Retention

A common concern I hear often is “Should my child repeat a grade?” We call this practice retention and it has been a controversial issue since at least 1900. Some parents see their child as having academic issues and then question whether their son or daughter should be retained. I also hear parents concerned that there could be a stigma in repeating a grade. There are even some parents (although I’ve never seen it in Hopkinton) that prefer retention so their child has a leg up athletically with their peers. Either way, the decision to retain is nearly always a difficult one with some risk.

What does the research say? Dr. Shane Jimerson of USC conducted a meta-analysis (a large study of other related research studies) confirming that retained students generally show lower academic achievement and lower school engagement and self-esteem than typically promoted peers. Another very large study showed that retention had no measurable affect on student achievement. In other words, if you retain a student in the hopes that he/she might catch up, it is not likely to happen due to retention only.

Does it ever make sense to keep a student back? I believe that retention has to be very rare and almost never for purely academic reasons. There are many factors we consider including the relative age of the student, his/her social and emotional development, and if the student has missed a large number of school days. I have significant concerns about the social aspect of retention, especially if the child had made solid connections to his peers.

In the end, retention is best dealt with as a team decision between school staff and parents, always keeping the full picture of a child in mind. If you ever have questions, feel free to contact your child’s teacher or myself. We care about your kiddos almost as much as you do.

Bill Carozza, Principal

The 3B’s

Our school-wide rules are The 3 B’s: Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. These are emphasized throughout the school.

Throughout the school year at Harold Martin School we have all school assemblies. At these times, we come together as a community to celebrate and learn together. We ask staff and students to wear themed clothes. We thought it would be helpful to you to know that at 3B’s Assemblies we ask everyone to wear some yellow and black clothing if they have it and during patriotic assemblies (Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day and Flag Day), we ask everyone to wear red, white and blue clothing if they can. We also kick off the start of the baseball season in the spring by asking everyone to wear some attire from their favorite sports team if they like.

Cub Scouts

Hopkinton NH Cub Scout Pack 77 – Information Sheet

Pack contact information:
Debbie Dyer-Quinn (746.2480) or nh.pack77.cubmaster@gmail.com or
Niall Campbell (219-6596) or niallcampbell@comcast.net

What is scouting all about?
For 100 years Boy Scouts of America has been weaving lifetime values into fun and educational activities designed to help families teach their boys how to make good decisions throughout their lives and give them confidence as they become the adult leaders of tomorrow.
Scouting shares parents’ goals to help boys grow up to be self-reliant and dependable – people of worth, caring individuals.

More general information on scouting, and what it’s all about, can be found at www.scouting.org.

Who can be a Cub Scout?
Boys entering grades 1 through 5 in the fall

What are the Scout ranks (by school grade in the fall)?
1st grade Tiger Cubs
2nd grade Wolves
3rd grade Bears
4th & 5th grade Webelos 1 & 2

What is all this Den and Pack stuff ?
A cub scout unit is organized into “dens” and “packs”.
A Den is a group of boys (typically less than 10) in the same rank (school grades). Each den has a trained parent leader (potentially one of you) who plan and execute the den activities. Dens typically meet twice per month, at a place/time of the Den’s joint choosing. Den activities are used to help earn rank and elective awards.
The Pack includes all of the Dens in Hopkinton, thus boys in grades 1st through 5th. Pack meetings occur typically once per month and include ceremonies, accomplishment recognition, fun activities, and even field trips. Pack meetings are family events and siblings are welcome to attend.

What kind of time commitment is involved?
Scouts typically attend two Den meetings per month, and one Pack meeting. Occasionally other special activities may be offered by the Pack or Den. Family time, e.g. Parent/Scout time, will also be involved to complete certain achievements and elective requirements for the badges each scout is working towards.

