Hickory Bend | Principal’s Newsletter | April 2016

HICKORY BEND NEWS Glenwood, Illinois

(708) 758-4520

Mrs. Shawn Jackson, Principal

April 2016

A Note From The Principal Dear Parents/Guardians, We are moving forward with teaching & learning focused on the Common Core State Standards to ensure your child is meeting grade level goals and preparing for the next grade level.

This is a critical time of the year as we enter the home stretch of learning. During these last few months your child will need your support to keep them engaged in learning. We need to remain focused on our goal of educating all of our students.

PARCC testing begins on Tuesday, April 5th through April 29th. Please make sure that your child is well rested and on-time daily.

Our Hickory Bend students are reading, writing and thinking. Parents please continue to read daily with your child. Reading is the single most important skill your child will use in their lifetime. Selecting appropriate books now can bring and maintain an interest in reading for years to come. Books can open new worlds of learning for your child. Make reading an important pastime in your home!

Parents, we have made a revision on our calendar; our STEM Exhibit will be on April 21st from 1:00 to 2:00PM during our school day; all are welcome to walk through. Please note the revision on your calendar.

Please mark your calendar for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new Brookwood Middle School on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 from 6:00 to 7:30. As well, they will have a walk through on Saturday, May 21, 2016 from 10:00 to 12:00. All families and community members are cordially invited.

An important reminder, our school building does not open until 8:00am. At 8:00am is when the staff is on duty and breakfast begins. Please note that unless your child is in the choir on Tuesday & Thursday they cannot get into the building until 8:00am. Thank you for your commitment to your child’s educational success.

Quote — “Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things.”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Sincerely,

Mrs. Shawn Jackson, Principal

Reminder: Call the school attendance line by 8:30 a.m. if your child will be absent.

With our new phone system, please dial (708) 758-4520 and press 1

Layout Design by Robin Powell

Handling peer pressure Q: My child recently decided to stop being friends with a classmate because other kids said, “We don’t like him. How can I teach my child to think for themselves?”

R: It’s important to give your child the tools they need to stand up for themselves especially now, before they face peer pressure about things like drugs, alcohol, and stealing. Talk to your child about choosing friends who share their interests and values. Kids often give in to peer pressure because they want other kids to like them. If your son/daughter has good friends on their side, they won’t be as likely to go along with the crowd. Also, teach them to walk away from uncomfortable situations. For example, if the children playing basketball are being mean to others, your child could go to another part of the playground to play.

“Box Tops” for Education We will continue to collect box tops. So please clip the 10 cents Box top coupons off of hundreds of your favorite products and send them in so we can keep earning money for our school.

Thanks for your Support!

Every year the Hickory Bend students enjoy the bowling unit that Ms. Burras prepares. She teaches the techniques and fundamentals of bowling. This unit works on fitness and even math. Check out some photos of our students.

Page 2

HICKORY BEND NEWS

Page 3

HICKORY BEND NEWS

Senator Harris visited Mrs. Baugher’s 1st Grade class along with Dr. Moore, Mayor Gardiner and some of our board members.

During the visit the students were observed engaging in the following:     

Partner and independent reading (some students recorded their reading on their iPad and airdropped it to their teacher) working on writing by microblogging on Edmodo or creating books on Book Creator listening to reading with QR codes iRead creating book review movies with their teacher on Vidra, their 1:1 IPAD devises.

Earth Day What we can do at Home! www.earthday.net Earth Day was celebrated Wednesday April 22, 2016. However, Earth Day can be an everyday celebration. What can you do at home to be a part of saving our earth?         

Page 4

Replace (3) frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs Car pool, use public transportation or drive a fuel efficient vehicle Keep your tires properly inflated and get better gas mileage Change your car’s air filter regularly Run your dishwasher only when it’s full Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters are recommended Take shorter showers because showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs

HICKORY BEND NEWS

Understanding fractions is much easier when your child can visualize them. Here are ideas to help your child see and use fractions.

Keep a diary. Show them that fractions are a part of everyday life. For a week, have her record and illustrate each one she notices. For instance, she might write, “We had a half day of school today,” or “Mom asked for 1 1/3 pounds of turkey at the store.” Or she could note that you drove 6/10 mile on the highway or used 3/4 cup flour in a recipe.

