HES News & Notes

Talon’s Tales The HES Monthly Newsletter

Helping Everyone Succeed

December 2017 Eric Brody, Principal

HELLO FROM MR. Brody

December is an exciting and (busy!) time for everyone. HES is no exception. We have a lot going on as we move toward the holiday break. Here a few of the highlights:

Parent/Teacher conferences will be held on Wednesday, December 13th, during regular school hours (student vacation day). Conferences will also be held the evening of December 14th, beginning at 3:30. If you have not already done so, please find more information about signing up under the “News” section of our website. There is also a link available through our Hebron Public Schools app. Report Cards will go home on Tuesday, December 12th.

Our Music Department has multiple performances throughout the month to showcase our students’ musical talents. Grade 5 band, chorus, and Hawkapella will performing Wednesday, December 6th. Grade 6 band, chorus, and jazz band are featured on Tuesday, December 12th. Looking ahead, the 3rd and 4th grade choruses will perform on January 17th. All concerts begin at 7:00 pm in the gym.

I would like to encourage everyone to attend the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, December 14th, at 7:00 PM in the GHS music room. Superintendent Mr. Van Tasel will be presenting our proposed school budget for the 18-19 school year. This is an important first step in keeping the community informed about the progress of our school budget.

Please note that we will have a scheduled early release on Friday, December 22th, at 1:10 PM.

I want to wish all of our Hebron Elementary families a joyous and relaxing holiday season. Be safe in your travels and enjoy all of the blessings that this special time of year has to offer. I look forward to seeing you all in 2018!

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

DECEMBER

Wednesday 12/6 WINTER CONCERT ~ Grade 5 Band & Chorus, Hawkapella, 7:00 p.m.

1:45 p.m. (school assembly) and 7:00 p.m.

Friday 12/8 CCMC PAJAMA DAY! Wear your pj’s to school! (Appropriate attire)

Tuesday 12/12 WINTER CONCERT ~ Grade 6 Band & Chorus, Jazz Band,

Tuesday 12/12 Report Cards home

Wednesday 12/13 NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS, Conference Day

Thursday 12/14 Hebron Board of Education, GHS, 7:00 p.m.

Monday 12/18 Snow Date for Winter Concerts, 7:00 p.m.

Friday 12/22 Early Dismissal Day, 1:10 p.m.

Friday 12/22 Holiday Sing-Along, 10:05-10:35 a.m., wear your festive holiday clothes!

Mon.-Fri. 12/25 –12/29 NO SCHOOL, HOLIDAY BREAK

JANUARY

Monday 1/1New Year’s Day, No School, Building Closed

Wednesday 1/10Early Dismissal, 1:10 p.m., Professional Development

Thursday 1/11 Hebron Board of Education, GHS, 7:00 p.m.

Monday 1/15Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, No School,Building Closed

Wednesday 1/17WINTER CONCERT ~ Grades 3 and 4 Choruses,

1:45 a.m. (school assembly) and 7:00 p.m., Gym

Monday 1/22Superhero Day ~ Dress as your favorite superhero!

Wednesday 1/24Snow date for Winter Concert

LOST AND FOUND…

Missing a lunch box or a sweatshirt? There are many items on the lost and found table outside the gym. If yourchild has been missing an item of clothing or a lunch box, please search through the items on the table before December 22nd! Lost and found jewelry is kept in the office so please have your child check in if they have lost an item. All clothes will be donated after December 22ndand lunch boxes will be thrown away. Thank you for your help!

SPECIAL EVENTS

Veterans Day Observation Seventy-eight(!) veterans representing each of the five services participated in our 10thannual “Bring a Veteran to School Day”. Many of them began the afternoon visiting with students in classrooms. The children were fascinated with the stories and artifacts that were shared by the veterans.

At 1:45, we had an all-school assembly. Over a hundred stars were hung in the hallway on the way to the gym, each honoring a veteran. Fourth and fifth grade students stood at attention with American flags as the veterans came down the carpet and entered the gym. Students Emily Lucenko and Brian Sullivanshared readings. Each grade level and our Hawkapella chorus sang theofficial songs of the five branches of U.S. military service.

Our visitors were also treated to refreshments in the band room, courtesy of HES staff members.

It was truly a wonderful day!

CCMC PJ Day On Friday, Dec 8, we will participate with many other CT area schools to support CT Children’s Medical Center. This is a fund-raiser that was started in 2011 and has spread throughout the state to benefit kids at CCMC.

GHS kindergarten registration for the 2017-2018 School Year

Gilead Hill School is registering eligible students for the 2018 - 2019 school year. Parents/Guardians of children who will be five years of age on or before December 31, 2018, and are planning to have their child attend public school in Hebron, are asked to contact the Gilead Hill School office at 860-228-9458 by Tuesday, January 16th, 2018 to begin the registration process.

Registration packets will be mailed to parents/guardians and are asked to be returned to Gilead Hill School during school hours (7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) prior to Friday, January 26th, 2018. Parents/Guardians are required to return their registration packet completed along with your child’s original birth certificate, a non-returnable photo and a utility bill for proof of residency.

