Happy New Year!

Happy 2018!
I hope you and your family had a nice holiday break and were able to spend some quality time together.

Positivity Project
On the Friday before the break we held our December Assembly where we focused on the character strengths of kindness and self-control.  Unbeknownst to most of the staff, Miss O'Keefe taught the entire school a dance to do at the end of the assembly, featuring students exercising self-control at different points of the dance. Check out this video below:

This week and next week we will focus on the character strength of perseverance. Click here to read the Perseverance Character Card from the Positivity Project. Our learning target for these two weeks is: I can complete what I start despite obstacles. I never give up. Some of us will have to persevere to follow through with our New Year's Resolutions! Speaking of perseverance, our server was down yesterday so we couldn't access the internet using our computers. Our first grade teachers persevered, however, and hooked up their phones to the Promethean board. We couldn't let a day go by without a GoNoodle break!

Reminders and Upcoming Events:

Report Card Survey

If you didn’t get a chance to take the brief survey regarding our new report cards and parent conference dates, please click here. We appreciate your honest feedback!

Dialogue with the Superintendent

Next Wednesday, 1/10, Dr. Brown will be available to answer your questions about anything and everything related to the District. Please join us from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Large Group Instruction room at the High School.

No School

There will not be any school on Monday, 1/15 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. There will also not be any school for students on Friday, 1/26 due to Staff Development Day.

Parenting Wisely

As a reminder, our school counselors put together a wonderful evening for parents on Tuesday, 1/16 at Stonehedge. Online registration is required by 1/8. Click here to register!

                                  

Thought Exchange

Please consider attending our next PTA meeting which will be held on Monday, 1/22 at 6:30 in the East Hill Library. I will be sharing East Hill’s results from the Thought Exchange that many of you participated in a few weeks ago.

Have a great rest of the week! Stay warm!

- Lisa

Thank You!

Thank You!
As you are aware, our Student Council organized a fundraiser last week to benefit two students that graduated from East Hill that are suffering from kidney disease. Students were asked to wear orange and contribute a dollar if they were able. Our staff and students, along with a generous donation from the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department, raised over $1600! Thank you so much for your contribution.

Community Giving
I am always amazed at the generosity of our East Hill community. Again this year, with the help of our wonderful PTA, the Skaneateles Student Council, and donations from our East Hill families, we were able to help out six local families in need during the holidays this year. Thank you so much for all that you do. It is truly heart-warming.


Standards-Based Grading and Reporting
We are hoping that you have found our new report cards to be informative as well as easy to read and understand. We would like to get your feedback regarding our new report cards. Please take a minute to complete this short, five-question survey about the report cards as well as the timing of parent conferences. Your honest feedback is appreciated.

Character Strengths
This week we continue learning about self-control which is ever so important during the holidays! When we return in the new year we will focus on perseverance. Click here to read more about perseverance from the Positivity Project.

Spirit Week
Today is pajama day as you can see from the pictures below. Tomorrow is festive clothing day, Wednesday is formal wear day, Thursday is hat/headband day, and Friday is red and green day.

Enjoy the rest of the week and have a great holiday break! I will see you in 2018! As a reminder, there is no school next week; school will resume on Tuesday, 1/2/18.

- Lisa

'Tis the Season for Self-Control!

Self-Control
Self-Control is appropriately the character strength on which we will focus for the next two weeks. Our learning targets are: I can control my emotions and behaviors. I can think before I act. It is certainly the time of year when many of us need to exercise self-restraint, that's for sure! To learn more about self-control, click here.


Save the Date!
On Tuesday, January 16th the Prevention Network in conjunction with the elementary school counselors will be offering a night on parenting. Prevention Network educators will offer sessions derived from a researched-based program called Parenting Wisely. Three different topics will be offered. The evening will be hosted at Stonehedge Elementary. Pizza and child care will be provided. More information on this important night will be sent home soon.





