Welcome Back, Maple Hill Families!
Happy New Year and welcome to 2025! I hope you all enjoyed a restful and joyful holiday season filled with love, laughter, and quality time with family and friends. School resumes on Monday, January 6th. We can’t wait to see our students’ bright smiles and energy back in the classrooms as we kick off the second half of the school year!
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reflect, set goals, and make resolutions. I encourage all of our families to take time this month to create New Year’s resolutions together. Whether it’s reading a new book each month, practicing kindness, or dedicating time to family activities, working on resolutions as a family can strengthen bonds and inspire one another to succeed. Remember to celebrate progress, big or small, and cheer each other on!
January’s Cultural and National Celebrations
Our school values the diversity of our community, and we strive to celebrate and learn from the rich cultures and traditions of the world. Here are a few significant holidays and observances this month:
- New Year’s Day (January 1): This day marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year. It’s a time for fresh beginnings, reflection, and hope for the year ahead.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 20): A federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of equality, justice, and nonviolence. It’s a day to reflect on civil rights and to serve our communities.
- Lunar New Year (Begins January 29): Celebrated by many Asian cultures, this holiday marks the start of the lunar calendar and is a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and welcoming good fortune. 2025 is the Year of the Snake!
These observances remind us of the importance of understanding and respecting different traditions. As a school community, we embrace opportunities to learn from one another and celebrate the diversity that makes our school so special.
Let’s make this year one of kindness, growth, and success. Thank you for your continued partnership in making Maple Hill an incredible place for our students to thrive.
Wishing you and your family a fantastic 2025!
Warm regards,
Ms. McNeil
Principal
January Hawk Character Trait: Empathy
Our SEL enrichment lesson this month will be on Empathy. We will learn about social awareness and what it means to look at things from others' perspectives. The lessons will include engaging activities and thoughtful discussion, such as tone of voice, understanding others' feelings, and compassion. My hope is that your child will develop a better understanding of why it is important to think about and include others. I would love for you to discuss empathy with your child and why it is important to consider others.
Here are some strategies you can try at home to support your child’s social awareness development:
Discuss what it means to be empathetic
Discuss ways to be inclusive and how they can make others feel welcome
Discuss what it means to be compassionate and understanding of others
Family Book Guide:
TK/K- I Am Human
1st-3rd- The Invisible Boy
4th-5th- Empathy Is Your Superpower
Family Empathy Activities:
Create a chart called “Ways to be a Buddy” and brainstorm things buddies say and do on the chart.
Create a chart called “How to Include Others” and brainstorm things we can say and do to include others at school, in class, and on the playground.
Also, please refer to the map below for options for safely navigating the neighborhoods while following all posted signage. As a reminder, U-turns and double parking are prohibited in front of our campus. The sheriff's department will be present to ensure everyone is safe and to monitor traffic flow.
Mrs. McNeil- Principal at Maple Hill
Email: kmcneil@wvusd.org
Website: www.maplehillschool.org
Location: 1350 Maple Hill Road, Diamond Bar, CA, USA
Phone: 909-861-6224