Husky Herald

Don't forget that Monday, February 3 will be an eLearning Day for students. This is to make up the day missed on January 22. Please return completed work to your child's teacher within one week so that your child can be counted present for the day. Please let us know if you have questions.

The PTO will sponsor a Sweetheart Dance on Friday, February 7 at 6:00 pm . We invite you to join us for an evening of fun with your sweethearts! There will be no charge for admission, but there will be other items available for purchase. Please understand that the dance is for Hunter Street students, and they must be accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older.

Just a reminder that Intercession Week is coming up the last week in February. Also note that Friday, February 28 has been designated as an eLearning Day to make-up for October 1. Student work will be sent home the week prior, and students will have one week to return completed work to be counted present for the day. Please let us know if you have questions or need assistance.

The academic calendar for the 25-26 school year was approved at the December School Board meeting. Once again, we will follow a modified calendar that includes Intercession weeks in October and February. Please use the button below to take a look at key dates for next school year. School will start on Monday, August 4, 2025.

Hunter Street houses two Montessori classrooms that provide an opportunity for children across York School District One. The Montessori Kindergarten is for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds and is filled each year through a lottery. There are ten slots for 3-year-olds and ten slots for 4-year-olds. Children must be of age on or before September 1. Hours for 3-year-olds are 7:45-10:30; for 4-year-olds, 7:45-2:15.

If you or someone you know are interested in finding out more about the Montessori program, we will have an informational meeting on Wednesday, February 5 at 6:00 pm. During the meeting, we will give you some insight on expectations, how the program works, help you decide if Montessori is right for you and your family, and provide you with information on how to enter your child in the lottery. You may also find information on the district website, if you would like to do a little reading before the meeting. (Click the button below).

We strongly encourage parents to attend the informational meeting so that you clearly understand what the program has to offer. Lottery opens on Thursday, February 6 at 8:00 am, and closes on Thursday, February 13 at 5:00 pm. You will need to provide a copy of the child's birth certificate, picture ID of parent/guardian, and a current proof of residence as part of registering for the lottery. Items may be uploaded or brought to the school office. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

Examples of proof of residence: power bill, gas bill, water bill, property tax notice for land, or rental agreement showing the name and address. When uploading a power, gas or water bill, please be sure the SERVICE ADDRESS is visible - not the mailing address.

Third grade is a critical year for our students as they transition from learning to read to reading to learn. We are committed to supporting your child’s reading development and helping them succeed. Below are key details about the Read to Succeed Act and how it impacts third-grade reading expectations.

Why Third Grade Reading Matters
Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is essential for your child’s academic success. At this stage, students use reading skills to learn other subjects like math, science, and social studies. Developing fluency and comprehension now lays the foundation for future learning and success.

The Read to Succeed Act
The Read to Succeed Act ensures that all students gain the reading skills necessary for college, career, or military readiness. The law requires that third-grade students who do not demonstrate reading proficiency—scoring Does Not Meet Expectations on the SC Ready reading assessment—be retained for additional support.

Good Cause Exemptions
Students who qualify for specific Good Cause Exemptions may still be promoted to fourth grade. These exemptions include:

• Limited English proficiency (fewer than two years of English instruction).
• Disabilities requiring alternative assessments or interventions (as outlined in their IEP).
• Receiving reading interventions for two years and previously being retained.
• Demonstrating reading proficiency on an approved alternative assessment.

Please contact your school if you believe your child may qualify for an exemption.

Summer Reading Camp (SRC)
Students who do not meet the required reading level by the end of third grade will be invited to attend Summer Reading Camp. This program offers intensive, small-group instruction to help students strengthen their reading skills. Successful completion of the camp could lead to promotion to fourth grade.

How We Support Your Child
We are committed to helping every student become a confident, independent reader through:

• Additional instructional time focused on literacy.
• Small-group and individualized reading interventions.
• Specialized teacher training provided by literacy coaches.

We also monitor progress regularly and communicate results to keep you informed.

How You Can Help at Home
Your involvement is key to your child’s reading success. Here’s how you can help:

• Read Together Daily: Encourage your child to read aloud and ask questions like, “What happened in the story?” or “Why do you think that happened?”
• Communicate with Teachers: Stay in touch with your child’s teacher about their progress.
• Use School Resources: We’re here to provide tools and materials to support your child’s reading journey at home.

By working together, we can make this year a success for your child. If you have questions or need additional support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Thank you for partnering with us to make third grade a year of growth and learning!

February may be the shortest month, but it makes up for its lack of days with a plethora of celebrations, from Black History Month and Valentine’s Day to Presidents Day. Don't forget about Groundhog Day, and February is also Dental Health Month. This month’s reading challenge is no less eventful, spurring young readers to pick up books that touch on all the above topics while mixing it up with some fun and surprising suggestions.