Go Orange for Hannah and Nathan!
Tomorrow (Wednesday, 12/13) we will be wearing orange to honor Nathan and Hannah VanHorn, two East Hill graduates who could use some of our help. Students are asked to wear orange and donate a dollar if they are interested.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

As a reminder, this Thursday and Friday are half-days at the elementary schools for parent conferences. Next week I will be sending out a link to a short survey about our new, standards-based report cards. If you can take a minute to complete the survey when you receive it, we would appreciate it! If you ordered artwork from the Square One Fundraiser, we are hoping it will be here in time for you to pick it up at your conference this Thursday or Friday.

Kindergarten Snowy Villages

4th Grade Mandalas

Holiday Spirit Week
Monday, 12/18: Pajama Day
Tuesday, 12/19: Festive Sweater and/or Socks Day
Wednesday, 12/20: Formal Wear Day
Thursday, 12/21: Holiday Hat or Headband Day
Friday, 12/22: Green and Red

Holiday Parties
Classroom parties will be held on Thursday, December 21 at 2:15. Please remember that all food brought in to our nut-free classrooms must be store bought and contain a label so that it can be checked by the nurse and/or teacher.

Have a great week!

- Lisa

Bravery, Gratitude, and Kindness (Oh My!)

Bravery and gratitude were the character strengths on which we focused the past few weeks. Our monthly Positivity Project Assembly that was held last week highlighted these strengths. Lance Corporal Curtin and Officer Gucciardi spoke to the students about bravery. Students also talked about all of the things for which they are grateful.

Speaking of gratitude, thank you to everyone who was able to take a tag from the PTA's annual Giving Tree in the lobby. Please bring your wrapped gift in by this Friday, December 8. Because of your generosity, six local families will be able to have a much happier holiday!

Kindness is this week's character strength. Our Fifth Grade Student Council wrote notes of kindness to every single student in the school. Students were surprised to see these notes on their locker when they came in this morning! To learn more about the strength of kindness, click here.

Fourth grade students at East Hill showed their character strengths of curiosity, creativity, and teamwork as they created textured ceramic ornaments for the Everson Museum's Annual Festival of Trees. Their tree will be featured as the "Children's Ceramic Tree" in the Everson's Monumental Gallery from December 1-10. Parents and teachers of East Hill have been offered the reduced admission fee of $5.00 during this time. Children under 12 are admitted free.

Are you wondering about your own character strengths? Feel free to take this free survey to find out more! All of the staff at East Hill (and most of the district) have already taken it.

I hope to see many of you at the 4th and 5th grade winter concert this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at the high school. Also, please remember that report cards will be distributed this Friday. Parent conferences will take place next week on Thursday and Friday, December 14 and 15. Please remember that both of these days are half-days with an 11:30 dismissal.

Enjoy the week!

Standards Based Grading and Reporting

As you are likely aware, we have changed how we we grade and report on student progress. This new standards-based approach will give you more accurate, detailed information about your child’s performance in relation to State and District Standards. It will allow teachers to better meet the needs of individual students, and will give students a clearer picture of their strengths and areas in need of growth.

Report Cards:

Our report cards are aligned to the Common Core Learning Standards. You will find:

1. Category titles and descriptions reflecting the NYS Common Core Learning Standards.
2. Grading keys reflecting student progress toward State and District Standards.
3. Behaviors of the learner that reflect student skills necessary to be a successful learner (Behaviors that Support Learning).

Standards-Based Report Cards:

1. Describe what a student should know and be able to do at an identified point in time.
2. Reflect grade-level standards and expectations so families gain a clearer understanding of student progress.
3. Provide consistent evaluations throughout the year based on individualized instruction information.

Academic Achievement Key:

Key	Grading Guidelines
3	Meeting New York State and District Standards
2	Working toward New York State and District Standards
1	Not meeting New York State and District Standards
NA	Standard not assessed at this time

Behaviors that Support Learning Key:

C	Consistently Meeting Expectations
W	Working Toward Expectations
D	Experiencing Difficulty with Expectations

Special Area teachers in Art, Music, Library and Physical Education will also use this same rating scale when reporting on student progress.

