February 2019

2/11 - Hope Valley School Improvement Team (SIT) Meeting - 5:00 pm

2/11 - PTO Meeting - 6:30 pm in the Library

2/14 - Early Release Day - (AM Preschool attends)

2/15-2/18 - No School - Mini Winter Break

2/19 - Bank Day

2/22 - School Store

2/22 - Student Assembly - Shawn Harris - Native American Dancer

2/23 - PTO Adult Paint Night (must RSVP-see flyer below)

2/28 - Kick-off Color Run assembly (details to follow after the kick-off)

March 2019

3/1 - School Store

3/5 - Bank Day

3/11 - Hope Valley School Improvement Team (SIT) Meeting - 5:00 pm

3/11 - PTO Meeting - 6:30 pm in the Library

3/14 - Early Release Day - (PM Preschool attends)

3/15 - School Store

3/19 - Bank Day

3/22 - Student Assembly - Keith Munslow

3/26 - Kindergarten Registration from 10-6 (see flyer below)

3/28 - Kindergarten Registration from 10-6 (see flyer below)

3/29 - School Store

3/30 - ARTESSY and Kindergarten Registration at the main campus

Play Production

This week Mrs. DiFranco and I met with Dana Hall from the high school and two members from the RIYT (Rhode Island Youth Theater) company to finalize our plan. The plan will be for Chariho High School students to write a play with the help of RIYT. Then, our Hope Valley students (grades 3 and 4) will perform the play. If we need additional students, we may open it up to grade 2. This is a great opportunity for both Chariho High School and Hope Valley School. This would be a 6 week commitment with a final show in early April at the Chariho Middle School. The program facilitator will work with your schedules. The flyer is coming home today and you can see the front page below with information.This is happening quickly so if your child would be interested please be sure to return the flyer ASAP. This is so exciting!!!

Valentine's Day Message

"Valentine's Day" is fast approaching and this is always a day that children look forward to. Please remember we have many children in the school with peanut and tree nut allergies. It is IMPORTANT that parents NOT send in any items containing peanuts or tree nuts or food made in a facility where peanuts and tree nuts may have been exposed. Also, please do not send in any food or candy. Sorry to be a "Valentine Grinch" but this is the safest option to keep all students safe. I appreciate your undivided attention with this request! The best items to send are Valentines with stickers, or temporary tattoos, or pencils, etc. Here are some cute student ideas for Valentines to share with others. https://handsonaswegrow.com/33-kids-valentines-for-school/

Spanish + Art + Technology

Here is this year's second grade art/Spanish/technology video on the painting, The Persistence of Memory. Students learned about the painting in Spanish and Art class. They made the melting clocks in Art class and learned to tell time in Spanish with Señora Carpenter!

Dali 18-19.mp4

Two Exciting PTO Events

1. Paint Night (parents only) - We have listened to your recent suggestions and are excited to present a Hope Valley Paint & Sip night. Your ticket price includes all supplies and instructions to create your own masterpiece along with snacks/appetizers and one drink. This event will be 21+. Please see flyer below for all the details. I am excited to attend but I hope no one laughs at my painting when it's done. Or else. :-) I may try to bring some soupy so that should excite many. Mark it on your calendar!
2. Rhode Island Rams Game (family event) - Our school is set up to attend a Rhode Island Rams Men's basketball game on Saturday, March 9th vs UMASS. This is the last game of the regular season. Tickets are only $15 each. See the flyer below. A hard copy was sent home this week. Get your flyer in as soon as possible so we can make sure we get enough tickets. There is a URI Chariho night in February but they only have 70 seats total for the district which is very limited. So, we decided to call and see if they can get our school there on a separate night. They were very accommodating. Thank you Becky Champlin for taking the lead!

Flu

We have had several more confirmed cases of the flu at Hope Valley School. If your child is feeling ill and has a fever I recommend that you consult with your doctor. There is an antiviral agent called Tamiflu that can shorten the length of the illness. Please see image below for FLU Facts.

