Gator Gazette

Dear Arnett Hills Families,

Right now, nearly many of our students in grades K–5 are not performing on grade level. This is serious, and we must act quickly. Our students are bright, capable, and full of potential, but they cannot learn if they are not in school. Absences and discipline issues can take away valuable instructional time.

The school cannot do this work alone. We need every family’s help. Here’s how you can support your child at home:

• Work closely with your child’s teacher. Find out exactly what skills your child needs to practice.

• Use the activities in this newsletter. If there’s no homework, these activities will keep learning going.

• Limit screen time. Replace it with reading, conversations, and family learning time.

• Read, read, read! Daily reading builds the strongest learners.

• Reinforce the importance of good conduct in school.

Our children’s success depends on all of us. When Gators work together, we can do anything! Let’s commit to being present, consistent, and united—for our students, our school, and our community,

After-School Program Is in Session!

🎉 This program is designed to provide additional learning support for students in grades 3–5.

• Days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

• Time: 3:15 PM – 4:45 PM

• Transportation: Not currently available (coming soon!)

If your child in grades 3–5 did not receive one and you are interested in having them attend, please email our program coordinator, Ms. Mariah Walker, at mwalker1@mail.dps.k12.va.us.

We look forward to supporting our Gators with this extra time for learning and growth!

Looking for ways to keep your child learning at home? Try these fun activities together:

1. 🔍 Word Scavenger Hunt – Choose a word of the day and challenge your child to find it in books, on signs, or in conversations.

2. 📚 Story Swap – Take turns telling a short story. Parents can start, then let children continue or create their own ending.

3. 💭 Character Talk – After reading a book, ask your child: “What would you have done if you were that character?” This builds comprehension and critical thinking.

✨ Special Project:

• 📝 Older students can write a letter to their hero—a teacher, family member, coach, or community leader—sharing what makes that person special.

• 🎨 Younger students can draw a picture of themselves and their hero and label it with words or short phrases.

📸 We would love to see pictures of our Gators giving their letters or drawings to their heroes!

Math fluency grows with daily practice—just a few minutes each day can make a big difference! Here are some fun ways to support your child at home:

1. 🎲 Math Fact Games – Use dice or a deck of cards to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Example: roll two dice and add or multiply the numbers.

2. 🌐 Free Math Websites –

   • Prodigy (Grades 1–5) – Interactive math adventures aligned to standards.

   • Math Playground (K–5) – Games and puzzles to build skills in a fun way.

   • Khan Academy Kids (PreK–2) – Free app for early math learning.

3. 🏗️ Real-Life Math – Involve your child in measuring while cooking, counting money during shopping, or tracking scores during family games.

✨ Special Project:

• 🧮 Have your child make their own set of flashcards for tricky math facts and practice for 5 minutes a day.

• 🎨 Younger students can draw a “math story” picture (for example: “I had 5 apples, I gave 2 away, now I have 3”) and label it with numbers and symbols.

📸 Share your Gator mathematicians in action! We’d love to see pictures of families making math part of everyday life.

📌 Parent Tip:
Fluency is built with short, daily practice—just 10 minutes a day can make a big difference!

Each year from September 15 to October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month—a time to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic Americans who have enriched our schools, communities, and nation. From leaders in science and government to artists, authors, and everyday heroes, their impact continues to inspire us all.

• Morning drop off is at 7:40, please do not let students out before staff has arrived to greet them and see them safely inside.

To ensure a smooth dismissal process, students may not be checked out after 2:15pm.

To ensure the safety of all students, parents or guardians MUST present an ID at the time of checkout. We thank you for your cooperation.

Arnett Hills Elementary School

Associate Principal: Mr. Withers Jackson

Assistant Priincipal: Mr. Gary Lawson

Website: https://arnetthills.danvillepublicschools.org/
Location: 811 Northmont Blvd, Danville, Va. 24540

Phone: 434-354-0112