Greetings Hereford Families,
We are two weeks down and two weeks to go to complete ACAP testing. Thank you for having your scholars at school daily and on time for this important assessment. Please remember that chronic absenteeism has a negative impact on student learning and our State Report Card Grade. Our school missed earning a C letter grade due to attendance.
Parents, we are experiencing an uptick in negative behavior. Please speak with your scholar about appropriate behavior in school and on the bus. I along with one of my assistant principals and our CSO rode two separate buses on Friday due to behavior issues. We will suspend scholars from the bus in accordance with district policy- some for the remainder of the year if they do not sit down, be quiet, watch their language, keep their hands to themselves, and follow bus expectations. Inappropriate bus behavior is a safety issue and puts the lives of those on the bus, sidewalks and roads in danger when the driver has to constantly redirect behavior. We need your assistance with this!
The upcoming eclipse tomorrow will occur during school and dismissal time. Safety is a top priority since permanent eye damage can occur by simply looking at the sun without appropriate eye protection.
Only scholars who have a signed permission slip and approved glasses will be allowed to view the eclipse with their teacher during the school day. The eclipse is scheduled to be in our area beginning at 12:42 PM until 3:19 PM with maximum viewing at 2:02 PM. Dismissal will take place as normal, but students will be reminded not to look at the sun, as it can cause permanent damage. If you would like to check your scholar out of school, please do so after 11:30 and before 1:45.
Parents, it is vital that you remind your scholars of all necessary precautions related to the solar eclipse that must be taken to prevent eye damage.
Have a Great Week!
Principal Williams
What about parents?
Parents are an important part of PBIS implementation. We encourage parents to use the same R.O.A.R. expectations and rules that the school teaches. This common language creates consistency and a unified support for expected student behavior. Parents are asked to discuss the common rules and expectations and post them at home for easy reference. Children thrive when they have consistent, predictable expectations and consequences.
What can you do to help your child stay on the path to positive behavior?
☺ Review the ROAR Expectations with your child.
☺ Ask your child about his/her day at school every day.
☺ Make sure your child is ready every day. Ensure a good night’s sleep.
☺ Provide a quiet time and space for your child to do homework nightly.
☺ Keep in touch with your child’s teacher.
☺ Encourage your child to use appropriate language and tone.
☺ Practice positive phrases with our child, such as, “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” “Please,” and “I’m sorry.”
☺ Be a visible part of your child’s school day. Attend PTA meetings and other school activities as your schedule allows.
Hello, Hereford families.
Here is a fun opportunity for our scholars to help Short the Squirrel with his next adventure! vSHORT is searching for student writers and educators to help him create his next book, Where SHORT Loves To Read! Help SHORT by going to www.SHORTtheSquirrel.com and submitting your ideas and illustrations! The deadline to enter is April 11, 2024! We can’t wait to see what you create!
Tips for Taking a Math Test
On the day of the test encourage your child with these tips:
- Eat breakfast. This will help you start off your day right and give your body and brain the nourishment it needs.
- Take a deep break and relax - Think positive thoughts. You got this!
- Follow the instructions. If you are asked to “show your work,” that means you need to show your work.
- Double check your work. While time matters during your test, careless mistakes can cost you.
- Do not panic if you are short of time. When taking a math test, focus on doing your best by answering all questions to the best of your ability. Leaving a question completely blank may cost you partial credit or part marks…however the only exception to this advice is in situations where you could lose points for incorrect answers. You will need to use your best judgment to determine what action to take.
- CELEBRATE when you are done! Regardless of the result, you worked hard and did your best, which is what really matters, so treat yourself!
It’s National Library Week!
National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.
The theme for this year is Ready, Set, Library!
So what does a library do? Check out the E's of Libraries.
Expert assistance for Everyone Everywhere
Education- something for everyone to learn
Employment- libraries support employment
Entrepreneurship- support of small businesses and entrepreneurs
Empowerment- empowering communities
Engagement- Libraries provide people with information, networking and technology along with a large number of programs across numerous disciplines and interest areas. Additionally, as public spaces where all are welcome, libraries offer people opportunities to meet and socialize with others in their community, whether at a children’s story hour, a language class or a technology meet-up.
Everyone Benefits-Libraries assist people of all backgrounds, ages and financial means, in every part of our country.
School-Parent Compacts
School-Parent compacts are a written commitment between parents, students, and school to share responsibility for improved student achievement. Every student enrolled in a Title I funded school MUST have a signed school-parent compact on file every school year. We are still missing quite a few School-Parent compacts. Please sign your child’s compact and return it to their teacher. If you need another compact, you can email me (ann.elkins@hsv-k12.org) and I will gladly send another home with your child. Thank you!
My Upcoming Meetings
Parent Advisory Committee Meeting (PAC)
When – Tuesday, April 16, 2024 – 1:00 PM
Where - Hereford Elementary Library
Parent Focus Meeting
When – Wednesday, April 24, 2024 – 9:00 AM or 12:30 PM
Where – Hereford Elementary Library
Hope to see you there!
Are there any topics you would like to see a Parent Focus Meeting on? Please feel free to give me suggestions/feedback at ann.elkins@hsv-k12.org. Thank you!
Hello Parents,
ACAP Testing continues to go well. Please continue to ensure that your child has a good night's rest. Please also ensure your child is not going to bed with their devices or staying up past their bedtime. We have noticed that some scholars are coming to school extremely tired due to lack of sleep. It is important that all scholars are in the right frame of mind such as being in a good mood, eating a healthy breakfast, and sleeping well the night before. Parents, we appreciate your working with us to help better prepare our scholars for these important exams.
Guidance Class: This week in Guidance Counseling class, your child will learn that Technology is the way of life for all of us now. We all have many different devices such as gaming devices, iPhones, iPads, laptops, and tablets that we use for pleasure and for work. The conveniences of our devices may benefit our lives to operate in a fast and effective way, but there are pitfalls of danger that lurk in cyberspace. This week we are going to discuss some of these pitfalls of danger and ways to protect ourselves.
Persons with Developmental Disabilities: Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, she lost her sight and her hearing after a bout of illness when she was 19 months old. She then communicated primarily using home signs until the age of seven, when she met her first teacher and life-long companion Anne Sullivan. Sullivan taught Keller language, including reading and writing. After an education at both specialist and mainstream schools, Keller attended Radcliffe College of Harvard University and became the first deafblind person in the United States to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Keller was also a prolific author, writing 14 books and hundreds of speeches and essays.
Have a great week.
J.Jewel Johnson-Thorne
School Guidance Counselor
Sonnie Hereford Elementary School
Kelli Eaton- Assistant Principal
Excellence is the Expectation as we Journey to Success!
Email: kelli.eaton@hsv-k12.org
Website: https://www.huntsvillecityschools.org/schools/sonnie-hereford-elementary
Phone: 256-428-7440
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sonnieherefordelementary