Here are 10 reading goals for kids of all ages to complete this month:

Congratulations to this month's Hunter's Heroes! In January, students were challenged to demonstrate ways in which Huskies are CREATIVE. Each child was rewarded with a book from our vending machine! We are very proud of our Little Huskies!!

The word for February will be ENERGETIC. We can't wait to see how our boys and girls meet this challenge as they live the Husky Way!

February is National Dental Health month! A healthy mouth and teeth are an important part of a child’s overall wellness. Attached are steps for a healthy smile that you can review with your student. If your student has not ever had a dental visit for a dental cleaning, now is the perfect time to schedule one.

September is Attendance Awareness Month, a nationwide recognition of the connection between regular school attendance and academic achievement. Did you know that starting as early as preschool and kindergarten, regular attendance is essential for students gaining the academic and social skills they need to thrive? Research shows that when students are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of the school year or 18 days over an entire school year), they are less likely to read proficiently by third grade, achieve in middle school, and graduate from high school.

Let's take a look at what happens when students miss one day of school at Hunter Street:

• Socially: They are truly missed! Staff and fellow classmates notice when your child is not at school. We take a personal interest in the well-being of our students. We want them here so that they can learn the social skills, along with the academic skills, that lead to productive lives. Practicing those skills begins early.
• Academically: In the typical school day, a student receives between 90 and 120 minutes of language arts instruction, 60-75 minutes of math instruction, and 30-45 minutes of science and social studies instruction. Students miss out on discussion, collaboration with peers, and assistance from their teacher; all of which are so crucial for a deep understanding and application of skills. When they come back the next day, they have a gap in their learning and are not ready to move to the next step with their classmates.

Is there a time you should keep your child at home? Absolutely! When your child is sick, we certainly do not expect him/her to come to school. To read more about when you should keep your child at home, take a look at page 17 of Hunter Street's Parent Handbook. We also have a full-time nurse on staff. She will be able to help you if you have questions.

Your child will be the most successful when we work together. Please help us by insuring your child attends school regularly, and we will deliver the best possible instruction while he/she is here! Three things to keep in mind:

• Even if the absence is "excused," your child still missed the instruction.
• Even if the absence is "excused," the days count toward "chronic absenteeism".
• Chronic absenteeism is tracked by the state.

Chronic absenteeism is legally defined as "any students who misses 50% or more of the instructional day for any reason for 10% of the enrollment period." For elementary students, that equates to being absent for 18 days - whether excused or not - during the school year. Again, all absence types contribute to this number - excused, unexcused, suspensions, tardy arrivals, and early dismissals.

Another consideration with absences is whether they meet the threshold of truancy, which then becomes a legal matter. Truancy is defined as "a student between the ages of 6-17 who has accumulated 3 consecutive or a total of 5 or more unexcused/unlawful absences during the academic year. Continued unexcused absences after the truancy intervention process begins may result in referral to family court and/or the involvement of the Department of Social Services."

We understand that circumstances at times can be challenging. If you are in need of some assistance, please reach out. It is our desire to work with you and help you if you are in need. We have access to resources that may be able to provide support for you and your family.

Bottom line: We want and need your child at school each and every day!

When your child must be absent, you have a maximum of 3 days to send an excuse. Excuses may be sent to the teacher, or you may click the button below for our convenient online form. Please note that per YSD 1 policy, excuses will no longer be accepted after the 3-days.

Ms. Richardson’s class used the word of the month to demonstrate their creativity and construct a vehicle out of 2-deminsional geometric shapes. After learning all required 2-D shapes and their attributes, the students put their creativty to work and designed a vehicle. Next, they listed the shapes involved and amounts needed. Finally, they came up with adjectives to describe their creation. They were able to share their design with their classmates and with other classes by displaying their hard work in the hallway.

Many of our 3rd and 4th graders have been working diligently to complete the Connected as Readers book challenge and 4K-2nd grade students have been listening to their Connected as Readers titles read aloud in the library. Please make sure your students are returning their library books, so they are able to check out new books each week!