Report cards will be sent home on Friday, December 8 and our Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Thursday, December 14, and Friday, December 15. Both of these days are half-days with an 11:30 dismissal. Your child’s teacher will be the best source of information regarding any questions you have about the report card. Please contact your child's teacher, or the East Hill Office, if you need to be reminded of your conference time.

Have a good week!

- Lisa

Gratitude

The Positivity Project

Although the text I sent out yesterday said that we are learning about bravery this week, we are actually learning about the character strength of gratitude both this week and next week. Bravery was last week. Oops! Gratitude means you are aware of and thankful for good things that happen. To learn more about gratitude, click here.

Spelling Bee
Last week five fifth grade students represented East Hill in the District Spelling Bee. Congratulations to Isabella Dickson, Amara Choe, Dante Santiago, Anthony Reed, and Evan Lentz. We are proud of you!

Reminders from the PTA

Don’t forget to collect and save those Box Tops while shopping and cooking this holiday season for our annual box top collection held in March. The Box Tops for Education program helps earn money for East Hill PTA. Spirit Wear orders must be placed by Wednesday, 11/23 at 3:00 p.m. Also, you should have received a letter about Community Giving this week. If you are in need of additional assistance at the holidays this year, please contact Mrs. Craig today if possible. We would love to help you out. All information is kept confidential.

Square 1 Art
Just a reminder - If you are planning on ordering any of your child's artwork from this fundraiser, orders are due on November 20th. Proceeds from this fundraiser will be used to buy display boards for Open House.

Upcoming Dates

Thanksgiving Recess: 11/22 - 11/25

End of Marking Period 1: 12/1

CODE Assemblies: 12/5

Fourth and Fifth Grade Concert: 12/7, 7:00, WGHS

Report Cards Distributed: 12/8

Parent Conferences (Half-Days for Students): 12/14 and 12/15

Holiday Parties: 12/21, 2:15

Winter Break: 12/23 - 1/1

School Resumes: 1/2

Here's a few pictures of things happening around the building this week. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!

- Lisa

Happy November!

It's been a busy couple of weeks here at East Hill! We concluded our two week Pick a Reading Partner (PARP) Celebration, Wild About Reading, with a visit from author Cynthia DeFelice. We combined her presentation with our monthly Positivity Project Assembly. She spoke about how she uses her strength of creativity as she writes books. It fit in perfectly with what the students have been learning about in school. Thank you again to the PTA for sponsoring the author, bringing in guest readers, and providing PARPsicles for the celebration.

Cynthia DeFelice discussing creativity

Students donning their Positivity Project T-Shirts

Mrs. Butkowski's and Mrs. Bush's class also had a visit from the Fairmount Fire Department as part of Fire Prevention Week. Thank you to Mr. O'Neal and his partner for taking the time to discuss fire safety, show the students the different features of the fire engine, and handing out fire hats!

Mr. O'Neal from the Fairmount Fire Department

We were happy that the weather cooperated yesterday so that we were able to hold our Halloween parade! Thank you the all of the parents that planned such great activities in the classrooms for our students.

East Hill's "Social" Butterflies

Aislenn as a Hot Air Balloon

Grace as a Scarecrow

The snack station in Mrs. Thome's class 

Snake contest in Mr. Meaney's room

Positivity Project: This week and next week we are learning about bravery. Click here for more information about this character strength.

Upcoming Events:
11/7     Half-Day, Teacher Workshop Day, 11:30 Dismissal (11:20 pick-up)
11/8     East Hill PTA Fundraiser at Chipotle (East Hill PTA gets 50% of profits, 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.)
11/10   No School, Veterans Day
11/13   PTA Meeting, 6:30, East Hill Library
11/17   School Picture Make-Up Day and Group Photos
11/22   Thanksgiving Recess Begins

Have a great rest of the week!

- Lisa