Pre-K students (Peer Model Program or School Readiness) that attend Gilead Hill School at this time do not need to call for a registration packet.

MUSICAL NOTES! Mrs. Bancroft & Miss Gee

Concert Season is Here!

Concert Dress: Dress to impress! Slacks, button down shirts, ties, dresses & skirts below the knee (leggings are required if above the knee). No jeans or printed tee shirts, please.

December 6

Winter Concert featuring Grade 5 Chorus, Hawkapella & Grade 5 Band

1:45 School Assembly

6:30 p.m. Warm up for Band members

6:45 p.m. Warm up for Chorus & Hawkapella

7:00 p.m. Performance – HES Gymnasium

December 12

Winter Concert featuring Grade 6 Chorus, Jazz Band & Grade 6 Band

1:45 School Assembly

6:30 p.m. Warm up for Band & Jazz Band members

6:45 p.m. Warm up for Chorus

7:00 p.m. Performance – HES Gymnasium

January 17

Winter Concert featuring Grades 3 & 4 Choruses

1:45 School Assembly

6:45 p.m. Warm up 7:00 p.m. Performance – HES Gymnasium

Library Mrs. Clancy

November was all about digital citizenship here in the HES Library Media Center for grades 4-6. This year we’ve been utilizing a brand new curriculum set forth by Google called “Be Internet Awesome” that encourages and teaches students to be smart, alert, strong, kind, and brave online, just as they are in their everyday lives. Google also developed a game for us to explore some of these concepts called “Interland”. After the new year we will be ready to begin this unit with 3rd grade as well, so 3rd graders, hold off on diving into the game! Third grade has still been learning about how to find materials in our library and settling into routines and procedures, although most should be wrapping this up by the end of December.

You may’ve seen Six Flags Read to Succeed reading logs head home in Tuesday papers at the beginning of November, we are moving up our timeline a little bit on this this year – they are due back January 12th. This is a great opportunity for students to earn a free ticket to Six Flags to be used over the summer. As always, if you have any questions about this, or need a new log, feel free to reach out to me.

The holidays are a great time to snuggle in with a good book, I hope you enjoy many with your families this season! Happy Reading!

ART Ms. Cowan

Happy December from the Art program!

As our first marking period closes, students are reviewing learning from previous classes, and starting new projects. As all projects are graded, they will be uploaded onto the Artsonia website.

In the past, this was also a time of GHS and HES fundraising efforts, offering families the opportunity to print student work on products that could be given as holiday gifts. This year, Artsonia is not only our new website where you can view your child’s work, but also a fundraiser that produces a wide range of custom keepsakes for parents and family featuring your child’s art. Artsonia ships all orders directly to families.

GHS and HES earn 20% on every order placed by family and friends, and similar to previous years, this money will fund scholarships allowing students to attend summer art classes of their choice. Parents should place orders by December 14th in order to receive merchandise by December 25th. (Orders by December 19th will incur express charges.)

Please contact the art program with any questions or concerns as we speed into the new year!

Physical educatioN Mr. Corona

This month is a busy month in the PE Department. We will begin this month working on several skills and concepts including throwing, catching, team strategy and sportsmanship. We will continue some of these later on in the month as we switch to our leg and core muscles with SCOOTER GAMES!!! Just a reminder that proper footwear is EXTREMELY important when we are working in class for both safety and performance though I understand that the winter months can be challenging with the weather. If your student cannot wear sneakers on PE day please bring them with you in your bags. Thank you and Stay Active!

STEAM & ChallengE and Enrichment Mrs. Jansson & Mr. Parks

During the month of November, we rolled out our very first Invention Convention! This is an optional activity that students signed up for and the work will primarily be done in the months of January, February, and March. If your child missed the deadline, please know that we are making an effort to host an Invention Convention each year, so we hope to work with you next year!

To celebrate Invention Convention, students will focus on Engineering standards in STEAM lessons for the month of December. These standards fall within our Science Curriculum, under the new Next Generation Science Standards (or NGSS) that we are transitioning to in our Science lessons. Students will identify what an invention is as well as how to improve current inventions using the “SCAMPER” method. SCAMPER is an acronym that stands for Substitute, Combine, Adjust, Modify, Put to other use, Eliminate, Reverse/ Rearrange. Students will also be able to utilize type III enrichment time in the C & E room to work on their projects.

Also, November is when we began our Wonder League Robots Competition! Working with Mr. Parks, we are kicking off Year 2 of this program at Hebron Elementary School. Students signed up and were selected based on coding or computer experience with teacher approval. Wonder Robots meets during type III enrichment times to program Dot and Dash (on loan from Mrs. Clancy) in order to complete Missions.

spanish Señor Varano

¡Felices fiestas! Happy holiday season!

As we head into the month of December, and the closing of our first marking period, I would like to give a brief update of the topics that are currently being covered in class. As always, never hesitate to contact me by phone or email.

• 3rd grade has been learning numbers, days and months. We have been practicing with dates and birthdays as well.
• 4th grade has begun their personality unit, and will learn how to describe what they are like.
• 5th grade has begun their house unit (la casa), and will be learning how to use verbs in Spanish. This is a major step in becoming fluent in a new language.
• 6th grade is well into their “food” unit, and have made menus for their restaurants. Next, they will be putting together a restaurant scene with their groups.

