Cheetah Chronicles
December 3, 2023
Important Dates
December 22-January 1: Winter Break
January 2: No School Teacher Workday
What's New
Important Information Regarding the Woods Creek Proposal and Impact for Families
https://www.wcpss.net/domain/21576
Here is very important information regarding the Woods Creek Proposal and impact for families. November 8th is the next board meeting. Remember, there are current stability rules to allow certain families to stay at HSES.
Current students rising into 4th or 5th grades are eligible to remain assigned to their current school with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through the terminal grade of the school.
Rising Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd or 3rd-grade siblings of eligible rising 4th and 5th-grade students are eligible to join their older siblings with transfer status (no district-provided transportation) through the terminal grade of the school.
Reminder about WCPSS Volunteers and Field Trip Chaperones
Even if you were approved as a volunteer last school year you must be approved again this year. Many field trips are coming up and we do not want you to wait or miss out as it takes a while for volunteers to be approved. Follow the steps below carefully:
Register as a WCPSS Volunteer
All WCPSS parent and community volunteers are required to register through the new MyVolunteer system. Please complete your registration on a computer at home or school. It is very difficult to complete using a mobile phone. It can take several weeks for your registration to be approved so don’t wait until field trips to try and register. Register now so you are ready and able to volunteer in the classroom, volunteer for school events, or chaperone at any time this school year!
Click the link below to start your volunteer registration: https://myvolunteer.com/wcpss/volunteer/login
Click create new account.
Complete the online form and select all the schools that you are requesting to volunteer or chaperone for the 2023-2024 school year.
It will then say pending.
Soon after you will receive an email with a customized link for you to complete next steps for your background check. This link expires 10 days from the day you receive the email. Follow the instructions in that email. You will fill out all items in red boxes and then you will review and digitally sign four documents (Summary of Rights Under the FCRA, Disc & Auth, NC Security Freeze Notice, and WCPSS Volunteer Agreement).
If you leave the CRC background site before completing your contact information, you will have to begin the process again.
You must include your social security number to register to volunteer. If you do not have a social security number, please contact volunteers@wcpss.net or call 919-694-8233.
Great news is that this year you will be notified by the MyVolunteer system if you are approved to volunteer!
Please Note: If you are a WCPSS Employee seeking to volunteer/chaperone in the schools, you do not have to complete a criminal background check. However, employees will still need to register in the MyVolunteer system (https://myvolunteer.com/wcpss/volunteer/login) and complete the Wake County Volunteer Agreement and other required forms. Employees must select the “Current Staff of WCPSS” link on MyVolunteer to complete the volunteer registration process and must use their WCPSS email address to complete the registration.
Kindergarten Registration for 2024-2025
Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-2025 school year opens Monday, October 16th. If you have a rising kindergartener for the next school year, you can begin registration on the 16th by going to the WCPSS website under enrollment and then under 2024-2025.
Reminder of the Student Device Agreement
Reminder of the Student Device Agreement (WCPSS issued chromebooks)
Please review the following link reminding everyone that the WCPSS issued chromebooks are to be used for educational purposes only and are the property of WCPSS.Digital Children’s Reading Initiative
Live Bus Updates
In the event that a bus is not running, Holly Springs Elementary will continue to send text and email messages through School Messenger, and post on Twitter. Text and email messages will not be sent through School Messenger if buses are running behind schedule. This is for both AM and PM routes.
Wake County Schools Transportation continually updates bus information for the Holly Springs area HERE.
Remember to refresh the page every 15 minutes in order to see the most up to date information.
If HSES is not listed, that means that all of our buses are running without any issue.
Decline Bus Transportation if Not Needed
If your student is assigned to transportation and is not a rider, please complete the information linked HERE so that WCPSS has the most up-to-date information for transportation planning. Note: Submitting this form will remove your student from both yellow bus and vendor (cab) transportation service.
Positivity Project
Click the letter below to learn more about the Positivity Project and to view the yearly calendar:
Track 2
Dear Families,
This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Gratitude. Gratitude means you are aware of and thankful for good things that happen.
Gratitude is the quality of feelings and expressing thankfulness and appreciation. It is an affirmation that there is goodness in other people and the world and that we have received that goodness. People with the strength of gratitude have a readiness to show appreciation for kindness and also to return kindness. A leading expert, Robert Emmons, calls gratitude a “relationship-strengthening emotion because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported and affirmed by other people.”