Lawton/Lemmons 4K class has been working on Concepts of Print. Students have practiced learning parts of a book all year, but now we are beginning to really focus on skills like finding a letter, a word, a sentence, finding the first word on the page, knowing the direction to read, and identifying pictures/illustrations. Our students collaborated in small groups during a "Concepts of Print Hunt". Groups were given labels with the terms PICTURE, LETTER, WORD, SENTENCE on them. Groups had to put these labels on the correct parts in their group book and show to the class when finished. Students also practiced this skill independently by highlighting these parts on projectable books on our smartboard. Learning concepts of print is an important skill for a strong Literacy foundation and our students are doing so well already! We are reminding them that letters make words, words make sentences, and sentences tell stories or give information. This is also a fun skill to practice at home when reading with your child ❤️

As we gear up for 2025, we begin to look to the future enrollment for our Montessori program! If you have a rising 3 or 4 year old who may be a good fit for the Montessori philosophy please join us on Wednesday, February 5th at 6:00 for our Informational Meeting. Maria Montessori was a doctor, a philosopher, and an educator. She created a way of teaching that has stood the test of time for over 100 years! In our Montessori program children work independently with hands on materials over a 2-3 hour work cycle. Children have opportunities for self direction and choice of their own learning. The children, the environment, and the teacher create a triad for learning and it is the teacher’s job to encourage and deepen the learning that they see taking place. Our children create beautiful works, learn order and organization, practice many practical life experiences, and work on academia all within the classroom environment. Our children stay within their Montessori classroom for enrollment until the end of their kindergarten year. “The greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” - Maria Montessori

In Kindergarten, students have been hard at work in math. Students have been learning and solving addition and subtraction problems within 10. Students must have a strong math foundation for adding and subtracting in order to solve real world story problems. Recently, students were given the opportunity to practice thinking about math in a different way. Students were given the answer to the math problem, and they had to work together in small groups to create a story and number sentence to match the answer they were given. Students were able to apply both math skills and collaboration skills as they worked together in small groups to complete the task. Students are learning that collaboration means working together. In order to effectively work together, students are given many chances to: Be Kind; Share and Be Helpful. These are the basic principles of collaboration in a Kindergarten classroom. We are proud of the way they are learning to work together to be stronger mathematicians!

We made it 100 days in First Grade! Students celebrated all of their hard work and progress by showing off their skip counting skills. We practiced skip counting by 5s and 10s all the way to 100 and beyond! Students practiced the addition strategy of "counting on" by rolling dice and coloring where they landed on their 100s chart. Students also were challenged to stack 100 cups without making them fall to grow their skills of collaboration and teamwork. Some students went above and beyond with their creativity by skip counting with 10 hair ties in each of their 10 tiny ponytails! We love seeing all the many ways our students show what they are learning! Students will be taking their math skills farther than ever in the coming weeks as they learn to add and subtract with two digit numbers!

Second grade has leveled up to three digits! We have been learning all about addition and subtraction across three place values with regrouping. In order to do this we need to have a really great grasp on place value and our strategies to solve addition and subtraction! We have been practicing through all sorts of ways! We have been using models, word problems, and collaboration with our classmates to solve greater and more challenging problems! We even got to work together to create our own word problems using Canva to challenge each other!

Our fourth grade MERIT students have been delving into number theory, exploring concepts that mathematicians have studied for thousands of years. Using the Sieve of Eratosthenes, they've strengthened their understanding of prime numbers and factor pairs. Students also learned about deficient, abundant, and perfect numbers. These activities have sparked curiosity, leading students to ask mathematical questions and investigations to find answers. Like mathematicians throughout history, students are developing critical thinking and logical reasoning skills while discovering enjoying mathematical processes!

The 3rd graders have been learning all about traits and inheritance in science. Early in the unit, students had to create their own monsters. To do so, they had to do a coding activity to determine each gene pair combination. After decoding everything, a picture of their monster was revealed. Check out ALL the different monster combinations below. (None of the monsters were the same!) Later in the unit, we learned about dominant and recessive traits. We did an activity where students had to flip a coin to determine if their dragon would receive a dominant or a recessive gene. Heads meant your dragon received a dominant gene, while tails meant your dragon would receive a recessive gene. After determining the gene, they used a chart to determine the attributes their dragon received, and then they had to bring it to life by drawing a picture of their dragon! Check out the unique dragon designs below.

In writing, our 4th graders are working on a collaborated piece of writing. The students are working in groups to develop a persuasive essay. The students got into groups based upon their feelings/opinions about a topic. The students then brainstormed reasons to support their topic. Next, the students researched evidence to support their reasonings. Now we are at the stage of writing the essay. The students will use Persuasive Writing Anchor Charts to help them develop their paragraphs for their essay. Once their rough draft is completed, the students will do some peer editing to help each other improve their writing. We are excited to see if some of their essays will change the world!!

February 3

eLearning Day for students - make-up for January 22

February 5

Montessori Informational Meeting - Lottery for 2025-2026 school year - 6:00 pm

February 6

School Improvement Council Meeting 7:45 am

Montessori Lottery Opens at 8:00 am

February 7

PTO Sweetheart Dance - 6-7 pm

February 10

Domino's Pizza Spirit Night

February 12

Midterms

Montessori Lottery closes at 5 pm

February 21

Notification for Montessori Lottery Participants

PTO Birthday Lunch

February 24 - 27 - Intercession

February 28

eLearning Day for Students - make-up for October 1