HES Monthly Newsletter

Students at HES are settled into their routines and learning has taken off. One of my favorite things to do as an administrator is to go from classroom to classroom, sit in on lessons and experience the amazing instruction, conversations, and learning that is happening in the classrooms. I see students focused on their work, conversing with partners about topics, and stretching their skills to grow their knowledge. Not to brag (ok, I'll brag a little bit!), but if you don't know already, Heppner Elementary School is a very special place with educators that go above and beyond to serve your students. They hold high expectations not only for students, but for themselves, and it shows in the quality teaching that is happening every day. I am proud to not only be a part of this school, but a parent with students here as well.

One example of how our teachers dig in to support every student is through bi-weekly grade level band meetings that we call "PLCs." Teachers meet to discuss student data and performance, align their teaching, and problem solve. Additionally, these teams meet once a month with our specialists and use the "hive mind" to identify students that need to build additional skills or be challenged in their learning. Past, present, and future teachers all work together to help every student at HES succeed- the unique format of having one (ish) teacher per grade level creates an environment where every staff member is invested in every student.

Conferences are winding down, and I want to take this time to thank teachers and parents for collaborating and spending time building relationships and connections to support students. I appreciate the teamwork and community that is built during these times as we look forward to the next part of our school year.

November comes with more football and volleyball games, boys basketball, holidays, hunting seasons, unpredictable weather.... phew! There is a lot to create stress and fatigue in anyone, let alone children. Please be considerate of the rest that your student is getting; as the article I attached in the previous newsletter told us, students that sleep are more likely to succeed than those that do not get adequate rest. Second quarter is a big push for teachers to teach new material, and often the skills are getting more complex. Rested students will be more equipped to take on the challenges of the classroom and transfer that information to solidified learning. I understand that we all have occasional long nights, and there is no judgement there! I highly encourage families to find a general routine to follow so students can come rested most days.

I hope the start of the holiday season is treating the Heppner Elementary School families well, and I look forward to what our 2nd quarter of the 2024-2025 school year brings!

Sincerely,

Laura Winters

Principal, HES

One attribute that we as educators try to instill in our students is having a growth mindset. The concept is fairly simple- a belief that we can always learn and improve. The opposite of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset- the belief that we are born with certain skills or deficits, and we cannot improve these even with practice. An example of a fixed mindset is "I'm not a math person," or on the flip side "she's just naturally good at basketball." Although some people are born with traits that may assist them in learning skills faster or more easily, we as educators believe that EVERY student can learn. Students that trust the process of hard work and practice will be more successful in the long run than students that easily understand concepts, but don't put in the work to practice or improve. I think of two sisters I knew from the Seattle area- both very talented athletes. One sister had more natural talent in her sport than the other, but did not put in the work to improve because it came so easily. People assumed that she would go far because of this. At first, she won everything, but that changed later in her career. Her younger sister worked hard, practiced consistently, and pushed herself trusting that she could gain the strength and technique necessary to succeed even when she initially didn't win. In the end, who do you think ended up with an Olympic medal? The one that trusted her ability to improve with hard work.

In the classroom, this looks like students asking for help instead of sitting there not doing work, working with teammates to solve problems instead of waiting for someone to give them the answer, and seeing mistakes as opportunities to learn instead of failures. This sounds like students saying "I don't understand this YET" instead of "I can't do this."

At home, the best way to support your student with developing a growth mindset is to encourage them to try new things, attempt tasks on their own, make it okay to not get things the first try, and sell mistakes as opportunities to learn. I like to tell students that if they could do everything the first try, we'd all be out of a job! Mistakes are evidence that we are trying new, hard things, and we will get it with time and effort.

A natural extension of a growth mindset is grit- the ability to push through when things get tough. Students that can work through hard things are more successful in school, and I would argue in life. I know, especially with younger students, that this is a skill that needs to be taught! Teachers often tell their students that "you can do hard things." We encourage students to keep trying, work through the problem or task with assistance, and help them see success by their own hard work.

At home, encourage your child to do things on their own as much as possible- I know it is SO much faster to just tie their shoes and head out the door, the tell them what to write, or to just make that sandwich for them. The more students see themselves as able to accomplish tasks and do hard things, the more independent they will be and more likely they will take on challenges in the classroom and in life. Positive talk like "I know you can do it with hard work," or "this is hard but you've got it" will motivate them to keep trying. I am not saying never help, just guide from the side as much as you can!

Parents of 6th graders, and I am completely including myself in this one, the time for independence, grit, and responsibility is now. As our students look toward joining the Junior High at HHS next year, our kids need to be able to advocate for themselves (even when it's hard), organize themselves (even when it's hard), take control of the effort and responsibility of their learning (even when it's hard), and make good decisions (especially when it's hard). Talk with your 6th grader about what they are doing now, and how they can prepare themselves for a new school experience so that it is not a rough transition. We are doing our part here, and the more they hear it at home as well, the better!

Our Head of the Herd assembly takes place on Thursday, November 7th at 2:00pm. Awards will look slightly different this year- each teacher selects two students per quarter from their class to recognize for being leaders in our school. Students can be leaders in a variety of ways, and a big focus for me as a principal is developing leaders and students of character that contribute to our community and society. I am excited that our student council members will be out front at this assembly, taking charge and work to recognize the leadership through out the school. Leaders serve others, have grit and a growth mindset, are kind and respectful, and step in when others need help. Leaders do not need to be the loudest and most outgoing personality; leading by example and quietly supporting others is a trait that should be recognized and celebrated as well. I look forward to celebrating with students families on the 7th!