Out of all 24 character strengths, gratitude is the single best predictor of individual well-being. It is correlated with increased energy, empathy, happiness and optimism. And, the great thing about gratitude is that it can be intentionally cultivated. Numerous studies have concluded that gratitude is like a muscle. The more you practice it, the stronger it gets -- and the more you’re able to reap its benefits.
To practice and encourage the character strength of gratitude with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2) where together you will watch a video, read a quote and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Track 3
Dear Families,
This week our school community will be focusing on the Other People Mindset of Supporting Others When They Struggle. This means when other people are struggling, we do our best to help them out.
Supporting other people when they struggle is a critical piece of being human. There are many different approaches to helping people who are struggling. These can include: listening while they describe an event and their feelings about it, taking action to help people in need, or simply just being there and sitting together in silence. Everyone faces tough days and needs support, and this support leads to a chain of prosocial behavior that makes us feel good about ourselves and our group.
To practice and encourage the character strength of perspective with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Track 4
Dear Families,
This week our school community will be focusing on the character strength of Self-Control. Self-control means you can control your emotions and behaviors. You think before you act.
Self-control is the act of managing behavior in a way that positively influences goal attainment and living up to standards. Possessing this strength protects people from destabilizing emotional extremes. Those with self-control can limit impulsive behavior. They are able to experience and navigate difficulty while remaining poised. Self-control does not mean a lack of thoughts, feelings, or impulses; it just means you have command over them.
A group’s ability to demonstrate self-control often appears in the form of “self-monitoring.” This means the individuals demonstrate honesty with one another about successful group practices. When things are unsuccessful, group members can adjust roles in the interest of overall group success.
To practice and encourage the character strength of self-control with your child, please visit the Positivity Project’s P2 for Families (password: P2), where together you will watch a video, read a quote, and talk about the answers to three questions.
Have a wonderful week!
Counselor Connection
Here is a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) activity you can do with your kids at home!
Empathy in Action
Skills targeted: Empathy, Perspective-Taking
How to try it: Spend some time watching a show or movie. At any given time, pause and discuss how the characters are feeling. You might ask: “How are they feeling?” and “How would you feel if that happened to you?” Use this conversation to build on considering how others feel, discussing social cues, and caring about their emotions.Technology Resources
Parent Teacher Association
For our Cheetah-rific 5th Graders!
Yard Signs
Yard Sign (Without Name): https://hsespta.memberhub.com/store/items/962394
OR
(Personalized): https://hsespta.memberhub.com/store/items/962395
T-Shirt Donations
T-Shirt Donation: https://hsespta.memberhub.com/store/items/964567
Order Your 2023-24 Yearbook!
Yearbook Photos!
Thank you to all the Cheetarific Families who have participated in our events this year! We need your help to ensure all the best moments you captured of your Cheetahs make it into the YEARBOOK! Follow the QR codes for each event, or the links provided. By uploading to the correct event folder it helps get your photos into the yearbook and in the right place!
STEAM Night/Science Fair: https://plicbooks.com/go/TC63RP
Cheetah Pride Fridays https://plicbooks.com/go/TFCNNH
Fall Movie Night (Mario Movie) https://plicbooks.com/go/CD5R8J
Fall Walk, Bike Roll to School https://plicbooks.com/go/GWT37W
Boosterthon
Track 1 https://plicbooks.com/go/46QWKE
Track 2 https://plicbooks.com/go/NG6G29
Track 3 https://plicbooks.com/go/5YXYNA
Track 4 https://plicbooks.com/go/9XCFMM
School Store
Rent the Spirit Rock!
YES, you read that right! We have a NEW SPIRIT ROCK! Our new rock is directly behind our Carpool rock & sits facing the Bus loop. Now our bus and van riders will have a front row view of even more celebrations! Please pay close attention to CARPOOL or BUS LOOP when making your reservations. Choose either the CARPOOL LOOP or BUS LOOP. We cannot guarantee that your week will be available if you rent the wrong rock.
https://app.memberhub.gives/hsesspiritrock
The HSES Spirit Rock is a great way to send a message for all to see! Congratulate your favorite student on an accomplishment, wish a student a Happy Birthday, celebrate a team win or let everyone know how much you love our school. Reserve the Spirit Rock HERE ($25/week).