Wildcat Weekly Update

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we continue into September, we want to remind you of the importance of punctuality and regular attendance. Please ensure that your scholars are arriving on time each day, as this helps set them up for a successful learning experience. Additionally, we encourage open communication with your child’s teachers—feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about their progress.

We also hope to see you at our VIP Lunch on Thursday, September 12. This special event is for grandparents and other important individuals in our scholars' lives. The flyer has lunch times for each class and is attached below and also available on ClassDojo.

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to make this an outstanding school year!

Warm regards,

Principal Williams

Greetings Hereford Elementary School Families,

Let’s talk about fact fluency! Fact fluency makes all other math problems easier. What exactly is fact fluency? Fact fluency is a foundational math skill that means mastering sums between 0–20 so students can produce the answers quickly and accurately. For example, with addition fact fluency, students can recall 1 + 4 = 5 without hesitation. Building fact fluency is an important step toward thinking about math more critically. Build retention of math facts while playing Bingo!

However you practice, make sure to have fun while doing it! We can’t wait to see you on Monday for another week of learning!!

Thank you,

April M. Draine

Hello, Hereford families! Learning to read on grade level is the most important skill that our children can learn. Phonics is the ability to match a unit of sound (phoneme) to the letter or letters that make the sound (grapheme). Talk about what sounds are made by which letters.

It is a good idea to take the time and listen to a recording of the sounds letters make so that you are saying the sounds correctly without a schwa (UH) sound at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBuA589kfMg

Here are some activities to try with your child at home:

• Point out letters and print in books. Say what those letters are called and tell your child what sounds they make.

• Match the Letter to the Sound - Ask your child to tell you what letter makes a certain sound (What letter makes the /b/ sound?) Write the letter.

• Make an alphabet book using old magazines and catalogs. Have your child write the letter at the top. Help your child label the picture and read the words.

• Match the letters in your name to the sounds in your name.

• “Alphabet Ball” – Call out a letter and your child responds with a word that begins with that letter. Bounce the ball to your child and he calls out a letter and you respond. ·

• “Race Track” – Make a racetrack using paper and markers. Each block of the racetrack will have a separate letter. As your child races his car around the track, he must say the sound that matches the letter to move forward. You could begin with the letters in alphabetical order and later mix them up. (Remember, consonants are easier than vowel sounds).

• Write letters on pieces of paper and put them in a paper bag. Let your child reach in and take out letters. Have your child say the sounds that match the letters.

Have a great week

Stephanie Tomes

Reading Specialist

Kids love to help in the kitchen and it is the PERFECT opportunity to incorporate math conversations.

You can:

• Work out conversions (if it says I need 1 cup of flour, how many tablespoons is that?)
• Work out timings (it says I need to cook the turkey for 30 minutes for every pound so how long do we need to cook for?)
• Work out scale using recipes (this recipe makes enough for 4 people, so how much do we need to make enough for 10 people?)

When kids use math everyday outside of the classroom, they become more fluent problem solvers!

Go Wildcats!

Rebecca Ramsey

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month at the Huntsville Madison County Public Library. I encourage you to visit a branch near you and sign up for a free card for both you and your child.

The library offers many great resources such as books and videos as well as storytimes, book clubs, hands-on activities and various interest groups. There’s something for everyone!

Have a great week!

Quirante Hereford

Hello Hereford families, this week in SEL we are starting a special piece of our Harmony Curriculum called Building Community. Over the next couple of weeks, students will participate in activities to get to know each other, make friends, and create a happy space for learning

Here are some easy activities you can do at home to help your child learn about building community. These activities will reinforce what they are learning at school. These are meant to be fun and can fit into your daily routine.

1. Practice sharing and responding in conversation by taking turns. Ask your child a question, for example, “What would be your perfect day?” To get the conversation going, provide your response to this question. After you make a point or express an idea, pause. Ask your child to use a Response Prompt, such as, “Please keep going,” to get you to say something more. Now let your child take a turn to carry the conversation forward. Prompt as needed to develop the idea or point being made. Repeat the process, this time with your child taking the first turn.

2. Work together to set some family goals. Discuss the importance of having goals to measure progress. Reflect on why people, like athletes, set goals. Have each family member list two to three goals, and then choose three to four to work on together as a family. Display the goals where you can see them. Talk together about one step or action you can take right now and in the coming days to make progress on each goal. Write these steps down so that you can refer to and reflect on them later.

3. Discuss the importance of pausing now and then to check in on how we each are feeling. Mindful Minutes are a great way to encourage this pause. An example of a Mindful Minute activity used in class is to guide children to stand up tall, reach their fingertips to the ceiling, and stretch up. Say, “Close your eyes and relax your face. Loosely cross your arms and hold your elbows. Sit loosely for a few seconds.” Have children sit loosely, holding their elbows. Talk about how it feels to relax after you’ve been active for a while.