Head Lice Update

The Head Lice situation is mostly under control so I thank you for helping to eliminate this pesky problem. But you still need to screen your child’s head routinely for head lice. It only takes a minute and it will alleviate a lot of trouble later. An early case of lice is much easier to treat than one that has been percolating for a while. REMEMBER: THE ONLY WAY TO GET RID OF LICE IS TO BE SURE TO GET RID OF ALL THE NITS!!!!

2nd Grade Health has moved onto discussing the human body system. With the human body being so complex it is great to be able to use technology and offer visuals that are real. Yesterday in 2M and 2D we played around with the Virtuali-Tee by Curiscope. We looked at the skeletal system and explored the circulatory system so the students could see the heart pump. It was pretty fascinating to see. The blue t-shirt uses augmented reality and amazing 3D learning experiences with fully immersive 360 videos. We will continue discussing the human body specifically the nervous system over the next couple weeks!

Below is a picture of Jane Johnson showcasing her "guts" to the class. :-) Gotta love technology!

Kindergarten Registration (for next school year) will be on March 26 and March 28 from 10am-6pm. I know this is early to start thinking about but I wanted to get the information out sooner rather than later. Included on Kindergarten Registration Day will be school tours, play centers, light refreshments, and a special gift for our newest students. Parents will have an opportunity to speak to the principal and a kindergarten teacher. No appointment will be necessary on March 26 or March 28. You can also register during ARTESSY on March 30th on the main campus but there will be no tour or meet and greet, etc. since this will not be at Hope Valley School. It'll be important for parents to bring immunization records, birth certificate, and a locator card. These three things are a must to complete your registration packet. There will be a flyer coming home out soon. Stay tuned and please pass along news to those who have an incoming Kindergarten student. Much appreciated.

Child Outreach Screenings provide important information about your child’s growth and development. It can help you understand how your child is progressing in the areas of vision, hearing, speech/language, social/emotional, and general development. Screenings can also assist in identifying children who may need further assessment and intervention at an early age in order to prevent the occurrence of more significant problems later. The Rhode Department of Education and Chariho School District are your partners in ensuring the success of your child. We want to make sure all children are off to a great start before Kindergarten! It is recommended that children entering kindergarten in the 2019-2020 school year be screened during the 2018-2019 school year. Please call our Outreach office at 401-364-1160 to schedule your FREE Child Outreach Screening. Please feel free to contact our Child Outreach Coordinator Lori Lambert at lori.lambert@chariho.k12.ri.us or 401-364-1160 with any questions you may have regarding the screening process.

Child Outreach Dates, Times, and Locations

Here are the Monthly Mental Health Newsletters! The topic is Grieving a Loved One's Passing. Please click on the link as it has many helpful live links for parents.

(Parent) February 2019 -

(Parent) January 2019 - Behavioral and Emotional Regulation

(Parent) December 2018 - Depression

(Parent) November 2018 - School Refusal and Avoidance

Copy of (Parent) October 2018 - Anxiety

(Parent) September 2018 - Back to School and Coping

Next meeting is Monday, February 11, 2019.

PTO Board Members:

• PTO President: Becky Champlin
  
• PTO Vice President: Catherine Giusti
  
• PTO Treasurer: Anna Pruitt
  
• PTO Secretary: Kim Vuono

PTO meetings are typically the second working Monday each month. If you’re not able to make the meeting but still want to be involved please send an email to our PTO to make sure you receive a copy of the meeting minutes hopepto15@gmail.com

School and Attendance Information

• School Hours: 8:35 – 3:25 (Office hours are from 7:30-3:30)
  
• Students will be marked tardy after 8:40. Students leaving before 3:20 will be marked for early dismissal.
  
• Tardies and early dismissals COUNT towards your child’s attendance record.

Important Note: Attendance is CRUCIAL and I will be keeping a close eye on for all students!

• Before School Care is available for $3.50 per day.
  
• You can find a dismissal form here or you can contact the school and we will send you more: https://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/sites/default/files/dismissal_note.pdf

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!!

