November 2022 Hawk Talk

Hello Maple Hill Hawk Families! Welcome to our November Hawk Talk. This newsletter is packed with resources and information for November. Please read through this carefully.

In the month of November, students will be focusing on the character trait of gratitude. Our ability to have gratitude grows every time we experience an activity that helps us understand and appreciate acts of kindness. Gratitude can be modeled and practiced in the home regularly. Here is a link to 20 Gratitude Activities for Kids as a way to gather some ideas to help your child learn more about gratitude.

Lastly, we are blessed to live in a community with resources to support families. We have a wonderful city that plans events for families and a library with many resources available to families in our community. Below is a list of links to those various resources.

Every year on November 1, Native American Heritage Month is celebrated to honor Native Americans who have contributed to improving the nation's character. This month is also called American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. November is the time to rejoice in diverse and rich cultures, histories, and traditions, and to appreciate the significant contributions of Native Americans. This month allows us to spread awareness about tribes or to educate people about the various challenges faced by Native Americans in the past and today.

Please click on the link below to learn more.

At Maple Hill, we have a student store where students can "buy" treats, supplies, and toys using McNeil Money. Students earn McNeil Money when they earn a Principal Award, do a school-wide job, or make excellent choices inside and outside the classroom. This is a fun way for students to pick a reward for the great things they are doing around campus.

If you or someone you know would like to donate items for the student store, please email Mrs. Mcneil at kmcneil@wvusd.org.We would love donations such as snacks, small toys, and school supplies.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help donate items to the student store.

November 2 - MHCC Meeting (see below)

November 2- VIP Luncheon (see below)

November 3- Early out day- TK/K dismissed at 11:30 am and 1st -5th dismissed at 12:40 pm

November 9- ELAC Meeting (see below)

November 9- SSC Meeting (see below)

November 9- El Pollo Loco Family Night Out (see below)

November 10- Early out day- TK/K dismissed at 11:30 am and 1st -5th dismissed at 12:40 pm

November 11- Veterans Day Holiday- NO SCHOOL

November 14-18- Parent Conference Week (see below)

November 18- Parents can view report cards online (see below)

November 21-25 Thanksgiving Break- NO SCHOOL

November 30 Make-up picture day

Please join us for our Maple Hill Community Club (MHCC) meeting. Everyone is welcome to come and learn more about the MHCC and hear about the great things they have planned for the school year. They plan fun events for students, help our school maintain important supplies, and help to make Maple Hill a wonderful place to come to. This year we plan to hold these meetings in person as long as it is safe to do so. This is a great way to connect with other parents and learn more about how you can help here at Maple Hill. Everyone is welcome.

***During our meeting this month, Mrs. McNeil will share our CAASPP Scores from the 2021-2022 school year.***

MHCC Meeting

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

From 8:10 am -9:15 am

In the Multipurpose Room at Maple Hill

Schedule

8:10 am - 8:25 am - Light breakfast and get to know other parents

8:25 am - 9:15 am - Hear from our MHCC Executive board, the principal, Mrs. McNeil, and the teacher representative, Theresa Rovira

Students who raised $300 or more during our Fall Enrichment Fundraiser are invited to attend our VIP Luncheon on Wednesday, November 2nd. See below for more information.

Maple Hill's second ELAC meeting will be on:

Wednesday, November 9th, 2022

Location: Maple Hill MPR

Time: 8:30 am - 9:15 am

Mandarin and Korean translators will be available.

During this meeting, we will be sharing the following information:

• Attendance
• EL progress monitoring
• Report card/parent conferences
• Share out the Need Assessment results from last year

Maple Hill's second SSC meeting will be on:

Wednesday, November 9th, 2022

Location: Maple Hill MPR

Time: 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

During this meeting, we will be gathering input and sharing information on the following things:

• State test scores
• ELAC needs Assessment data collected from 2021-2022 school year
• School Safety Plan

Schedule:

Mon. 11/14- minimum day dismissal at 11:35 am for all students

Tues. 11/15- minimum day dismissal at 11:35 am for all students

Wed. 11/16- regular dismissal TK/K at 1:16 pm and 1st-3rd at 2:35 pm, 4th-5th at 2:40 pm

Thurs. 11/17- early out dismissal TK/K at 11:30 am 1st-5th at 12:40 pm

Fri. 11/18- minimum day dismissal at 11:35 am for all students

Reminders:

• Please allow plenty of time to park and walk up to the school before your scheduled conference time.
• Follow all signage for parking on the streets surrounding the school. Please DO NOT park in the staff parking lot since we have limited parking.
• Enter the school through the front door when arriving on campus.
• Your child's teacher will have a chair outside their classroom door in the hallway for you to sit and wait if you arrive early to your conference time.
• Please contact your child's teacher directly if you have specific questions regarding your child's conference time.

Parents can access their child's report card online via the Aeries Parent Portal on November 18th after 4:00 pm. Please see below for directions on how to access the report card.

Our SEL enrichment lesson this month will be on gratitude.We will have a meaningful discussion on what gratitude means and the importance of giving thanks. Students will also be encouraged to show gratitude to those people around them and appreciate what they have in life. We will also discuss the understanding and appreciation of differences and similarities amongst needs and wants.

Family Book Guide:

Reading books about gratitude is a great way to have discussions with your child about meaningful ways to see all the things in life they can be grateful for.

Here are some literature suggestions:

TK/K: Bear Says Thanks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G2WXWZu3jw

1st-3rd: Gratitude is my Superpower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK7jmAUoASI

4th-5th: Those Shoes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJOoiF0W8jo

• Discuss ways the characters in each book are showing gratitude.
• Discuss the people and the things your family is grateful to have in your life.
• Explore the difference between needs and wants.

Family Gratitude Activity Ideas:

Gratitude is being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen in your life and taking the time to express appreciation and return kindness. Being grateful is more than saying thank you. When you express gratitude, it can actually lead to a stronger sense of well-being. Here are some activities you can do as a family that show gratitude. Each activity can be modified to suit your personal needs:

• Thank you card: Think about something kind or thoughtful someone has done for you and make them a homemade thank you card. It will be sure to show them your gratitude and how much you appreciate what they did for you.
• Gratitude Jar: https://viewsfromastepstool.com/diy-gratitude-jar-upcycled-kid-made-simple/
• Thankful Turkey Craft: https://www.theresourcefulmama.com/thankful-turkey-kid-craft-and-book/

Mrs. Derry

Maple Hill

School Counselor

lderry@wvusd.org

I have had parents reach out to me about safety in front of our school. Please be aware that it is all of our responsibility to keep our students safe when dropping off and picking up students from school. Please follow all signage and laws when driving near a school. Some of the specific concerns include:

• parking in the loading and unloading zones
• students exiting cars in the middle of the street
• adults not using the yellow-designated crosswalks
• adults walking across the parking lot and driveways
• illegal parking and blocking traffic in the parking lot at Maple Hill Park

The loading and unloading zones should only be used by families who have children who can independently enter and exit the car from the passenger side ONLY. The driver should NOT exit the car. Also please be aware that all safety rules should be followed by adults and students and that includes using the sidewalks to enter and exit campus, as well as using the yellow designated crosswalks when crossing the street. As for the Park parking lot, please follow all safety laws and be courteous to other drivers.

We will continue to educate families and help students stay safe. Unfortunately, we can not regulate drivers' decisions or manage the Maple Hill Park parking lot. If you have concerns about either of these things please contact our local sheriff's department to voice your concerns.

Email: kmcneil@wvusd.org
Website: www.maplehillschool.org
Location: 1350 Maple Hill Road, Diamond Bar, CA, USA
Phone: 909-861-6224