Husky Herald

We are looking forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday, January 7 to kick off Part 2 of the 2024-2025 school year! We have 90 remaining school days that will be packed with meaningful learning for everyone. We hope you had a restful and enjoyable holiday season and are ready to hit the ground running. We appreciate your continued support as we provide the best possible education for your child.

I want to encourage everyone to carefully read the article below concerning South Carolina's Read 2 Succeed Law. Although the retention portion impacts 3rd graders only, other aspects of the law cover grades K-6. We will be reaching out very soon to the parents of students in all grade levels who may not be performing at the expected level in reading. We will have a plan of action to share with you so that we can work together to ensure your child becomes a successful reader.

Please enjoy highlights from our classrooms during the month of December. There are lots of smiling faces and lots of learning taking place. We are joyfully living the Husky Way!

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!

Our HSES GOTR ended their 2024 season with a community service project. The girls wanted to spread some love and holiday cheer with the Boys and Girls Club of York, so they planned out a Christmas Carnival that included several different holiday themed tables. Kindergarten through second grade students from the BGC enjoyed face painting, cookie decorating, tattoos, Christmas coloring, and Christmas ornament making. Our girls organized their materials and engaged with each little girl that visited. The room was full of laughs, smiles and Christmas music. After the carnival was over, the GOTR ladies' faces were full of smiles and the girls wanted to share about a new friend they had made!!

To celebrate the end of their persuasive writing unit, 4th grade visited 2nd grade to share their work. They read their writing to 2nd grade classes and encouraged them to do their best in writing.

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

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

We have been getting into the Christmas spirit in the Husky Gym. Students have enjoyed playing games while singing their favorite Christmas songs.

Students in 2nd-4th grade are rewarded with games for each holiday. December has been dedicated to “Grinch Wars”. Students have been playing a variety of grinch themed games to practice throwing, catching, defending, running. The students displayed great cooperation skills with their teammates, and they devised great strategies for each game. They really enjoyed riding into Whoville, as Max and The Grinch on their scooter sleds.

Montessori, 4K, Kindergarten and 1st grade have been continuing to develop various locomotor skills with station activities. Stations are designed to provide independent practice to develop essential movement skills. Stations include basketball, building blocks, hopscotch, keepy uppy, small sided freeze tag, and modified air hockey. It’s always great to see these younger kids’ excitement when they perfect a new skill in the gym.

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.

Happy Holidays! Our 4k students are working on counting and one to one correspondence. Counting is a skill that is made up of a collection of skills that must be mastered so that students can count and know the quantity of what they are counting. Mrs. Lawton's class created a Christmas Countdown Chain that they took home and can tear a link of each day until Christmas. Students had to work together to count how many chains we would need using our class calendar. Then, students used their fine motor skills to build the chains. Mrs. Roots class worked on this skill by using manipulatives to count different groups of objects. We modeled this activity after the game Hungry Hungry Hippo. Students used their "hungry hippo hand" to grab a group of items, count the items, and then had to remember the total number of items they had. Students were able to collaborate with each other if they needed help!

Merry Christmas from our Montessori classrooms! This December we had lots of fun comparing and contrasting the different gingerbread stories, learning about folktales, and practiced telling our own stories! We also enjoyed some holiday themed extensions with some of our materials around the classroom! We also fully prepared and served our meal for our winter celebration on our own! “It is interesting to notice that where life is simple and natural and where the children participate in the adult’s life, they are calm and happy.” - Maria Montessori

In Kindergarten, we have taken our studies of characters and setting a step further by comparing and contrasting stories this month. We have read various versions of the classic story The Gingerbread Man. Not only have we used this theme in our reading, but we have written our very own versions of the story as well as experimented with gingerbread cookies! The students have enjoyed reciting the repeated words in each story and have loved seeing what adventures the Gingerbread takes us on! Ask your student which adventure they enjoyed learning about the most!

First graders are currently exploring shapes and building a foundational understanding of fractions by learning about equal shares, specifically halves and fourths. Through a hands-on approach, students grasp these concepts in a fun and engaging way. Additionally, we are focusing on creating and extending repeating patterns. Soon, we will delve into the concept of growing patterns and practice identifying what comes next.

First graders are also diving deeper into nonfiction writing in the classroom. Students have been exploring and creating their own 'how to' pieces. One of the highlights was making indoor s'mores using a makeshift campfire, complete with Teddy Grahams, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips! They've also written about topics like "How to Build a Snowman," using playdough to follow their own steps, and created directions for making a peanut butterand jelly sandwich, which the teacher then followed. Additionally, we enjoyed reading "The Gingerbread Man" and the students had fun writing their own "How to Catch a Gingerbread" pieces.

Second graders have been learning about fairy tales. Students have studied the characteristics of fairy tales. Then, they wrote a fairy tale with a partner. Finally, students shared their fairy tales with their classmates. Each story was original and unique. Students enjoyed reading their stories and hearing the stories of their classmates.

The 3rd graders have been learning about different danger zones and how to stay safe when they occur. In the unit, we have learned about hurricanes, tornados, volcanic eruptions, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and wildfires. One of the labs students worked on this month was called Jello City. Students had to collaborate in groups to design a two-story building that could withstand an earthquake. Check with your child to see if their design survived the earthquake.

Fourth grade has been busy engaging in a variety of hands-on and create-your-own activities! In math, students designed their own holiday-themed word problems. We’ve been focusing on solving multi-step word problems, so they took on the challenge of creating their own problems for a peer to solve. Their creativity, understanding of the four operations, and problem-solving skills were clearly expressed through in their work!

In science, we’ve been exploring how Earth’s surface changes through weathering and erosion. To observe this process, students made predictions about what would happen when rocks collide in moving water. Then, they tested three scenarios: no shaking, two minutes of shaking, and five minutes of shaking. Students were amazed to see how the collisions broke the rocks into smaller pieces, creating sediment. Their observations sparked great discussions about how this small-scale experiment models the larger processes shaping our planet!

January 6

eLearning Day for Students (makeup for September 30)

January 7

Students return to school

January 9

Law Enforcement Appreciation Day - wear black & blue to honor our SRO, Sgt. Kimble

January 13

Domino's Pizza Spirit Night

January 15

Report Cards

January 20

MLK Holiday - School closed

January 31

PTO Birthday Lunch