HPS MLD News

November🍗

Hello November👋

Dear HPS Families,

October has zoomed by, and we are immersed into Fall! Amazing things are happening throughout the District. November is a month of transitions and change. The clocks will go back on November 3, 2024. The leaves have almost all fallen and the planning for winter is all but done. Students have settled into the routines of school. Report cards are about to be sent home. We had our first Family Engagement Event on October 28. We met with some of our wonderful families and found ways to working together to create change. November…the month of change.

As we approach cold and flu season, please see below for a graphic. We appreciate you keeping these guidelines in mind during the long, winter months.

English
Arabic
Bengali

We are also thankful! As we prepare to take a short break from school for Thanksgiving (November 27-November 29, 2024), we want to share our gratitude for everyone who makes it possible for as many students to come to school every day, on time, ready to learn. Have a safe holiday and enjoy the time with family and friends.

Sincerely,

Afrin F. Alavi/MLD Director

Mirjana Maros/MLD District Facilitator

Amela Kukic/MLD Admin Assistant

News From MLD District Facilitator

What is the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy?

The Michigan Seal of Biliteracy is an award given to students who show proficiency in English and at least one other world language by the time they graduate from high school. This Michigan Seal celebrates the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of our state.

The Michigan Seal of Biliteracy can be beneficial for students in several ways:

Employment Opportunities: Recognized by employers such as Crossmark, H&R Block, MGM Resorts International, Homeland Security, and Bank of America.
College Admissions and Credit: Valued by higher education institutions for admissions and granting world language college credits.
21st Century Skills: Prepares students with important skills for the modern workforce.

Eligibility for the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy

To be eligible, students must meet the Hamtramck Public Schools graduation requirements and demonstrate one of the following:

Language Proficiency: Achieve Intermediate High proficiency in a world language.
OR
Foreign Language Instruction: Provide a transcript from a foreign school showing successful completion of at least one year of instruction in a language other than English, starting from grade 6.

Interested in Learning More?

If you're interested in the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy for your child, please apply [HERE].

Report Cards

Report cards are an essential form of school-home communication, and they are only useful if everyone knows what the letters and numbers mean. You will also find your child's ML Progress Report enclosed with the report card.

If your child does bring home a report card that is not as good as you expected, below are some ways of helping your child make progress again:

Make an appointment to review your child’s progress with the teacher: Report cards are not detailed. Your child’s teacher can tell you more about the areas your child needs to work on.

Work with the teacher to develop a plan to help your child: Things to consider may be tutoring, a seat at the front of the class, or extra lessons to work on at home with a parent/guardian.

What is really going on? If your child is challenged in math, maybe they missed an important concept many months ago or even last year. Work with your child’s teacher to identify where your child got lost.

If your child’s grades dropped in every subject: Think about other reasons such as anxiety, social pressure, or disturbances (e.g., video games, phone, etc.).

Ensure your child that you still love them and will help them get their grades up where you both know they can be.

ML Home-to-School Coordinating Specialist

Join us for a Parent Workshop at Tau Beta on Wednesday, November 13 , 2024, from 1:30-3:00 pm. This workshop will provide valuable information on how to access and utilize Parent Square Q Communication and Q Parent Connection. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Afaf Saleh, the ML Home-to-School Coordinating Specialist, at 313-729-9764 or email: aasaleh@hamtramckschools.org

Empowerment Through Education: Summer Parent Workshops

This past summer, we had the pleasure of hosting a series of six dynamic workshops tailored specifically for parents. These sessions were carefully crafted to provide valuable insights and strategies aimed at enhancing parental skills and supporting the growth and development of their children.

The topics covered in these sessions were diverse and impactful, including "Self-Care: The Essentials for Parents and Guardians," "The Basics: The Socially and Emotionally Intelligent Parent," "Parenting in the Midst of Challenging Times," "Healthy Communication and Managing Conflict as a Family Unit," and "Parenting the Child You Have."