How much does it cost ?
Registration fees (called “dues”) for new scouts are $50. Thereafter, dues are payable at the beginning of each school year and are somewhat less (~$35 per year).
Pack dues are used for registration and insurance fees paid to the national Boy Scouts of America (BSA), a subscription to Boys Life magazine, and to help fund Pack activities like the Blue and Gold Banquet, Pinewood Derby, books and neckerchiefs for the boys, awards, etc. Each den may also assess a modest materials fee to cover materials used in Den meetings.

Scholarships are available, so if dues present a hardship for you, see the Cubmaster to discuss scholarship/financial aid options. The same policy applies to cost of uniforms, outings trips, camps, etc. We don’t want anyone to miss out on scouting opportunities due to finances!

What do scouts do?
At the “Pack” level there are “annual” events like a Halloween costume party, holiday party, sports pack meeting, Blue and Gold Banquet, Pinewood Derby, and Cub Olympics. We also typically offer at least one overnight parent/scout “camp-in” trip each year – these have included Montshire Museum, Battleship Cove, Charlestown NH Fort #4, and even sleeping over in the outfield after a Fisher Cats game in Manchester!

“Dens” do a wide variety of activities and trips, depending on the interests of the individual den members/parents/leaders. Den activities are in general guided by the various skills that the scouts need to learn to achieve the badges for their grade level. Parents must be present for all Den meetings with our youngest scouts (Tigers), but are often dropped off for the Den meetings of the older scouts.

What about that uniform?
Scout uniforms include a blue Cub Scout shirt (long or short sleeved), neckerchief, neckerchief slide, and belt. Hats and other components of a uniform are all optional. The neckerchief and official Scout Book for each rank are provided by the Pack, as are badges that scouts earn.

The uniform (shirt/belt/slide) can be purchased at the Scout Shop at Camp Carpenter in Manchester NH (300 Blondin Road, 603.622.5060), or by ordering online at www.scoutstuff.org.
** Remember to buy the shirt big, as your scout will be wearing them for a few years. Sales people at the scout shop can help you with the patches that go on your shirt, or you can order them online as well (The basic badges each shirt needs are: a Daniel Webster Council patch, World Scouting Patch, and “77” numbers to signify Pack 77).
The total cost for a complete uniform is in the range of $40-45.

How to join:
Joining involves a simple registration form, and payment of the $50 registration fee (check payable to Cub Scout Pack 77). The pack typically has special “signup” oriented pack meetings each spring and fall. If you are interested in joining, just call or email the cubmaster listed at the top of this information sheet!

Important Preschool Info 2010-11

Important Family Information for Preschool 2010-11

Preschool Letter Summer2010

Preschool Newsletter September 2010

Head Lice

Student Drop Off

I received an email recently from  a parent concerned about student drop off in the morning. I had not observed this part of our school day for a while and as a result of the observation I need to repeat some policy which will make everything safer and quicker:

1. Move as far up as possible to the end of the drop off line before you let your child off. This will allow more parents to drop off their children.
2. This is very important: if you need to prepare your child to enter the school yard (e.g. put their backpack on, have a conversation with them, put their coat on), please park and walk your student to the curb. Some parents are taking too much time to drop off their children close to 8 AM, and there can be a long backup.
3. Be sure to drop your child off on the passenger side of your vehicle which is next to the curb.

If you have suggestions on how to make drop off more efficient and safer, let me know. Thanks. Bill Carozza.

Relief for Haiti

Principal Carozza is compiling a list of ways one can contribute to the relief effort in Haiti. Head here to his blog piece on Haiti.

The Importance of Sleep

Here’s an article written by my colleague Michael Bessette for his Maple Street parents. It’s important information, given this time of year.

Thanks. Bill Carozza, Principal (Some of this research came from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development).

*****

Dear Parents and Students,

How did you sleep last night?  Did you get enough rest?  With the coming holiday season, it is really commonplace for me to hear parents and staff talking about how little sleep they had the night before, or how the stresses of work, the economy, or perhaps the coming holiday season caused them to lose sleep.  Unfortunately, parents and staff are not the only ones who are becoming more sleep deprived, as research and anecdotal experiences at school will attest.  Some children, particularly in elementary schools and middle schools, are losing out on a very important part of a healthy lifestyle – an appropriate amount of sleep.

