HES Parent & Family Newsletter

Welcome Back, Families!

We hope you had a restful and joyful holiday break! As we step into the second half of the school year, we are reminded of the words from What the Road Said by Cleo Wade:
"The road said, ‘You may not always know where I’m taking you, but I will always take you somewhere good.’"

Just like the road in the story, our journey together as a school community may have its unexpected turns, but it always leads us to something meaningful. Each day, we take steps forward in our mission to create a nurturing and enriching environment for our students. Every lesson, every moment, brings us closer to success and growth.

As we return to school, we look forward to continuing this journey with all of you—our dedicated families, students, and staff. We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead in the new year, and we are grateful for the continued partnership between school and home.

Thank you for your unwavering support, and here’s to a wonderful second half of the year!

Kind regards,
Angela McQuinn
Assistant Principal, Houston Elementary

• Monday, January 6th
• Lunch today is Corn Dogs
• Alternative today is a chef salad
• Tuesday, January 7th
• Lunch today is Walking Tacos
• Alternative today is a chef salad
• Wednesday, January 8th
• Lunch today is Sausage Pizza
• Alternative today is a chef salad
• Thursday, January 9th
• Lunch today is Baked Ham
• Alternative today is a chef salad
• Friday, January 10th
• 4th grade PBIS nominations
• Lunch today is Philly flatbread
• Alternative today is a chef salad

As we head into the colder months, we want to share important information about preventing the spread of respiratory viruses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance to help schools and families stay healthy and safe during this time.

Key Recommendations from the CDC:

• Encourage Hand Hygiene: Regular handwashing with soap and water is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of viruses. Please remind your child to wash their hands frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing.

• Cover Coughs and Sneezes: Teach your child to cover their nose and mouth with a tissue or the inside of their elbow to reduce the spread of germs.

• Stay Home When Sick: If your child is feeling unwell, please keep them home to rest and recover. We encourage families to follow the CDC’s guidelines for when it's safe to return to school after illness.

We appreciate your support in keeping our school community healthy. Together, we can help ensure a safe and productive school year for all of our students.

If you have any questions or need more information about the CDC guidelines, please feel free to reach out to the school nurse or the office.

Thank you for your continued partnership!

• Lockdown Drill:
• Tuesday, January 13th
• Students & Staff will hear this message announced on the PA system:
• "Lockdown, Lock, Lights, Out of sight." Repeated three times.
• We will only have one full lockdown drill this year, all other drills will be modified drills
• Here is are some resources you may use at home to help prepare your student for the lockdown drill.
• These videos are about the SRP Lockdown. Lockdown Video Series for students grades K-3 YouTube Video-Video # 1, Video # 2(about remaining quiet during the lockdown), Video # 3 (rabbit yoga pose for a strategy for how to remain out of sight during the lockdown). Grades 4-6 start video at 14:57 minutes,end video at 21:38 (21:38-22:30--explains self evaluation which we can avoid addressing at this time).

In an effort to reduce milk waste and manage costs more effectively, we are making some changes to our milk distribution at snack time for students in grades 1-6. Moving forward, we ask that families who wish to purchase milk for their children at snack time complete the attached form. This will allow us to distribute milk more accurately and ensure that funds are collected appropriately.

Please take a moment to fill out the form and indicate which of your students you would like to receive milk during snack time It's important to note that students receive a free carton of milk each day during school breakfast and lunch. However, milk is only free at lunch if the student takes the school meal. Otherwise, students in grades K-6 will be charged $0.60 at lunchtime for their milk.

Milk distribution at snack will begin September 9th, 2024. We will add students to the list and milk will be delivered to students during their scheduled snack times.

Cost per milk $0.60:

• Quarter 2- 11/5/24-1/17/25 (41 school days)= $24.60
• Quarter 3- 1/21/25-3/21/25 (42 school days)= $25.20
• Quarter 4- 3/31/25-5/28/25 (40 school days) = $24.00
• Total cost for milk = $96.00

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we work to make this process more efficient.

Snack Break Milk Request

Kind regards,
Angela McQuinn
Assistant Principal, Houston Elementary School

This week’s Hurricane FORCE Positive Office Referrals of the Week come from 3rd grade. Congratulations to Rylan S. & Emma S. who were nominated by their teachers, Mrs. Thompson & mrs. Lambrecht. Both students were nominated for their responsible and respectful character traits. Congratulations on being the final two nominations of 2024!

As part of our pillar of continuous improvement and growth, we love to see our students bonding and growing together in all kinds of environments—both inside the classroom and out.

Recently, our 1st graders enjoyed some snowy fun outside, where they worked together to pile snow their classmate, Tristen K.! These moments of teamwork and play not only build friendships but also foster important social skills as our students learn how to cooperate, communicate, and support one another. We look forward to seeing more of these joyful connections as the winter season continues. Stay warm and keep growing, #Strengthening The Hurricane!

As we reflect on the wonderful accomplishments of our students this semester, we also celebrate the fun traditions that bring our school community together. Before the holiday break, our classrooms were filled with festive parties and celebrations, marking the hard work and growth our students have achieved.

One of the highlights was the 2nd grade tradition of Grinch Day in Mrs. Botcher's class, where students enjoyed holiday-themed activities and even had a special guest appearance from the Grinch himself! It's moments like these that not only bring joy but also foster a sense of belonging and excitement for the school year ahead. We are so proud of all of our students’ hard work and look forward to seeing even more achievements in the new year!

At Houston Elementary, we love seeing our students use their creativity and resourcefulness to learn and grow, both in and out of the classroom.

Recently, our Kindergarten students demonstrated the power of imagination and teamwork during recess. What was once a set of stepping stones became the foundation for snow forts as students partnered up to build and play. They even turned the stones into snow plows, pushing snow down the street as they pretended to clear the way!

This wonderful display of real-world learning highlights how our students use available resources to engage with their environment, collaborate with one another, and strengthen their problem-solving skills. We’re excited to see how these partnerships and innovative thinking will continue to grow throughout the school year.

Pictured below is Jaxon S. from kindergarten showing off his useful stepping stone tool!

• December 23-January 1st: No School, Holiday Break. Hurricane Watch will NOT be available.
• January 2 & 3: No School, Holiday Break. Hurricane Watch will be available. Students attending HW must bring sack lunch.
• January 6th- School Resumes
• January 13th- Lockdown drill

Please check the school website calendar for more information as well as other events/opportunities.