Hollywood Hill Happenings
November Edition
From the Principal
We have reached a point in the year when events can feel like they are coming at an accelerating pace even as we believe the flow of time to be in fact (relatively) constant. The first quarter comes to an end, then we have Veteran's Day and then conferences. Next of course we have our just recently concluded Thanksgiving holiday, with three full and sometime hectic weeks sandwiched between that and Winter Break.
The disjunction between the start of the school and calendar years can at times be jarring, but I like to use it this time of year as a reminder of the growth and maturity our students will exhibit and develop in a school year. The new year provides a time for new beginnings and looking toward the future, and when we bring those thoughts to the students in our care we are reminded that even though progress can seem slow and slogging in the moment, and even as we experience setbacks along the way, they will have learned and changed beyond belief by June. May your hearts be filled with joy at who they are becoming, and don't forget to savor who they are along the way!
Dr. Gregory E. Cox
Principal
Hollywood Hill Elementary School
(425)408-4700
Pronouns: he, him, his
Gift Drive at Hollywood Hill
We are so happy to announce the return of The Hollywood Hill Giving Tree Gift Drive.
The drive will begin on Thursday, December 1st and run through Tuesday, December 13th. If you would like to purchase a gift to help a local family, simply pick a gift tag from the Giving Tree (located in the school office), purchase the gift, and return the unwrapped gift with the tag firmly attached to the office by Tuesday, December 13.
Thank you so much for making the holidays a little brighter and spreading holiday cheer to so many of our local families!
Emergency Preparedness
Hello families,
Northshore School District is working on a standard process for our reunification of parents and students when an emergency happens. Please take a moment to read the Standard Reunification Method information sheet below.
In addition to our normal monthly safety drills, in December we will also be conducting two trainings on Northshore's new reunification process. We will have a training for families from 3-4 PM on December 14th, as well as a training for staff earlier in the month. If you would like to participate in the family training, please use the form at the link below to let us know:
Darleene Matheson RN
School Nurse
Care Team Liaison and Emergency Prep Coordinator for Hollywood Hill
Office phone: 425-408-4706
From the School Counselor
Hello HHE Families!
Without a doubt, we are all managing stress at this time, and that includes our students. So this month, I wanted to focus on mindfulness. One of the great benefits of mindfulness is its effect on mental health. Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness can lead to decreased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. One reason for this is that mindfulness keeps your thoughts focused on the present moment, saving you from worrying about the past or future. It can also lead to decreased behavioral problems in children, as it helps with self-control. And if children are more mindful and thoughtful with their actions, they are less likely to make poor choices impulsively. Mindfulness can also lead to increased executive functioning, specifically in the areas of attention, working memory, and self-regulation.
Mindfulness is all about pausing to focus one's awareness on the present moment-calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations in a non-judgemental way. It can be helpful to think about mindfulness as the opposite of mindlessness. When we are doing things mindfully, we are doing them intentionally, being fully present in the moment. Mindfulness has that component of awareness – awareness of our thoughts and feelings. Not judging them or pushing them away, but acknowledging what is happening in our bodies and minds. Many times, when people think of mindfulness, they think of practices like yoga and meditation. While these can promote mindfulness, they are not the only way to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is something that can be done by ordinary people, in ordinary situations, at any time.
I wanted to share some ways that adults can practice mindfulness. It is you who sets the culture and the tone in your home. If your children see that mindfulness is a priority in your life, they will be more likely to adapt it to theirs as well. The first tip I have for you is to take time throughout the day to stop and notice how you are feeling. This might be difficult to remember at first, so it may be helpful to set an alarm on your phone or even have a friend or partner remind you to check in with yourself. Remember, it is important not to judge those feelings or label them as good or bad. Just take time to notice them as they are. The world we live in today is a busy one. It seems like something is always going on – a phone ringing, practices or appointments to get to, an email coming in, etc. Our minds are constantly busy, and this can cause us to juggle many different activities at once. However, it is essential to take time to slow down - to be focused on the present moment.Not only can this help you feel calmer and more focused, but it can also improve the quality of your task. Focusing on the present moment can be challenging for many of us, but thankfully, several resources are out there to encourage mindfulness. There has been an influx of mindfulness apps for your cell phone or tablet in the past few years. If you are interested in these, you could check out Headspace, the Calm app, Stop, Breathe & Think, or many more. Although mindfulness initially seems daunting, it doesn't have to be scary. Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, at any time, by anyone. I hope these ideas will help you encourage a culture of mindfulness in your family.
Additional resources:
If you have not already, I encourage you to visit my Schoology page with your child to watch the mindfulness practice videos I have uploaded. Practicing mindfulness is an excellent way for all of us to slow down our thoughts and be present. When children see their role models using such strategies to manage their own emotions, their success in emotions management increases.
