Hawk Highlights

Dear Families and Friends of the Hollys,

It’s hard to believe we have been in session for a month already! I continue to be inspired by our beautiful community of staff, students and family members. Students are full of joy and curiosity, engaged in learning and establishing strong relationships with staff and peers. Teachers are collaborating and problem-solving innovative solutions that are responsive to the unique needs of students and community members this school year. I’m humbled and proud to serve the Hollys.

We are a “Title I” school. Each year, Title I programs are required to host a meeting for parents to explain what the Title I program is and how parents can become involved. The following items will be addressed at the Annual Parent Meeting:

· Explain their school’s participation in Title I

· Explain the Title I requirements

· Provide description and explanation of the school’s curriculum and new initiatives

· Provide information on the forms of academic assessment

· Explain the district and school parental involvement opportunities

· Explain the school-family compact

If you are interested in learning about Title I, please join us at our meeting on Thursday, September 21 at 6pm at Holly Hills Elementary.

In safety news, we utilize the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) from the “I Love U Guys” foundation to conduct crisis and safety drills and practice procedures each month. It’s easy to understand and easy to implement.

A uniform, planned, and practiced response to any incident is the foundation of a safe school. The SRP is action-based, flexible, and easy to learn. It rationally organizes tactics for response to weather events, fires, accidents, intruders and other threats to personal safety.

The SRP’s development is ever evolving, created with extensive collaboration between experts such as first responders, public safety, school, districts, and communities. Its tactics are data-driven, researched and based on experience and contemporary practices. The benefits of SRP become quickly apparent. By standardizing the vocabulary, all stakeholders can understand the response and status of the event.

For students, this provides continuity of expectations and actions throughout their educational career. For teachers, this becomes a simpler process to train and drill. For communities, it leverages the growing adoption of the protocols from residents of all ages. For first responders, the common vocabulary and protocols establish a greater predictability that persists through the duration of an incident.

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based on the response to any given situation not on individual scenarios. Like the Incident Command System (ICS), SRP demands a specific vocabulary but also allows for great flexibility. The premise is simple - these five specific actions that can be performed during an incident. When communicating these, the action is labeled with a "Term of Art" and is then followed by a "Directive." Execution of the action is performed by active participants.

(See below for the symbols and their meanings)

Our CCSD safety and security team will conduct the lockdown drill in conjunction with local law enforcement. Students and staff are aware of the upcoming drill and have been practicing the procedure. We don’t want the drill to provoke anxiety among students. Law enforcement will prompt the school community to “lockdown” over the PA system. All school staff, students and visitors will follow the lockdown procedure. Law enforcement will follow their procedure to evaluate our drill and offer feedback to the school on successes and needs for improvement. The drill takes approximately 15 minutes. We will have our first lockdown drill on September 26.

Lockdown Procedure: “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight”

Students are trained to:

• Move away from sight

• Maintain silence

• Do not open the door

Adults and staff are trained to:

• Recover students from hallway if possible

• Lock the classroom door
• Turn out the lights
• Move away from sight
• Maintain silence
• Do not open the door
• Prepare to evade or defend

I will keep our community informed of our lockdown drill success. I’m confident we are prepared!

We value your partnership in education and appreciate all your efforts to promote student success at the Hollys. Thanks for all you do at home to nourish strong character, too. Our community is terrific!

Together in education,

Molly Drvenkar

Principal

Due to increasing number of allergies and food sensitivities among students we do NOT allow edible birthday treats. This practice is about the safety of our students. Students are welcome to bring a NON-EDIBLE treat to share such as a birthday pencil, or a birthday bracelet, or a birthday super ball, but no food. Thank you for helping us keep all students safe and included in student birthday celebrations!

• Hollys Families, let's share a meal and raise some money for our schools! Join us for dinner on Monday, September 25th at Birdcall (4996 E Hampden Avenue). Take the night off from cooking and come see your friends and classmates (and a special guest!) Proceeds will benefit the Hollys students, teachers and staff.

• Save the date! Our next Hollys Helpers meeting will be Thursday, October 5th 8-9:15 am at Holly Hills. Please email hollyhawksptco@gmail.com or text 515-298-3798 if you plan to attend and need a translator.