Sonnie Hereford Families,

We are celebrating "Teacher Appreciation Week" at Sonnie Hereford Elementary! Please join your scholars in letting their teachers know the impact and difference they make in their lives. We will celebrate positive behavior on Friday, May 9 by participating in our End of Year "PBIS Celebration.

Also, mark your calendars to support teachers and scholars as dates have changed for Awards Day Ceremonies and "Field Day" Bowling Trips.

May 5-9: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 12: Awards Day Ceremonies (Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st,

May 13: Awards Day Ceremonies (2nd & 3rd)

May 14 - 16: Field Day "Bowling Trips"

May 19: Awards Day Ceremonies (4th, 5th, & 6th)

May 21: Last Day of School for Students

May 22: Teacher's Last Day

Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated to recognize and honor the hard work, dedication, and important contributions of teachers to their scholars and the community. We express gratitude for your commitment to education, shaping young minds, and fostering a love of learning at Sonnie Hereford Elementary. You are greatly appreciated, and we hope you enjoy your week because you deserve it!

Please remember that yearbooks can be ordered by scanning the QR code below or by contacting the front office for details. (See Flyer Below)

Have a great week!

Assistant Principal Grant

• May 5 - 6th Grade Band and Choir Concert @ HJHS

• May 12 - Awards Day Ceremonies (Pre-K, Kinder, and 1st)

• May 13 - Awards Day Ceremonies (2nd & 3rd)

• May 14-16 - "Field Day" Bowling Trips

• May 19 - Awards Day Ceremonies (4th, 5th, and 6th)

• May 21 - Last Day for Scholars

• May 22 - Last Day for Teachers

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Developing a PBIS Home Plan can help you teach appropriate behaviors and social skills. Start by identifying your family’s core expectations. For example, your family’s core social expectations may include: be respectful, responsible, and helpful. If your child’s school is using the PBIS strategy, you may want to use the core expectations the school has identified. Decide how to model and acknowledge your home expectations.

Hello Sonnie Hereford Families,

We are counting down the final days of the school year. I am so proud of all your student has learned this year. Please encourage your child to keep reading and practicing at home. We are doing a MAY MATTERS challenge at school for the 15 instructional days of May so that we can prevent the summer slide. Have you heard about the “summer slide”? The concept of the summer slide has been on researchers’ radar since at least 1996, when one of the first comprehesive studies on the phenomenon was published. The study showed that kids lose significant knowledge in reading and math over summer break, which tends to have a snowball effect as they experience subsequent skill loss each year.

A more recent study of children in 3rd to 5th grades also showed that students lost, on average, about 20 percent of their school-year gains in reading and 27 percent of their school-year gains in math during summer break. This is a significant learning loss for our students. So, what can we do to help prevent the summer slide? Scholastic has some tips for parents here, but the biggest thing we can do is keep our kiddos reading daily over the summer—let them choose what they want to read and read with them! I have enjoyed sharing reading tips with you this year and hope they have been helpful.

Happy Reading,

Mrs. Tomes

Greetings Hereford Elementary School Families,

Last week was our final week of testing!! This week, we will complete all iReady make-ups for students who missed their test day last week. Please make sure students are at school this week so that we can complete all make-up testing. Please take a moment to complete the Spring Title I Parent Survey this week.

https://bit.ly/42kM9uJ

We can’t wait to see you on Monday for another week of learning!

Thank you,

April M. Draine

Sonnie Hereford Families,

We have reached the last month of school! If you want to meet with your child’s teacher for an update on their progress this school year, now is the perfect time. Here are some tips for a successful parent-teacher conference:

1. Listen carefully. It is perfectly acceptable to take notes. This is particularly helpful if one parent or other involved relative cannot attend. It can also help you remember details so that you can ask questions later.

2. Offer your perspective. Many times teachers will ask you about your child’s activities at home and your views of your child’s strengths and areas where help might be needed. Even if the teacher does not ask, speak up and provide your observations and any concerns.

3. You want to hear good news about your child. If the teacher does not offer any positive comments, ask directly, “What does my child do well?” And remember that teachers often hear only negative comments, too. Be sure to try to offer a compliment, a thank you to let the teacher know you appreciate what they are trying to do to help your child-even when what the teacher is trying to do may not be working.

4. Do not be afraid to ask questions. If you do not understand something or feel your concerns are not being addressed, then ask the teacher. Teachers and other educators easily slip into jargon and forget that many parents are not familiar with the terms they use every day. Ask what test scores mean and what the results mean for your child. Stop and ask for an explanation of unfamiliar terms or programs. Not understanding can quickly lead to misunderstanding.

Go Wildcats!

Rebecca Ramsey

Families,

We only have a few more days before the start of summer break. We hope that our students will continue learning and reading during this time so that they return ready to pick up where they left off.

Click the link below for some in-depth information on ways to motivate your child to read.

https://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/motivating-kids-to-read/?fbclid=IwAR0-L_r3hAs-UCYbT7bV1rKtaPU1qYmkS9jGsI3em_O9Ru8qq1uYcTZnXoo

Media Specialist

Mrs. Hereford

Greetings Sonnie Hereford Family,

These last weeks of the school year are very important for your scholar. Students are solidifying their learning and practicing skills that help them transition to the next grade level. The last days of school are also important for students socially. There are important celebrations, rewards and award ceremonies that recognize and motivate students as we finish out the school year. Let's all finish the school year strong in attendance. Let’s ace attendance and ace life!