Also, I am including some basic phrases that might come in handy at home. No pressure, but feel free to use them as a way to practice with the family.

health room Pam McGrath, R.N.

Holiday Ideas: Thinking of small gifts or stocking stuffers for the holidays? One teacher found $1.00 priced headphones at the Dollar Store. They actually work well, and can be bagged and labeled and kept in the classroom for your child's individual use.

• We are seeing a number of strep cases. The difference between strep and a virus can be hard to evaluate.

Strep throat: Glands swell, fever, keeps getting worse.

Viral throat: Glands - one side swollen, may have fever, pain gets better as the day goes by.

The Health Room Will Be Tracking Illnesses. Please expect questions related to the illness so that we may be accurate in our data collection. We are being proactive as flu season is upon us and want to be able to prevent the spread of illness. Thank you for your cooperation.

Coats and ShoesMany children are coming to school without coats. Girls are still wearing sandals, slippers,and flip-flops. The weather has been very changeable this year and even a mild morning may turn windy and cold by noon. A coat and an extra sweater for class is helpful. Please check shoe and clothing choices before your child leaves for school, so they can enjoy a comfortable recess and full day at school.

Students who do not have coats may be sent to the health room for clothing. My supply is limited. If they repeatedly are without proper outerwear, I will be contacting you. If you need assistance in purchasing a coat, hat, mittens, shoes, etc., please let us know. We work very discretely with outside agencies, and our goal is only to assure your child is warm and safe during the winter season.

Head LiceHolidays, sleep overs, and large groups are all places you could be exposed to head lice. Please continue to be diligent with checking your child’s head for head lice. Lice are in our world 365 days a year. Always call the health room if you suspect that your child may have lice. To control the spread, never send a child with active lice to the school for us to evaluate.

Food For ThoughtYoung brains need fuel to function at their best.Please fit some nutrition into your daily morning routine, even if your child insists they are not hungry or if you are running late. I am still seeing children coming to school without breakfast or without a snack and often without both. Often, complaints of stomach aches, headaches, fatigue, etc. are cured here in the health room by simply feeding the child. Out breakfast program is a wonderful option, snacks can be packed the night before. “Gogurt”, a piece of fruit, a granola bar and juice boxes are great “grab and go” foods for those rushed mornings. Children are not allowed to eat on the bus because of student food allergies, but they can always bring their “grab and go” foods to school and eat them here. Please help them do their best by encouraging a healthy start.

Wishing you a wonderful December!

reading/language arts Mrs. Bottaro & Mrs. Clark

Raising Readers, Molding Mathematicians

The Reading and Math Departments will be hosting informational booths during conferences.

Look for us Dec. 13 & 14in the front foyer for any and all your math and literacy needs!

We are excited to share resources and offer an opportunity for our students

to entertheir names into a raffle.

Math Department Mrs. Ruggiero and Mrs. Wales

RAISING READERS, MOLDING MATHEMATICIANS!

During Parent/Teacher Conferences, on Wednesday, December 13, from 8:30-4:30 and Thursday, December 14, 3:30-7:00, stop by the foyer near the cafeteria! The Math & Reading Departments are excited to share resources and offer an opportunity for our students to enter their names into a raffle.

CONTINENTAL MATH LEAGUE

Students in 4th, 5th, & 6th CML recently participated in their first MEET of the year. Each student who participated put forth great effort in these challenging competitions. The top scorers in each grade were:

4th Grade:

Isabelle Kreamer and Nolan Plourde

5th Grade:

Eliora Buchan, Kylie Aldridge, Xavier Lizarraga & Jonah Erazo

6th Grade:

Gavin Plourde & Sean Connolly

For upcoming CML events click here: CML Calendar

DOOR 24 - FREE Personalized App

Door 24 Plus is a FREE math fluency app that harnesses the power of game design to help develop students’ skills in both fact fluency and computational fluency. It provides targeted practice in the use of basic facts, number sense, and algebraic thinking. Door 24 Plus is linked to your child’s latest score on the i-Ready assessment, and offers games based on his/her individual profile. Children log in just as they would for i-Ready.

• Username: (first and last name initials capitalized, followed by their lunch code) Example: Jennifer Wales would be JW12345
• Password: hebron

Door 24 Plus addresses each of the three facets of computational fluency:

• Accuracy: Students use number facts, order of operations, and number relationships to create expressions that are equivalent to 24
• Efficiency: Students learn to use strategies that are easily practiced such as making tens, recognizing factors of 24, thinking of an expression as a single quantity, understanding relationships between operations, etc.
• Flexibility: The Challenge set in every level requires students to find as many expressions as possible that are equivalent to 24 given a particular number set. Students also need to be flexible in choosing an appropriate strategy or strategies based on the problem at hand.

The Hebron Public Schools’ mission, in partnership with families and the community, is to instill confidence, resolve, and the fundamentals of learning in each child, so that they are motivated to explore possibilities in the world and to succeed in their chosen path.