Monday Memo: Supplies, TED Talks, Field Trips

From the office:

Hixson is excited to announce a new partnership with 1st Day School Supplies! We have collaborated with 1st Day School Supplies to help parents and teachers get the exact supplies needed for next school year without the hassle and aggravation of shopping at Wal-Mart, Target, or Staples. 1st Day School Supplies is convenient, easy, and hassle-free! Plus, the prices are competitive! This summer as the temperature hits over 100 degrees and lines at the checkout counter are a mile long, you can relax knowing that you have already purchased your child's school supplies from the comfort of your own home! To purchase a school supply kit, click on the link below. Orders are due by June 15th; supply kits will be delivered to Hixson at the beginning of the school year.

To order your kit, visit http://www.1stdayschoolsupplies.com/list.php?school_zip=63119 

We are taking three field trips before the end of the year. They are as follows:

May 25 - St. Louis Art Museum. Leave school at 10:00am and return at 12:00pm. We will have lunch on team (pizza). Cost is $6.00.

May 24 - Cardboard Regatta - Webster Groves Rec Center - Cost is 2.00.

May 26 - Sports Fusion - Chesterfield, MO - Cost is 21.00 (includes food and drink).

Forms for the art museum and Sports Fusion have already been posted on this blog (scroll down for the links). The form for the Cardboard Regatta will be posted soon.

Student TED Talks

20% Time Student TED Talks will be Wednesday, May 18 from 8:45-12:00 in the Hixson auditorium. We will be putting together a tentative schedule of talks so that parents can pop in and see your kiddo on stage. We will send more information, including the schedule, at a later date.

From the Office...

We have had some unsupervised students after school at Hixson. Kiddos should be in an after-school activity or leave the building after school. If you could, please remind students of the following regarding dismissal at the end of the day:

1) students should leave for home, their ride, or a bus at 3:15

2). On after school activity days: If students are participating, they must be in their activity room by 3:20 and should leave for home, their ride, or a bus at 4:00

3). Students are encouraged to walk to the Rec center if their transportation home is not on time and be picked up at the Rec.

We cannot have students unsupervised throughout the building in the late afternoons. It is a critical safety and security issue and student safety comes first.

On Mondays and Fridays students should be picked up by 3:35.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays students should be picked up by 4:10. 

Art Museum Field Trip

On Wednesday, May 25, Harmony kiddos will be going on a field trip to the St. Louis Art Museum. We will be going with Unity Team. The trip is from 9:00am until noon. The cost of the trip is $6.00. Please find the links below for an informational letter and a permission slip. The slip must be returned by May 10.

Field Trip Information Letter

Field Trip Permission Slip

Last Day of School Field Trip

On the last day of school, we will be taking a field trip to Sports Fusion in Chesterfield on May 26. This is an awesome space with games, laser tag, food, etc. The kids have a great time every year! There are two forms attached here. Please read them and return the permission slip with the $21.00 payment. Forms must be returned by May 16.

Link to permission slip!

Link to information letter!

20% Time Study

Danielle Zuroweste, a teacher at Avery, is doing a study on 20% Time for her graduate degree. She is doing her study through Maryville University. Last week, she sent consent forms to us so that we could pass them on to parents in the hope that parents will allow their children to participate in her study. Participation is basically filling out surveys. If you will allow your student to fill out surveys and let Danielle use the information for her study, please sign and return the film at your earliest convenience. Below is a video of Danielle explaining the project.

Monday Memo: MAP, PE and Grades!

MAP testing begins this week. We will be testing all week long for the first two hours of the day. Please make sure that kids' Chromebooks are charged and ready to go all day. Kids should also have a book to read once the testing is done for the day since they will not be able to use their computers for work during the testing period. Snacks are permitted as long as they are not messy.

Our PE department is putting on a special program. Here are the details:
This year on April 22nd the PE department will be sponsoring Hats for Heart.  Like last year, students will be able to wear a hat with $1 or more donation.  We will also have the prize raffle for students who make a donation.  This year we have expanded ways for students to get involved.  Attached is the flyer about this year's event.  Some additions are the sale of t-shirts, wrist bands, add hearts to add to our heart wall.  Students will be able to enter a jump rope contest during their lunch.  We are asking that you send home an electronic copy with your team parent communication.
Many of you supported the cause last year and we thank you!  We would like to offer pre-sales of the t-shirt for $10.  The sign up sheet will be in the teacher's work room along with an example of the t-shirt. They will be delivered early so you can wear it on April 22nd. We will also have the hearts for the heart wall available if you would like to honor or remember someone affected by a heart condition.  This cause became personal for me as I tried to get my dad through an aortic valve replacement with several complications this year.

Grades will be coming home this week. This is a progress report. There are seven weeks left in the school year and kids will get permanent grades with the May report card. There is still plenty of time for the kids to bring up grades, if necessary.