PINE HILL SCHOOL

 

PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER:  October 2008

 

 

Dear Parents/Guardians;

 

It’s been a pleasure to meet so many of you at the Fall Parent Visit Nights.  We hope that you’ve enjoyed the more streamlined presentations, as well as the opportunity to visit your children’s classrooms and meet the teachers.  The curriculum presentations certainly were impressive, and learning is once again in full swing!

 

This year our theme is Core Values in Action.  We want to make sure we all “walk the walk” as well as “talk the talk”.  We will, of course, need your support in helping us meet this goal.  We will continue to review the Core Values at All School Meetings on Fridays and ask you to help model the behaviors that we emphasize with our students.  Teachers and staff will use the language of Core Values, as well as Open Circle, in reminding students of our expectations.  In addition, I have encouraged both children and teachers to leave messages in my mailbox in the front lobby to let me know of instances when someone in our school community demonstrates one of our Core Values.  We want to celebrate the many times when our students make the right decisions.

 

The new School Goals, which are posted on the Pine Hill website, include the accomplishments of the previous year as well as the areas of focus for this upcoming year. One of our goals is to improve communication by focusing on a different goal in each of my Newsletters.  Our number one goal for this year, Increase Time for Teaching and Learning, requires your active participation.  

 

Please:

 

  • Ensure students get to school on time.
  • Schedule appointments after school to avoid early dismissals.
  • Schedule vacations and social events after school and/or during school vacations.

 

We ask that you make every effort to get your children to school on time so that we may start the day smoothly and efficiently.  If you have a reluctant child and need our help in getting him/her to school on time, please do not hesitate to let us know so that we can support your efforts. Dr. Frieman, the classroom teacher, and I are always ready to help in any way we can. 

 

Another aspect of this goal is to ask you to make every effort to schedule family trips during school vacations.  It is impossible for teachers to re-teach content and skills after students return from vacations, without affecting the learning of others in the classroom.  As I said at each Parent Visit Night, we can’t teach your children if they aren’t here.  It is simply not feasible to provide work for your children to do while they are out of school, since homework is always based upon lessons taught in school. 

 

We appreciate your assistance in making sure that we can provide the best possible education for your children.

 

One organization that continues to support excellence in education at Pine Hill is the Dover Sherborn Education Fund (DSEF).  This past year they provided grants that funded the following initiatives:

 

  • Training and materials for K–3 teachers to learn to administer the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skills (DIBELS).  This assessment will provide data that will enable teachers to identify and address the needs of students who need support in reading.

 

  • Technology: This provided necessary software upgrades to improve our ability to integrate technology with the curricula at all grade levels.

 

  • Social Studies Maps and Materials:  Each classroom received current maps and materials to support the study of geography across all grades.

 

  • Document Readers/Projectors:  This new type of equipment replaced a few of our ‘ailing’ overhead projectors, improving teachers’ ability to utilize this important teaching tool.

 

  • Science Consultant:  This grant funded a science consultant who will provide professional development at all grade levels to strengthen teachers’ knowledge and skills in science.

 

  • Writing Resources:  This has provided needed materials to support the teaching of writing across all grades.

 

These grants will improve learning for our students, and we are grateful for your continuing support through the DSEF.   Their upcoming Gala, planned for November 8, is always an enjoyable evening and a wonderful opportunity for you to support their important work.  I look forward to seeing you there!

 

Sincerely,

 

Veronica I. Kenney

Principal