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Support and Special Areas Team:
 
February 2013:

      The Support Team continued to promote academic success for all students using test data to make instructional decisions. The team reviewed reading and mathematics midyear data, focusing on curricular weaknesses and struggling students. Interventions and supports were brainstormed, shared with Core and Math teachers, and implemented in classrooms.

      Third and Fourth grade students read their way across America in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday. In the Library, students used keyword search skills in the Follett Destiny automation system to locate a book either about a state, or with a setting in a particular state. After reading their book, they filled in a map template of the state with information including the title and author of the book, the state capital, and at least on state symbol. Over 400 library books were read for the project between mid-February and March 1st.


January 2013:

         On January 29, District Math Support teachers and Nancy Adams hosted the third annual Kindergarten Math Night. Children and parents from the five elementary schools were engaged in hands-on activities reflecting Mathematical Standards.  More than 40 Conestoga National Honor Society and Key Club volunteers facilitated the stations including fish for a number, birthday graphs, shape poems and play dough cut outs, hop a number line, how long is a minute, and numerous other activities. 

Wendy Towle, Curriculum Supervisor for Language Arts, and Mary Nagle, Hillside Reading Specialist, attended the PA/Title I Improving Schools Performance Conference in Pittsburgh, PA from January 27-30, 2013.  They accepted an award for Hillside’s continued progress in Overall Reading performance.  As award recipients they presented at the conference.  Their session was titled A World of Words: Developing a Vocabulary Framework to Support Reading Comprehension.  

         Hillside’s Reading and Math Support teachers held data meetings with grade level teams and Special Education teachers.  Data was shared to support instructional decisions, and included ERB, 4sight, and curriculum based assessments. 

             In Physical Education, the third and fourth grade students have just completed their unit of study in basketball. The students learned the history of basketball as well as dribbling, passing, and shooting skills. The First, Second, and Kindergarten students continued to work on their fundamental movement skills and an introduction to eye hand coordination.

             Hillside students, staff, and parents all worked together on an art mural to celebrate Hillside’s Pride Day. The Mural has three giraffes and many buckets to represent how Hillside children are Kids for Character by being bucket fillers and friends who stretch their necks out for others.

             In first grade art, the children finished lily pad paintings inspired by the art of Claude Monet. Second grade students completed beautiful penguin paintings. The third grade students took home their clay sculptures inspired by the Pueblo artist Helen Cordera. Fourth grade students completed a small unit on American artist Wayne Theibauld with pastry drawings.
 
December 2012:
         On December 4th Janet Wong, author of more than 24 children’s books spent the day with our students. Mrs. Wong discussed the many job opportunities for writers and her inspiration behind some of her poems and stories. The afternoon was spent with each grade level being able to have a breakout session with the author. First grade listened as Mrs. Wong modeled how to write a gift poem for friends and family. Second graders brought clipboards, paper, and pencil and wrote a comparison poem. Each student compared a friend or family member to an object in nature. Third grade wrote feverously jotting down story and poem ideas to share in the classroom. And finally, 4th graders learned about rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration in poetry. The day concluded with many students at each grade level submitting poetry for a contest to win a Janet Wong book.
   
   December was a busy month for Chorus and Orchestra at Hillside. Chorus students learned and practiced singing skills of breathing techniques, diction, and correct posture. Students learned and performed a diverse program, including pieces in Major and Minor keys, a cultural piece from Eastern Europe, and our traditional Sixty Million Snowflakes. The fourth grade Chorus gave a stellar performance at Barnes & Noble in Wayne as part of the PTO fundraising event.
 
November 2012:

     In support of our local community, Hillside Elementary school students participated in a food collection for families in need living in the T/E and surrounding areas. Food items were donated to the Great Valley Food Cupboard located in Devon. Students were proud to load two cars full of collected items.

     Easttown Library partnered with Hillside to donate books to our classroom libraries.

     ESL teacher Julia Sponseller and her colleague Joan Blair were presenters at the World Language Expo 2012 in Philadelphia. Their presentation, Language Puzzles Demystified, clarified issues of importance encountered in the teaching of Foreign and/or English Languages.

      The Hillside Library benefited greatly from the Watch D.O.G.S. volunteers during the month. Dr. Basil Harris created a “skeleton man” for the library window, using actual x-rays. Students discovered lots of interesting facts about human bones using the x-rays, supplemented by library materials.


October 2012:

Hillside’s Support Area Team continued to promote academic, social, emotional, and physical success for all students. Support teachers ensured that students receiving support services were provided an environment for success while taking ERB tests. The Support team further analyzed third and fourth grade PSSA results, focusing on curricular strengths and weaknesses within math, reading, and science (4th grade) eligible content Results were used to inform instruction, especially for students receiving support services. In Special Areas, first through fourth grade celebrated International School Library Month by participating in an international bookmark exchange. Our 2012 partner school was the Tseung Kwan O Methodist Primary School in Hong Kong, China. The Students created over 550 handmade bookmarks for Chinese students and they did the same for us. This is our second year participating in the project.

 

On October 18, the Hillside community celebrated PRIDE DAY.  Activities focused on perseverance and respect.  Students were placed in cross-graded groups to foster a sense of community.


September 2012:

Hillside Support Area Team worked to implement strategies supporting academic success for all students. PSSA data was analyzed, school wide benchmarks were completed, and support services such as reading and math club began for those students in need of additional instruction. Team members will continue to analyze data to determine instructional needs for Hillside Students.

 

In the month of September, music making took off at Hillside.  Chorus began rehearsing for the Winter Concert, and began learning about diction and vowels.  Students across the school began learning about the concepts of steady beat, pitch, and rhythm.  The instrumental program also began.