HILL HAPPENINGS

Hello Hill Families,

We are off and running here at Hill School! Students are settling into their routines and adjusting back to the school schedule. I’ve been using my “mobile office” in the hallways, which gives me the joy of seeing and hearing the wonderful learning happening in classrooms each day. I can truly say that both students and staff are happy to be back and ready to get to work!

September is always such a fun month as we have many activities planned in the building and the district.

• PTO Walk-A-Thon – Information will be coming home soon about our biggest fundraiser of the year, taking place on Friday, September 26, 2025. All funds raised go directly back to our students and staff. Families are welcome to walk with their child(ren) around the track, but please be sure to complete and return a volunteer application to the main office by September 19th if you wish to join.The week of

• Homecoming & Spirit Week – The week of September 22nd is Homecoming, and we look forward to celebrating together with a fun spirit week. I encourage all staff and students to participate and show their school pride! Information on specific days will be coming soon.
  
  

• Kindergarten in the Parade – Kindergarten families are invited to walk in the Homecoming parade on Friday, September 26th. Each child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. (See flyer below for details.)
  
  

• Looking ahead: First PTO Meeting – Mark your calendars for our first PTO meeting on Monday, October 13th at 5:30 p.m. in the Hill Media Center. All are welcome, and we’d love to see you there!

There’s so much to look forward to this school year, and we are excited about the opportunities and growth ahead. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to make this a fantastic year for our students!

In partnership,

Mrs. DuPrey

Proud Principal

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Special Person Day at Hill Elementary! This special event will take place on Friday, September 5th, 2025.

On this day, each student may invite one "special person" to join them at school. Doors will open at 7:30am. Guests will stay with their students until 8:20am. Please enter at door 8 (by parent pick up). Stop in the gym for photo booth, donuts, coffee, Sunny D, and special activities in each classroom.

We look forward to celebrating this day together and giving our students the chance to shine as they share their learning environment with someone special to them.

Students will be released two hours earlier than normal. All students will continue to have a lunch period on these days. Hill's Early Release Dismissal is @ 1:28 P.M.

The early release days provide the district with opportunities to conduct three-hour sessions of professional development with teaching staff. This will directly impact our students in ensuring that our teachers have been given the tools, training and best practices to deliver the curriculum so all of our students can achieve success.

Other Early Release dates for the 2025-26 school year are:

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

I am happy to report that our district-wide assessments have been completed. We have used this information to place the students into skill groups for both reading and math. In addition to what is happening in our classrooms, interventions are underway. Our goal is to use all of our resources to ensure that your child receives individualized learning that will help them reach their full potential.

I will include information in this portion of the newsletter that may help you with your child’s learning at home. Sometimes, I will include a QR code that will demonstrate the skill in action that may help you practice the skill. Thank you for being a supportive member of our team!

What Is Phonemic Awareness?

Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and distinguish sounds. This includes:

• Recognizing sounds, alone and in words

• Adding sounds to words

• Taking apart words and breaking them into their different sounds

• Moving sounds

Examples

Play “I Spy” with your child, but instead of naming a color, say, “I spy something that starts with a /b/” or “I spy something with these sounds, /d/ /ŏ/ /g/.” Have your child do the same.

Play a game in which you say a word, and your child has to break apart all the sounds. Ask your child to stretch out a word like dog and he/she can pretend to stretch a word with a rubber band. Your child should say /d/ /ŏ/ /g/. Say, “Tell me the sounds you hear in dog.”

Hello!

My name is Maida Demo, and I am the new school counselor here at Hill. I am so excited to join the Hill Family! I have already been around to introduce myself to all the students in their classrooms and they have given me such a warm welcome. I am looking forward to getting to know all of them as the year progresses.

Even though I am new to Hill, I am not new to Davison Schools. I have served as the counselor at Central Elementary for the past 15 years. Prior to becoming a school counselor, I was in the classroom teaching different elementary grade levels for 10 years.

Please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns that you have in how I can help your child here at school. I can be reached by phone (810) 591-0842 or email: mdemo@davisonschools.org. As the year progresses I will be offering different support groups for students based on needs such as: family changes, grief & loss, social skills, and emotional regulation– just to name a few.

Thank you for the warm welcome – I can’t wait to be part of all the great things happening at Hill this year!

Hello Hill Families!

My name is Maura Drinkert and I am the new music and STEM teacher here at Hill! This is my first year of professional teaching, and I have received nothing but kindness and support from all of the kids, families, and staff at Hill Elementary. I am so excited to see your students in music and STEM every week, and watch them grow in their creativity!