How many examples can she find and draw?

Play a game.

Have each player cut a sheet of construction paper into six horizontal strips. She should leave the first one whole and then cut the second one in half (fold it, and cut along the fold), and the others into thirds, fourths, sixths and eighths. With bits of masking tape, label a die: 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8 and “wild.” To play, roll the die, and lay the matching piece of paper on your whole strip (for “wild” choose any piece). The goal is to be the first one to fill your strip without overlapping any pieces (ex. 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 1 whole strip).

Put in order. Together, make a set of fraction cards, with one fraction per index card (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4, 1 1/2, 1 3/4, 2). Shuffle the cards, and see how quickly your youngster can put them in order. Then, while she closes her eyes, lay the cards in order but leave out a few. Give her the missing cards, and have her put them where they go. Next, she can make a missing number lineup for you to figure out.

Memories Hickory Bend teachers and staff are outstanding! They are worthy of ongoing expressions of appreciation. The week of May 2nd is your opportunity to say “Thank you” & “We appreciate you” to your child’s teacher and the staff at Hickory Bend staff. Any expressions of appreciation; like flowers, gifts, gift cards or personal notes highlighting your gratefulness would be most appreciated.

Yearbooks may be purchased in the main office for $13.00.

What a great way for your child to watch themselves grow and change. Parents this will also make an excellent keepsake.

COMING SOON!!

Page 5

HICKORY BEND NEWS

“BETTER BEHAVIOR”

Nutrition Nuggets Parent Dinner Strategies

Through loving discipline As your children grow up, it’s natural for them to challenge you. Sometimes, it seems easier to just let them have their way. But all kids need limits, and they need parents to guide them. Discipline works best with a balance of love, respect, clearly defined rules, and understanding. Here are some secrets of effective discipline.

Make the rules clear Children do best when they know what to expect. Talk about family rules, explaining the consequences clearly.

Example — “Put your bicycle away when you’ve finished riding it. If you don’t, you won’t be allowed to ride it the next day.” As your youngsters learn to read, write down the rules and put them on the refrigerator as a reminder.

Be Consistent and firm You can expect your kids to “test” the rules from time to time. When they do, try to stand your ground and apply the set consequences. Being firm and consistent lets them know that you mean business.

Give positive feedback Try to focus more on what your children do right than on what they do wrong. This will encourage them to try even harder to behave. So, when you see behavior you’d like repeated, let your kids know. Example: “Thanks for hanging up your coat and backpack!”

Page 6

Putting a healthy dinner on the table — and making it one that your children will like— can be a challenge. Try these ideas.

Assembly line

Have “do it yourself” nights where everyone builds their own meals. Set out ingredients for family favorites such as burgers, tacos, chili, rice bowls, or subs.

Then, let each person “go through the line” to make his/her dinner. For instance grill or broil burgers (beef, turkey, veggie), and place them on a plate. In separate bowls, put toppings like sliced tomatoes, lettuce, low-fat cheese, guacamole, and sautéed mushrooms and/or onions.

Outside the box

Think beyond the “main course + two sides” formula. You might toss fresh spinach with cooked shrimp, thawed frozen peas, and canned (drained) corn and garbanzo beans for an entrée salad. Or make a one-pot stir-fry. Heat canola oil in a wok or skillet. Add fresh or frozen vegetables, and stir in a protein (tofu cubes, leftover cooked chicken or beef). Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, and serve over brown rice.

Simple prep

Do you pass up recipes with long cooking times? Reconsider! Look for dishes that require little prep time and then cook on their own. Crock pots are perfect for working parents: add ingredients before leaving in the morning, set to low heat, and come home to a cooked dinner. Or let a whole chicken roast in the oven while you do other things around the house.

SCHOOL MESSENGER SYSTEM Parents, It is very important that we have your current information; such as home phone, cell phone and emergency information for your child. We really need to know how to get a hold of you.

Also, be sure to check your messages before returning calls to the school so you will know who called or if it is just a message from our principal. We are trying to become more automated by using messenger and emails to inform you of current/important events.

HICKORY BEND NEWS