Peanut Free Classrooms

ALL classrooms are designated as nut & peanut-free. We have multiple students at varying grade levels with severe allergies to peanuts. Foods that “contain,” “may contain,” or are “manufactured on shared equipment” will not be permitted as snacks. However, students may bring in a lunch that contains peanuts or nuts.

Background Check

All volunteers in the Chariho School District must have an annual background check prior to volunteering. There is no cost for this. Please go to the Central Office with a picture ID and fill out a volunteer form. It takes a few weeks to return. Or you can go to the Attorney General’s Office in Providence and get it done right there and then.

Lunch

There are 2 options to pay for lunch:

1. There is a website where you can pay for and keep track of your child's lunch account. T site is www.myschoolbucks.com. You will need your child's school code, which you can get by contacting Fran Sayer at Frances.Sayer@compass-usa.com or (401) 552-7078. Please visit http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/MyNutriKidsInfo for more information. There is also an app for your smartphone or tablet. You can pay for meals, check balances, and view purchases from anywhere. It is safe and secure.
   
2. If the student is paying with cash or check when buying hot lunch, please send lunch money to school in an envelope or Ziploc bag with the student’s name, teachers name (i.e. KA, 1H, 2D, 3F, 4R). This will be placed in a classroom bucket and brought to the office. Checks can be made out to the “Chariho Regional School District.”

If you need further information, please contact Fran Sayer at Frances.Sayer@compass-usa.com or (401) 552-7078. Chariho is keeping accounts accurately updated.

Dismissal/Pick-Up Notes

Please use the dismissal/pick-up note that came home with your student this week. Keep the extras around for future use. Fill it out accordingly and return it to school. You can find the dismissal note on the Hope Valley webpage if you need to make additional copies. You can find this at: https://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/sites/default/files/dismissal_note.pdf

Contact Information

School Principal: Giuseppe Gencarelli – Giuseppe.Gencarelli@chariho.k12.ri.us
School Secretary: Donna Sunderland– Donna.Sunderland@chariho.k12.ri.us

School Clerk: Carrie Marshall - Carrie.Marshall@chariho.k12.ri.us

401-539-2321 > school phone

401-633-7099 > school fax

401-552-7608 > bus company

401-552-7078 > lunch service

Social Media

Twitter for Hope Valley is @JoeGencarelli1 (Chariho Twitter is @CharihoRegional)

Facebook: Hope Valley School

Text Messages using the Remind app. It lets me safely send 1-way texts to parents.

https://www.remind.com/?rid=73395966&utm_source=sms&utm_medium=android&utm_campaign=teacher_share

School Website: https://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/hv

Library Blog: http://hopevalleylibrary.weebly.com/mrs-wards-blog

Spanish Website: http://senoracarpenter.weebly.com/

Psychology Corner: https://sites.google.com/chariho.k12.ri.us/psychology/home

Vocabulary is a significant predictor of reading comprehension. “Indeed, one of the most enduring findings in reading research is the extent to which students’ vocabulary knowledge relates to their reading comprehension.” (Osborn & Hieber, 2004)

We will continue with our Monthly calendars to be used across all grade levels throughout the school. Each month will have a “theme” and all vocabulary words will be related to that theme. We are starting the end of September so Mrs. Ward can train her "Green Screen" team so they can incorporate the vocabulary words on the morning announcements.

Each month a new calendar will be sent home. Hang it on your refrigerator or keep it somewhere that it can be seen each day. Challenge your whole family to become “Word Wizards” by using these words in their own vocabulary. Look for these words in books or listen for them on the television or radio. Encourage your child to share these valuable experiences with their teacher(s).

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Hope Valley Elementary School is to work in partnership with our colleagues, students and families. We are committed to creating a learning environment where children are expected to achieve their full potential.

Email: ggen@chariho.k12.ri.us
Website: www.chariho.k12.ri.us/hv
Location: 15 Thelma Drive, Hope Valley, RI, United States
Phone: 401-539-2321
Twitter: @JoeGencarelli1