Remember to keep up your health:

• Drink lots of water to help keep the inside of your body clean

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and limit sugar

• Go to sleep early at night for a good night's rest

• Get exercise, sunlight and fresh air as often as possible

• Maintain a good balance of everything in life and be at peace

Mandisa Thornton, School Attendance Officer

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!

Check out this calendar for something you can do everyday to support a healthy, happier you. Fun for all ages to participate.

Ms. B

Behavior Specialist

Hereford Families,

Role of Parental Involvement in Education

The critical role of parental involvement in a child's education has been examined in countless studies and reports. The research overwhelmingly supports the following conclusions.

1. Academic achievement increases when parents are involved in their children's education.

The more intensively involved the parents are, the greater the positive impact on academic achievement.

2. Parental involvement leads to better classroom behavior.

Parental involvement not only enhances academic performance but it also has a positive influence on student attitude and behavior. A parent's interest and encouragement in a child's education can affect the child's attitude toward school, classroom conduct, self-esteem, absenteeism, and motivation.

3. Parents should stay involved in their children's education from preschool through high school.

Parental involvement can make a positive difference at all age levels. Parental involvement tends to be the greatest with young children and tends to taper off as children get older. Studies have shown, however, that the involvement of parents of middle and high school students is equally important. In high school, for example, a parent's encouragement can influence whether a child stays in school or drops out. Similarly, a child may consider going to college more seriously when parents show interest in the child's academic achievements and talk with the child about the benefits of a college education.

4. Reading together at home greatly improves reading skills.

Reading, in particular, improves greatly when parents and children read together at home. Reading aloud with a child contributes significantly to the child's reading abilities.

5. Parental involvement lifts teacher morale.

Schools and teachers benefit from parental involvement because involved parents develop a greater appreciation for the challenges that teachers face in the classroom. Teacher morale is improved. Communication between home and school helps a teacher to know a student better, allowing the teacher to teach the student more effectively. Communication also helps to dispel any mistrust or misperceptions that may exist between teachers and parents.

6. Parental involvement benefits children and parents.

By becoming involved in their children's education, moms and dads get the satisfaction of contributing to their children's education and future. They have a better understanding of the school curriculum and activities and can be more comfortable with the quality of education their child is receiving. They spend more time with their children and become able to communicate better with them. Some studies show that a parent's participation in a child's education may inspire the parent to further his or her own education.

Have an awesome week!

Ann Elkins

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Can you believe it? The end of the school year is just around the corner! It feels like only yesterday we were starting a brand new adventure together. We've learned so much, grown in so many ways, and made some fantastic memories.

As we head into these last few weeks, our character word of the month is "School Pride."

What does "School Pride" mean? It means feeling good about our school and everything it stands for. It's about:

• Respecting our school: Taking care of our classrooms, hallways, playground, and all the materials we use.
• Supporting each other: Cheering on our classmates, being kind, and helping each other succeed.
• Being responsible: Doing our best in our schoolwork and following school rules.
• Celebrating our school: Showing our spirit and enthusiasm for all the great things that happen here.

Students, you can show your school pride by keeping our school clean, being a good friend, participating in class, and representing our school positively both inside and outside of these walls.

Parents, you can help us reinforce school pride by talking with your children about what it means to be a proud member of our school community. Encourage them to participate in school events and to treat our school with care.

These last few weeks will be busy with fun activities, celebrations of learning, and saying goodbye for the summer. Let's make sure we finish the year strong, showing our school pride in everything we do.

Thank you, parents, for your continued support throughout the year. Your partnership is invaluable in helping our students thrive and develop a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school.

Wishing you a wonderful end to the school year.

With care and gratitude,

💙 Your School Counselors

Mr. Reginald Johnson & Mrs. Jewel Thorne

• Supervision of students begin at 7:30 each morning; therefore, students should not arrive to school before 7:30 AM.

• Students who are walkers are to follow the sidewalk leading to the crossing guard and to the front door of the school.

• Students who are walkers should not walk across the Pre-K parking lot without being supervised by parent/guardian.

• Parents who enter Pre-K parking lot (yellow arrows) to drop off Kinder-6th grade students must park and escort student(s) to front of school.

• Parents who enter faculty and staff parking lot (blue arrows) to drop off Kinder-6th grade students must park and escort student(s) to crosswalk.

• School starts promptly at 8:00 AM.

• Students arriving after 8:00 AM are tardy and must have a parent or a guardian sign them in at the main office.

Student check-out ends at 1:45-must have valid identification and listed as a contact in

PowerSchool SIS.

• All students will be dismissed at 2:30.

• Students are either a bus rider, car rider or walker.

• Parents are asked not to congregate near the front door of the school or the pick-up area. You

will be asked to clear the dismissal area- please do so.

• Parents of walkers are asked to meet your children at home or at the crosswalk.

• Parents of car riders are asked to remain in your vehicle in the car line during pick-up.

• Pre-K parking lot (yellow arrows) is reserved only for Pre-K families with Parking Permit displayed.

• WALKERS- in the event of rain, parents are asked to provide child/ren with rain gear or send a written/typed note to teacher to change dismissal to car rider for that day by 1:30 pm.