Happy Holidays!

Oh the weather outside is, well, unbelievable! It’s hard to believe it’s the middle of December.

Yesterday our second and fourth graders were treated to a planetarium show from the OCM BOCES Science Center. Our second graders saw the “Day and Night” program while our fourth graders learned more about moon phases. If you have a second or fourth grader, make sure you ask them what they learned!

This is an exciting time of year for many families, and a stressful time of year for others. Thank you again to everyone who helped out many of our local families these past few weeks. Thank you also for your contributions to the Salvation Army Food Drive. We continue to accept donations of canned goods until next Tuesday. 

Two years ago I came across this column in the On Board journal put out by NYSSBA, the New York State School Boards Association. I meant to include it in my blog last year but forgot. It was written by Thomas Perillo, superintendent of the Greater Amsterdam School District. He begins the article by explaining that some of the gifts we can give the children in our lives will last longer than trendy boot's or this year's latest toy; they don't have to cost a penny. Here is an abbreviated version of the column:

10 Gifts to Give a Child This Holiday Season

1.       Gift #1 – A love of reading. Reading is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to spend time with your children that will promote literacy and help them do better in school.

2.       Gift #2 – A desire to learn. Being excited about learning is different from studying to earn a grade or please teachers and parents. Passion for learning begins at home.

3.       Gift #3 – A chance to learn something new. Kids need opportunities to experience new things so they can find out what they enjoy, what they are good at and what inspires them.

4.       Gift #4 – A challenge to do well in school. Children who do well in school have more opportunities available to them – whether it’s a better paying job, a chance to continue their education or simply enhanced self-esteem that helps them believe they can achieve any goal they set.

5.       Gift #5 – Acknowledgement of their individuality. Children have different personalities, possess different strengths, develop differently and require different kinds of support to meet their individual needs.

6.       Gift #6 – Involvement in their education. Research shows that when families are involved in their children’s education, children earn higher grades and receive higher scores on tests, attend school more regularly, complete more homework, demonstrate attitudes and behaviors that are more positive, graduate from high school at higher rates, and are more likely to enroll in higher education than students with less involved families.

7.       Gift #7 – Encouragement. There is a saying that, “A child needs encouragement like a plant needs water.” Encouragement helps a child grow and flourish.

8.       Gift #8 – Affirmation. Children need for us to be supportive, but they also need us to tell them we care about and value them. They need to hear that we love them – no matter what.

9.       Gift #9 – Laughter. Laughter is one way to connect as a family. Share jokes, play games or watch a movie together. Laughter also makes us feel good, and who doesn’t want to feel good?

10.   Gift #10 – One-on-one time. Time is not something you can wrap in a box or put a bow on. It’s not something you can get back or take back. But the value of time spent with a child is immeasurable.

This week’s words of the day are dividend (M), synonym (T), antonym (W), pedestrian (Th), and comfortable (F). Next week’s words are equation (M), infer (T), and predict (W).

Holiday parties will take place next Tuesday at 2:15. There will be a full day of school on Wednesday.

I hope you have a safe and happy holiday and a Happy New Year!

-          Lisa

Compassion and Caring

Compassion and Caring are the character education traits for the month of December. East Hill students and families have shown compassion and caring in many ways these past couple of weeks. Thank you to everyone who took a tag off of the Community Giving Tree and purchased a gift for a family in need. Thank you also to those of you who are helping to fill the Salvation Army barrels.

Earlier this week the Camillus Elk's Lodge brought our third graders dictionaries. This is just one of the ways our local Elks demonstrate compassion and caring for our community.

Mr. & Mrs. Chesneski from the Camillus Elk's Lodge bring
dictionaries to East Hill third graders. 

This morning the fifth grade class taught the school about compassion and caring. They acted out the story, "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein and talked about different ways they show compassion and caring as both safety patrol officers and peer partners.

Natalia and Chris act out "The Giving Tree." 

Students are learning to sign the school song. 

This past Monday our fourth and fifth graders put on a fantastic concert for the school during the day, and for their families at night. I think this winter concert was one of the best I've ever heard.

The fifth grade orchestra performs for East Hill.

The fifth grade band warming up.

Kayla and Emily singing their duet. 

This week's words of the day are divisor (M), summary (T), tradition (W), properties (Th), and considerate (F).

Have a great day!

- Lisa

Happy December!

I hope everyone enjoyed spending time with family over the Thanksgiving break. Thanks to the generosity of the East Hill community, we were able to provide Thanksgiving dinners to eleven very appreciative East Hill families. The fifth grade Student Council enjoyed working on this project in conjunction with our PTA.

We are continuing our canned food drive for the Salvation Army for the next two weeks. There are two big barrels in the lobby in which students can deposit canned goods, such as beans, tuna, evaporated milk, etc. Also in the lobby at this time you will find the PTA’s Community Giving Tree. Information was sent home with your child about Community Giving. If you are interested in helping to make the holiday a little easier for one of our local families, you can take a tag off of the tree and purchase the item listed on the tag. The PTA asks that the gifts are returned, wrapped, by December 8. The tag should be securely fastened to the gift. I am always amazed each year at how quickly the tags disappear as people are always so willing to help others in need.

In addition to the PTA’s Community Giving project this year, the Skaneateles Middle School Student Council is adopting two of our families and purchasing gifts for them. They are doing this courtesy of Todd’s Fund. According to the Todd’s Fund website, Christopher Todd Pitman grew up in Skaneateles. As a child, Todd’s warmth and radiance was coupled with a desire to succeed in every aspect of life. He was an ambitious hockey player, a gifted student, a steadfast friend and a loving brother and son.  On September 11, 2001, at the age of 30, Todd was at his desk in the World Trade Center and was unable to make it out of the building. In 2002, family and friends joined together to create an everlasting memory of Todd’s generosity and love of life.  The mission of Todd’s Fund is to provide hope and relief to children in need. We appreciate them thinking of East Hill at this time of year!

As many of you have seen, a fence has been erected around the old playground. It will be taken down soon. Ms. O’Keefe has taught the students many different group games they can play during recess, has put together a bucket of recess supplies for each wing, and has formed an area where students can walk or run laps. So, even without a playground, students will have plenty of chances to get in their fun and exercise.

Mark your calendar! East Hill’s fourth and fifth grade concert will be held at 7:00 p.m. December 8, 2015 at the High School. There will not be a PTA meeting this month. Holiday parties will be held on Tuesday, 12/21 at 2:15. We will have a full day of school on 12/23.

Fifth Grade Band Rehearsal

This week’s Words of the Day are quotient (M), symbol (T), compare (W), contrast (Th), and compassionate (F).

Have a great rest of the week!

-         -  Lisa