We are off to a great start in music!!! During these first two weeks of school, we have been practicing our music classroom routines/procedures, reviewing (or learning for the first time) some foundational tonal and rhythm skills, and doing some classroom community building/improvisation through dancing and hand drumming. Over the next month, students at all grade levels will continue to work on audiation (singing accurately in your head), tonal/rhythm skills, and improvisation/creativity! 1st-4th grade students will also be taking two musical aptitude tests in September, one focused on tonal passages and the other focused on rhythmic passages. Test scores will not be used for a grade but are used only by me to know how each individual child is progressing in music class. This helps me to know how I can improve my teaching for them! After all aptitude tests are completed, kindergarten, first, second, and third graders will continue working on tonal patterns and rhythm improvisation, and fourth grade will begin working/composing independently in small groups.

I am so excited for this year and can’t wait to work more with your students!

Welcome back. My name is Mr. Whitman, and I’m excited to be at Hill Elementary for a 12th year teaching Physical Education.

The first few weeks have been spent establishing routines and reviewing our Cardinal Code. First and foremost, I always ask the kids to give their “best effort.” We have spent a lot of time these first few weeks talking about what trying their “best” means and what may cause it to be different from day to day. We also talked a great deal about safety, and what students can do to keep themselves and others safe in the classroom.

Speaking of safety, for the safety of your child and others around them, gym shoes are required for PE class (see class schedule at bottom). Gym shoes are classified as those with either laces, velcro, or some other way that keeps the shoe securely on their feet. Casual slide on shoes, sandals, or crocs- even if they have a rubber bottom, are not allowed. This has always been a district policy at Davison, so I appreciate your support on this simple matter.

This fall you can expect to hear your child talk about football and soccer since those are the sports we are focusing on while we can still go outside. I’m excited to be working with your child this school year! If you have any questions about your child and PE, please be sure to contact me at the email address below.

2024-2025 PE SChedule

Mrs. VanEvery- Thurs/Fri

Miss Maule- Mon/Tues

Ms. Fulcher- Thurs/Fri

Mrs. Wright- Mon/Tues

Mrs. Schaepkens- Mon/Tues

Mrs. Roberts- Wed/Thurs

Miss Richards- Mon/Tues

Mrs. Halverson- Wed/Thurs

Mrs. White- Wed/Thurs

Mrs. Helms- Tues/Fri

Go Cards!

Mr. Whitman

jdwhitman@davisonschools.org

Welcome Back!

I am excited to be starting my 3rd year in Hill's wonderful library! We are off to a great start!

The first couple of weeks we will be establishing routines. We will also be reviewing/learning library procedures and book care rules.

The kids are very excited about checking out books! Please help your child remember to take care of their books and when to return them to the library. Books must be returned before they can check out again. Thank you for your help with this!

I look forward to sharing my love of reading with your students this year!

Happy reading,

Melissa Tersigni

Hill School Families, please extend a warm welcome to Mrs. Dean. She joins our secretaries as our Office Monitor- most often helping during lunch and recess, as well as filling in as needed. We are so lucky to have her in our Hill School Camp this year!

My name is Bonnie Dean, and I’m excited to be joining the team. I’ve been married for 25 years and we have two grown children. Outside of work, I enjoy running my own small business, creating handmade polymer clay earrings, which I started five years ago. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and being part of this great school community.

Just a reminder that your child needs to have their 'transportation tag' on their backpack everyday! This is how we know if a child is parent pick-up or will be riding the bus. If you have to change how your child is going home, please call the office by 3:00pm.

Do not leave transportation changes on the teacher's voicemail. This is often not checked until after school is out.

The Davison Board of Education expects regular attendance by all students. Daily attendance records shall be maintained for each student in each school. Regular attendance contributes not only to the probability of scholastic success but also to the development of attitudes of consistent performance which will carry over into adult life. In addition, daily attendance of all who are enrolled in the Michigan Public Schools is required in accordance with state law. Section 380.1561 of the revised Michigan School Code states “every parent, guardian or other person in this state, having control and charge of a child between the ages of six to the child’s sixteenth birthday, shall send that child to a public school during the entire school year.” The child’s attendance shall be continuous and consecutive for the school year fixed by the school district in which the child is enrolled. Students are expected to adhere to the specific attendance rules of their buildings. Violation of attendance rules resulting in an excessive patterned absence will be referred to the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office. Attendance and participation are an essential part of the learning process and are considered necessary to academic achievement. In addition, regular and punctual attendance are important traits of responsibility and self-discipline for students to develop. Regular attendance contributes not only to the probability of scholastic success but also to the development of attitudes of consistent performance which will carry over into adult life. Daily attendance will result in greater student success and more efficient use of the teacher’s time. Our goal is to maximize student performance and achievement. School and home have a shared responsibility in assisting students to develop desirable habits of punctuality and attendance. Parents are required to contact the school’s attendance office to excuse their child’s absence.

