have small sections of students in this grade level. Grade 4 students will be scheduled individually in order to accommodate computer-based testing requirements. On many days, we will have two different testing sessions on the same day, one around 9:15 AM, and the other around 12:15 PM. Specific classroom testing information is provided below.
Children are allowed to bring personal ear buds (or other type of headphone) for the ELA portion of the tests. There is a media component of the ELA test, and having a personal set of ear buds might increase the comfort level for your child. However, the school has ear buds for students if needed.
We appreciate your support in making sure your child:
* Has a good night’s sleep;
* Has a hearty breakfast;
* Attends schools; and
* Arrives to school on time.
Also, and most importantly, please do your best NOT to schedule any appointments when your child's class is testing. We have a limited window of days to complete the test.
Thank you for your continued involvement in and support of your child’s education.
PARCC schedule for grades 3 and 4 students
4F & 4R Math (by math class) - April 26, 27, 28, 29
4R ELA (by reading class) - May 2, 3, 4
4F ELA (by reading class) - May 4, 5, 6
Grade 3 ELA (by homeroom) - May 2, 3, 4
Grade 3 MATH (by homeroom) - May 9, 10, 12
Grade 4 Science NECAP (by homeroom) - May 10, 11, 12
PARCC Resources
PARCC is approaching rather quickly. Please follow the link for PARCC parent resources: http://www.parcconline.org/resources/parent-resources
http://www.parcconline.org/images/Parent_PARCC_Checklist.pdf
Here is a great YouTube Video on what parents need to know about PARCC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO0s03r9Ddw
Rhode Island Geographic Bee
On Friday, April 1st, the Rhode Island Geographic Bee was held in Cranston. Students in grades 4-8, from around the state, competed. Each student had previously won their school's competition and also passed a qualifying online test sent to the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC. Megan Marcille, a fourth grader, is seen in the photo below accepting her award from Mrs. Foggo, the Rhode Island State Geographic Bee Coordinator. Megan participated on Friday in the practice and preliminary rounds. Then she and her parents enjoyed all event activities, followed by watching the ten finalists compete. An eighth grade boy won the competition who was also the winner last year. Second place went to a seventh grader and a sixth grader took third place. An article about the event was in the Westerly Sun on Saturday, April 2nd. Follow this link to view the article:
Building Project
The students in 2M explored the properties of solids when Mr. Maiorisi, an architect from Brown University and Mrs. Mello’s brother, came in to assist students in building towers. The students had to plan and build a tower that was 45cm tall and could withstand the wind of a fan! Everyone did an amazing job! Perhaps we have some budding architects in our future! See pictures down below.
Reading Week Information
Hope Valley Reading Week
April 11th-15th
Mixed Up Monday
Wear mixed up clothing (inside-out, backwards etc…)
*Magician Assembly
Top Hat Tuesday
Wear your favorite hat
*Get Caught Reading
Wacky Wednesday
Wear your wackiest socks
Theme Thursday
Class/Team Spirit Day- Wear your class color and bring your favorite book
Fun Friday
Wear your favorite baseball shirt or sports team
*”Hit A Grand Slam!”- reading activities in the gym
Hopkinton Recreation Youth Basketball Mini-Camp
When: Friday, April 22nd Where: Chariho High School Time: 10am-4pm
Who: Boys & Girls ages 7-15
Coach Jen and Coach Adam will run a full day of fun contests, drills and scrimmages! Please bring water, snacks and a lunch.
Players will be placed in age & skill- appropriate groups!
Register at Http://Hopkintonri.org/Recreation.htm
Hopkinton Residents $35 Non Residents $40
Parking
As all of you know the parking situation at Hope Valley School is not a good one. I have always urged you all to either park at the church, in front of the school by the stairs, or along Langworthy Field. I was informed at the last PTO meeting that we are taking up parking spots at the church especially when our pre-school and Woodriver Pre-school dismiss at 11:15ish. If you can avoid parking at the church especially between 11:00-11:30 that would be fantastic. Instead, feel free to park along Thelma Dr where parents wait in the AM for the buses to leave the property. You could drive passed the school like you would go to the American Legion and turn around and park along Thelma Drive before the stop sign. I am working on a long time solution to this problem for pre-school. Stay tuned.