What are the signs of sleep deprivation in children?  Most pediatricians agree that sleep-deprived children tend to be more restless, grouchy, and impulsive than those children who receive an adequate amount of sleep.  They also note that there is a tendency for sleep-deprived children to demonstrate more depression and depressed self-esteem.  Research has shown that sleep deprivation decreases student motivation, concentration, attention, and coherent reasoning skills, memory, self-control, processing speed and the frequency of mistakes.

So how much sleep do our children need?  It really depends on several factors – such as age, puberty, and the stresses our children are facing.  Researchers have estimated that roughly 85 percent of adolescents are reported to be mildly sleep deprived.  Those same researchers find that between 10 and 40% may be considered significantly deprived.  One recent publication suggested that a “good rule of thumb” is “10 for 10”  – 10 hours of sleep for ten year old students.  When considering this rule, remember that older students need slightly less, and younger kids need slightly more.  One exception to this is when teens are experiencing puberty and still require 9-10 hours of sleep per day.

Paying attention to both the amount of sleep our children are getting each night and how that sleep is being obtained are very important steps in helping kids develop healthy and academically successful lifestyles.  Ever hear of the “Jet Lag” effect?  Many children experience similar conditions of the “Jet Lag” effect when, after extending themselves way beyond their normal weeknight bedtimes and oversleeping as compensation, they experience a form of sleep deprivation.  Studies on children have shown that students who tend to have the smallest discrepancies between their weekend and weeknight sleep patterns (given an appropriate amount of sleep) have the best academic performance.  In contrast, students with a discrepancy of more than two hours are more likely to obtain lower grades.

So what can we as a school do to help you to make sure the children are getting enough sleep.  One think we can do is pay attention to homework and how it is assigned.  As a staff, teachers are encouraged to provide homework that does not necessarily require children to remain awake into the late hours of the evening to complete it.  Teachers are encouraged to provide homework tasks that can be spread out over time, or provided in packets that may be spread out over time for completion rather than getting it all in one shot for completion the next day.

If you are concerned with your child’s sleep habits or ability to achieve restful sleep, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s pediatrician or the school nurse to discuss it further.  Sleep certainly is a vital part of any child’s (and this school principal’s) ability to function well.

HMS Student Placement

STUDENT PLACEMENT is one of our most important objectives every spring. Matching your child to the best possible classroom situation and creating many functional communities is a job that involves the entire Harold Martin staff as well as parents.

While our teachers know your children well, it is very important to receive comments from parents in order to make the best choice we can for classroom placement. If you would like to give us some input, please follow these guidelines:

Compose a letter to Principal Bill Carozza with the following information:

* What are your child’s strengths and interests?

* What are particular areas of concern you have for your child?

* How would you describe your child’s learning style?

* In what type of environment does your son or daughter learn best?

* What other information might be useful for us?

* Please do not include references to specific teachers in your letter, whether you are referring to a teacher you want your child to have next year or one that you do not want your child to have.

Email the letter to Bill at bcarozza@hopkintonschools.org

We also have a School Board policy regarding placement:

EXCERPT FROM SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY:

STUDENT PLACEMENT POLICY

It is the goal of the Hopkinton School District to provide the best educational setting for all students.  To accomplish this task, Hopkinton School District administrators and staff will access areas including, but not limited to, the student’s academic performance; the appropriate balance and composition of each class in each grade; the placement of students with special learning needs within classes; and knowledge of student-to-student interactions.  The school administration will consider relevant written input submitted by parents  which shall not include requests for specific teachers.

The process in more detail:

1. Teachers meet in grade level teams to discuss individual students and begin developing lists for the following year. Kindergarten teachers meet with pre-schools to gain as much information as possible.