Hill Elementary Attendance Line: 591-0522

Note: There is an answering machine on 24 hours per day for parents’ convenience.

Types of Absences

Excused Absences: An excused absence is one that is verified by the parent/guardian via phone call to the school building’s attendance phone line. Parents are to call the attendance office on the day of an absence or by noon the following day to excuse the absence.

Chronic Illness: Students with a medically documented chronic illness may meet with his/her counselor, administrator or designee to discuss attendance requirements. Chronic illness is defined as an illness that is persistent or otherwise long lasting in its effects. Chronic illness details and form may be found on page A-7, of the Parent Handbook.

Medical documentation of the reason for absence may be requested after 10 days of absence per school year.

Excused absences will be granted for the following reasons: • Personal illness • Funerals • Illness of family members at the principal’s or his designee’s discretion. • Doctor and dental appointments that cannot be scheduled outside school hours. • Required court appearance • Religious holidays with notification from parent or guardian. • Prearranged college visits • Other circumstances may be excused at the principal’s discretion. Unexcused Absences: An unexcused absence is an absence not verified by the parent. This includes “skipping” when a student deliberately absents himself/herself from one or more classes without knowledge or permission of parent/guardian and/or school personnel.

Pre-arranged absence for vacations: Vacations will be excused when they are accounted for by prior contact between parent and building administrator. The student needs to ask for a “Pre-arranged Absence Form” in the building office when requesting homework for a pre-arranged vacation. There is also a form located in the Appendix of the Parent Handbook on pages A-2 and A-3. • Arrangements for the absence must be made one (1) week prior to the starting date for the absence. The pre-arranged absence form must be returned to the attendance office prior to the absence. • The student will be required to see each of their teachers to make arrangements for making up the class work missed. • A vacation that is not prearranged will result in an unexcused absence or absences. • Vacation requests will be denied the days of the school sponsored trips. • It should be acknowledged that such absences beyond five (5) days would be difficult to make up and may severely compromise the student’s academic progress. No more than ten (10) vacation days, (5) five days per semester, will be granted per school year. • All missed assignments are due upon the student’s return unless special arrangements have been made.

Elementary: If a student has excessive absences, the following procedure will be followed:

Step 1: The teacher calls or conferences with the parent after 7 days absent.

Step 2: The teacher notifies the counselor and principal after 10 days absent. The principal and counselor will decide on future procedures.

Step 3: The counselor or principal will make student and parent contacts. Intervention strategies will be initiated.

Step 4: The principal may require a meeting with the GISD Attendance Liaison Officer.

Step 5: If attendance improves, the teacher monitors attendance and returns to Step 1. If attendance does not improve for students in Grades 1-6, the principal takes action up to and including filing truancy petition with the court.

Davison Community Schools has implemented a federally endorsed safety protocol called ALICE to train staff and students in what to do in the unlikely event of an armed intruder. This training encourages staff and students to respond based on their situation, rather than rely on centralized instructions in dynamic times of crisis.

ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate:

● Alert – inform people of the threat, giving as much information as possible.

● Lockdown – Students and staff can choose to lockdown and barricade the room that they are in if they determine that it is not safe to evacuate.

● Inform – pass on as much information as possible to others and to First Responders, including calling 911.

● Counter – an effort of last resort, if an armed intruder is able to get into the space they are in, individuals can counter with distraction or other tactics. Staff are being trained to use every effort, instead of relying on the traditional lockdown and hide response.

● Evacuate – If it is safe to do so, all are encouraged to evacuate the building, and remove themselves from the threat.

ALICE is not intended to be a checklist of things to do. It is a list of choices, with accompanying strategies that are options for our staff to help themselves and students stay safe in the highly unlikely event of an armed intruder. We believe that all of our school buildings are the safest place for our students to be. Just like practicing what we should do in a fire, we want to be sure that we will know what to do if an armed intruder is in the school. All of Davison schools are equipped with a number of safeguards, some seen and others unseen, to keep our students safe. State law requires all schools to conduct three lockdown drills a year. The first drill of the school year is always announced. Davison Community Schools Liaison Officer, Matt Giguere assists in conducting these drills at Hill, along with our school resource officer, Officer Steve, and local law enforcement. Staff will share what they have learned with our students in an age appropriate way and teach them the ALICE procedures through the course of the year. We want our children to be prepared for everything, including if an unsafe person was to enter our school. Teachers and staff will take the principles and tactics taught in the ALICE training and present the information in non-fearful, empowering ways. We will take into account a children’s developmental readiness to ensure that students feel safe and have opportunities to talk about their feelings and reactions. There is no plan to have simulated shooters in our buildings while students are learning about ALICE. All learning will be staff directed and student-centered. It is our recommendation that parents engage in age-appropriate conversations with their child or children following all safety drills. Should a parent have a specific question please contact your child's building principal.

