Rolling Hills primary School
A Special Message from Mrs. Santarpia Dear Rolling Hills Families, It is hard to believe the year has gone by so quickly. As we approach the spring months and final months to the 2018-2019 school year, I want to take a moment to thank the entire Rolling Hills school community for their never-ending support! My first year at Rolling Hills has been filled with fabulous memories and I look forward to sharing many more with all of you in the years to come. As we move into May, we want to welcome our newest families and students. We will be having our Kindergarten Orientations and DIAL Screenings in the upcoming weeks. We are also excited about our upcoming Arts in Education Programs, LICAS and DEC programs as well as the Legacy Project for our second grade students. In June, we are thrilled about the advancements we have planned for Field Day! We hope parents can come to view our Field Games during the specified grade level times. Please be on the look out for a special permission slip and flier for Field Day which outlines the day. As we close out the year, we want to congratulate and extend best wishes to our staff members who are retiring this year; Mrs. Leila Atkinson, our Art teacher and Mr. Ben Leggio, our Custodian. Thank you for all of your years of service to the Commack School District and best wishes in your retirement! Warmly, Jessica Santarpia Principal
Kindergarten Korner
The kindergartners are very excited that spring is finally here! In science, we discussed many of the changes that occur with the seasons. Throughout the year we graphed the weather daily. We used our graphs to discover patterns in our weather each month. In April, the kindergarten students learned about Earth Day and the many ways that we can have a positive impact on our planet. We will begin our unit on the living environment which will include the study of tadpoles and their life cycle. We look forward to watching our tadpoles change into frogs! In literacy, the remainder of the year will be spent developing our new skills as readers and writers. We are always excited to read and share our work with our buddies in the classroom. The children are eagerly looking forward to being first graders. It is evident when we see how much they have grown, both socially and academically, that they are ready for the next step in their education. As the school year comes to an end, the children will take with them the warm memories they have of their first year at Rolling Hills… the Halloween Parade, the Spring Showcase, class parties, unforgettable assemblies and performances, mystery reader visits, our Mother’s Day Tea and, of course, all of the new learning experiences that took place throughout the school year. As the old saying goes,” Time flies when you are having fun!” We wish you all a summer filled with long, sunny days that you are able to enjoy with your family and friends!!!
The First Grade Buzz! Wow! First grade has gone by so quickly! May was a very busy time in our classrooms. We continued to focus on adding and subtracting two digit numbers and problem solving. We also learned about time and money. In reading and writing, we will continue working on our realistic fiction units. In science, we examined mealworms, the larva stage of the darkling beetle. We enjoyed special LICAS programs in our classrooms teaching us about rainforests and insects. We will be celebrating Flag Day by singing patriotic songs, and sharing books. We are proud to wear red, white and blue! We are excited about Field Day! Our class will be enjoying a fun-filled day of games, races, music, and good sportsmanship. Our thanks goes out to Mr. Seifert and everyone involved in planning this upcoming event! Aloha! We will be celebrating the end to our year in first grade by having a luau. In the morning we will enjoy a special dance party put on by KerBoom Kidz. We can’t wait to sing and dance. Thank you to our Arts in Ed committee for arranging this program. Later on in the day, we will play games, make crafts, and enjoy the time with our families and classmates. As the students prepare for second grade, we would like to remind you to have your child read and write often over the summer. Keep a journal with photos of events that may take place so that your child can write about all these memories. Joining the Commack Library Summer Reading Program also encourages children to read regularly and it is “free”. Pull out your word cards and practice reading all the words from the school year. Also, continue to enjoy Raz Kids. Reading and writing is good for the mind, and exercise is good for the body. Swim, bike ride, and play tag to stay fit this summer! We wish you a healthy and restful summer.
The Second Grade Scoop! The second graders are currently enjoying their study of the life cycle of ladybugs! They are discovering how helpful these insects are to farmers and to us in our own backyards! All of our classes will release the ladybugs in the courtyard once they have hatched in our classrooms. In Social Studies, we are completing our geography unit and getting ready to learn about expenses and taxes in our economic unit. We also now understand the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling every day, not just on Earth Day! In math, we will continue to strengthen problem-solving strategies and apply our skills cooperatively with our friends during math games. Some of our topics include multiplication, graphs, shapes, and fractions. We have been immersing ourselves in poetry and are now getting ready for our persuasive literature unit. Many of us will also be writing memoirs of our experiences here at Rolling Hills. We still have many wonderful experiences to share at Rolling Hills these last couple of months! Field Day, yearbook autographs, and most important of all, our Moving-Up Ceremony are all events we are looking forward to with many mixed emotions! As we say good-bye for the summer and hello to another school for third grade, the second graders and their teachers would like to thank all the volunteers and staff members who have helped us this past year! We will miss Rolling Hills very much! Have a very happy and healthy summer!