Parents who attended these workshops were not only enriched with knowledge but also received two insightful books: "A Year of Self-Care" by Dr. Zoe Shaw and "Stop Yelling Love Me More" by Jennifer N. Smith. Furthermore, each session featured an exciting raffle with prizes such as a Detroit Zoo family membership, backpacks, and kids' school supplies kits. As a token of appreciation, Self-Care packages were also distributed to all attending parents.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the parents who participated in our recent workshops. For those who were unable to join us, we eagerly anticipate your presence this upcoming summer as we continue to offer these invaluable sessions. Stay tuned for details on the summer workshops, which will be shared across all communication platforms in the spring. Thank you for your support and active participation.

Early Childhool Elementary (ECE)

We proudly celebrated Bilingual Children Month by engaging students in different activities, including all domains of learning: listening, reading, speaking, writing, and viewing.
The favorite part was the project: I am Bilingual! What’s your Superpower? Students were very excited to see their superheroe posters with their information written on it and displayed in the hallway. They proudly showed them to their peers.
In addition, students were exposed to some bilingual books in different languages which attracted their curiosity and desire to read some of the books.
Based on how my students accepted this whole project, I already have even bigger plans for next year🙂 Stay tuned!

Dickinson East Elementary (DE)

Taking our 3rd grade ML students to Cedar Farm was a wonderful experience for everyone. For many, it was their first time at a farm, and the excitement was contagious. They started with a fun hayride and train ride around the fields, taking in the sights and sounds of the farm. As they passed by various animal pens, their eyes lit up, especially when they had a chance to pet some of the animals, an activity they eagerly participated in. A big highlight was milking a pretend cow, and pumpkin picking which gave them a hands-on feel of what farm life is like.

The visit wouldn't have been complete without enjoying delicious farm treats. The students relished warm donuts and sipped on apple cider, savoring every bite and sip as they chatted about their favorite parts of the day. For many of them, this experience went beyond just a fun trip; it was a valuable way to build background knowledge and deepen their connection to new cultural experiences. This day at Cedar Farm is one they will carry with them, not just as a fond memory but as a learning experience that made them feel part of their new environment.

Dickinson West Elementary (DW)

During the month of October, we started with our ML pull-out groups and pushing into classrooms as well. Students started using our new program from Summit K12, “Connect to Literacy.” This is in addition to our Reach Higher program. Students are using the Reach Higher program to answer the Big Question “What Makes a Family?” for some groups and “What Makes a Community?” for other groups for their first unit. We also had Parent-Teacher conferences on Oct 10th. Thank you to all the parents that attended.

Holbrook

Holbrook’s Restorative Practices’ Coordinator, Ms. Sheila Flowers and the PBIS team worked on the following:

Character Trait: Responsibility/Being Responsible October
Character Trait: Gratitude/Being Thankful November
Videos, classroom discussions. Responsibility Poem, art drawing depicting responsibility (October) and gratitude (November) Candy Gram - $1.00 per gram (October) Caramel Apple Gram (November)

Students were asked to read a Responsibility poem on the intercom. Students will be asked to read a Gratitude Poem in November. Here is a picture of Zahoor practicing.

Jennifer Majchrzak Czarnik works diligently with our newcomers. She helps students identify objects, reviewing letters & sounds, and using the four domains.

Holbrook Principal/ML Meetings will take place once a month on a Wednesday in Holbrook’s library 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Pick up and bring your child(ren) to the library for principal updates, concerns, strategies and activities from Mr. Talmadge, Jennifer Majchrzak Czarnik, Sheila Flowers and Aieda Dabish.

