Assembly
We had a great assembly last week thanks to our PTO. Mobile Ed Productions performed the No Bully Zone for our school. It helped students identify bullies and bullying behaviors and provided effective stragegies in coping and dealing with bullying.Through humorous costumed role play (see pictures below) involving several volunteers from the audience, the presenter helped to identify the four main types of bullies and associated bullying behaviors:
- Physical Bullying - hitting, pushing and harmful physical contact
- Verbal Bullying - name calling and teasing
- Social or Relational Bullying - exclusion and leaving one out
- Cyber Bullying - bullying behavior using technology, as in harmful texts or emails
Ice Cream Social
We had an amazing evening at the Ice Cream Social on Friday evening. Let me start by thanking Catherine Giusti for organizing this event as well as the rest of the PTO members and faculty. It's never easy to organize an event when over 400 people signed up and I cannot believe it all went off without a hitch. I posted this on social media after the event: I have to say I think I am principal of the best school in the world. The parents, students, staff, and PTO are the best around. We just had an amazing ice cream social with well over 400 people. So many teachers, teacher assistants, parents, PTO members, and even Hope Valley Alumni students were in full force scooping ice cream. I am just so thankful and touched at the community support. Thank you all for making tonight (ice cream social) and every day such a special place to work. I love our little school on the hill. Hope Valley School ROCKS!!!!! Huge shout out to the PTO board who helped make this such a successful night: Becky Champlin, Catherine Giusti, Anna Pruitt, and Kimberly Vuono.
Graden Help this Summer
The following families each volunteered to work in our school community garden for one week this summer. They braved the heat and watered, weeded, staked plants and harvested peas, peppers, and tomatoes. This garden project would not happen without the generosity of these hard working families. We want to thank Maria Gill from the First Baptist Church for receiving our harvest and then coordinating the pick-up with Janice Moon who delivered our fresh vegetables to The First Baptist Church, St. Joseph’s Church, and Canochet Cliffs. Thanks also goes to both Margaret Crowther and Barbara Scott, master gardeners for their expertise.
We hope others will consider joining us next summer! Here are the 2018 Family Volunteers:
- Laura George and Family
- Beth Gordon and Family
- Lela Smith and Family
- Kariann Bernard and Family
- Joann Lewis and Family
- Jeannine Harrington and Family
- Shannon Kam and Family
- Melissa Smith and Family
- Sarah Smith and Family
- Kristen Clarke and Family
- Stephanie DaPonte and Family
Key Information
If you haven't done so yet, PLEASE send back all required forms that were sent home ASAP. There are important papers that need to be updated and signed by parents.
Book Fair Help Needed
Book Fair this month! If you are interested in volunteering and have a current BCI check, please contact Mrs. Ward at akwar@chariho.k12.ri.us for time slots and assignments. Thank you in advance!! Visit our school’s homepage to hear the latest Book Fair news! https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/hopevalleyelementaryschool1
School Picture Information
Mark your calendar! Picture Day is 09/27/2018. Look for more information on your child's Picture Day Flyer/Order Form or visit mylifetouch.com to place your order. The job # needed is PC048459Q0. For Customer Support, please call 401-828-5220 or email pcterritory@lifetouch.com.
District Strategic Team
This fall, we will develop a new five-year district strategic plan. This is an incredibly important document as it will guide our work for the foreseeable future. Everyone is invited to participate – students, staff, parents and guardians, community members and elected officials. Meetings are scheduled in the evening (6:00 p.m.) on September 26, October 10, and October 25. You can register at Hot News at www.chariho.k12.ri.us.
Attendance Matters!
Anytime a child is tardy or is taken out of school early without a medical note counts towards his/her attendance. Per the district attendance policy, after 10 combined tardies, early dismissals, and absences, the matter then is referred to the truancy officer. Our goal this year is to ensure that every student attends school regularly and on-time. I cannot stress this enough. Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and on-time. Attendance is so important for success in school and in life.
We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But, we also know that when students miss too much school or are tardy often (regardless of the reason) can cause them to fall behind academically. Your child is less likely to succeed if he or she is chronically absent or tardy—which means missing 18 or more days over the course of an entire school year. Chariho policy states that tardies and early dismissals count towards your child’s attendance. Research shows:
• Children chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade.
• By 6th grade, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign for students at risk for dropping out of school.
• By 9th grade good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8th grade test scores.
Absences and tardies can add up quickly. A child is chronically absent if he or she misses just two days every month!!