NEWS FROM PHYSICAL EDUCATION Dear Rolling Hills Family, As the school year comes to an end at Rolling Hills, I would like to extend my thanks to the administration, staff, parents, PTA and students for all of their support this year. Some of the wonderful programs we have done this year at Rolling Hills are Fit to Read, Family Fitness Night, Jump Rope for Heart, Sport Time Tennis, and Field Day. My main focus as a Physical Education Teacher has been to inspire your child to have a passion and love for physical fitness. Part of that focus as a Physical Education Teacher also includes character education. This encourages every student to be a cooperative, problem solving, honest, citizen of the Commack District. My promise to you, the parent, and your child, the student, is and will always be: I am here to Physically Educate your children. I have a strong passion for being physically fit and for living a long healthy life. I believe that children should know what they must do in order to achieve maximum health. I am here to help your children learn through physical activity, teamwork, and cooperation. This year, your children have had a great time in my physical education course. We have covered different sports and activities to help better your child’s life. I encourage all of you to set an example by engaging in physical activity. Come up with new ideas for the entire family to be physically active. Fitness comes from all around us, not just in a gym. Here’s a list of possible fitness ideas that you as a family can take part in: Go for a walk Go swimming at the beach/pool Go for a bike ride or a hike Throw a football around Do a gardening project Mow the lawn Shoot some hoops Besides physical activity, healthy food choices are vital to overall health. The following is a list of quick and healthy alternatives that are easy to put together and try: Breads (including whole grain and wraps) Fruits/ Veggies (many delicious varieties during summer months) Yogurt (regular and frozen) Lean meats (chicken, turkey)/ and fish Salads Nuts Dairy Planning ahead is essential. Prepare lunches the night before to ensure healthy choices. Parents and Guardians can lead by example. Eating healthy is critical to improve your family’s quality of life. Thank you for your time and concern. I know, with your continued support and guidance, your children will continue to strive to be healthy each an every day! Sincerely, Mr. Seifert Rolling Hills Physical Education Teacher
Assemblies & Special Rolling Hills Events The students enjoyed the show “Madeline and the Bad Hat”. The students enjoyed a Sign Language Performance by students from Commack High School! The second grade students are working on the Legacy Project with Kathy Russell. Our Showcases were such a success! The musical performances and art displays were fantastic!
Character Education
The students at Rolling Hills continue to shine with outstanding character! Our STAR Gatherings have been a huge success and a great way to come together as a family! Here are our upcoming character traits and books: May - Tolerance - Whoever you Are June - Friendship - Making Friends is an Art
A heartfelt thank you to:
Our Birthday Bulletin Board Committee for the beautiful bulletin board displays each month! Our Yearbook Committee for putting the final touches on our Yearbook! Our Book Fair Committee for bringing back the fair this Spring! We had a wonderful time selecting new books! Our Field Day Committee….we can not wait to see what you have in store for us on this special day!
Our Second Grade Moving Up Committee...thank you as you prepare for this fabulous event! Our Plant Sale Committee for helping us to purchase beautiful flowers! Mrs. Walsh who has helped to plan all of our Arts in Education programs and events!
Mark Your Calendar! 5/1—RH Gathering—Wear Your Spirit Wear! 5/2—Voter Registration—9:00AM-9:00PM—CMS/CHS 5/6—Kindergarten Orientation PTA Council Mtg. & Budget Presentation 7:30PM—HUBBS 5/7—RH DIAL Screening PTA Council “Meet the Candidates” —8:00PM—BIS 5/8—RH DIAL Screening 5/9—Kindergarten Orientation BOE Mtg. & Budget Hearing—8:00PM—HUBBS 5/10—RH Plant Sale Arts in Education Meeting—9:30AM—WP 5/14—RH PTA Mtg. & Budget Presentation—9:45AM—MSIS 5/15—RH DIAL Screening 5/16—RH DIAL Screening 5/22—RH Gathering—Wear Your Spirit Wear! 5/23—Districtwide Volunteer Luncheon—12:00PM—HUBBS 5/24—5/27—School Closed—Memorial Day Recess 5/29—RH Gathering—Wear Your Spirit Wear! 6/3—PTA Council Executive Meeting—6:30PM—CHS 6/5—Field Day Districtwide Blood Drive—1:00PM-7:00PM—BIS 6/6—SEPTA Support Group Meeting—8:00PM 6/12—RH Rain Date Field Day 6/13—BOE Meeting—7:30PM—CHS 6/14—Arts in Education Meeting—9:30AM—WP 6/24—RH Staff Appreciation Luncheon 6/25—RH Grade 2 Moving up Ceremony—10:00AM—RH
Just a Reminder: The last three days of school are half days! June 24th, June 25th and June 26th Have a wonderful summer!
Lost and Found Please check out the lost and found before the school year comes to a close!
School Phone #: 631-858-3570 Nurse’s Office # 631-858-3573