Mr. Talmadge, Jennifer Majchrzak Czarnik and Ms. Sheila Flowers facilitated Holbrook’s first Parent Principal and ML Meeting on Wednesday, October 23. Holbrook’s second meeting will take place Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

“Bilingualism is My Superpower” 5th Grade ML Students

Tau Beta (TB)

Happening in November

On November 14th Tau Beta’s 5th grade ML groups are going to the National Arab American Museum. They have just finished a unit on I=immigration in the program we use with 5th grade groups (Reach Higher 5 by National Geographic) and are looking forward to learning about how one immigrant community has faced both challenges and contributed significantly to the broader American experience.

Strategies to Try at Home in October

Have daily conversations with your children about their day at school. Ask them to tell you or even to write a few sentences in English or in their first language about what they are learning in Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. Encourage them to speak in complete sentences. For example, they might say, “Today I learned about adding fractions in math”.

Resources

1. Practice sight words with your Kindergarteners, 1st and 2nd graders here:

Kinder 1, Kinder 1st 2nd

2. Encourage your children in Grades 2-8 to work on Summit K-12 daily. This program is located in Clever and working on it consistently will help your child exit the English Language Program/score proficient on the WIDA ACCESS.

October Activities and Celebrations

On October 25th, we had the pleasure to meet some of our students’ parents during the Coffee with the Principal event. It is amazing to see how our students’ parents are involved in their children’s school life. Thank you for an interesting conversation and useful suggestions. We are looking forward to seeing even more parents in November.

Kosciuszko Middle School (KMS)

We had a fascinating October at Kosciuszko Middle School!

Dr. Cackett came to visit us with three other associate professors from Wayne State University on October 7. The students were so happy to speak to them in Bangla and Polish! Dr. Cackett and his team brought three telescopes for us to look through to see the sun and the sunspots. Students had to look through the telescopes and then they were required to draw where they located the sunspots. Thank you Mrs. Housey-Johnson for organizing this wonderful in-house field trip for our multilingual students!

Our Cougar Store will be opening next week and we are very excited to announce that our multilingual students are in charge of the store. Pictures to come next month!

Hamtramck High School (HHS)

One important tip that benefits our ML students and helps them to learn the English language faster is the seeking opportunities for immersion. Language immersion is one of the most effective ways to learn a language consistently. For our ML students, this means placing oneself in an environment where the target language is the primary mode of communication. Encourage your children to make friends with students from different cultures.

We had amazing Parent Teacher Conferences on October 10. They were so engaging for our ML students and their families. It was Fall PSAT Testing Week, and our 11th graders were tested on October 22, 10th graders on October 23, and 9th graders on October 24.

A new and exciting thing that is happening at HHS school is the IST Instructional Support Time. It has a strict focus on academic support. Every week, the students have opportunities to work on missing assignments, complete homework or classwork, meet with their teachers to discuss their grades, time for test corrections (if allowed by their teacher), study, SAT prep and work on college applications (seniors).

Horizon

Our students visited Blake’s Apple Orchard on October 8 and had a great time. Students picked apples, drank apple cider and had donuts. Some of the students were exposed to farm animals for the first time. They also visited a small haunted house.

October 10 was our parent/teacher conference. We were happy to speak with our parents and show them their child’s progress.

October 11, we had a building PLC with Joshua Ray and spoke about effective collaboration in teams. He also showed us some AI websites that would make differentiation easier.

October 14- 16 I was at the Special Population Conference in Lansing. It was my first time going and I heard some amazing speakers. A great big thank you to Mrs. Alavi, Mrs. Maros, and Mrs. Kukic for making this happen. Teamwork makes the dream work!

At Horizon, we celebrated students with perfect attendance. They were given little bags of treats. All the students were honored to be recognized.

ML students are working diligently on Summit K12 and iReady in hopes that this will bring up students' scores.

Resources

Paraphrasing-Tool

Reword Phrases, Rewrite Sentences, Rephrase Expressions, Paraphrase Statements

USDA I Speak Statements

The "I Speak" resource document is available to help identify the primary language of non-English speakers. It uses a short phrase in each of the 49 languages that an applicant can check to indicate the language they speak.