September 2025 Hill Happenings PTO UPDATES!

Want to get more involved in your child's school? Join us at our PTO meetings! Learn about exciting school initiatives, share your ideas, and connect with other parents. Together, we can create a thriving learning environment for our children!

Our first meeting will take place on
Monday, October 13th @ 5:30 p.m. @ Hill Elementary

Hill Walk-a-thon:

When: September 26th

Where: The Hill Elementary Track

Details: The Walk-a-thon is our biggest fundraiser of the year! ALL funds collected support classroom/teacher needs, educational programs and apps, field trips, assemblies and programs, like Science Alive, and much more. In 2022, this fundraiser was a large part of the reason we were able to purchase and install new playground equipment!

NEW CHALLEGE ALERT: If our school total is OVER $15,000
Mrs. DuPrey & some of our amazing staff members will take school spirit to new heights…literally! They’ll be camping out overnight ON THE ROOF of the school! Let’s work together to reach this goal! You don’t want to miss seeing your teachers turning our roof into the ultimate campsite!

Please encourage your child as they collect donations. There are some great prizes up for grabs! All money is due by Friday, September 19th to qualify for prizes!

Upcoming Dates/Events:

September 5 - Popcorn Friday $.50 donation requested (or a one-time $5 donation) A huge THANK YOU to all of the families who have donated already this school year!

September 19 - Walk-a-thon Donations due to qualify for prizes

September 26 - Walk-a-thon (rain date: October 3)

October 3 - Popcorn Friday $.50 donation requested (or a one-time $5 donation)

Please be sure you’ve joined our Hill Elementary - Davison Facebook page. Scan the QR code to join us and be sure to answer the questions! Thank you!

If you have any questions, please email

HillPTOgroup@gmail.com

The Davison Homecoming will be held on Friday, September 26th! This means Spirit Week will be held September 22nd through the 26th. Homecoming will celebrate our 'Legendary Cardinals'! Watch for a special flyer in the next couple of weeks outlining all the Spirit Week fun, but you can be sure that Friday, September 26th will be 'Maroon and Gold' Day

We're thrilled to invite all Davison ECSE, Kindergarten and Developmental Kindergarten students to participate in this year's Homecoming Parade! It's a wonderful tradition and a great opportunity for our little Cardinals to shine.

Important Details

• Who: All Davison Kindergarten, Developmental Kindergarten students

• When: Friday, September 26th, 2025

• Dress Code: Show your school spirit by wearing your favorite maroon and gold!

Parade Day Logistics

• Time & Place: Please join us in the High School parking lot (across from the football field) between 4:00 - 4:30 p.m. The parade officially kicks off at 5:00 p.m.

• What to Bring: Wagons are a great way to help little legs along the route! Feel free to bring one, but please remember they are not allowed on the shuttle bus.

• Parade Route: The route is approximately 1.5 miles long, running down Clark Street and Main Street.

For Our Parent Volunteers & Chaperones

Every student must be accompanied by a parent or an adult chaperone for the entire parade route. Parents are expected to walk with their child.

We have a shuttle bus available to bring you back to the High School from the end of the parade route. The bus will be located by the library near Fourth Street.

Alternatively, you can leave a second car at the end of the parade route to make it easy to get back to your starting point.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call your child's school office. We can't wait to see you there!

Congrats to Ashton from Mrs. Helms class! He is our first office assistant of the 2025/2026 year!

• Monday, September 1st - Labor Day/ No School

• Friday, September 5th- Popcorn Friday/ Special Person's Day

• Monday, September 8th- School Board Meeting 6pm

• Friday, September 26th- Walkathon

• Wednesday, October 1st- Count Day

• Friday, October 3rd- Popcorn Friday/ Walkathon Limo

• Monday, October 6th- School Board Meeting 6pm - Hill Student Council attends

• Monday, October 13th- PTO Meeting @5:30pm

• Wednesday, October 15th- Table of Honor/ Parent Teacher Conferences

• Thursday, October 16th- Parent Teacher Conferences

• Friday, October 17th- No School

• Friday, October 24th- Halloween Parade/ End of 1st Marking Period

• Monday, October 27th- Friday October 30th- Intersession 1.0

• Friday, October 31st- No School

Email: lduprey@davisonschools.org
Website: https://www.davisonschools.org/
Location: 404 Aloha Street, Davison, MI, USA
Phone: 810-591-0839
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavisonCardinals/