Wildcat Weekly Update

Greetings Hereford Families,

As we continue through Black History Month, let us take a moment to reflect on the incredible legacy of strength, perseverance, and achievement that has shaped our history and continues to inspire our future. Greatness is within each of us, and together, we are building a strong foundation for our scholars to dream bigger, reach higher, and achieve more.

We invite you to join us for our Black History Program on Tuesday, February 25, at 5:30 PM, as we celebrate the past, embrace the present, and inspire the future. Our scholars have been working hard to prepare for this special event, and we can’t wait to share it with you!

Also, please mark your calendar for our Literacy Night: Let's Glow Read a Book! This exciting event will take place on March 4 from 5:00-6:30.

Kindly,

Principal Williams

• February 17 - President's Day Holiday (No School)

• February 25 - Black History Program @ 5:30 p.m.

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Respond to Behavior…

As the learning process continues behavior errors may still occur. If your child has the ability to perform the expected behavior and continues to make behavior errors, it is appropriate to respond to the behavior.

• Respond to the behavior by re-teaching the appropriate action

• Develop age-appropriate responses

• Deal with behavior errors promptly, respectfully, and consistently

• Relate responses to the behavior errors

Examples: Joey is late getting ready for school because he is spending time playing on his iPod.

A related response: Joey’s iPod is off limits until after school. Billy does not clear his dishes after eating. A related response: bring Billy back to the table from his free time to clear his dishes.

• Disapprove of the behavior only

Non-example: You are a bad boy

Example: It is respectful when you take your dishes to the sink after eating

• Allow the child to express his/her feelings

• Thank the child for their compliance

Keys to Success…

Be calm.

Remember it’s not personal; let it go once it’s over.

Have a great week!

AP Frye & AP Grant

Hello, Hereford Families!

Please make plans to join us for our Let's Glow Read a Book Literacy Night on Tuesday, March 4th from 5-6:30 pm. This event will take place during Read Across America Week where we will be celebrating "Reading Makes You Bright" with dress up days, guest readers, and a character parade.

We are so excited for this fun week of activities.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Tomes

Greetings Hereford Elementary School Families,

We all know that we can get out kids to do lots of tasks or chores by turning them into games. Racing to see who can finish cleaning up their room first, who can dry the most dishes! Make it a game, and you would be amazed at how much your children can do. Why not do the same with math!

Math games can be fun and inexpensive. They are a wonderful way to get your children to enjoy working with numbers, as well as improve their number skills. Here are a few suggestions:

· Many games that we take for granted are excellent math lessons. “Go Fish” teaches counting and grouping in sets. Games that use play money teach how to make change. Board games that use dice teach addition and counting. Backgammon teaches addition, subtraction, and strategy.

· Beans, stones, or marbles can be used to play number games. Let your child develop his or her own games by sorting beans into different sizes or types, setting up the rules for a counting game, or using different types of pasta to make a picture.

· Give your children a geometry lesson by letting them create a collage of circles, squares, and triangles. Challenge them to come up with as many different shapes as they can using only triangles.

· Play store with the items in your cabinets.

· A pan of water and some jars or cups of different sizes will amuse a child for hours while teaching capacity and volume.

Until next week, remember, math is not a spectator sport. The only way to learn math is to do math!

April M. Draine

Curriculum Specialist

Support Children’s Understanding of Fractions at Home with Measurement Activities

Measurement activities—such as measuring lengths, volume, and other quantities—can help children understand that fractions, like whole numbers, can be used to measure quantities, but allow for more exact measurement. Children should have many different opportunities to practice measuring! Have fun measuring at home.

Have fun using household measurement tools to help children understand the size of fractions!

Math Coach

Rebecca Ramsey

Hereford Families,

In the continuation of our celebration of Black History Month, I'd like to highlight the book White Socks Only by Evelyn Coleman. It is the story of a young girl living in Mississippi during segregation. She has no idea what will spark when on one hot day she takes her shoes off, exposing her clean white socks, and steps up to drink from a "whites only" water fountain. She mistakenly thinks the sign is referring to the color of her socks. This story is a great illustration of how bravery can drive out hatred.

Hear it read aloud at the link below.

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

Have a wonderful week!

Ms. Hereford

Hello Parents,

Here are three things to try this week to teach social emotional learning at home. We are also focusing on valuing ourselves and valuing others. Grab a snack or dinner and discuss what you value or love most about each other. Give everyone a chance to share what they love about themselves and another family member.

1. Family Emotion Check-Ins - Set aside time each day for a family check-in where everyone shares one emotion they felt during the day and why. This practice can help students articulate their feelings and recognize emotions in themselves and others, fostering emotional awareness. It also strengthens communication within the family, allowing for discussions about social emotional learning concepts.

2. Role-Playing Scenarios - Engage in role-playing activities (think of situations that happen often at home and use those). Create simple scenarios that involve social interactions, such as sharing toys or resolving conflicts. This intervention helps students practice social skills in a safe environment, builds empathy, and enhances their ability to navigate social situations with peers.

3. Emotion Regulation Toolkit - Create a "toolkit" filled with strategies for calming down when emotions are high. This could include items like stress balls, coloring books, or a list of deep-breathing exercises. Teaching students to manage their emotions effectively can lead to better behavior in school and improved relationships with classmates.

Have a great week!

Ms. B

Greetings Families,

It truly is a joy to see our scholars in school each day that they are well in their health. As always, students should only miss school for justifiable reasons, such as being sick. If they have not gone to any appointments/clinics and do not have a doctor's excuse, then parents write a parent note. The note must be dropped off in the front office. When your scholar will miss school, please reach out to teachers as soon as possible for work that scholars can do remotely, from home while they are out. With the current flu season we want to encourage everyone to apply ways to stay healthy including:

• Drinking lots of water to help keep the inside of our body clean

• Eating lots of fruits and vegetables and limiting sugar

• Going to sleep early at night for a good night's rest

• Getting exercise, sunlight and fresh air as often as possible

• Maintaining a good balance in life and being at peace

In February we continue with the monthly incentives of classes earning perfect attendance days when everyone is present. Stickers are placed on classroom calendars so everyone knows how many they have earned so far. Classes must earn at least 15 days of perfect attendance this February to be eligible to win the reward. The reward is that one class in each grade (K - 6) that has the highest number of perfect attendance days (at least 15) will win a Popcorn Party and get to watch a movie in class together! Let’s ace attendance and ace life!

Attendance Officer

Mandisa Thornton

Helping Children with Anxiety: Tips for Parents

Anxiety is something that many children experience. It can make them feel worried, scared, or nervous. As a parent, you can help your child manage their anxiety and feel more comfortable. Here are some tips to support them:

1. Listen and Talk Openly
Encourage your child to share their feelings. Ask them what makes them anxious and listen without judging. Sometimes, just talking about their worries can make them feel better.

2. Teach Relaxation Techniques
Help your child learn ways to relax. Deep breathing is a simple technique. Teach them to take a deep breath in through their nose, hold it for a few seconds, and then slowly breathe out through their mouth. You can practice this together when they feel anxious.

3. Create a Calm Environment
Make sure your home is a safe and calm place. Reduce loud noises and clutter. A peaceful environment can help your child feel more secure and relaxed.

4. Encourage a Routine
Having a daily routine can help your child know what to expect. Set up regular times for homework, play, and bedtime. Routines can make children feel more in control and less anxious.

5. Be Patient and Understanding
It’s important to be patient. Understand that anxiety can take time to manage. Celebrate steps your child takes towards feeling better, even if they seem small.

6. Stay Positive
Encourage your child to focus on the good things in their life. Help them find positive activities, like drawing or playing a sport. Staying positive can help reduce feelings of anxiety.

7. Seek Help if Needed
If your child’s anxiety is affecting their daily life, it might be a good idea to talk to a professional. A doctor or counselor can provide additional support and strategies.

By following these tips, parents can play an important role in helping their children manage anxiety. Remember, it’s okay for children to feel anxious sometimes, and with love and support, they can learn to cope with their feelings.

Thank you!

Ann Elkins

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope this message finds you well. As we continue to support our students’ growth and development, we are excited to share what we have been focusing on in the guidance program this week.

This month, in our Thriveway PATH lessons, students are exploring the important value of Integrity. Integrity is the practice of being honest, doing the right thing even when no one is watching, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. It’s a key part of helping our students develop into responsible and trustworthy individuals.

Throughout our PATH lessons, students are learning how integrity influences their decisions both in and out of the classroom. They are encouraged to practice honesty with their classmates, teachers, and themselves. We are helping them understand that integrity is not just about big moments, but about the small, everyday choices they make that shape their character.

How Can Parents Help?

We ask parents to reinforce these lessons at home by encouraging their children to practice integrity in their daily lives. Please take time to discuss the importance of being honest, being accountable for their actions, and treating others with respect. Also, support your child in holding themselves accountable at home, whether it’s to their siblings or responsibilities around the house. At school, helping them understand how showing integrity in their interactions with peers helps to build a positive, respectful learning environment.

We appreciate your continued support as we work together to help our students grow in both character and knowledge. Should you have any questions or want to discuss how to continue these conversations at home, feel free to reach out to my office.

Celebrating Black History Month:

Serena Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles and dominating the sport with her power, athleticism, and mental toughness. She has broken numerous records and inspired a new generation of athletes, especially young Black players, by challenging stereotypes and advocating for equality in sports.

Althea Gibson was a groundbreaking athlete who became the first Black player to win a Grand Slam title, claiming victory at the French Open in 1956. She went on to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 1957 and 1958, breaking racial barriers in a segregated era and paving the way for future Black players like Serena.

Thank you for partnering with us in your child's education!

Counseling Team

Jewel Thorne & Reginald Johnson

• 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.