2. Parents submit letters with information on their children to the Principal.

3. Kindergarten lists are completed early and orientation occurs in the spring.

4. Our Child Study Team meets to look at the first draft of lists in a “big picture” way.

5. The Principal makes final decisions.

6. Placement letters are mailed out in early June.

7. Move-up day occurs at both Harold Martin School and Maple St. School toward the end of the year.

Some factors considered when placing a child and creating classroom communities:

* Looking for the right mix of students to aid the developing of solid communities in each classroom.

* Attention made to gender equity, sibling divisions, special needs, and academic balance.

* A match between student and teacher’s strengths and personality.

Flu Season

IT’S HANDWASHING SEASON!

(This was written in the cold and flu season of 2003-04

but still relevant today.)
As you might know, there has been a significant increase of
illness in our school community this week.  I thought as
parents, you should be aware of what students have had.

There are several cases of strep throat-a sore throat caused
by a bacterium. Most sore throats are caused by cold
viruses, and are not strep. Strep sore throats are
characterized by a sudden and severe sore throat and fever.
If your child experiences these symptoms a throat culture
should be done.  It is important that strep infections be
treated to prevent any serious medical conditions later on.

Secondly, you should know that there has been one
confirmed case of influenza-A among our students.
Influenza is caused by a virus, and symptoms develop more
slowly and include fever, headache, congestion, cough, and
muscle aches and fatigue.  People generally feel so
miserable they do not want to get out of bed.

Lastly, the common cold virus is here as well.  Sometimes
the common cold and influenza can be complicated by a
bacterial infection such as an ear infection, sinus infection, or
pneumonia.

Luckily there are many things that help prevent the spread of
disease.  These include:

Practice extra good health habits. Make an effort to eat
healthy foods that contain all the vitamins and minerals that
are necessary for your body to work well. All family members
should get PLENTY of sleep. Getting young people to bed as
early as possible goes a long way for everyone!   Drink
plenty of liquids to stay hydrated.

THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING ANYONE CAN
DO TO HELP PREVENT ILLNESS IS FREQUENT
HANDWASHING. This means washing hands after every
time the nose is blown, coughing occurs, before eating, and
anytime one is close to an ill person.

Teach children good hygiene.  A runny nose should be
blown into a disposable tissue which is directly thrown
away.  Children should be taught not to touch their noses
and faces or those of anyone else. Hands and fingers should
not be put in the mouth.  Have children cough into their
sleeves rather than their hands. ENCOURAGE FREQUENT
HANDWASHING (this cannot be stressed enough).

Get outside and exercise. The reason illness occurs in the
winter is because so many people are in heated buildings
close to one another.  As weather permits, encourage
children to play outside.  If dressed appropriately they are
much less apt to come in contact with germs outdoors.
They’ll be getting Vitamin D and a lift of the spirit exercising
in fresh air provides!

Open your windows whenever possible to exchange the air
in your home. Turn the heat down anytime you can.

Keep skin and lips well lubricated to prevent scratching and
cracking. Germs are always around looking for a way to
enter the body.

Take a reading of the stressors on your family this busy
season.  Research is showing a link between stress and an
inefficient immune system. Slow down, take time to enjoy
each other instead of overdoing it.  Skip things that are not
so important, everyone will be happier and healthier for it!

Please be vigilant for the beginning of any illness in your
child. At this time I ask you to keep all sick children home for
the benefit of all.  At the first sign of illness allow the child to
sleep as much as possible, give over the counter
medications that may help the symptoms, and have your
child drink copious amounts of fluids.

Call your physician if you suspect a bacterial illness or if a
high fever lasts for several days.  If you have questions
about influenza  the State has established a hot line that you
can call: 271-4482 or check the CDC website at

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/.

As always, do not hesitate to call  the school with any
concerns.

Sincerely,

The Elementary School Nurses

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