Sonnie Hereford Families,

Spring is OFFICIALLY here and we are preparing for End of Year events at Sonnie Hereford Elementary. Please mark your calendars to support teachers and scholars.

You are cordially invited to share your thoughts and ideas on our parent compact, parent engagement plan, and the 1% set aside. We value your input and can't wait to see you at Spring Title 1 Meetings on Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30.

Remember that the last day for After School Tutoring is Thursday, May 1.

Yearbooks can be ordered by scanning the QR code below or contact front office for details. (See Flyer Below)

Have a great week!

Assistant Principal Grant

• April 29 - K for a Day (8:30 a.m.)

• April 29 - Spring Parent Meeting (9 am & 1 pm)

• April 30 - Spring Parent Meeting (9 am)

• May 1 - Last Day of After School Tutoring

• May 5 - 6th Grade Band and Choir Concert

• May 12 -14 Field Day "Bowling Trips"

• May 15-19 Award's Day Ceremonies

• 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 Parents,

We are getting ready to complete our end of the year DIBELS benchmark and i-Ready testing. Please make sure that your child is present next week and is ready to test. This data will be used to determine student needs going into the summer and next school year.

Score reports will be sent home with your child as soon as possible. Celebrate how much they have learned this year.

Happy Reading,

Mrs. Tomes

Greetings Hereford Elementary School Families,

It is time for our Spring Parent Meetings. Please make plans to attend a meeting this week (see flyer). Also, we want to hear from you! Please take some time to complete our parent survey. If you complete the survey and fill out the attached form and return it to school, your scholar will receive a small treat!

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

Thank you,

April M. Draine

Our final week of testing is next week! Here are some tips for understanding the i-Ready test:

• It is important to remember that the main purpose of these assessments is to allow i-Ready to personalize your student’s online learning path and provide information to your student’s teacher(s) so they can best meet students’ needs.

To help prepare your student for the i-Ready Diagnostic, encourage them to:

1. Get a good night’s sleep and eat breakfast the day of the assessment.
2. Try their best on each question and try not to rush.
3. Try not to worry about questions they do not know—remind them that it is expected they will get about half of the questions correct.
4. Use paper and a pencil to show work for math questions.
5. Be respectful of other students who take longer to finish.

To deepen your student’s learning in Personalized Instruction, you can:

1. Discuss your student’s progress on their i-Ready lessons.
2. Celebrate your student’s learning and growth.
3. Encourage them to use i-Ready at home (Note: They will need access to a computer and internet and login information.)

Good luck on your test, Wildcats!

Rebecca Ramsey

Families,

Along with National School Library Month and National Poetry Month, April is also Autism Awareness Month. The Autism Society of America promotes autism awareness to help develop a greater awareness of the signs and symptoms of autism. Their goal is also to increase the acceptance and inclusion of autistic individuals in everyday life.

The number of individuals, specifically children, being diagnosed with autism has increased significantly since 2010. We as adults must educate ourselves on how to celebrate the unique differences in individuals and share that information with children so that they too will be accepting of others. Click the links below for a children's song about autism and a list and description of books that may be useful in helping you navigate this topic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GaeQYon-jY

https://www.readingrockets.org/booklists/picture-books-featuring-characters-autism-or-asperger-s

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 are practicing skills that help them transition to the next grade level. In addition, students still need to come to school every day in efforts to earn a popcorn party that they can enjoy with their class. The April incentive started April 1 and lasts until April 30. Every school day that the whole class is present, they earn a perfect attendance day. Classes get stickers added to their calendars for all of their perfect attendance days. For April, classes need 15 perfect attendance days to win the popcorn party reward. Let's 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

Hello Parents!

As we continue to discuss relationships and communication here are some things you can practice with your kids.

Ms. B

Behavior Specialist

Hereford Families,

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 many school-parent compacts for this school year. 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!

Have an awesome week!

Ann Elkins

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we move further into the school year, we want to take a moment to connect with you about something incredibly important: the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of your children. At school, we see firsthand how crucial your support is in helping students thrive, not only academically, but in life.

💬 Mental Health Awareness: Recognizing Suicidal Thoughts

We understand this is a difficult topic, but it’s too important to ignore. Mental health challenges — including suicidal thoughts — can affect children and teens of all ages. These thoughts often stem from feelings of hopelessness, loneliness, or pressure, and they can be masked behind smiles, silence, or changes in behavior.

What to look for:

• Sudden changes in mood or behavior
• Withdrawal from friends or activities
• Talking or joking about death or "not being around"
• Giving away prized possessions
• Declining academic performance

If you notice any of these signs, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to help, and there are resources available both inside and outside of school.

🛏️ Everyday Wellness Starts at Home

Children thrive on routine, care, and love. Here are a few essential practices that go a long way in supporting their physical and emotional health:

• Nutrition: Start the day with a healthy breakfast and aim for balanced meals to keep energy levels and focus strong.
• Sleep: Aim for 8–10 hours of sleep for school-aged children. A well-rested mind is a ready mind.
• Hygiene: Encourage regular showers, clean clothes, and good grooming habits — these routines boost self-esteem and comfort.
• Clean Environment: A tidy space helps reduce anxiety and increase a sense of control.

🏫 Stay Involved: Ask About Their Day

A simple “How was school today?” can open the door to deeper conversations. Listen actively, ask open-ended questions, and follow up. Even when they say “fine,” there may be more they’re not sharing unless asked with patience and care.

🗣️ Honest Conversations Matter

Be open with your child about expectations — both at home and at school. Let them know it's okay to make mistakes, but also emphasize the importance of responsibility, respect, and effort. Talking about behaviors and challenges without judgment encourages trust and better decision-making.

🤝 We’re Here for You

We know parenting isn’t easy, and every child is different. If you're feeling unsure or concerned about your child, our guidance office is always just a phone call or email away. We are partners in your child’s growth — emotionally, academically, and socially.

With care and gratitude,

Mr. Reginald Johnson & Ms. J. Jewel Thorne
The School Guidance Counselors’ Office

💙 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.