I also love to share Mind Yeti's youtube channel as an additional resource to help practice mindfulness.
If you want a great way to introduce and explain mindfulness to your students, please feel free to watch my read-aloud for Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda. You can find this video in the "Ms. Azadmanesh reads aloud" folder and in my virtual library. It is a great story!
Thank you so much for your partnership!
With care,
Hayley Azadmanesh
Hollywood Hill Counselor
Ready Start Program
The Ready Start program is a blended multi-age, inclusive model, serving students, ages 3 – 5. We are currently enrolling at both locations (Sorenson and Woodmoor Elementary) for the 22/23 school year. Classrooms are taught and supported by a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and a para-professional. Inclusive classrooms create a dynamic learning environment for all students. The average class size is 16 students, with class make-up of 8 students with Individual Education Program, 4 students who pay tuition, and 4 students who are income eligible. Classrooms utilize The Creative Curriculum & Teaching Strategies GOLD Assessment Tool. The staff is committed to fostering student learning and cultivating friendships while creating a sense of community for our students. Utilizing developmentally appropriate teaching strategies to support a whole child approach to learning an inclusive environment, fosters high levels of student learning and social and emotional growth for all students.
The application can be found on the Northshore School District website @ https://www1.nsd.org/schools/programs-services/early-childhood/ready-start-tuition-program or contact Sorenson at (425) 408-5570.
Return all forms including deposit to:
Sorenson Early Childhood Center
19705 88th Ave NE Bothell, WA 98011
Sessions times:
o 8:00 am - 10:30 am
o 11:45 am -2:15 pm
Requirements:
· Children must be 3.5 by August 31st
· Toilet Trained
· Parent Transportation
· Birth Certificate
· Certificate of Immunization
· No Kindergarten Eligible Students
Tuition Cost:
$300 per month
From the PTA
From the President
There is never a bad time to show gratitude, so thank you to those who were able to help us shine a light on HHE bus drivers earlier this month! We encourage you to keep this generosity going through the HHE Giving Tree during these next few weeks.
With your help our PTA community has had great success this school year with HHE students, families and staff directly benefiting from it. We cannot thank you all enough for your support in 2022 and as we head into 2023. We have many programs and events planned for this coming year that we hope you will consider taking part in. There is no way around it, we need people-power to keep this momentum going. Let's continue to GO BEYOND for all of our Stars.
Happy Holidays, Nicolette
PTA Treasurer Needed
Join Us!
We are looking to fill our critical PTA Treasurer role for the rest of this school year. This person is entitled to a vote at our monthly Board meetings and is responsible for writing checks and providing monthly financial reports. Training is provided with the hopes of a start date of 2/8. Please reach out to Nicolette Stocker at president@hhillpta.org if you are interested. Thank you for your consideration and thanks again to Jon Larson for taking on this role for the last 1.5 years.
Missoula Children's Theatre - Volunteers Needed Now!
The Theater is back in January 2023! This has been a popular program at HHE in the past and we are thrilled to be able to offer this to the community once again - with your help of course!
ALADDIN is a part of the Missoula Children's Theatre's unique international touring project. Approximately 50-60 roles will be available HHE students in all grades. No advance preparation for participants is necessary. Auditions, rehearsals and performances will be all in one week: 1/23/23-1/28/23. Mark your calendar!
Preparation is happening now and vital volunteers are needed. We hope you'll consider joining our team as one of the following, with our next team meeting on 12/7 at 10am via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84758502225. Come and find out how you can help - we can't do it without you!
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Marketing
- Concessions
- Performance Video Recording & DVD Distribution
Please email Co-Chairs Anna-Lisa Notter or Nicolette Stocker at president@hhillpta.org if you are interested or have any general questions.
Weds 11/30: Spring Auction Informational Meeting via Zoom
Do you like event planning & bringing people together? Do you want to help raise funds that directly benefit your student and community? Do you have experience in planning an auction? Do you have relationships in the community? We have room for everyone!
Please join us for a Spring Auction Informational Meeting this Weds 11/30 at 10am via Zoom to see if you are interested. Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87628207223.
Questions: VP Fundraising, Kristi Larson at fundraising@hhillpta.org.
Game Room & Recess Volunteers always needed!
Please sign up for an hour or two if you can! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080c4ba4ad2daafb6-2022.
Questions: Dean of Students, Tanya O'Rourke at torourke@nsd.org.
Upcoming
- 11/30: Combined Choir Performance @ Northshore Concert Hall at Inglemoor High School
- 12/6: Staff Appreciation Event
- 12/12: PTA Board Meeting
- 12/13: Combined Choir Concert @ HHE Gym
- 12/16: Room Parent Holiday Classroom Celebrations
- January: New Before/After School Enrichment Opportunities
- 2/7: PTA Membership Meeting