4. Have children describe a favorite place in your neighborhood or community in words or draw a picture of it. Ask children how being in this place makes them feel and why the place is a favorite. Then, go to this place with the children. Experience it, and then talk about how you feel there. Tell children that when they are having a tough moment, taking a moment to bring this place to mind can help them experience a little of the good feelings they feel while in their favorite place.

5. Pay attention to team names and mottos you see in your community. Sports teams, for example, often have exciting or fun names. Point out these names and mottos to your child as you see them around your neighborhood. Help them realize that there are many smaller communities that make up the larger community around them.

These activities are a fun way to reinforce the importance of building community, and they can help you connect even more with your child.

SEL Affirmation: I am my best self. I can talk about my feelings and make helpful choices for myself. I have a growth mindset. I can grow and change by learning and trying.

Have a great week!

Mrs. B

Sonnie Hereford Family,

Welcome to the bright month of September! We can expect leaves to start changing color and we hope temperatures will get cooler. But one thing that should not change is our daily routine of a good night’s sleep, healthy breakfast and getting to school on time each day as long as the student is well. Following a regular routine makes things easier for everyone. As we enter a new month with a change of seasons let’s remember to ace attendance and ace life!

Mandisa Thornton

School Attendance Officer

How Can Par­ents Get Involved in Their Child’s Education?

1. Make learn­ing a pri­or­i­ty in your home, estab­lish­ing rou­tines and sched­ules that enable chil­dren to com­plete home­work, read inde­pen­dent­ly, get enough sleep and have oppor­tu­ni­ties to get help from you. Talk about what’s going on in school.
2. Read to and with your child: Even 10–20 min­utes dai­ly makes a dif­fer­ence. And par­ents can go fur­ther by ensur­ing that they read more each day as well, either as a fam­i­ly or pri­vate read­ing time that sets a good example.
3. Ask teach­ers how they would like to com­mu­ni­cate. Many are com­fort­able with text mes­sages or phone calls, and all teach­ers want par­ents to stay up to date, espe­cial­ly if prob­lems arise.
4. Attend school events, includ­ing par­ent-teacher con­fer­ences, back-to-school nights and oth­ers — even if your child is not involved in extracur­ric­u­lar activities.
5. Use your com­mute to con­nect with your kids; ask them to read to you while you dri­ve and encour­age conversations about school.
6. Eat meals togeth­er: It’s the per­fect oppor­tu­ni­ty to find out more about what’s going on in school.
7. Pri­or­i­tize com­mu­ni­ca­tion with teach­ers, espe­cial­ly if demand­ing work sched­ules, cul­tur­al or lan­guage bar­ri­ers are an issue.

Source: The Annie E. Casey Foundation

Have an awesome week!

Anne Elkins

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

Our character word of the month is cooperation. As we navigate the school year, focusing on cooperation will help us build a strong and supportive community where everyone can thrive.

What is Cooperation?

Cooperation means working together toward a common goal or purpose. It’s about being a team player, listening to others, sharing ideas, and helping one another. Whether it’s completing a group project, playing a game, or simply getting along with friends, cooperation is key to success in school and in life.

Why Cooperation Matters

Learning to cooperate with others is an essential skill for all students. When children practice cooperation, they:

• Develop Social Skills: Cooperation helps children learn how to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and build positive relationships.

• Enhance Problem-Solving Abilities: Working together allows students to combine their ideas and strengths, leading to creative solutions to challenges.

• Foster Empathy: By cooperating, students learn to understand and respect different perspectives, fostering a sense of empathy and kindness.

• Achieve More Together: Cooperation teaches children that they can accomplish much more when they work together than they can alone.

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How You Can Encourage Cooperation at Home

Here are some ways you can reinforce the importance of cooperation at home:

• Model Cooperation: Show your child how you cooperate in your daily life, whether it’s working with others at your job, sharing responsibilities at home, or participating in community events.

• Play Cooperative Games: Engage in games and activities that require teamwork, such as building a puzzle together, playing a board game, or working on a family project.

• Praise Cooperative Behavior: When you see your child working well with others, be sure to praise their efforts. Highlight how their cooperation made a positive difference.

• Discuss Cooperation: Talk with your child about times when cooperation was important in your day. Ask them about times they’ve had to cooperate at school and how it made them feel.

A Cooperative Community

As we focus on cooperation this month, let’s work together as a community to support our students in developing this vital skill. Cooperation is not just about working well with others; it’s about building a foundation of respect, empathy, and understanding that will benefit our students throughout their lives.

Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions or would like to share how your child is demonstrating cooperation at home, please feel free to reach out.

Please review the attached parent letter regarding the district’s classroom guidance curriculum.

Warm Regards,

Mr. Reginald Johnson & Mrs. J. Jewel Thorne

School Counselors

• 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.