East Hills Connection #1

Happy Monday!

First, thank you to all our veterans in our families. We are so grateful and proud of your service to our country.

Our students are hard at work in their 2nd quarter! This year is going pretty fast, but we want to make the most of every minute!

One important thing to remind all--the only way to see report cards now- coming to you on November 18th- is to see them through your ParentVue account (new Synergy system). Please make sure you have an account up and running so you don't have to wait a minute to see those report cards!

Another important thing is that Parent Teacher conferences are coming soon! Your child's team leader sent you a Google Form so that you can sign up for those conferences. We hope to see many families those days!

Thank you for helping us connect!

Mr. Horvath, Mr. Podhyski and Mrs. Braun

11/1-11/15: Thanksgiving Food Drive

11/18: Report Card MP 1 posted to ParentVUE

11/25 and 11/26: Parent/Teacher Conferences (11:30 Dismissal)

11/27-12-2: School Closed (Thanksgiving Break)

12/5: EHBOA Concert @ FHS (7 PM)

12/11: Choir Winter Concert (7 PM)

12/16: Jazz Band and Orchestra Concert (7 PM)

12/20: Half-Day In-service (11:30 Dismissal)

12/23-1/3: School Closed (Winter Break)

1/6: School Reopens

We are collecting items for our BASD families in need. If you are able to bring in item(s), please find your Student's Team on the spreadsheet to access the Thanksgiving Food Drive Google Form for your student's team. From here, you can sign up for item(s) to bring in to fill your team's box. Please email Sarah Matyus (smatyus@basdschools.org) or Russ Leinbach (rleinbach@basdschools.org) or if you have any questions.

This section is to celebrate a student that we'd like to acknowledge for something fantastic. Please feel free to send in such accolades with a picture of your child. rbraun@basdschools.org

Email me the details of an amazing accomplishment of an East Hills Charger with a picture of the student you would like to nominate!

rbraun@basdschools.org

Chores! How to Get Your Tween to Clean

Why is this such a struggle? Despite your pleas, warnings and threats to remove devices, the garbage is still inside,

socks are on the floor, and the kid is on another device. Try these quick motivators.

1. Push past the whine and play the long game.

Early adolescents are testing their boundaries. It's tough, but hold strong. Chores are part of preparing for adulthood routines. When the whining starts, imagine your kid taking care of themselves in ten, fifteen years. Can they cook, do laundry, and be responsible at their job? That image alone can give us parents the extra push we need to stand firm and stick to the chore plan.

2. Family chore time

Sometimes kids need a partner to motivate them, either a sibling or parent. If everyone is doing a chore simultaneously, it gets done faster, establishes a routine, and you can gamify it by setting a timer.

3. Make the choice between "Boredom or Chores", instead of "Games or Chores".

Chores have to be done before games. Keep it simple. There is no other option.

4. Provide rewards and keep a structure. Here is a downloadable chore chart: When the chart is complete, make a payday. Give kids some say in the reward they want to earn.

5. Be consistent and reward yourself. We've heard most habits take 30 days to start being established. The chore habit has to last for years! Your chore is the hardest: to keep the system running, with consistent consequences and rewards. Parents, remember to reward yourselves. You deserve it!

Looking for something to do this weekend? Explore a variety of FREE events and activities happening within the #BASDcommunity in the event section of the BASD website.

To check out upcoming events, FOLLOW THIS LINK.

The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is a nationally recognized competition program for students in grades 6, 7 and 8 which challenges talented mathletes to solve difficult math problems under a time constraint in a competitive setting. At the local, state and national level, students win hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships and prizes every year.

This club will meet with Mr. Collier on Wednesdays after school. Meeting time is from 3:05-4:15 in room 213. Students will also meet during activity periods throughout the school day. During these meetings, students will practice concepts not encountered in class.

Click the link to sign up for MATHCOUNTS: https://forms.gle/7TNCCe2cportFR9a9

CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP FOR STEP/DANCE TEAM

Attention girls interested in playing basketball. Open gym sessions will begin on Tuesday 10/29 and continue for the following dates. Open gym sessions will be from 3:05pm - 5:05pm in the gymnasium. Please see Ms. Babinsky in room 147 to get the required form. Only students who complete this form will be able to participate.

