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Tom Hawkins Elementary School

Volume 33

Home of the Huskies

April 15, 2018

Christina Orsi, Principal Fiona Bessette, Vice Principal

Rahila Amani, Principal’s Secretary Nena Serrato, Clerk

Kelly Cabral, Clerk (209) 839-2380

There are so many opportunities as the principal of Tom Hawkins Elementary School, where I get to be proud of our students. On Tuesday night, the district held a Student Town Hall meeting to discuss important topics like school safety and bullying. As I listened to the kids speaking, there were a few issues that rose to the surface and I was inspired by the students to take immediate action. The first was our current practice of safety drills. The students shared that this can be a frightening process and they are not always sure when events are real or just a drill. We are able to update our practices to address this concern. The second poignant issue that students shared was about bullying. Students stated repeatedly that after reporting bullying and the bully faced consequences, the victims suffered repercussions, such as being called a “snitch” or being socially isolated. We held character assemblies for all grade levels on Friday and we reviewed the bullying policy and explained the consequences for intimidating a student who reports bullying. We also warned bullies that their behavior is unacceptable. Look, nobody wants to think of their child as a bully, yet this behavior occurs on our campus every week. We know that we need the help of parents in order to take on this difficult issue. Please have conversations with your kids about treating others respectfully and how to speak up when they see others being mistreated. When we issue consequences for bullying, support us. Sometimes students will make mistakes. It is our job to teach them that this behavior is not acceptable. I invite you to join me in the initiative to eradicate bullying on our campus.

Principal’s Corner By Christina Orsi

“Do what is right, not what is easy” Upcoming Events: Apr 16 – Freshman Sports Night at Tracy High

Apr 17 – Bulldog Project Assembly

Apr 17 – Board Meeting

Apr 18 – Graduation Chairmen Meeting

Apr 19 – School Site Council

Apr 20 – Crazy Day (Socks, Hair, You name it!)

Apr 20 – HPFC Movie Night

Apr 23 – CAASPP Testing Begins

Apr 24 – ASB Meeting

Apr 27 – TK-5th Grade Fun Friday

Apr 27 – Roy Wilson Appreciation Day

May 2 – Graduation Chairmen Meeting

May 3 – Hawkapolooza

May 4 – May the 4th Be with You (Star Wars Day)

May 7-11 – Teacher Appreciation Week

May 7-16 – 8th Grade Exit Interviews

May 8 – ASB Meeting

May 8 – Board Meeting

May 9 – K-4 Talent Show

May 10 – 5-8 Talent Show

May 11 – Moms and Muffins

May 11 – 6th-8th Grade Dance

May 15 – 8th Grade Honors Night

May 17 – 8th Grade Trip to Great America

May 22 – ASB Meeting

May 25 – Ice Cream Social

May 28 – No School – Memorial Day

May 29 – Graduation Set Up

May 30 – Graduation Ceremony/Dance

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Roy Wilson Appreciation Day

What a fantastic crossing guard Hawkins has! Roy Wilson is out there every morning & afternoon putting

a smile on our faces as he safely crosses us to school. He makes sure we are safe by reminding us of

the safety rules like “look both ways before crossing”. He is always eager to hear about our favorite

sports team or special project we’ve worked on. He tries to get to know each and every one of us. He

treats everyone with equal interest whether they are a Kindergartener or an 8th grader, a parent, or a

staff member. He makes us feel special. Let’s make him feel special too!

Friday, April 27th is Roy Wilson Appreciation Day. Let’s show Roy how much we appreciate him by

giving him thank you cards, letters, pictures, signs, gifts, hand shake or verbal “Thank You”. It does not

need to be a large thing. Just be yourself and express to him how thankful you are that he is part of our

school team and part of your day. As students and parents walk to school in the morning or on your way

home in the afternoon Friday April 27th show Roy your appreciation.

Hawkapalooza – May 3

Alright, rock fans get ready, because Black Lightening is gearing up to get down at our annual Hawkins

music festival – Hawkapalooza!

Join us for an evening of music, food, families, and fun on May 3 starting at 5:00pm.

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Pictures for the Slide Show

We still need your pictures of your 8th grade student

throughout their childhood years to create a picture slide

show for the Ice Cream Social. Many students have not sent

pictures yet. Please email 3-4 school age pictures to

picturesforhawkins8@gmail.com or bring them into the office

on a labeled CD. Please name the pictures with your

student’s name and send them in .jpg format.

(Ex:johnsmith1.jpg, johnsmith2.jpg, johnsmtih3.jpg) We

would also love any group shots.

Gratitude Pins

Every 8th grader has the option to recognize someone who

has impacted his or her life in a positive way. At Honor's

Night, the 8th graders will honor that person by presenting

them with a pin. If you are interested in having your 8th

grader participate in this, please pay $5 to the office for the

pin. In ELA, the 8th graders will be writing that person a

note of gratitude and creating an invitation to give to that

person to come to Honor's Night.

Apr 18 - Committee Chair Meeting 6:30-8:00pm Apr 21 – Graduation Workday 10:00am May 2 - Committee Chair Meeting 6:30-8:00pm May 7-16 - 8th Grade Exit Interviews May 15 - Honors Night Set Up 2:00pm in the MPR May 15 - Honors Night 6:00pm in the MPR May 17 - Great America Field Trip May 25 - Ice Cream Social Set Up 11:00am May 25 - Ice Cream Social 1:30pm in MPR May 29 - Graduation Set Up 3:00pm in the MPR (ALL hands on deck!) May 30 - Graduation Ceremony and Dance May 31 – Graduation Clean Up 8:30am

GRADUATION EVENTS CALENDAR

Great America Tickets

8th Graders will be going on a field trip to Great America on May 17. We invite parents to join us on this trip.