Geo Bee Picture
Building Towers in Mrs. Mello's Class
Family Science Expo
Save the date for some hands-on family fun investigating science! Saturday April 30th URI’s GEMS-Net project is hosting a Family Science Expo at the Ryan Center on the University of Rhode Island's Kingston campus from 10 AM to 2 PM. GEMS-Net partners with our schools, and others around the state, to help teachers bring cutting edge science education to all classrooms. Dig in with hands-on investigations from our kindergarten through 8th grade science curriculum. Let your children lead the way- teaching you what they know and exploring what’s to come! Visit the inflatable planetarium, get up close to hissing cockroaches, design and build the tallest tower and connect with URI students to explore STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) majors offered at URI. The Family Science Expo offers free admission and parking, and concessions will be open. We hope you'll save the date to explore with us! See flyer below.
Bronx Zoo Trip
Other Key Information
Assessment Policy
At the October 27th School Committee meeting a new policy dealing with our Comprehensive Assessment System was approved. The policy details the roll of assessment in the instructional cycle. It also speaks to the need to minimize and strategically use assessment results. Finally, the policy communicates the expectation that all students participate in all assessments (including state assessments), unless a medical waiver has been obtained. You will find the policy at http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/sites/default/files/policy/comprehensive_assessment_system.pdf.
Twitter and Webpage
Please follow me on Twitter for school updates and events @JoeGencarelli1. Please do not forget the number 1. Also, you will be able to find a ton of information on the Hope Valley webpage at www.chariho.k12.ri.us/hv.
Dismissal/Pick-Up Notes
We are going to try a new routine this year. Please use the dismissal/pick-up note that came home with your student this week. Keep the extras around for future use. Fill it out accordingly and return it to school. You can find the dismissal note on the Hope Valley webpage if you need to make additional copies. You can find this at: www.chariho.k12.ri.us/sites/default/files/hv_student_dismissal_note_3_per_page.pdf
Peanut Free Classrooms
ALL classrooms are designated as nut & peanut-free. We have multiple students at varying grade levels with severe allergies to peanuts. Foods that “contain,” “may contain,” or are “manufactured on shared equipment” will not be permitted as snacks. However, students may bring in a lunch that contains peanuts or nuts.
Background Check
All volunteers in the Chariho School District must have an annual background check prior to volunteering. There is no cost for this. Please go to the Central Office with a picture ID and fill out a volunteer form. It takes a few weeks to return. Or you can go to the Attorney General’s Office in Providence and get it done right there and then.
Lunch
There are 2 options to pay for lunch:
- There is a website where you can pay for and keep track of your child's lunch account. The site is www.myschoolbucks.com. You will need your child's school code, which you can get by contacting Fran Sayer at sayer-frances@aramark.com or (401) 552-7078. Please visit http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/MyNutriKidsInfo for more information. There is also an app for your smartphone or tablet. You can pay for meals, check balances, and view purchases from anywhere. It is safe and secure.
- If the student is paying with cash or check when buying hot lunch, please send lunch money to school in an envelope or Ziploc bag with the student’s name, teachers name (i.e. KA, 1H, 2D, 3F, 4R). This will be placed in a classroom bucket and brought to the office. Checks can be made out to the “Chariho Regional School District.”
If you need further information, please contact Fran Sayer at sayer-frances@aramark.com or (401) 552-7078. Chariho is keeping accounts accurately updated and I wanted to send a courtesy memo to keep you informed.
Attendance Matters!
Our goal this year is to ensure that every student attends school regularly and on-time. I cannot stress this enough. Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and on-time. Attendance is so important for success in school and in life. We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But, we also know that when students miss too much school or are tardy often (regardless of the reason) can cause them to fall behind academically. Your child is less likely to succeed if he or she is chronically absent or tardy—which means missing 18 or more days over the course of an entire school year. Chariho policy states that tardies and early dismissals count towards your child’s attendance. Research shows:
- Children chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade.
- By 6th grade, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign for students at risk for dropping out of school.
- By 9th grade good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8th grade test scores.
Absences and tardies can add up quickly. A child is chronically absent if he or she misses just two days every month!!
Child Outreach Screenings
Child Outreach is a FREE Service offered to ALL Children 3 to 5 years old by your local school district in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Education. Rhode Island Department of Education recommends each child be screened annually.
Chariho Child Outreach has the following Screening dates available
Please call to set up your appointment at 401-364-1160
March 16, 2016
** March 24, 2016
April 5, 2016
**April 7, 2016
April 13, 2016
May 26, 2016
June 1, 2016
** Evening Screening
About Hope Valley Elementary School...visit our website below
The mission of the Hope Valley Elementary School is to work in partnership with our colleagues, students and families. We are committed to creating a learning environment where children are expected to achieve their full potential.
Email: ggen@chariho.k12.ri.us
Website: www.chariho.k12.ri.us/hv
Location: 15 Thelma Drive, Hope Valley, RI, United States
Phone: 401-539-2321
Twitter: @JoeGencarelli1