Open Gym will be held for East Hills Boys on October 28th & 30th as well as November 6th ,11th and 13th. Permission forms can be picked up outside room 309.

East Hills Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society chapter is honored to win the Service Award of Excellence! This award celebrates our significant contributions to the community and our spirit of service. #NHSserviceExcellence #easthillsmiddleschool #BASDproud

Life is PANDEMONIUM at Freedom High School! We are so excited to invite you to the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on November 22-24! Tickets will be on sale on 10/5! Two musicals in a year for our community!

A riotous ride, complete with audience participation, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a delightful den of comedic genius. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a fast-paced crowd pleaser and an instant theatre patron favorite.

bit.ly/FHSTCtickets

East Hills Parents and Guardians,

Be in the know this school year by signing up for the EHMS Parent Association emails! Click the link to provide your name and email address.

This is an opt-in only list, so you MUST register your email to get the info from the Parent Association.

Sign Up Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_6FOsHtCB7M4phyyOkHwJBFEHZ2pxOwEmICxlp5XdWEXhEA/viewform

Mrs. Constanzo shares some great ways to be healthy this school year!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

You received your Synergy ParentVUE Activation Key letter by USPS mail.

If you need your Synergy ParentVUE Activation Key please email awest@basdschools.org.

PARENTVUE

Synergy ParentVUE gives parents/guardians access to your child’s schedules, grades, attendance, discipline, etc. You can see records for all of your children with this single log-in by clicking each child’s name. You can access ParentVUE through your computer’s browser or mobile devices.

Steps for activating your Synergy ParentVUE account are below. Please use a browser to complete these steps.

1. Using your computer's Internet browser, go to https://PA-BET-PSV.edupoint.com.

2. Click on "I am a Parent."

3. Click on the Activate Account button to create your account.

4. Accept the privacy statement

5. Enter your first and last name exactly as shown at the bottom of this letter, along with the activation key.

6. You'll be prompted to choose a username and password, provide an email address, and complete your account set-up. Please securely record your password where you can find it for future use. You will be returned to the login screen.

AFTER you’ve activated your account, you can then download the appropriate free mobile app:

iPhones: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parentvue/id412054615

Androids: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.FreeLance.ParentVUE

In addition to Synergy ParentVUE accounts, parents whose children are in middle school or high school should also have a Schoology Parent account. Synergy is the District's student information system. Schoology is the district's learning management system. Synergy and Schoology are both used to support your child's learning.

For parents who already had a Schoology account, there is no change and no further action is needed. If there is a East Hills student missing on your current Schoology account, please email awest@basdschools and request that student to be added.

For parents who do not already have a Schoology account and your child is in Grades 6-12, you should've received an email invite to create a Schoology account.

For parents who do not have a Schoology username and password and didn't receive an email invitation, the district does not have an email address on file for you and/or your ParentVUE account has not been activated. Please activate your ParentVUE account. If you need to provide an email to the system email that information to awest@basdschools.org. Once that is complete, a Schoology account invitation will be sent to you at a later date.

New for 2024-25

Summer is coming to a close and often we neglect to realize many of the changes the students will need to become accustomed to when school starts. Waking up early, preparing to catch the bus or travel to school, schoolwork, homework, and the list goes on.

One major area to consider is that your children will not have the same access to their cell phones when they become students again.

Parents, please prepare your child(ren) for the adjustment. Most parents have limitations they set for their children throughout the summer days to limit screen time. However, all of the students and you as parents need to know that we are adjusting our standards for the upcoming school year. We looked back on the level of distraction vs. usefulness cell phones have provided over the past few years and we realize the need to set a tone for the school day to be largely void of the distractions of cell phones. Here is what you should prepare your child(ren) for when they return to school:

Students may not CARRY phones in hands, pockets, etc. Cell phones must not be out at all. They must remain in bags during the school day. This means:

1. Students can never use cell phones in class, hallway or office without teacher/staff permission.

2. Students can never carry cell phones in hand in the hallway.

3. Students can never take cellphones to/in the lavatory.

4. Students can never take cell phones to the cafeteria (not in purses/lunch bags if those items are brought to the cafe).

***Smart watches have similar restricted use in all the same ways as cell phones. Smart watches can and will be collected if used inappropriately.