You can sign up and pay in the school office. Transportation is not included. Parents can purchase an ACE

train pass or can drive to the field trip.

8th Grade Exit Interviews

In May, 8th grade students from across the Jefferson School District will be participating in an Exit Interview.

The Exit Interview is a 15-minute interview before each student’s parents, teacher(s), and administrator.

The purpose of the Exit Interview is to showcase the knowledge students have gained this year in all subject

areas. Questions include an understanding of the curriculum standards as well as the continued

development of student and life skills (study habits, cooperation, organization, oral speaking skills,

leadership, etc.). Performance in the interview will serve as a demonstration of mastery of the Speaking &

Listening standards for ELA and will be a component of the 3rd Trimester Language Arts grade. Performance

on the interview will not jeopardize a student’s graduation status.

When:

Exit Interviews will begin in mid-May. Each student will be given an appointment time. Parents unable to

attend the interview in person, will be able to phone in so they may participate. An email with a link to Sign

Me Up Genius will be sent out so families can select the time slot that works best for them.

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CAASPP Testing From April 22nd to May 4th, students in 3rd to 8th grade will be participating in the Smarter Balanced Summative

Assessments in Math and ELA, which are part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress

(CAASPP) System.

Why are the tests important? The tests were created with teacher input to…

Measure how well your child has mastered the skills and content standards at his or her grade level. Align with the instruction that takes place in the classroom every day.

Match the learning goals of each grade level. Assess critical thinking, analytical writing, and problem solving skills, which are needed for success in college and

a 21st century career. The test has different kinds of questions, including traditional multiple-choice questions as well as ones that require students to explain their answers, show their work, and compose essays.

What should I expect after my student takes the test? Next school year you will receive a score report in the mail for your student. The report will show how the student is doing in each area and where help is needed. Depending on the student’s results, teachers can use this information to provide targeted help to address specific needs. But remember, the results from this test aren’t meant to tell the whole story. Your child’s scores are meant to be one of

several ways for you and your child’s teacher to see how your student is progressing in school. Test scores, along with student report cards and teacher’s observations of your child’s performance in the classroom, are used together to form a complete picture of your child’s achievement. Students in grades three through eight who have an IEP that designates the use of an alternate assessment are eligible to take the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) in ELA and mathematics. The goal of the CAAs is to ensure that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities attain increasingly higher achievement levels and leave high

school ready for academic or career options. The test items are aligned with the Common Core State Standards for ELA and mathematics and are based on the Core Content Connectors, which were developed with three tiers of complexity. If

you would like more information or resources about alternate assessments, please visit the CDE’s CAASPP Alternate Assessments Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/altassessment.asp. The CCCs identify priorities in each content area to guide the instruction for students in this population and for the alternate assessment.

In addition to the mathematics and ELA assessments, students in grades 5 and 8 will also take the California Science Test (CAST) or the CAA for Science Test. California’s new state standards for science call for students to think and work like scientists and engineers, asking questions and learning through hands-on investigation and discovery. Participation in the field test this year will measure the reliability of test items for this future assessment. While this field test will not provide scores for your child, it is an important step in developing an assessment that will fairly and accurately measure how students are achieving on the new science standards. For additional information about the new science tests and

sample questions, please visit the CDE’s CAASPP Science Assessment Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/caasppscience.asp. Students in grades 5 and 7 are also currently preparing and participating in the California fitness test. The Physical Fitness Test (PFT) for students in California schools is the FitnessGram®. The main goal of the test is to help students in

starting lifelong habits of regular physical activity. Additional information can be found online at https://www.cde.ca.gov/TA/tg/pf/

Where can I learn more? For information about the specific testing schedule for your child please contact the school or your child’s teacher. I also encourage you to take a look at a practice test for your child’s grade level. The practice tests are posted on the California Department of Education’s Smarter Balanced Practice Tests Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/practicetest.asp. To find out more details about the Smarter Balanced test, visit the “Be

a Learning Hero” Web site at http://bealearninghero.org/classroom/smarter-balanced. Pursuant to California Education Code Section 60615, parents/guardians may annually submit to the school a written request to excuse their child from any or all of the CAASPP assessments. If you have any questions about your child’s participation, please contact the school. At Jefferson School District, our goal is for all students to achieve their full potential. The Smarter Balanced tests are just one way that we are able to better understand if we are meeting that goal. Thank you for all you do to partner with us in

your child’s education.

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HPFC Updates

Amazon Smiles

Do you shop at Amazon?

Hawkins HPFC is now a part of Amazon Smile! Shop on Amazon through our link and Amazon gives

back 0.5% of the price of your eligible Amazon Smile purchase o the school.

You can click on the link on the Tom Hawkins Huskies HPFC Facebook page, or simply go

to smile.amazon.com and search for Hawkins Elementary Parent Faculty Club. Let’s get rewarded for

the money you already spend on Amazon!

Box Tops

Don’t forget to turn in your Box Tops! This is simple way to support the

fundraising efforts at our school.

HPFC Facebook Page

Check out our HPFC Facebook page for important announcements and updates.

Huskies Online Store

HPFC has been working to make it easier for parents to connect. We

have now opened an online store! Parents can now order spirit wear

and make donations directly from our site.

Check us out at: https://squareup.com/store/tom-hawkins-parent-faculty-club-hpfc/

Attention Parents of Students with Food Allergies

Does your student have food allergies or dietary restrictions? HPFC is working to make school activities

a safe and inclusive place for students to participate in and have fun while on campus. At HPFC hosted

events, please look for a newly created binder which will house the ingredient list of all the food items

served. We want to make sure students are kept safe and strive to provide options for all students.